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How has everybody's experience been with shuttle drivers?....
I've had two shuttles in the last two years. The first one was in Ga. This was a scary ride. The driver drove down the gravel road as fast as he could. I thought he was practicing for nascar.
The other was near Roan Mt. The driver was also practicing for nascar. I think I left a stain on his seat..:eek: He was passing cars on a double yellow with blind curves coming up. And the speed he drove up the mountain was sure scary.
So, Is this the way all the shuttle drivers are? After reading about the Erwin thread I decided to see what other people thought. And how their shuttle experiences were.
Lone Wolf
05-12-2010, 06:11
i'm an excellent driver
Gray Blazer
05-12-2010, 07:21
I never use shuttles. Just hike in one way for a few days and then back out the way I came.
BTW, I saw LW driving an ambulance and he was doing a great job. Stayed between the lines and all that.
bulldog49
05-12-2010, 08:04
How has everybody's experience been with shuttle drivers?....
I've had two shuttles in the last two years. The first one was in Ga. This was a scary ride. The driver drove down the gravel road as fast as he could. I thought he was practicing for nascar.
The other was near Roan Mt. The driver was also practicing for nascar. I think I left a stain on his seat..:eek: He was passing cars on a double yellow with blind curves coming up. And the speed he drove up the mountain was sure scary.
So, Is this the way all the shuttle drivers are? After reading about the Erwin thread I decided to see what other people thought. And how their shuttle experiences were.
Lighten up. These folks drive those roads a lot. It just seems too fast to you because you're not used to it. BUt then I detest nothing more than slow drivers. eek!
These here shuttlers down here in these here parts don't drive like the rest of the USA, these boys drive like they are in NASCAR because they never know when they will have to run some moonshine so they just want to be ready.......
could actually be practicing for NASCAR. never know when you'll get called up from the dirt track.
i have used several in NY, CT, VT and NH. very friendly, professional and safe. no issues. got one line up for NJ next weekend. no worries.
I just used a shuttle service out of Luray Va in the SNP. Mountain & Valley, 540-743-1355. My family and I did a short 5 day hike along the trail in that area. Our driver, Rodney, was excellent and provide several bits of useful advice. He also picked up supplies for me that I had ordered in advance. Excellent service!
After some similar SCARY but exhilarating shuttle rides in the past in GA and TN, I'd agree that Wolf's shuttle last year was one of our most enjoyable. Learned lots, too. :)
But yeah, they are definitely used to the windy back roads and aren't a bit bothered by .2" of clearance with a 200' dropoff and no guard rail on one side and a big truck on the other. Does take some trust to be able to relax...
wystiria
05-12-2010, 12:36
I have had nothing but great shuttles in the PA/MD area :) No scary driving and very prompt "delivery" etc.
Good experiences: Larry (Duncannon to Harrisburg) and Golden Waldo (Gorham to Moosilauke).
I've had more than a dozen shuttles in the past year and a half and have been fortunate in that they were all safe, on time and relatively interesting.
double d
05-13-2010, 14:50
I would highly recommend Dot up in the Vermont-NH-Mass. area of the AT.
i have used several in NY, CT, VT and NH. very friendly, professional and safe. no issues. got one line up for NJ next weekend. no worries.
Hmmph! Like yankees know any thing about Nascar. :rolleyes:
Hikes in Rain
05-13-2010, 15:07
Another way to look at it: the faster they drive, the quicker you can start hiking.
Hmmph! Like yankees know any thing about Nascar. :rolleyes:
There were three NASCAR fans on their way to a race, when they see an accident on the side of the road so they pull over! They go to help the victim, but they realize she is naked, so they take off their hats. The first guy was a Earnhardt fan, and put his hat over her left breast. The second guy was a Elliot fan, and put it over her right breast!! The last guy was a Waltrip fan, and put his hat over her crotch.
When the police arrived, the officer looks at the girl and goes to evaluate. He first picks up the Earnhardt hat, puts it back down and writes something down. He does the same with the Elliot hat. Then he picks up the Waltrip hat and puts it down then picks it up again. He does this several times until the Waltrip fan says, "What are you? Some kind of pervert?"
The officer replies, "No, I just usually find an ******* under one of these hats."
Tennessee Viking
05-13-2010, 15:39
Wait till you drive US129 (aka the Dragon) or Cherohola Sky. And Soco Gap to Balsam Gap on the BRP.
