Steep and steeper

[illflem]

Bill,I drove UT24 from Hanksville just a couple of weeks ago,pretty lonely in the winter,I had just 4 cars pass me going the other direction in almost 200 miles,road was bare but everything else was white. Stopped at a roadside info sign that said the 26 mile section of road by Boulder UT was the most expensive road ever built in the US at the time it was built in '38. The town of Boulder was one of the last in the US to get a road built to it. You can see why when traveling it,there's a 5 mile section where the road is on a ridge top with a 500 ft drop off on both sides of the road.
Beautiful country.

 

[Champane Flight]

Bill,My property is in a older development off of ct rd 41. 3 north of Segundo. Called La Garita,about 17 miles north of Segundo. Putting in well this spring.

Yeap we always take the back way when going to Springs or Denver(71-94 or 71-70). No traffic and no cops. It is a little longer,about 15 miles to springs and 25 to Denver. But worth the L. O. I. (lack of idiots)factor.

Hope to pull the fifthwheel up to the property this summer and leave it. If we can get well,septic,and power drop. Lots of work to do. Gotta get the kids (free labor) up there to. Gonna build a shop next year. Wife and I still thinking of making that home base and going full time RV. South in winter. Got some time to think about it. It is OK to plan,just don't plan results.

Bill,if your coming through give me a call. If my job from hell dosen't interfere,we can have a cup.

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95 Dodge 2500 Luverne grill guard,headache rack,running boards and Amzoiled. Soon to be mildly bombed. 84 Dodge d-150, 318 Hooker headers,Edelbrok intake,mallory ignition,Carter Afb,Accel coil,and Custom dual exhaust. Boat,fifthwheel,motorcycles,and shop,job to support toys. Yuck...

 

[Champane Flight]

Oh I forgot,the last time I went by Huds,it was closed. The main house had burnt and they put a modular up. But it looked closed.

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95 Dodge 2500 Luverne grill guard,headache rack,running boards and Amzoiled. Soon to be mildly bombed. 84 Dodge d-150, 318 Hooker headers,Edelbrok intake,mallory ignition,Carter Afb,Accel coil,and Custom dual exhaust. Boat,fifthwheel,motorcycles,and shop,job to support toys. Yuck...

 

[paccool]

Anyone ever pull the grade on the west side of Death Valley? Been up it a few times but never towing a trailer. Pretty steep grade.

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Stan
93 2WD extended cab, Banks Power Pack, K&N Air Filter, PW Injectors,Auto w/4. 10 rear with limited slip, US Gear Exhaust Brake, 31/2" Exhaust, 5K air bags, Boost/Pyro/Tach Gauges, Green/Silver, new 40-20-40 bucket seats, 149K

 

[illflem]

Stan,that's a good one below sea level to 7500 in about 25 miles. You can always tell the steep one's when there's a sign saying to turn off your AC.

There's a real steep grade coming north out of Santa Rosalia in Baja California that has signs in Spanish that say- Do not leave rocks in the road. I never could figure it out till a Mexican told me what it was all about;lots of cars break down/overheat going up it and use rocks to block their tires,usually in the middle of the road since there's nowhere to pull off,sign's there to remind you move them when you're done. The signs are on most steep grades in Mexico.

 

[zzman]

25/70 from Asheville S. C. to Newport Tn.
Been through there once with 18 wheeler.
A 2 lane with sharp corners. Had to blow horn
going around the corners. Rock cliff just missing
trailer on right, and I'm in the wrong lane on the
left. This road is not meant for 18 wheelers.
I was trying to take a short cut.
After the pass there is a long long straight road
with a slight down grade. Heated the brakes up to
where there was none[my first and last time].

I believe cabbage hill has one of those long long
straight roads too. It is hard to tell you are on
a down grade.

Those were to fun days.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Champane Flight,

Thanks for the update on Hud's. That was a decent overnight stop years ago before it fell into a state of disrepair. Another case of not putting part of the money they made back in the business. It was a lot cheaper than staying at the Lamar KOA which has also fallen down in its upkeep too. I remember there was a little RV park right in town in one of those towns along the Arkansas River. Don't remember which one and it isn't listed in any of the CG guides.

Next time we're through LaJunta, I'll drop you an e-mail--I'm always ready for a cup and a little Dodge/Cummins talk. Just may have to go back by Bent's Old Fort--been a while since we visited there.

The next time we're in the Trinidad area we'll take the CO 12 loop around through Segundo, check out LaGarita, and come out at LaVeta. It's been several years since we made that one too. We used to take all the back roads when we had our previous Lance camper--too much trouble to do that with the 5er. Now that we have a another Lance, we're going to start the backroads touring again.

