Smokey Mountains: Cades Cove vs Smokemont

My wife and I just drove over Newfound Gap in early June. the road is nothing that should bother an experienced driver with a properly set up unit. The people that burn up their brakes going through there are driving their rig like they would drive around town in a car. Mountain driving takes patience and thought. Don't get in a hurry, go down a hill (mountain) in one gear lower than you would use driving up Use your engine to slow you down, a proper truck will have a shiftable tranny so you can select what gear your are in. If you are passing semi's and straight trucks,l you are going to darned fast.
I drove my RV over Going to the Sun Road, The Beartooth Highway, over highway 14A in the Bighorn Mtns, and I have NEVER gotten my brakes hot. I sure didn't get ny truck brakes even warm going across Newfound Gap.