Aaaaand….We Made It DOWN!
I don’t usually post two days in a row, but I know many of you are dangling on the edge of your seats wondering if we made it down the mountain. So, rather than keep you in stressful suspense I thought I’d let you know that we did…and all without any kind of drama at all. In fact the entire event went smoother than a baby’s bottom and gave me a whole new respect for our “beastly” girl including a deep and everlasting adoration for our engine brake (oh, how I love thee….)
For those that didn’t know I decided to take the wheel on the way down (Paul drove on the way up, so I couldn’t let him have all the fun, right??). The entire downhill took around 25 mins, and we arrived at the bottom gate at exactly 6:28 am with the first of the day’s colors just breaking on the horizon.
“The Beast” held beautifully in first gear at ~15 mph almost the entire way down. In fact the engine brake was so effective I only touched the RV brakes in the very sharpest of the turns (about 5 times on the way down)!! We never went above 2000 rpm, and both engine & transmission held steady below 180 degrees. Barely breaking a sweat, she was. Paul followed behind in the car and apart from one rather hairy turn (we aaaalmost had to back-up on a 14% grade, but made it with just a few inches to spare on both ends), it was smooth sailing the whole way down. 33,000 pounds of “beastly” size and barely a brake needed!!! Yes, I was rather proud of our girl…and myself 🙂
To top off the event we arrived at the ferry only 5 mins before departure and made it on, meaning we didn’t even have to wait to sail. Superb!! With the sun rising we said adieu to the Islands and relaxed to some well-deserved espresso. The next 5 days we’ll be motoring pretty heavily south with two scheduled stops for maintenance (basic engine stuff & new back tires) in Eugene, OR before we hit Cape Blanco, OR. I’ll let you know how it all goes including some tips on how we got the best deal on our new tires.
That’s it folks…mountain climbed….mountain descended. The Beast has claimed her victory 🙂
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Brave souls and adventurous, Cheers to you and Paul and the Beast! And congratulations Nina!
Thanks! It was a fun drive!!
Nina
Nice job Nina! I like Paul’s pic of the Beast on that corner. 14% grade is crazy. Did you enjoy the ferry more this time since you didn’t have to wait? I thought it was funny when you said that you couldn’t imagine anyone enjoying the ferries. My husband and I have enjoyed them, though we have never taken a 40′ RV on one and I guess we never were in a hurry when we rode one. I can’t imagine having that as part of a regular commute, though. Have a safe trip down to Oregon. I’m glad you enjoyed our lovely state. 🙂 I am looking forward to more Oregon Coast pictures.
We’ve actually enjoyed the ferry rides, once we’re on them. It’s just the waiting around to board them that’s driven us a little crazy, especially since they are often delayed. The commute back/forth to the other Islands was crazy. The fact that we could just “drive-on” this time without a wait was really sweet. Definitely improved the experience.
Nina
Did you descend all by your lonesome, with the lower gate closed, so that you would encounter no uphill traffic? That’s how I would want to go up—after sunset, sans peanut gallery—because I have a feeling my old Dodge pickup would not handle the 14% grades as gracefully as The Beast. It might take all night!
Yup, we went early before the gate opened. We wanted to make sure the mountain was clear on our way down. The ranger was waiting for us at the bottom and it worked out perfectly.
Nina
WTG Nina! Girls just gotta have fun too! If you are gonna be in Coburg for any of your biz, we highly recommend Chiefs Brewhouse for a bite to eat!
Happy travels!
Nice recommendation. We ARE actually going to be passing thro’ Coberg, so that’s a good tip.
Nina
Congrats! I covet your engine brake!
The picture with the arch in the background jogged a memory for me. I’ve been scanning photos from my Mom – one of which was taken from the other side of the arch so you could read the sign – in 1949.
What an amazing memory! The arch has been there a long time, although they’ve increased the size a few times over history. So fun that your mom took a shot of it in 1949.
