The Honda PCX / Forza / ADV150 / SH Forums

did this one in my 63 VW van-brakes failed-had to nose the old girl into the bank. No real damage and after fixing the return spring on the brake cylinder was on my way.
the road was narrower and the hairpins tighter in 73

I see what you mean.

The upper dirt portion of the road to Pikes Peak used to be like that. Not sure if they ever added any guard rails or not. I don't remember them having any when I was there.

The first thing I usually notice when going up hills like that is the smell of burning brakes. A lot of people don't know how to properly drive down those steep roads and often overheat their brakes. I usually keep it low and slow (low gear . . . like first or second depending upon the grade and just plain slow).

Glad the luck was on your side that day you traveled it in your VW van.

Cool vid!

Up in the Rockies right now.. Heading for Banff ..

Whoa in your '63 VW Van in '73 ya say? As in Bus? Something Like This'in one? Nooooo.....
Say that isn't so! Yikes! Why, oh Why? Never mind, yer a crazy trucker. Who em I to say crappadilly 'bout that dirt riden hi rise declining rickadee rackadee drive downwards.....
But wait! Best part: brake fail
Am I watching some 'ol black 'n white flick?
I mean, the brakes failed? Only on TV so I thought

You made it home, obviously Thank the One's that looked down on you (from an even higher ground than you started on).
Would you doit again relic? You were but a wee one then - full of yerself. We(?) all were. Ok, me

By the way, I'd love to have me one of them vans today. It could happen!!
VW Van/Bus/Transporter/Kombi/Microbus/Camper is coming at us again!
It's ELECTRIC!
and It's Official, Be patient

That hill is some 20 kms long, at the top me and another wild and crazy guy decided to eat a hand full of peyote buttons to enhance the drive to the coast-mistake!!
Lost the brakes near the top where there was a series of seven switchbacks, full lock on the steering to get around them. The return spring had broken on my brake pedal which
did not allow the master cylinder to recharge and finally no brakes -the handbrake hadn't worked in years. Starting to run out of options at this point so I decided to
try to shift down-mistake #2-we were freewheeling then. Had two choices-the cliff or some sandy banks along that part of roadway. My first attempt failed and almost rolled it so I nosed it in
and stopped. By that time the peyote had kicked in so all we could do was to lay on the side of the road,finally someone came along,probably thought we were dead,helped diagnose the problem
jerry rigged the old spring and away we went. When I got to Bella Coola tried to horse trade the van for a boat because I really didn't want to drive it home.
The deal fell through,glad it did, saved me from mistake #3 - drowning.
Did go back 11 years ago, mainly cause I couldn't remember coming home,PTSD,I guess.
My van wasn't quite as pretty as this one but similar.

"Go the distance . . .."

My brother who is a pretty cool cucumber with over 40 years of trucking hauled truck and transfer units of asphalt over this road a few years ago.
I think he said he was grossing 60000 kg or 130000 lbs. He admitted it stressed him out.
No time for eating cheezies or combing your hair. Knowing Bert he probably chain smoked.