If you ever see a sign......

[Merv]

I ran into one of those 30ft signs in a campground up in the Beartooth mountains.
It was on one of the loops in the campground.
I figured it meant 1 piece vehicles. I was wrong.
I had quite a bit of trouble getting past the Very large tree on the inside of the curve and the cliff on the outside. We made it, but I wont try that again.
Merv

[jrgwdenner]

Just to clear up one thing, we didn't take a detour or a shortcut. We innocently took a wrong turn and there aren't many places to turn around in rural Tennessee. We saw the sign "no trucks over...." but I'm not sure we had a place to turnaround.

I'm glad we all made it safely. Driving with NO brakes is so scarey. Our worst moment came when we weren't sure the truck could get the trailer up the mountain. We would have had to back down the mountain for miles and miles, with no visibility.

[paulrem]

Judy, glade you people made it safely. And thanks for the tip, we will be going through that area in several days. I have those names down in my book of don't go places.

[jrgwdenner]

Paul and Sue, it's an awesome place to go IF you're not towing.

[sreigle]

Judy, do you remember what road that was? Now you have me curious whether we've been on that road. I'm sure we have not towed it. Innocently turned, huh?!

[jrgwdenner]

Well, the turn was innocent but not too smart, Steve. The route is from Lexington, TN to Alpine, TN, either 85 or 84. It's not hard to find 'cause it's the only road out there, the reason being that the area is all Tennessee type mountains. That makes it look like it's a main road, except for that little sign......

[sreigle]

OK, I see highway 84 to near Alpine. Never been on that one. I see S&T shows at least part of it is the "Sam B. Coward Hwy." Kinda ironic, huh??!

[jrgwdenner]

That's a real play on words, Steve. After conquering the highway, the first town sign that we saw was for "Hanging Limb, TN". We were feeling pretty cowardly by that time and wondered what lay ahead for us. That sign just doesn't mix with pulling a big fifth wheel.

[sreigle]

quote:Originally posted by Longwell

What a scary and frustrating day.
We drove an old Winnebago westward into Death Valley (almost appropriately named for us) and the brakes went out about 1/2 way down the mountains. We entered Death Valley at about 90 MPH (the curves looked like street corners!).
Then we had to drive up and out the other side (HUGH drop-offs on the passenger side) in the dark in a pouring rain (with no brakes, remember) to get toward a repair shop. When we topped the west side mountains, we pulled over and slept for 12 hours!
So, I know how you felt. My wife said she lost many pounds sweating on the way up the hill - lol.
Larry

Larry, tell me more about your Death Valley drive, if you will. We're fixin' to tow our Montana through Death Valley NP next week. We'll take 190 from the south end up to the middle and then west out to Panamint Springs where we'll spend three nights while we explore the park.

Is that the route you took or did you start from Beatty and join up with 190 in the middle of the park? I've heard from Prariepoodle's husband that the road from Beatty is not real good and is very narrow. So maybe that's the route you took.