Nina
Just got caught up on some back posts. (We’ve been racing down the coast and then the wonders of I5 thru California, several nights with no phone of wifi coverage. Enjoyed our Oregon visit with family, and made new friends with the crew at Oregon Motor Coach in Eugene. (Many had been on the crew that built our coach CC in 2003!)).
What a great bit of leg work for your followers on The Islands.
And a salute to you both on both getting up, and then getting down – the small grades!
Travel safe, have fun,
Smitty
We’re coming down your way. Headed to Coberg ourselves for some RV repair & maintenance items. Sounds like you had a great trip.
Nina
Good job to all of you!!! It really does feel good when it all comes together. Enjoy Cape Blanco – hope it is warm and sunny while you are there. How long are you working?
We’ll be there two months Sept and Oct. can’t wait!
Nina
A post after my own heart about engine braking. I love it. We pull an ’11 Mobile Suites with an ’11 GMC dually and engine braking is just the best. Have you been down the 11 mile grade of White Bird Hill in Idaho yet? Barely had to touch the brakes.
Good for you taking the wheel, Nina. I figured since you had already turned around and had two lanes to work with it would all be fine. Glad to hear it went well.
Last summer we got to the Cape May ferry with about 2 minutes to spare due to one wrong turn. We were really surprised to have made it. Fun once onboard.
Rick & Lenore Hervey
The engine brake is the best! Once you learn which gear to keep it in and what speed to hold it (depending on grade) it pretty much does ALL the work for you. I haven’t driven the White Bird Hill, but we have done the downhill on Hwy 395 from Virginia Lakes to Mono Lakes in CA (a looong, 10% downhill). As long as we start it under 45 mph we never have to touch the brakes once.
Nina
I have been following yoir blog for about nine months now and have enjoyed it immensly my husband and i are full times rvers also. There are several places that we plan to visit because of reading about your adventures. Right now we are staying our daughters in Junction city (12 miles north of Eugene). We would love to meet you while you’re in this area if you have time.
Oh gosh we’re going to be pretty busy there. We’ve now got 3 service appts set-up, plus we’re stocking up for our months on the coast and we only have 2 days. I’m not even sure exactly where we’ll be staying, but likely we’ll just be hanging at the service sites most of the time. I think it may be too tight. Any chance you’re coming to the coast?
Nina
Congrats on your decent! Sounds like a fine little adventure to stir the adrenalin before morning coffee. Lol!
I hope you’ve had a great experience with all your time in Washington. It is a state with a lot to offer people who appreciate the outdoors and natural scenic beauty.
It was aaaalmost as good as a Mocha for waking me up. AAaaaalmost 🙂
Nina
You have some guts girl! Congratulations! Safe travels to you both as you head to OR. 🙂
Guts or ignorance (they do say it’s bliss)? Either way I’m super happy to have done it 🙂
Nina
Cool!!! I have forgotten how long the BEAST is. ???
She’s classified as a 40-footer, but she actually measures 41.6 feet end to end.
Nina
I just noticed that very cool shot of the ferry terminal as you bid farewell to Orcas. If you could have stayed another week or month, would you have? Or are you glad to be back on the mainland again?
We have mixed feelings, as we always do when we leave a place. We enjoyed our time there, but we’re already looking forward to the next spot. Travelers itch you know.
Nina
I always enjoy your blog, but your month in Orcas was certainly special. The Islands are lovely and your photos really captured the spirit. Thanks! and safe travels to Cape Blanco.
btw, who was the celebrity?
Ah, that I won’t say. He was there with his family so I’ll respect his privacy. It was fun though.
Nina
Thanks! I had a lot of good nature to photograph which always inspires me. Nature provides…I just capture.
Nina
Looking forward to seeing you at Blanco!
Me too Gunta! Maybe thus time I’ll catch a photo of you 😉
Nina
Yeeeessssssss!!! What a Grand Finale to such a unique hosting gig! I really can’t believe it is behind you…literally. The time seemed to go so fast. And I know of those 5 or so curves of which you speak. Even in my short wheel base Tracker, I met myself coming back!
