You know? It's difficult, but I can LIVE with 50 if you can just MAINTAIN it! Fact is, there's not a curve in there that can't be handled at 55 at least.

Now, I don't usually get upset with tankers, cuz you know..... the slosh affect. And occasionally I see a reefer and think he MIGHT be loaded to the roof and be a little topheavy (although I did that for years and could maintain at least 50.)

But..... riding your brakes and barely managing 35 to 40 or MAYBE 45 for about 25 miles.... with 10 - 20 trucks lined up behind you.... and NOT PULLING into the rest area to let the rest of us go by..... well..... just be glad I can't GET TO YOU! issedoff: [ESPECIALLY if you're an empty FLATBED!] :angryblue:

Like I said.... it's not ALL the other guy's fault. It's the fact that I have to do it EVERY DAMN DAY!!! The gorge, I mean. Some days I get to breeze through at 50 to 60 mph. Other days, I get bogged down and have to shift into the basement because someone is afraid of a curve.

Belpre can say what he wants, but sometimes the variety of "irregular route" OTR is a blessing. It keeps your blood pressure down! :lol:

 

its not. lucky for me i'm on great lakes dedicated, and the last time i was thru that part of the country was 4-5 mo. ago.

just got a message across my qualcomm from the company about that. they say 50 extra miles, but i sure wouldnt want to be taking that detour in the middle of winter. think i might have to go clear down 85 to 20 and just go thru Dallas. =)

 

Of course that would depend on your point of origin. When I drove out of Lexington, NC., the weather often dictated whether I took I-40 west thru the gorge, or down 85 thru Atlanta. If you are GOING west of Dallas, taking 40 to Little Rock and then 35 down to Dallas is actually 35 miles longer than the "southern" route.

However, if you need to turn north at Nashville and jump up to 64/70 on your way to the Northwest.... there is no option. The Gorge IS the shortest route from (central) NC to MOST points out west.

My brother drives out of Mt. Airy, NC.... so, He takes 77N to 81 down to 40 anyway. Lucky him.

 

Heh, then it wasn't me, most curves are 50 a few 45 but I stay at 50 and even sometimes catch myself doing 55. I usualy hit 45 around the tunnels but I think thats more something my brain tells me to do, and yes, once I see the rest area, if I have a string of trucks behind me, I pull in, if for no other reason then to get them off my backside, lol.

 

And how do you know I won't growl lok' tar? lol

 

Besides, I had my share of fun taking us 64 through lake lure and by the bat cave. That was super trucker enough for me, lol. by the time I got to hendersonville, I could have kissed the road I was driving on. Thats an interesting road.

 

I didn't know I-40 ran into VA

I've only traveled that stretch a few times, but it's not bad at all. I also get annoyed at the guys who can only go 40 on that stretch, but more annoyed by the lane control that we have to endure.

 

 

lol, off subject i know but I do have an orc hunter alt