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11-27-2021, 07:13 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 14,455
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Scenic Route second thoughts
So I am driving East on I40 through AR. I knew the Hot Springs National Park was close so I looked at general distance off I40. Put it in my GPS and didn't look too bad so I went ahead and set it as a destination.
It routed me off I40 on Route 7 a "Scenic" byway. No big deal, only about 5o miles. Jumped off the interstate and went through a small town and then routed onto the scenic byway.
The GPS soon started displaying sharp curves warnings continuously. This got progressively worse but the road was nothing I hadn't driven before in my ~40' motor home pulling a toad. It handled it pretty well, kept my finger on the PacBrake and let it do it's job.
I thought this isn't too bad, I got about 2/3rd of the way through the route and then there was a large yellow warning sign saying ~"Next 3.5 miles sharp curves and steep grades". Yikes, like the lat 30 miles wasn't that way.
Sure enough, the curves became more frequent and the grades more demanding. Some curves were 180 with steep banking roadway.
I should have known when all I was seeing were smaller SUV's either approaching me or piling up behind me. It might have been my imagination but I thought some of the drivers were wearing driving gloves. I slowed where I could and let them pass. Some of them took the que and did it pretty quickly, others would ride behind me until I almost stopped and used my turn signal to give them a clue.
Anyway, the route was almost 55 miles. Wonder how many vehicles I passed who wondered what was that Idiot driving a Motor Home on this route. Toward the end a number just kept following to see if I'd complete the route. I'd probably be wonder the same thing.
All in all I made it. The motor home preformed great. PacBrake worked great.
But the lesson learned is not to just blindly follow the GPS. I should have taken the time and investigated the route. I'm sure I could have found a more RV friendly route.
__________________
Jim J
2002 Monaco Windsor 38 PKD Cummins ISC 350 8.3L
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee w/5.7 Hemi
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11-27-2021, 07:22 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jarrell, TX 76537
Posts: 4,501
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I always checked my scenic routes or any new route I traveled with my Road Atlas as I also got burned once.
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Dale
AKA - Oemy
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11-27-2021, 08:50 PM
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#3
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"Formerly Diplomat Don"
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Moorpark, Ca.
Posts: 23,913
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jacwjames
So
I should have known when all I was seeing were smaller SUV's either approaching me or piling up behind me. It might have been my imagination but I thought some of the drivers were wearing driving gloves. I slowed where I could and let them pass. Some of them took the que and did it pretty quickly, others would ride behind me until I almost stopped and used my turn signal to give them a clue.
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I found the above line pretty funny. I always worry until I see a large truck on a side road that I've selected.
__________________
Don & Mary
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 (Freightliner)
2019 Ford Raptor
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11-27-2021, 08:53 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 19,637
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jacwjames
Wonder how many vehicles I passed who wondered what was that Idiot driving a Motor Home on this route.
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You were passing vehicles?
__________________
Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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11-27-2021, 09:00 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,736
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I say that GPSr units are for amusement purposes only. Hopefully you were amused along your 55 mile route
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Don
2002 Country Coach Intrigue
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11-27-2021, 09:08 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 4,283
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Chuck A Nut drive along the Washington Pacific coast is a great drive. BUT I also should have check it out first. 8500 lbs limit, tight curves, right up against rock cliffs.
My 60' with toad DP made it. No oncoming traffic. Will never do it again.
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Full Timers.
2015 Fleetwood Discovery 40E on a Freightliner XCS chassis with a Cummins ISL9 pulling 1 and/or 2 motorcycles, '07 Honda Accord OR a 17' Runabout Boat.
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11-27-2021, 10:01 PM
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#7
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Community Administrator
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: DFW, Texas
Posts: 21,151
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Hwy 7 in Arkansas is a favorite with motorcylists but as you found not the greatest for RVs. Glad you made it okay and hope you enjoyed the scenery.
__________________
2017 Phaeton 40IH XSH Maroon Coral - Power Glide Chassis with IFS
Previous '15 Tiffin Allegro RED 38QRA and '06 Itasca Sunrise 35A
'16 Jeep JKU Wrangler Sahara or '08 Honda Goldwing
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11-27-2021, 11:03 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Nacogdoches, TX
Posts: 1,540
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Good writeup by JacwJames. I enjoy taking Hwy 7 from Hot Springs to the Russellville area, then on to the Harrison area in the Ozarks. It is a real "scenic" drive as he portrayed for us.
I'm a little shorter than him and also can take my time, so it doesn't matter if I meet myself coming and going on some of the curves. It is a beautiful drive, and I just like Arkansas.
Thanks Jim for sharing your experience and glad you enjoyed it.
__________________
Wade & Debby Griffin
2024 Brinkley Z3100 5th Wheel, 20K Goosebox hitch
2023 RAM 3500 Diesel Dually
2018 Tiffin Allegro Open Road 32SA
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11-28-2021, 04:01 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Little Rock, Arkansas
Posts: 2,594
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jacwjames
I should have known when all I was seeing were smaller SUV's either approaching me or piling up behind me. It might have been my imagination but I thought some of the drivers were wearing driving gloves. I slowed where I could and let them pass. Some of them took the que and did it pretty quickly, others would ride behind me until I almost stopped and used my turn signal to give them a clue.
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These folks are among my pet peeves. They'll tailgate for miles like they're desperate to get by then refuse to pass when they have a perfectly safe and legal opportunity to do so.
I assume you got onto Hwy 7 somewhere around Russellville? If so, I don't know a better way to Hot Springs that wouldn't have added 30+ miles. Hope you enjoyed your visit.
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2021 Keystone Outback 221UMD
2018 Tundra Limited 5.7 liter
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11-28-2021, 06:35 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: North Texas
Posts: 2,090
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The trucking app Hammer will tell you if the route isn't a good idea. I'll do the route on Google, then verify it in Hammer. You can use it in place of Google or any GPS.
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2014 Tiffin Allegro Bus 37AP
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11-28-2021, 06:55 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl
Posts: 1,134
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Wonder if RV Trip Wizard would have blocked that route? Not enough info for me to plug it in and try.
__________________
2022 Dutch Star 4369 FL Towing 2022 GMC Sierra 1500
Chris & Lee, Finnegan & Kirby (Double Doodled)
2020 Kountry Star 3709 towing Equinox.
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11-28-2021, 09:09 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Nacogdoches, TX
Posts: 1,540
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RVStitchy
Wonder if RV Trip Wizard would have blocked that route? Not enough info for me to plug it in and try.
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Look up Hot Springs, AR to Russellville, AR in Trip Wizard and see what route it provides. I put it in Google Maps and it said go Hwy 7 the entire way. I don't use Trip Wizard, so do know what it would do. Let us know what route it takes if you look it up.
__________________
Wade & Debby Griffin
2024 Brinkley Z3100 5th Wheel, 20K Goosebox hitch
2023 RAM 3500 Diesel Dually
2018 Tiffin Allegro Open Road 32SA
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11-28-2021, 10:02 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 605
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I ran it through Trip Wizard using "RV Routing" and it used Highway 7. I have RVTW set up for my coach, towing (60' total length, 32k lbs, 12.5' height).
Regards.
Chuck
__________________
2014 Tiffin Phaeton 40QBH
2014 Honda CR-V Toad
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11-28-2021, 10:29 AM
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#14
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Senior Member/RVM #90
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,578
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Jim, you need a Trucker's Atlas as a backup!
__________________
Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
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