Gman dismissed them as "a couple of steep grades." I know there are steeper ones, been down them too, but these should not be taken lightly. The Speed limit is 70 at times and 65 on the steeper parts. You MUST be in the proper gear to hold your LOAD back to a speed of 65 if you don't want to burn your brakes... and there are a couple of curves that will pucker you up IF you are in the WRONG gear.
Now.... if you don't want to try all of this for your first time with a BIG BRIGHT ball of flame in your eyes..... plan your "attack" on Cali (or Kingman) at sometime OTHER than sunset (WEST COAST TIME!) They built the roads to put the sun in your eyes the maximum time! :hellno:
There's a Pilot just west of Flag at the 185(?) if you need to kill some time, or a rest stop up there before the descent. Kingman has some good truckstops, and the weather should be warm(er) and dry. I prefer the Petro at the 66... first one you come to. It has a large parking lot, good food and good showers. But the "J" and the T/A aren't bad, either.
Fuel up with cheaper fuel, check your kingpin, know your route all the way to the drop so you don't have to look at a map again, then "Go West young man!" Seriously, if you've never been into Cali on I-40, it is completely different than coming in on 10! Take your time to look at the landscape... it is amazing in a certain way.
Use that C.B. to know where the bears are and whether they care today or not... and try not to freak out at the view of the L.A. valley from THAT direction, instead of "merging" into it from the elevation of I-10. [I prefer to do that LATE at night, arriving just a few hours before delivery. 7 - 8 hours, IIRC, from Kingman to deep in L.A.
Ah heck.... just move over and let ME drive it! :lol2:
Sorry.... I just really MISS that drive! :cry:
Nice run! ...... Enjoy!