Mountain Driving

[mtngal]

I'm on my phone So will be brief. All good replies. Also, be sure your
trailer brakes are working. Do this by braking with controller BUT
on the flat and at slow speed NOT on hill. Periodically check
your connections. Plan to be low on water storage rather than
high. 8 pounds per gallon. My number one rule is gear down.
And double check your gps. Just recently we had a big rig follow
his gps over Sonora Pass. Not good. Mostly just go slow and enjoy
being in the mountains!

[VickieP]

Petit Jean State Park elevation is 2,753ft, the highest point in the state of Arkansas. We took the route going from Oppelo to the park and there is one stretch with warning signs about the steep road. Ronnie said when done once he will go the same route in Sept.....1st time was a little scary, since we live at 16ft elevation.

[Bethers]

I grew up in the flatlands - but I don't consider these mountain driving Just a few bumps in the road. Like when I stayed at Monte Sano - and that's the "mountian" here. But with the rig, I do put it in low gear going down. Uphills and downhills are the same whether 10,000 elevation or 2,000. And switchback roads - well, remember sunshinecruiser's post about those when coming up the wrong road to Monte Sano. Maybe you don't want to remember that

[Marslet]

Karen,
We are talking ant hills here in Arkansas. Jim and I have camped all over Arkansas for a number of years. The squirreliest place to get into with a camper is Devil's Den with it's sharp switchbacks (all going downhill) but there is even a back way to come into it so you don't have to deal with that.
Jim and I are gonna ride over to my favorite campground, Nebo State Park one day while we are at Petit Jean. I have room for 3 brave souls in my backseat. The drive up and down Nebo is breathtaking. Believe it or not, I have taken a 14 foot trailer up there. They have a sunrise and a sunset point that are lovely to go and see. This is the road that will give you plenty of practice in using gears going both up and down hill.
Have any of you sisters been to Nebo? If so, tell us your story.

[Getupngo]

The "downhill at the same speed you climb" has to do with a downhill grade that is as steep as the uphill. Some of those climbs & descents on the way to Seattle were sphincter-clenchers.

Oh, and it was suggested by "the men" on RV.net who had driven semis. It works well for me.

[sharon]

The "downhill at the same speed you climb" has to do with a downhill grade that is as steep as the uphill. Some of those climbs & descents on the way to Seattle were sphincter-clenchers.

Oh, and it was suggested by "the men" on RV.net who had driven semis. It works well for me.

Yeah, that's what I was told, too, by DH the truck driver and it's always worked for me. The other thing is most downhills that are 6% or more grade have a truck speed limit of 40-45 mph. Now, I know I can legally go down that mountain faster than that...but can I stop my rig if something happens in front of me and I'm going faster? Don't know and don't want to find out. I'm retired, I don't need to go faster. To be perfectly honest, I can out pull most trucks going up, but I stay all cozy with them going down. Gives me someone to talk to so I don't get bored.

[Bethers]

Tell me where you're finding the truck drivers who go that slow on the downhills? I usually have to speed up to keep them from ramming me. Seriously.

[sharon]

Tell me where you're finding the truck drivers who go that slow on the downhills? I usually have to speed up to keep them from ramming me. Seriously.

Most states I've driven in have a speed limit for 6% or better grades, but yeah, I've been in states where there was no speed limit posted and the truckers there can be a little scary. And Stupid. And then there are the flatlanders whose companys don't put jake brakes on the trucks...Now those guys are terrifying...and terrified. I've had a few try and push me down the mountain. It's not to bad on a 4 lane road where they can go around you, but on a 2 lane I try and get over ASAP and let 'em go.

[Bethers]

Carolyn - hope we aren't scaring you. It's like any driving - there are idiots everywhere And it's not difficult. You'll be fine after you've driven more and been on some of the ups and downs and turns, etc.

[cpatinjones]

Beth, I keep telling myself it will be fine!!! I plan on reading my truck manual again and re-reading all of y'alls tips and suggestions.

[sharon]

Beth, I keep telling myself it will be fine!!! I plan on reading my truck manual again and re-reading all of y'alls tips and suggestions.

You'll be fine! If you have "tow mode" on your truck, that almost acts like a jake brake on a big truck or rv....you'll be surprised how much it actually slows you. I have an F-250 diesel and if I'm towing coming down Cajon Pass here in SoCal, I have to give it throttle to get down the mountain, 6% grade. 'Course I'm not towing a big 'ol 5'er, just a steel car trailer with a heavy jeep on it, but it'll help.

Funny story for you...My very first trip in the rv (not this one, the 38 footer), on my way back from Arkansas. I'm on the I-40 in Flagstaff and need to get to Phoenix so I decide to cut down on the 17...nice 4 lane hiway, looks like an easy run down to Phoenix. Climb this pretty steep hill couple of miles long, no big deal, get to the top and there's a sign....30 MILES 6% GRADE, TRUCKS USE LOW GEAR, BRAKE CHECK AREA 1 MILE. Oh Hell! 30 miles straight down hill??? Pull into the brake check area, cause now I've scared myself so bad I have to pee. Bad! Take care of that...hmmm...might as well have some lunch...go outside and walk around the rv....maybe some yogurt would taste good...45 minutes later I've figured out the rv fairy is not gonna come and drive this rig off the mountain for me....get back in, start her up, and let me tell you, my hands were shaking so bad I could hardly hold onto the steering wheel. Take off...3 more signs about the bad scary downgrade ahead of me....Now I'm really spooked....Road finally starts down....annnndddd....it was a piece of cake. Yeah, there were 6% grades, but then it would taper off and be fairly flat, then down again, gentle curves....nuttin' to it. Guess what I'm trying to say is know your truck and know what to do before you start down. You'll find that it's not as bad as your imagination. Most of the time. Now, those 2 lane twistie 10%'ers in Canada...whole 'nother story!

[Bethers]

Got those twisty turnies big grades in MX also - don't last long, usually - and I think they're just fine - not much traffic either. Beautiful drives

[Bethers]

Hey Carolyn - this is a timely blog post for you:

http://blog.rv.net/2010/06/mountain-dri ... dium=email

[cpatinjones]

Hey Carolyn - this is a timely blog post for you:

http://blog.rv.net/2010/06/mountain-dri ... dium=email

Thanks, Bethers.

[Getupngo]

This may sound odd ... but watch the road about 50 yards out. I kept trying to steer too "close" -- watching the curve itself -- and was jerking the rig around the corners. When I look out 50 yards, the turn I'm in just takes care of itself. Go figure.