Question:
Last week found me pulling a LTL load with 2 stops in WV (Penneboro and Terra Alta), and 3 stops in VA (Harrisonburg, Skipwith & some other town I can't remember).
Both of the towns in WV are along Hwy 50. The Motor Carrier's Edition of Rand McNally shows Hwy 50 as a truck route.
My trip took me along Hwy 50E through WV & the western tip of MD, back into WV to Hwy 42S (Hwy 42 is a "primary road" according to the atlas), to Hwy 220S and then to Hwy 33E over to Harrisonburg, VA.
I used to run the mountains out west, from Wyoming to the left side of California (N & S). Lots of space out there to manuever (usually).
The Appalachian Mountains are a whole different ballgame so to speak. They're not as tall as the Rockies are, BUT they're much different.
A mountain is a mountain, right? NOT!!! The ONLY THING any mountain has in common with another is, you go up one side and down the other!
These 2 lane blacktop roads that I was on last week were narrow, windy and have NO shoulder what-so-ever! There were many spots that I took up both lanes going around a hairpin turn! I was damn lucky that I didn't meet any vehicles on any of them. Most of the time, I'd see my right side trailer tires riding the edge of the blacktop and then look out my mirror and see the driver's side tires over the center line. Many times, while going around a hairpin turn, I'd look in my right side mirror and see the trailer with the rock wall about 1 foot away from it!
I also managed to find 1 low bridge! Can't remember which town it was in though. Clearance was 13'-6". The 48' trailer I had, rode at 13'-6". (If I'd have been dragging a 53'er, it would've rode at 13'-9" ) I was able to dump the air in my suspension and get down to 13'-4.5"
I also noticed that the down grades were steeper than I'm used to running. Out west, most of the ones I ran were 6-8%. I found many 10% grades last week.
Just keep in mind what you are doing at all times. Pre-planning each night for the next day helps (I coulda done better at this )
All in all, I had a great trip and yes, I "relearned" a few things also.
This will be the one thing you WILL remember........
You can go down a mountain many times, but you'll only go down too fast, ONCE!
Please believe them speed limit signs they post!
Slow down and live!
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"I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane!" (from Waylon Jennings)
"The feel of the wheel delivers me, from a life where I don't wanna be." (from Joe Stampley)


Answer:
Yes sir the Rockies are a piece of cake except for the Winter conditions compared to those WV. Wagon Trails, with no room for any but the smallest mistakes in good weather.
Mike
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Just think of this little experience as a "Skills Test".
And you obviously Passed.
You may Now Add another "Notch" in your "Belt-of-Experience."

Answer:
You want a fun road to drag a 53 footer down sometime go into Vermont on US 9. Now there is one fun road.
Only thing it has going for it is that it is one pretty drive.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
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If you get bored with those East Coast goat trails you could head out west and take a little cruise down Lolo Pass out of Lolo Montana then slide on into Orofino for breakfast at the Lumberjack Restaraunt. You'll need it
Love is blind and marriage is an institution. If you fall in love and get married, it's an institution for the blind.

Answer:
Having run both, I would say Hoss would think Lolo was a freeway after 50 in W.V.

Answer:
Before the big roads were built. It used to take twelve hours to run from ATLANTA to GREENEVILLE on old U29...
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Stand Back! I Just Had An Idea...
Maybe instead of J.J.'s pet project Ore-Ida's Swoon-In-June , that he instead mount a campaign educating these poor over worked and underpaid Teamsters in the error of their ways.
Just think...once the truth becomes known about the Dweller Lifestyle, his membership will double overnight and everyone could have a few extra stops on their TL run to make a little extra Buffet and Lugnut Cover Money...
I think we have a "Win-Win" situation here.
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-Battered Truck Dweller Syndrome-
Homeless...
Will Work For Buffet Money And Fancy Lugnut Covers...

Answer:
Originally posted by BEDSPREAD:
_Before_ the big roads were built. It used to take twelve hours to run from ATLANTA to GREENEVILLE on old U29...
Well Bedspread, (Seriously!)I would love to run roads like that! I love a good challenge!
Maybe the best challenge would be to.....show up at the T/A in Jessup and buy YOU coffee! Maybe Nurse Red could join us.
Ya never know. Seems the company I'm leased to, has plenty of loads going east, so MAYBE I'll get a load headed that way.
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"I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane!" (from Waylon Jennings)
"The feel of the wheel delivers me, from a life where I don't wanna be." (from Joe Stampley)


Answer:
I knew this post was coming,you hid it in the newbies section
Justice WV 80 miles from interstate,US52 posted 55mph most of the way 2 1/2 hours never again
Getting out was worse,had to go the other way.I hear people saying 2 up loaded,3 down empty.The coal buckets have the 5 hairpin corners numbered and yeild to the ones coming up the hill loaded.I get to the top and the coal bucket in front of me says bring it around,their is a 100' straight away ahead,their idea of a passing zone,not mine
So I ask this guy if this skinny road coming up is a good short cut to US119,he say yeh and I take the cut off and than hear him say it's a little narrow. slight under statement It was the main road through these little towns or more like the only street in them,because on one side was a mountain and the other side a river.I would call it an alley,not a road.I didn't knock down anyones front porch and made it through
I'm glad to see you got out in one piece also
Brooklyn NY is easy,the roads are straight and wide enough to keep your wheels on the pavement.
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"I ain't paying somebody to work"
Would sooner work and complain about not getting paid for it.
Answer:
Originally posted by zigzag:
I knew this post was coming,you hid it in the newbies section
LOL. Hey, at least I didn't see anybody pickin' a banjo on the porch.
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"I've always been different with one foot over the line.
Winding up somewhere, one step ahead or behind.
It ain't been so easy, but I guess I shouldn't complain.
I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane." (from Waylon Jennings)

Answer:
Originally posted by uturn2001:
You want a fun road to drag a 53 footer down sometime go into Vermont on US 9. Now there is one fun road.
Only thing it has going for it is that it is one pretty drive.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
US9 through VT... I get scared in my 4-wheeler!
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Ignorance is bliss. But only for the ignorant.
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Answer:
Try Kentucky 90 between Corbin and Whitley City! Once you get to the State Park the fun starts. 18 miles to cover about 10 miles straight. Curves that a 53 might be able to get around! Luckily I always hauled a 48 reefer still couldn't strech out the trailer!

Answer:
I used to pick up in a little town off of highway 55 in WV. (55 junctions off of I-81 in S. VA) That was always a real treat. I can remember many short cuts taken in that part of the country that actually took longer.
Truck safe.
I like all dogs I meet, and some people too!! I like all dogs I meet, and some people too!!

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Just because it looks shorter on the map doesn't mean it will be shorter...
Try U321 between Johnson City, TN and Boone, NC for kicks one trip...

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Back to the top for more quality veiwing to the newbies on this web site.
You never forget the bad roads.
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Bette Midler