On 2012-03-07, MTBSW wrote:
I don't know if they still do this but twenty years ago when I lived
in the Colorado rockies there was a weigh station on I-70 at the town
of Idaho Springs. They asked all the truckers who were headed west if
they had ever driven over that section of highway before. From Idaho
Springs it is a loooong uphill grade to the Eisenhour Tunnel and then
an even loooooooonger very steep down hill grade on the other side
till you get down to Silver Plume. If a trucker had not been that way
before he was required to park his rig and go inside and watch a video
explaining how to drive on that stretch of road and handle the grades
before he was premitted to leave.

Are you a trucker?

I am wondering, about those long downgrades. How do you decide which
lower gear to choose? Would you pick one that would give you something
like 1,500 RPM at your desired safe speed?

By the way, I found a great mobile mechanic. For just $90 and a heavy
duty C clamp, he fully checked and adjusted my truck's brakes,
lubricated everything, and did a lot of other maintenance and checked
everything. He said that the brakes are 3/4 new, and it is generally
good to drive.

I will try to get a DOT medical card, and will then take the written
exam.

thanks

i