Some smoky mountain pics

jon f mn · Oct 17, 2013

Took these this morning crossing Monteagle in Tn. The name smokey mountains sure did apply today. The last pic is how much fuel it took to cross, I topped off before I started this morning in north Ga.

wilamayb · Oct 17, 2013

We have had so much rain during the growing season this year that the trees are still healthy. The color change is late this year. I think it is going to take a frost to get it done.

oliver fan · Oct 17, 2013

I have been over that road many times. You were going north, so on the five mile pull, how fast were you averaging?

rrlund · Oct 17, 2013

Yep,we were down there a year ago this coming weekend. Color varied,change was good at higher altitudes,not so much down low.

formenwhogrow · Oct 17, 2013

"he left atlanta back in "63, hauling him a load up to Tennessee....hit Monteagle in the drivin" rain, so hard he couldn"t even see the passin" lane.

Started down the grade when he lost a gear, hit them brakes and found he had no air. The Monteagle grade was steep and long, and everybody who seen thought the Bandit was gone...."

Sorry, had a little Smokey and the Bandit moment there.

Bill in IL · Oct 17, 2013

Max speed 87? Speeding?

jm. · Oct 17, 2013

So here you are over here in my state and we are getting ready to head west.. Have a good trip.

Richard G. · Oct 17, 2013

Been across Monteagle many times in the last 15 years. Went over twice about a month ago. Always think of the time about 12 years ago, my wife and I came back south down the steep grade. 75 GMC 1 ton flat bed pulling a 4500 pound trailer with an 8000 pound tractor on it. Overloaded, I know.
Tried to slow down coming down the hill and truck started hopping. Finally got slowed down, and stopped at the first motel we could find as it had been dark for quite a while. Walked back to check the trailer and one of the chains holding the tractor had broken coming down the grade.
It was fine when on top of Monteagle at the Pizza Hut.
Still get scared thinking about that trip.
Richard in NW SC

jon f mn · Oct 17, 2013

That's just what I have the governor set at. LOL. The only way this truck will go that fast is if you drop it off a cliff with a tail wind and a rocket booster strapped on back.

jon f mn · Oct 17, 2013

With 45,000 in the trailer I was going between 45 and 50 in 10th gear and 1300-1700 rpms, depending on the grade.

Tom in TN · Oct 17, 2013

jon,

I-24 over Monteagle is now a divided, six lane highway. When I first started driving over that mountain, back in the mid to late 1970's it was a three lane road on one side of the mountain only. The run-away ramps had not yet been built and it was very frightening to be in front of a big rig going downhill.

Nothing to it now. Used to be real scary.

Tom in TN

sixtyninegmc · Oct 17, 2013

What % grade is monteagle?

rabbit-1 · Oct 17, 2013

Thanks for sharing. I would have guessed the Pennsylvania turnpike - lots of places look just like those views.

jm. · Oct 17, 2013

How long since you went and picked the new truck up/ 100 thousand miles so far. Not talking about the super singles or the single axel, but about the engine, transmission combination. Are you satisfied. I know you thought you wanted a little more engine when you were going to get it. I don,t know how to compare the van to a drop deck but I have a 13 speed behind a 400 hp cat and 9th and 50 is pretty good with 42,000 lb and at that in the summer time I have had to back out a little

El Toro · Oct 17, 2013

Sure are nice pictures. One of men drafted in 1952 one year me before during the Korean War lives now in Hiwassee GA. He sold his log home and 43 acres for $475000.00 in 2012. He made E7 in 11 months in Korea. He was like a homing pigeon, always knew his way home. His grand dad was a gunsmith and gave him rifles with scopes. Groundhogs didn't last around us. Hal

BAnNC · Oct 17, 2013

Hey, RRL,
What part of the Smokeys was that taken?
We are on the Eastern side of the hills and haven't seen that much color yet.
Come on back next weekend and stop by for coffee.
Bruce

rrlund · Oct 17, 2013

That was a year ago. We were on the west side,went as far east as Severeville.

Mark - IN. · Oct 17, 2013

I remember back in the '80's seeing many a truck off to the side of the road up top with their hoods up to cool down. I remember one fella with his cowboy hat off, staddling his engine trying to fan it cool. And seems to me that the two outside lanes were runaway and there aint nothing like being passed by a rig like you're setting still. Was interesting both up and down. Imagine horse and buggy on gravel back in the day. Wooooooooo Hooooooooo!!!

Mark

RLH22 · Oct 17, 2013

my mom was born and raiiiised 5 mi n of foot of m e she still ownes 35 a that her family took from indians next time you go that way get on old 41 at top at mcdonalds and go down old rd to manchester a great ride wont take 10 min longer

larry@stinescorner · Oct 17, 2013

Very nice,I have never been there before tonight,I thank you and I thank rrlund for taking me to the smokey mountains,,,what a great site we have here on YT

4020deereboy · Oct 17, 2013

He hit monteagle in the drivin rain sa hard he couldn't even see the passin lane started down the other side he missed a gear hit them brakes found he had no air tuck jack knifed turned completely round comin down backwards bout the speed a sound

jon f mn · Oct 17, 2013

Up to 6% on the up side 5% on the down.

jon f mn · Oct 17, 2013

I picked it up Jan. 18th. I like the engine and love the trany. It's a 12sp and it works way great. On hard pulls like this there is not much difference between this one and my old Cummins that was set at 550hp. Where you notice a difference is with light loads, I would loose nearly as much speed then, but with my Cummins I could walk right up this hill at 65mph with a light load. You are also limited as far as high speeds. This truck struggles at 75mph, I did take it to 80 once in west Tx but it couldn't come close to holding that and on most days won't even reach it.

jon f mn · Oct 17, 2013

Your very welcome Larry, I don't often comment but I always look at and enjoy your pics too. Thank you for posting those as well.

SweetFeet · Oct 17, 2013

jon f. mn,

Really neat pics.

If you are ever driving through the Rockies - those would be fun to see too.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 17, 2013

Very nice Jon, thanks for sharin. Now i got the Smokey Mt rain song in my head!

john in la · Oct 17, 2013

Some pretty country up there.
Like Tom said that is a ant hill now that the up side and down side is on opposite sides of the mountain.
Back when you went down the same side of the mountain as you now go up it was a real seat grabbing experience.

jon f mn · Oct 17, 2013

Yeah, they have fixed several in the last 10 years that I've been doing this. There is one out in Ut. on a 2 lane road that I take once in a while that has a 9% grade for a ways. I always have a heavy load of beer when I go that way too. That one will make your backside pucker about the time you shift down to about 4th gear and you start to wonder if you will make it to the top. LOL

BAnNC · Oct 18, 2013

If they keep all the roads open, can be in Severville in about hour and quarter.
How far north of that are you?

Some smoky mountain pics

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