Bill

 

[Champane Flight]

Bill,A good investment for back road traveling is the Colorado Gazeteer. You can pick one up at your local wal-mart. I have lived in Colo most of my life and thought I knew it pretty well. However after a couple of years of checking it out,I didn't know squat. This will show you every backroad and trail in the state,including camping spots,BLM land and state and federal lands. Well worth the money!

A good little campground off the beaten path between Lamar and here is Hasty lake. Turn off at John Martin resevoir and go south a few miles,just below the dam is a small lake and the campground. There are a few full hookups and a lot of non hookup spots. It used to be run by the Corps of engineers,I believe it has gone State. Still a nice spot and cost is reasonable.

Sorry I didn't respond to your post sooner,but was down in Okla lowering pipeline all last week. Getting a little long in the tooth to handle a shovel 4-12s. Not much longer though.

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95 Dodge 2500 Luverne grill guard,headache rack,running boards and Amzoiled. Soon to be mildly bombed. 84 Dodge d-150, 318 Hooker headers,Edelbrok intake,mallory ignition,Carter Afb,Accel coil,and Custom dual exhaust. Boat,fifthwheel,motorcycles,and shop,job to support toys. Yuck...

 

[merryman]

Just catching up after a 6 week trip to Az.
As a long time Oregon resident, I have "done" Cabbage a few times pulling a 29' fiver. On our recent trip, we visited Death Valley and pulled up out of it going west. We have an '01 ETH DEE. With the fiver, we gross 19K on DOT scales. It was an interesting pull, but no problems------but we forgot about it as we crossed through the Lake Issabella area north of Bakersfield Ca,. on Calif. 178 and 155 to Delano. It was awfully steep and CROOKED. Still I was shocked when on a sharp switch back, I could read the sign for the traffic going where we had just been--"WARNING, TRUCKS USE LOWEST GEAR. 11% GRADE NEXT 9 MILES>, and it was just as bad going down the west side.
The truck pulled right down in 3rd gear, but 2nd handled it fine. If the grade had not restricted us to 15 to 20 mph, the curves certainly would have. Many are posted 15 mph.
I don't think we will chose that road again.

Vaughn

 

[Bill Stockard]

merryman,

I've heard several stories about that road. One guy in "Trailer Life" claimed the grades are up to nearly 20% in some spots. The next time we are in the area, and hauling the Lance, we are going to take that one just to see what it's like. Definately not one to drag the 5th wheel over!!

Bill

 

[Bill Stockard]

Champane Flight,

Thanks for the tips. I'll check at our local wally-world for the book. If it is a local item we'll check a W-M the next time we're in CO(our adopted home state). I have also seen a "Backroads of Colorado". We have a book like that for Texas that we refer to often.

I know where you are talking about on the campground. We've been by there a ka-zillion times but never stopped. Thanks for the suggestion and the next time, we'll check it out.

Hey, life begins at retirement. There ain't nothing like it!!! #ad
Mine began June 1, 1993 and my wife quit work about 9 months earlier--NEVER regretted a minute of it!!

Bill

 

[Champane Flight]

Bill,can't wait. Got four years,six months left. Then I can start my second career as a Wal-mart greeter or maybe a fast food chef(McDonalds). Whatever I do I am going to enjoy myself and not take any more pressure cooking 15+hour a day jobs!Give me a holler sometime.

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95 Dodge 2500 Luverne grill guard,headache rack,running boards and Amzoiled. Soon to be mildly bombed. 84 Dodge d-150, 318 Hooker headers,Edelbrok intake,mallory ignition,Carter Afb,Accel coil,and Custom dual exhaust. Boat,fifthwheel,motorcycles,and shop,job to support toys. Yuck...

 

[Okie-Go]

We have had our 5er less than a year but two places that stick out from last summer are 17 from Phoenix to Flagstaff,and Wolf Creek Pass out of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Pulled them with an auto and 3. 54 gears. Transmission and rearend did die before I got home.

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2001 quadcab slt 2500 HO 6spd. LWB,2wd,dk garnett red, trailer tow package,camper special, anti spin 3. 54 axle, speed liner,oversized stainless steel chicken slide,66 gallon in bed aux. tank,K&N air filter,Reese 20k hitch, Terry 2000 EX 30ft. double slide 5er, 2000 20ft gooseneck for haulin jeep, firewood and huntin stuff. 5X12 tagalong for haulin the 4 wheeler. Okie Newton

 

[Bill Stockard]

Champane Flight,

Send me an e-mail. I can't send you one--you don't list an address. I need to put you in my "book" so I can give you a call the next time we are through LaJunta. We'll have a cup and swap some stories.

Bill