Has anyone driven there bus on Tail of the Dragon?

dtcerrato · November 09, 2021, 11:34:10 AM

After a recent Grease Monkey bus rally on the way from western TN back to FL I looked up a couple bus nuts in Eastern TN & SC. From eastern TN to SC I took highway 129. That highway and every one approaching it and leaving it were probably the tightest hairpin switch back turns we have ever seen in our bus in the 42 years of ownership. When one of the forum's bus nuts asked me the date & time of day I did the "Tail of the Dragon" portion - to my surprise he responded with the following link to a commercial camera that is permanently set up on a turn that photos all vehicles + motor cycles making the run. Check it out! - yeah I had to order a couple high resolution digital prints. I might add there was signage entering the Dragon stating 30' max on vehicles. Being 35' didn't bother me because we always fit into campsites that are max for 20' LOL

If the link works, it will take you to a picture of my bus on the dragon.

https://xtremesportsphotography.photoreflect.com/store/orderpage.aspx?pi=0QAK0479040167&po=164&pc=2086

The following morning still working my way to the SC bus nut when I tried to enter the Blue Ridge Parkway the attached photos are what I was greeted with! A very exciting and successful trip & rally to say the least.

chessie4905 · November 09, 2021, 12:09:13 PM

This summer we travelled up along the big Sur coast road. The upper part into Ore. was tight like that. No semis allowed on that portion of road. Had to keep from hitting the tt in the back end. Was on inside lane, so had to watch cliff walls.
I was on some interstate through West Virginia many years ago. Super twisty with lots of short hills. Speed limit was 65. What a laugh. Trucks flew on it.

lvmci · November 09, 2021, 01:53:58 PM

The coast hwy below Carmel is also awful tight. I took Nicky on a my motorcycle to see the restaurant/bar where you sit in a river sipping your drink, terrible winds on the high cliff hairpin turn, almost blew us over. When we were leaving a new Prevost tour bus had just parked, and all the passengers were hugging and kissing the old coddger driver and the passengers were saying that they didn't think they would make it to the park lodge!...

luvrbus · November 09, 2021, 02:35:30 PM

Quote from: lvmci on November 09, 2021, 01:53:58 PM
The coast hwy below Carmel is also awful tight. I took Nicky on a my motorcycle to see the restaurant/bar where you sit in a river sipping your drink, terrible winds on the high cliff hairpin turn, almost blew us over. When we were leaving a new Prevost tour bus had just parked, and all the passengers were hugging and kissing the old coddger driver and the passengers were saying that they didn't think they would make it to the park lodge!...

Looks like a regular hiway in Idaho ,want a treat drive old high way route 66 from Oatman to Kingman or 89A from Jerome to Prescott AZ

chessie4905 · November 09, 2021, 02:50:59 PM

Yeah, after reading several reviews, decided not to take tt on 89A. After getting to campground. We travelled on that route with the truck. Didnt seem that bad to us. But a straight 40 ft coach it would be tough, especially so if running along cliff side.

luvrbus · November 09, 2021, 04:15:42 PM

Quote from: chessie4905 on November 09, 2021, 02:50:59 PM
Yeah, after reading several reviews, decided not to take tt on 89A. After getting to campground. We travelled on that route with the truck. Didnt seem that bad to us. But a straight 40 ft coach it would be tough, especially so if running along cliff side.

It is beautiful drive across to Flagstaff on 89a from Camp Verde through Sedona all except for the dumb rounds and rounds

chessie4905 · November 09, 2021, 04:41:27 PM

Yeah, on a 40 foot coach you would have to be careful not to hit yourself on the back end.lol

pabusnut · November 09, 2021, 05:39:53 PM

Clifford,

I am afraid of heights, which is worse when there are no guard rails. I did Rt 66 from Oatman to Kingman in my Jeep Liberty and was really moving slow. My kids were complaining that the goats were going to pass us!

Steve

luvrbus · November 09, 2021, 06:27:15 PM

Quote from: pabusnut on November 09, 2021, 05:39:53 PM
Clifford,

I am afraid of heights, which is worse when there are no guard rails. I did Rt 66 from Oatman to Kingman in my Jeep Liberty and was really moving slow. My kids were complaining that the goats were going to pass us!

