[Road Trip]

Here's a picture from a road trip just completed. I hope that others' similarly post their road trip fun, exciting or similar pictures of this thread.

Although I have driven 2,000,000 miles, previously my steepest incline or ascent was 12% when I drove the "haul road" (the Dalton Highway from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay). I was very happy to use my manual's compression braking to keep from even heating up the brakes over the four mile downhill. 14% had my full attention, especially with many 25 MPH curves without guard rails.

Just before this picture was taken was one that I wished to take, but driving in this location was frankly scary, for it was a narrow road build on the very top ridge connecting two mountains, with fall offs on both sides about 45 degrees, and those fall offs starting no more than 1' from the edge of the pavement and there were no guard rails on either side. As one who doesn't love heights (massive exaggeration), I was white knuckling, two hands on the wheel for the entire 1/2 mile. And even my wife who loves ferries wheels and roller coasters, said that that was one scary drive.

 

[GerryB]

That is one epic road, sir. I sure hope it was at least paved!

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[M3MX5M3]

You mentioned the name of the 12% road, but where was this 14% that you just drove? I want to look it up!

 

[Road Trip]

The 14% grade was driving southwest on Utah Rte. 550 from Montrose, UT to Cortex, UT, on our way to Bryce and Zion National Parks. Thankfully, it was fully paved.

One of the other fun things about this particular drive was that this was on day 7 of our 4,000 mile trip, during which we had seen at least 20 "Open Range" signs -- but not one single cow anywhere near the road, and so in this section we went into a heavily forested area (rare for this part of Utah), and again saw an Open Range sign. My wife said very sarcastically, "yeah right!"

So the very next blind corner, I come around it with typical WRX spirited cornering speed, and smack in front of us in the road, were about 12-15 black angus, with a lesser number in amoung the bushes and trees right next to the road on both sides of the road. I stopped with plenty of space between us and them.

 

[arathol]

One of the other fun things about this particular drive was that this was on day 7 of our 4,000 mile trip, during which we had seen at least 20 "Open Range" signs -- but not one single cow anywhere near the road, and so in this section we went into a heavily forested area (rare for this part of Utah), and again saw an Open Range sign. My wife said very sarcastically, "yeah right!"

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[GerryB]

When you lead expect it, expect it...

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[teejaywhy]

The 14% grade was driving southwest on Utah Rte. 550 from Montrose, UT to Cortex, UT, on our way to Bryce and Zion National Parks. Thankfully, it was fully paved.

You sure that is not Colorado? "Million Dollar Highway?"

 

[bsliv]

I lived in southwest CO for a couple of years in the 1970's (its Cortez, CO). There were cattle mutilations and talk was of aliens.

 

[Road Trip]

You sure that is not Colorado? "Million Dollar Highway?"

Thanks for asking.

I have just confirmed that my earlier post as to its location was a little bit off (we did 400 miles that day), and also confirmed that the correct location of the 14% downgrade is outside Boulder on UT 12.

 

[teejaywhy]

Thanks for asking.

I have just confirmed that my earlier post as to its location was a little bit off (we did 400 miles that day), and also confirmed that the correct location of the 14% downgrade is outside Boulder on UT 12.

I was about to point out that Boulder is also in Colorado, but was able to confirm that there IS indeed a Boulder UT. !! haha.

Sounds like a great trip. Thanks for sharing! More pics please!

 

[Road Trip]

Here are some pics of our drive to and through Bryce and Zion National Parks. While we have been to both before, they are like magnets, keep calling us back every ten or so years.

 

[GerryB]

I can see why. Just beautiful.

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