Fancy Gap

I've never had a problem with Fancy Gap, 70mph Up, 70mph down/10th gear foot to the floor...then again that was when i was a stick hauler...

only ran it once since then at 78,000lbs going up at about 35mph lol




American Trucker

 

I knew an old timer from the days of gasoline powered trucks that said he used to shut off the engine while in the tunnel, but leaving it in gear, then turn the key back on while still in the tunnel. The resulting backfire was louder than any air horn. Except one time he over did it, blowing off/apart his mufflers!

 

well to each its own i guess boys... fact of the matter i've ran everything East of I-29/I-35, i don't go over the rockies but i've yet to see a grade that gets that bad for 4 miles with fog where you can't see $^!T... i've yet to see Sandstone over on 64 that bad, but hey if it tickle your fancy then cool

 

That's about silly. What does the map say "No, go this way".

There is about 5 miles difference between the two routes. Looking on paper, one can't tell the difference. Any computer software is going to select the shortest way, even if it is five miles.

This is where experience comes into play and that's all is to it. Had he told the GPS to avoid tolls it would of routed him up I-75. Any time one comes out of the western Carolina's or GA up to OH/MI area, you go up I-75. Minus the tolls and extra hills, it's cheaper and faster. Again, only experience knows that. He could of routed the GPS Augusta to Knoxville to Flint and got the same results.

Any good trip planner will use both a GPS and a map.

When we talk about fog, a GPS is an excellent tool. You can zoom in and see the curves coming and anticipate them instead of being surprised if you don't know the road.

 

Screw fancy gap black mountain is worse.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk

 

When I run Windsor/Detroit to Savannah, I run I75/I16. About 35 miles longer than going through the Gap, but you save on time and fuel. Usually go through ATL around 5-6am avoiding the morning parking lot on 285.

 

condo, i dont know we all survived without gps, lol.

it is a wonder the country didnt grind to a halt 30 years ago. the problem is many have no idea how to use the atlas and rely to much on the gps. they follow the box, and have no idea of many route numbers etc, and heaven forbid a road may require a detour, they may not even know where they are at on a map.

and this trip planning , that must be a term used by the mega carriers. i always figured miles with an atlas divided by 50 mph, giving the drive hours. then divided the drive hours by ten, to get number of 8 hour breaks. then i was done.

but i had to change my formula when the 11- and 10 hour break came along .

funny thing is , i can figure most trips without opening the atlas even. but that was an acquired ability.

and from augusta, the i-77 route is 820 miles and the i-40 thru knoxville is 847 and that is with running US25 out of augusta.

now i got any route out of augusta down pat, since i live there. and running the winter i would take i-77 route anytime. the gorge can be really bad during a storm and tn and ky dont have a clue with keeping road open, va ,wv, oh do a much better job

and i would also guess not many have knocked it out of gear past the 3 yard stick and held on?

 

That's where the misconception is. Some think it's either or. It's based on ones mentality and not the tools. If you can't swing a hammer, a nail gun won't do you much good either.

I know most roads without a map too. Local directions is where I have to figure. Evential it's all like running around home. But all this hype about GPS's is from people that refuse to accept new technology or won't learn how to incorporate them in their trip planing. Then there is the dumb truckers out there that get their hands on one. It doesn't matter what they do. They'll screw up regardless.

Sure we all got around with just maps. Now we have an extra tool. It has it's faults. You learn to work around them faults. It doesn't stop here. We live in an age now where there will be all kinds of new things come out. Do you refuse or do you learn?

 

Fancy gap and Black mountain are not a big deal!
Fog is very common and hits you fast. Just slow down,take a breath and drive through it.
I have run those roads all my driving career and never give them a second thought.

You should come down the Gap in heavy snow and fog.You just feel the road because you sure can't see it...

 

The gorge on I-40 is even more fun in a snowstorm....lol!