Steve

Yea I went across there last year in a 45 ft rv and told the DW it was mistake before she wanted to do it, 30 miles in 3 hours I never was `` so glad to see Cool Springs before in my life.Some GPS's will route you over that mountain coming from Kingman to my place.Can you see Greyhound bus drivers driving that at night back in the 30's to the 60's

RJ · November 09, 2021, 06:40:38 PM

Quote from: lvmci on November 09, 2021, 01:53:58 PM
The coast hwy below Carmel is also awful tight. I took Nicky on a my motorcycle to see the restaurant/bar where you sit in a river sipping your drink, terrible winds on the high cliff hairpin turn, almost blew us over. When we were leaving a new Prevost tour bus had just parked, and all the passengers were hugging and kissing the old codger driver and the passengers were saying that they didn't think they would make it to the park lodge!...

Tom -

I lost count how many times I've driven Hiway 1 between San Luis Obispo (SLO) and Carmel, in both directions, back in my charter days. NB and SB behind the wheel of 4106s, 4905s, MC-8s and MC-9s . Unlike some others, I really LIKE driving that road, moreso in a manual transmission coach, because it definitely forces you to sharpen you defensive driving skills, especially in the summer and on weekends. You don't drive that road to "make time," you drive that road to allow your riders to thoroughly enjoy the beautiful scenery.

That being said, I always recommend to "newbies" who aren't familiar with the road to drive it NB from SLO to Carmel, not SB. That way they're hugging the mountain - better to put a scratch on it than to misjudge and end up in the Pacific!

FWIW & HTH. . .

RJ

RJ · November 09, 2021, 06:48:32 PM

Quote from: chessie4905 on November 09, 2021, 12:09:13 PM
This summer we travelled up along the big Sur coast road. The upper part into Ore. was tight like that. Was on inside lane, so had to watch cliff walls...

Chessie -

Did you take CA-1 from San Luis Obispo thru Carmel/Monterey, San Francisco, Mendocino and Eureka into OR? As you discovered, it's quite the adventure! Smart to take it NB, better to kiss a cliff wall than misjudge and end up in the Pacific!

FWIW & HTH. . .

RJ

chessie4905 · November 09, 2021, 07:16:49 PM

We went to Carson city, back to SanFrisco and up along the coast the rest of the way to Seattle Washington. Views were fantastic, stopped in Redwoods and Sequoia Natl parks. Drove through many redwoods also, saw Paul Bunyon, Babe blue ox. Spent three weeks in Ca. Never realized how much desert is in Ca. And how cold most of the Pacific ocean is. Were detoured twice due to the wildfires. Did several foggy days that when we asked a ranger what time does the fog lift, he said it won't, its smoke from the fires. Passed over 100 fire trucks, usually going opposite direction. Saw a lot of burned acreage, some recent. We drove through a mile where the downed trees were still smoldering. Three months of driving out west, one rainy all day, a couple with very brief showers, a few sprinkles and thats it.

lvmci · November 09, 2021, 09:40:01 PM

Chessie, the drought in the southwest has been unrelenting, fires have been devastating, sorry my grandkids won't see as much forests as I have...

RJ · November 09, 2021, 10:51:08 PM

Quote from: chessie4905 on November 09, 2021, 07:16:49 PM
We went to Carson city, back to SanFrisco and up along the coast the rest of the way to Seattle Washington. Views were fantastic, stopped in Redwoods and Sequoia Natl parks. Drove through many redwoods also, saw Paul Bunyon, Babe blue ox. Spent three weeks in Ca. Never realized how much desert is in Ca. And how cold most of the Pacific ocean is. Were detoured twice due to the wildfires. Did several foggy days that when we asked a ranger what time does the fog lift, he said it won't, its smoke from the fires. Passed over 100 fire trucks, usually going opposite direction. Saw a lot of burned acreage, some recent. We drove through a mile where the downed trees were still smoldering. Three months of driving out west, one rainy all day, a couple with very brief showers, a few sprinkles and thats it.

Chessie -

Ah, yes, the less-traveled Hiway 1/101 route NB out of The City. Well worth the trip if somebody wants to see more of CA than just Disneyland.

People from the East Coast often don't realize just how big CA really is. I found this cool overlay map, showing a reverse-image of CA superimposed on the East Coast to give folks some perspective:

RJ

chessie4905 · November 10, 2021, 04:16:40 AM

Area around Bakersfield was interesting. All the oil pumping rigs and miles of tree groves. We stopped along one and I walked over and looked at the fruit. It was ALMONDS! Just miles of them. Still have one in inside door handle pocket. Saw other items growing out there also.
I think I saw more Teslas out there than in rest of country. I can see where electric cars make a lot of sense with the traffic out there. All the electric vehicles coming is going to be an exciting period in history, and to see how the infrastructure to run all of them is developed.
Similar to when the railroads switched from steam locomotives to diesels, which was a major upheaval for that time.