PA Roads.............Really?

[Freightrain]

So I had a big race event over at Beaver Springs this past weekend. I ran over Friday afternoon(about 5.5 hrs) so I could be there ready for Saturday morning. Google mapmakingidiots send me over Rt80 to 220 to 144 to 45 to 235(suthin' along that order). I print it out and head over. Rt80 is not bad, kinda hilly, but the ol B survives. From there it gets UGLY!! Real ugly.

I make it off to Rt 220 and 144 and wonder WTH happened? 7-8% grade........Really? in town, main road, straight UP!! (then down the other side). Barely 2 lanes, it's tight. I wiggle through and make it to Rt45. It opens up to rolling hils and I go out about 25 miles to 235. This is where it gets UGLY. 2 lane township type road, lots of squiggle and 90* turns. I'm following my directions and "supposedly" after a quick jog in the road I'm suppose to be there(thank gawd).

Nope. Where the directions say should be a racetrack is nut'n. I'm rolling along about 35mph and realize there is nowhere to turn around or even pull over. And that is where the trouble started. I suddenly am traversing another 9+% grade mountain(some kind of state park, Eagle sumthin'). WTH. I choked on a split downshift and lost it at while I was still at the bottom. DAM!! Hit the brakes and jam it in 1st Lo and start again. Made two more splits and could not get enough road speed to split into 2nd Lo. Oh, this is going to get UGLY. All I can do is just hold it and go with it(for the next 3-4 miles). Traffic is not liking my holding things up and with all the switch backs and curves it is hard for them to get around. I'm just thinking to myself it's 1962 and I've got a big coil on going to the mill.

Now, I'm down to 1/4 tank and I don't like doing that as the drivers tank pickup tube is kind short(I've discovered before) and it tends to loose power if you keep it wound too tight and are not on level ground. It does start to fall off a few times, but I ease off and it keeps pulling. Could you imagine the problems of running out 1/2 way up?? Oh geez. I finally make the crest and now I have a 4 mile descent to make. I keep it in 2nd and work my way down, very, very slowly. By the time I make the bottom I'm concerned as to where I'm suppose to be and what I'm going to do. There is a top sign and a veggie stand so I pull in. I set the brakes and look out to see the rears are smok'n pretty good. Time for a break. I see a fellow down the street out in his yard so I walk down to ask him where the heck is the track. Seems its just one more jog about 1/4 down and right around the corner> Phew! I let the brakes cool for a few more minutes and take off. I make the turn and low and behold the track. Dam, this sucks.

Too top it off, I had to run to Carlisle on Sunday before heading back and of course NO easy highways there so I ended up on TWO more 9% grades to get there. Two more hours and I made Carlisle. This sucks and I'm NEVER going to do that again in the ol B. Granted, she made the trip and still pulled 8 mpg. Not bad for a 50 yr old truck.

Just to be clear. PA roads suck and as long as I have any say in the matter I'm NOT going to make that trip ever again. I ran the Pike home and though bad enough it was no where as bad as the little roads. Still so big grades to climb, but as least I wasn't in 1st gear for 10 minutes.

Ok, off my soap box. I know some of you guys are from PA, so I'm sure you are not hearing anything new. Just needed to Rant a little.

[mack mhe9]

Welcome to Pa

[farmer52]

Larry - welcome to PA. I can feel for your frustation. That is why I try to take major highways even tho it may be a longer route. Timewise it sometimes can be quicker taking the longer route. Hang in there!

[Brocky]

Larry

You just learned what we discussed on another topic a while ago. NEVER TRUST A GPS!!!! or for that matter Mapquest or other computer generated mapping systems. Remeber that the Geeks who put the information into the computer probably have never driven a car, let alone a big truck, off the interstate and their local city streets.

Go to Wally World and pay $6 for a Raqnd McNally road atlas then double check your computer generated routing against what it looks like on the map, and then look at alternatives.

After the interesting "scenic tour" I hope that you had a good racing weekend.

Brocky

[Freightrain]

I've been through PA before, but only major highways(and not in a big truck). I know it's "hilly", but never really considered how bad the back roads could be. OMG.

I have a new version of Truck R/M map. I've found it is kinda hard to read and the clarity isn't as nice as the typical car versions.

Rt 74 down to Carlisle was crazy. Very little room and one interchange I had to kinda "borrow" some of a churches yard to get back around again. That is after I let the buggies through LOL!!

Racing? Well, I blowed my tranny up on the first pass. I had issues last year with a detent in the box. It's allowing it to slip into 3rd when I hit 5th. Not a good thing when it goes into two gears at once. Didn't know what was causing it, but after talking with friend in Carlisle I now know what to do to fix it. Learned something new to check and fix if need be. It was a great day, had a great turn out. It was an "all FE Race and Reunion". All 60-70's cars/trucks with FE power ONLY!!! First time and they talk it will be annual now. Had 150 cars total between racing and show.