Kudos to you for the sinuous steering, and to Paul for the great job capturing the curves!
Suzanne
Thanks Suzanne. Hope we meet again soon. Next lighthouse, perhaps?
Nina
Nice to see you behind the wheel on this downhill adventure. Very lucky break on the ferry.
Okay, I’ll come clean. I was one of those who thought about your descent over yesterday’s morning coffee – but I never doubted you would be successful! Yes, you look very happy :-). Less adventurous souls may never test their engine brakes like that, so it’s good to know they are up to the task. Enjoy your whirlwind travels inland (love the Coburg area).
I was VERY impressed with our engine brakes. I was pretty sure they would hold the rig on the lower grades, but I wasn’t at all sure about the steepest ones. Half the battle was simply trusting them. The beast did amazingly well.
Nina
Brava to you for steering the Beast to safe passage, (and bravo to Paul for capturing some great rig shots)! Your post is a great reminder that couples RVing in big rigs should BOTH be fully capable of driving them (and doing any other critical tasks like hitching/up hitching)!
I’m in 200% agreement with that. I learned to drive, dump, hitch very early on and it’s come in handy many times during our travels. Paul has had to take some emergency trips home, for example, leaving me alone to move and dump. I think it’s just a basic safety issue that in a partnership both drivers can handle the rig.
Nina
When we had our motorcycle, Ron wanted me to learn to drive it just in case. But they scare me, so I never did.
When we get our dually and 5er, I’ll be learning all about how to drive it, dump it, hitch it, whatever is necessary.
Kudos to you Nina on a job well done!
Good on you! Go get ’em girl!
Nina
Great picture from Paulof you making it down the hillside. Only problem is, if the highway patrol see you crossing the center line they can issue you a ticket for driving on the wrong side of the road !! Otherwise, you made it down without incident, well done.
Err…yeah. No chance of highway patrol here. Besides this was on State Park property and mountain was closed to traffic during our downhill….which was deliberately planned. Both the local ranger and sheriff were in on the plan. You don’t just drive a beast down a road like this without some precautions 🙂
Nina
P.S. The mountain was closed when we drove uphill too.
Looks like you had a fun month in a beautiful spot. I think I’d enjoy having my own boat to tool around the islands and not have to wait for a ferry. Paul captured a great shot of you and the Beast heading down the island. Safe travels to your next destination 🙂
Boating around the Islands would be absolutely magical, I have no doubt.
Nina
You are bad a** Nina! Not only would I not even try driving that sort of road myself in an RV, I’m not sure I’d even be able to be a passenger in the Mini Cooper 😀 I’d probably be out walking it.
Have a wonderful trip down the coast.. and can’t wait to toast a cheer upon our arrival to Cape Blanco. It’s going to be an awesome 2 months together!
Well you are bad a** in your own way, my dear 🙂 Looking forward to seeing you.
Nina
You are an awesome lady taking the wheel like that:) Great driving! So glad to hear all went well with perfect timing:)
Fantastic…..you must feel very proud of yourself…I would in your shoes but like Cherie I am not sure I would ever be a passenger on the way up or down…well maybe walking 🙂
It’s a good walk, but do-able. We hiked it a few times. Much more fun by “beast” though 🙂
Nina
Nina
Good for you, you did a good job.
Tell Paul for that you deserve a cookie!
Just a cookie? 🙂
Nina
Glad you made it down the mountain safely. Are ya’ll hosting the lighthouse in Cape Blanco? We are in Coos Bay for a while getting some maintenance done, then headed south down the coast. If ya’ll are still there we’ll stop by.
Yes, we’re hosting at Cape a Blanco again, but we won’t be there until 1st of next month. We’re hosting all Sept and Oct so if you’re in the area come on by for a lighthouse tour.
Nina