Appalachian Mountains, Questions And Concerns.

I have often wondered who designed truck routes in PA. I try to stay on us hwy or interstate in that state. In PA, WV, VA, TN, SC the Mt are constant up a thousand feet and right down it's tiring to drive them. I would much rather take the Rockies, Sierras, or Cascades. I have seen some double digits​ grades going in and out of mine sites and a lumber camp all dirt road. I was going into a marine base one time in the seirra and there was a sign trucks not advices 26 grade ahead luckily the base was before the grade. I don't think I would have made it up that.

Well once i got into them today i relaxed a lot, all the downgrades i did today i never once touched my brakes, kept alternating between all three jake brakes, the longest one was a 7 mile stretch, the guy behind me kept coming up on me fast, he was doing at least 60 down it quite possible he was in the wrong gear because he never passed me and had plenty of opportunity to do so with no cars near us the whole way down. But thank you all for all the gokd advice.

Did you go down 77? I run that a few times a week.

Yes I did

Did you go down 77? I run that a few times a week.

77 to 64 actually

Yes I did

Did you go down 77? I run that a few times a week.

I drove through the Appalachians today. Quite a trip. Did 77 North in Virginia and West Virginia. Got off 77 and took US Route 19. There is a reason they call it the mountaineer expressway. Annoying to drive since they place stop lights at the bottom of the downgrades. I also found a very brief 9% grade in Pennsylvania where 79 meets 70.

What a trip it was. Tons of upgrades as well. The poor engine in my truck was struggling on some of those.

Yeah us 19 is horrible. I question the intelligence of the one responsible for those stop light locations. Some are even kinda covered by bridges so you can't see till you're there. But hey you made it through, you'll know what to expect next time.

Haha yeah i was trying to figure out the whole stop light thing too, not very smart on their part. And i was headed southbound today. It was nice because there was zero traffic or minimal. I dont have a delivery date until the 18th so i was just planning on knocking out some miles today and then some more tomorrow, but instead i knocked out all but 50 of the 530 miles i needed so now i can just relax tomorrow. Unfortunately there is nothing to do where im parked, lol.

Yeah I know those roads. I try to avoid them at night if at all possible. If it isn't possible, I'm the one holding up traffic at a snail's pace ****ing off the locals.

Great to hear you didn't touch your brakes, getting down those grades, especially since you're in an auto... from everything I've been reading, I've been secretly hoping that once I get assigned my own truck, AFTER I complete CDL school and AFTER I am employed by my first- or second-choice company, that they put me in a manual. But reading about your experience is comforting, should I get an auto. Thanks for sharing!