Long grades in the Appalachian's
Drove through the Appalachians on interstate 64 going to Virginia Beach in the car and noticed a 7% grade east of Beckley, WV. I'm not sure I want to tackle that in my truck with my 5th wheel without ...
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We take the downhill ride from Pluto Road at the top of Sandstone mountain at least twice a year visiting our daughter in Virginia. We have a 40' Phaeton and tow a Ford Sportrac. After the first trip down, we always stop at the truckers' mandatory brake check stop. We joke that we stop there to put on our "brown" pants for the trip down, then changing back into our white pants. LOL
It is good for us to make the stop because then we start our descent from a dead stop and can more easily control our speed. I downshift to a lower gear and use the exhaust brake with the occasional stab at the service brakes. We've made the trip dozens of times, but I still don't like it. In addition to the 7% grade for 5 miles, it has two 90 degree curves and two runaway truck ramps. And yes, I sometimes have trouble sleeping the night before tackling it.
Dale
It is good for us to make the stop because then we start our descent from a dead stop and can more easily control our speed. I downshift to a lower gear and use the exhaust brake with the occasional stab at the service brakes. We've made the trip dozens of times, but I still don't like it. In addition to the 7% grade for 5 miles, it has two 90 degree curves and two runaway truck ramps. And yes, I sometimes have trouble sleeping the night before tackling it.
Dale
