On Wed, 2011-07-20 at 15:04 -0700, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
> there is a big climb northbound on 395 in California ...north of Bishop.
> A diesel vanagon giuy was telling me about going up that at only about 30mph
> ..

I did that climb -- the Sherman Grade -- in my van in 2008 in August,
pulling my camping equipment trailer, in midafternoon, easily over 100
F. First gear was all I could use. I watched the coolant temp gauge like
a hawk. I also watched my rear view mirror as more modern cars with
better aerodynamics and stronger engines blew up the grade behind me,
hoping they'd see my blinkers. I can't imagine what the oil temp was.

I've blown the cooling system on two cars going up that thing in summer.
Had to limp back down to Bishop. Guess which end of town the two
radiator repair places are? North end, end closest to the grade. With
all the cars that fail, they do a land office business, I can tell you.
So do the cheap motels at that end of town, folk overnighting waiting
for the rad shop to get the parts and finish the job. Bishop is not the
most interesting town in the world.

Same deal for the desert grades I clumb over last summer. Second gear?
Forget it. Too steep, too much campin' and kayakin' tackle along. Just
grind up the hills and hope for the best.

-- RJS