Did get to meet a TON of people that knew me from the FE forum I'm on. Had a Ford magazine taking pictures, so maybe I'll get some more print(I collect everything the car gets into).

[220cummins]

Welcome to pa and those stories you heard about the old mountain routes on rt.22 with names like Cresson. Munster, and Laurel Mountain were true. Now not so much since reconfiguring and re-engineering the roads. There are those "off the beaten path" roads that will sneak up on you..

[Freightrain]

I figured the names came from the mules they used that died from trying to haul the dirt to make the roads? LOL!!!

[lucerne tractor]

84 and 81 have been under construction for 1/2 century, They only have time to set the cones out in the morning before they have to start picking them up after noon. I swear. That road will beat your truck to death and it's the main artery. I've been stuck on the old Pa. farm roads when I was 83' long and 9 1/2 wide empty. I had to call my girlfriend in Iowa to get on the computer and find me, she then would try to leed me to a bigger road or a place to turn, I drove 60 miles before I got back where I made a wrong turn. Pa. has got hills, to be honest, Denver hasn't got anything on Pa. they might be longer but not steeper.

[Freightrain]

I was really surprised the Pike was in as good a shape. Most construction has been cleaned up since last year when I came through Pittsburgh for my last race in 2012.

[mowerman]

man,,,aint that a bitch,,,bet your glad its overwith.lol.bob

[farmer52]

I was really surprised the Pike was in as good a shape. Most construction has been cleaned up since last year when I came through Pittsburgh for my last race in 2012.

They are redoing another section from MP31 to MP38. And still some work on the Blue Mountain Interchange. Worst section I was recently on is EB Breezewood hill (RH lane).

[other dog]

Holy mackle, I finally found you on the road atlas...144...45...235...Bald Eagle State Forest...Shade Mountain...Thick Mountain...Jack's Mountain. Ol' Shade, Thick, and Jack- 3 of the best mules ever, worked themselves to death trying to get that wagon across them hills.

Nobody wants to hear "you shoulda went this-a-way", or "you shoulda went that-a-way" after they've been somewhere,.. but- looks like when you got to Lewistown you could have turned on 522 and went up the valley straight to Beaver Springs, it's straight and flat all the way. At least it is on the map.

[Freightrain]

Yes, my friends went home 522 to the Pike. They came from more southern Ohio, so it's closer for them anyhow. They came a worse way, don't recall how. I came from the North, so 80 was a good start for me. Didn't finish so well LOL!! I've been to Carlisle in my pickup and went across the Pike with no issues. If I'm stupid enough to want to go to that track again, I'll take the pike to 522.

Live and learn.

[Rich Reinhart]

I`m from PA and I think they paved every goat path and put a state route marker on it.. you should try to get around Bucks or Berks county sometime...

[JumperAndSon]

Ohio is so flat and grid-like that it's almost boring! Unless you go to Carrollton, from Youngstown, then it kind of sucks. Ben and I went to Carlisle on Friday and it was cool. We bought a few really cool things.

Tim

[leversole]

We like it this way...keeps all you flat-landers at bay!

[slpwlker]

Pa has some hills but Wv off highway has really got some monesters

[Freightrain]

We like it this way...keeps all you flat-landers at bay!

IMG_8125.JPG

And likely the real reason you bought the Superliner. You couldn't take getting beat to death and going 10 mph up all the hills in your B. I think that picture is a duplicate of EVERY road in PA LOL! Put a 40ft trailer behind you and HAVE FUN!!!

Ohio has a few bad roads, but most are ALOT more passable then what I saw this past weekend.

[mack mhe9]

And with Mack trucks being from Pa you would think they would be the King of the engine braking sys. Always made me wonder.

[Freightrain]

That is what made my trip rough. No jake(not that a 673 makes enough umph to make one work well enough). Plus, mine likes to jump outta 2nd under decel. Have to keep your hand on it or it works out and leaves you in Georgia Overdrive. Only gear that does it, and not an issue under load.

[other dog]

Pa has some hills but Wv off highway has really got some monesters

I saw a West Virginia highway once.

[Mike]

Surely Larry that was not the brakes smoking. LOL I'm proud of ya and the ole B. It did it's job again. Got ya there and back safely.

mike

[220cummins]

A nice new road in Pa would be 99 from Altoona up to 80. I just ran that way for the first time up to Scranton and Wilkes-Barre and I have to say it was a really nice road to drive on.

[farmer52]

A nice new road in Pa would be 99 from Altoona up to 80. I just ran that way for the first time up to Scranton and Wilkes-Barre and I have to say it was a really nice road to drive on.

99 from Altoona to 80 is the newest section. It was opened a few years ago.

[farmer52]

I saw a West Virginia highway once.

Looks like Route 30 East from Breezwood to Chambersburg.