Date:         Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:12:03 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject:      Towing.. (no van,
              but tow related) Delete if long off topic story isn't of interest
              to you.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

  Someone recently was inquiring about the easiest route over the Sierras.
Another cautioned about being careful and having the proper tow package.  I,
myself, commented on the cardinal rule of towing or driving a long complex
vehicle package.."Never get somewhere you can't be sure of getting out of."
  I had my racecar towing package quite 'wired' after 3 years of towing to
all the tracks in the west  repeatedly and shoe-horning in amongst all the
race trucks and all..but on one trip, I totally pushed the envelope.  My
race mechanic's shop is in Belmont, on the east bay peninsula south of city
center in San Francisco.  I needed to get onto his alignment rack and to
swap a transmission between  weekends and to make a race at Infineon Raceway
(Sears Point) near Sonoma.  So, of course, I combined a bunch of races...A
test day at Thunderhill raceway about 5 hrs north of SF on Thursday before,
then into his shop for Friday, then on to Sonoma.
  Except, of course, he ran over and we didn't finish the car until Friday
at about 6:30.  So I decided to short cut and go across the Goldengate
Bridge, direct .  But I got lost and ended up downtown, going round and
round with my 18,000lb rig..the Ford 250 Diesel and camper pulling my 30'
carhauler.  Some of those hills are pretty tough..I used low range on a few
until a couple of motorcycle cops (even they ride dual sport motos downtown)
took pity on me and asked if I'd like some help.."Sure" says I, so they went
one ahead and stopped traffic, while the other lead me back to the
freeway...Kind fellows...I eventually would have found my way free of
downtown SF..but with their help, I only ended up making about 10 laps...
  Then after the weekend of racing at Sears Point..(I got a second) I had a
week until another event east of Reno at Fernley. Not time enough to return
to Portland, so I towed over Sonora Pass, and spent a few days on my bike in
the mountains.  I figured, after towing up Beacon Street in SF (or whatever
the streets are) I could tow anywhere...And other than a few fairly tight
switchbacks and a couple of more shifts into low range, I had no problems
whatsoever with Sonora Pass.  But I did go real slow downhill, using my
gears to keep the brakes in the rig and I drove about half a mile ahead of
myself, anticipating the worse.. I won the Fernley race, my only race win in
three years...
  You must anticipate when hauling a big weight..Your stopping distance is
long..Your rig doesn't like to change directions or speed very quickly..If
you keep that in mind and take good care with all your equipment, making
sure it's all properly loaded and sized, you should be ok..

  sorry for off topic, should have waited till Friday, I guess..
  Don Hanson