Hikes in Rain
05-13-2010, 15:40
Fabulous drive, the Tail of the Dragon! Cherohola Skyline is right up there, too.
sasquatch2014
05-13-2010, 16:38
Hmmph! Like yankees know any thing about Nascar. :rolleyes:
Maybe not be other can California few can beat us in the area of Road Rage, Don't drive angry.;)
sasquatch2014
05-13-2010, 16:46
I gave two section hikers a ride back to their car about a month ago and I asked them if they wanted the paved route or the scenic route back to Pawling which would give them some idea of the ridge that they had hiked. They choose scenic. This had me on a series of dirt roads. As I am bombing along at one point I looked over and realized the look of a little panic in their eye and informed them that after living out in Wyoming and all the dirt roads out there I don't really see much difference between pavement and dirt except there tends to be less cops on dirt roads. They seemed to relax some after that.
Old Grouse
05-13-2010, 19:21
Hmmph! Like yankees know any thing about Nascar. :rolleyes:
Guess you haven't heard of New Hampshire International Speedway, a regular stop on the NASCAR circuit.
Oh, and then there's Pocono Raceway and Watkins Glen, both NASCAR hosts.
earlyriser26
05-13-2010, 19:33
I just used a shuttle service out of Luray Va in the SNP. Mountain & Valley, 540-743-1355. My family and I did a short 5 day hike along the trail in that area. Our driver, Rodney, was excellent and provide several bits of useful advice. He also picked up supplies for me that I had ordered in advance. Excellent service!
Good to know. I am using them on Thursday. I have had about 30 shuttles on the trail (most in the south). I have never had a serious issue. A few times they were "late" if you call 15 min. late. I have never had anyone drive too fast. I had one 80 year old drive about 15 MPH below the speed limit (took us an extra half hour to get beer!). I believe in over tipping (positive karma and it offsets cheap hikers). The last shuttle I had in Virginia the women wanted $40 and I gave her $100 and I thought she was going to cry.
Guess you haven't heard of New Hampshire International Speedway, a regular stop on the NASCAR circuit.
Oh, and then there's Pocono Raceway and Watkins Glen, both NASCAR hosts.
Don't forget Limerock, Paul Neuman's old home course. :banana
Ron Haven
05-13-2010, 23:57
dmax if you are ever in the Franklin,NC area,let me shuttle you.I think you will just fine after our ride.:-?
Sounds good Ron....
I just think when a person gets in a vehicle the driver should obay the posted speed limits. Thats not asking too much....... And no passing on double yellows. Especially with a blind curve coming up... Maybe I'm just starting to show my age..:-?
And for what its worth, I do drive these mountain roads every week. I've been up Roan countless times and thats minor compared to the roads around here towards NC.
I'm glad to hear that there are good drivers out there. I was going to give up on shuttles but maybe I'll give them another try.
The tail of the dragon is a cool road. I drove it then went to Coker Creek to pan for some gold. My hands thought they were still on the steering wheel everytime I picked up my gold pan. Sure made panning easier.
I heard there is a new shuttle service in Dawsonville that is named Awesome something.
Frogdown
04-21-2011, 09:36
I heard there is a new shuttle service in Dawsonville that is named Awesome something.
I'll bet nobody but you me and Bill got that!:banana
I road with Ron a couple years back. Learned a lot Not scary. Thanks Ron
fredmugs
04-21-2011, 12:00
Hmmph! Like yankees know any thing about Nascar. :rolleyes:
Tell us who won the last 5 NASCAR Sprint Cup championships again. (Hint: Not Junior) For that matter the last driver from the NASCAR belt since Ironhead to win is Dale Jarrett. That's 1 in the last 16 years.
I will admit I learned a lot about NASCAR when I spent a year in Charleston, SC in 1992.
didn't NASCAR begin down south
Panzer
Lighten up. These folks drive those roads a lot. It just seems too fast to you because you're not used to it. But then I detest nothing more than slow drivers. eek!
Yea, it's all POV! If Iv'e been on the trail a few weeks, EVERYBODY drives too fast for me. Meet me (Ride with me) on one of MY back roads, & you will hang on tight, yet from my POV, I'm driving slow to keep from scaring you. :)
harryfred
04-22-2011, 21:24
didn't NASCAR begin down south
Panzer
Yes, but stock car racing began up north.
Ron Haven
04-23-2011, 01:16
I road with Ron a couple years back. Learned a lot Not scary. Thanks RonI drive easy and tell a story or two on the way.
I took a shuttle out of Harpers Ferry a couple of years ago with a fellow that was arranged by the local outfitter. He was very nice and I hired him to bring my wife and two daughters out to meet me in a couple of days as I approached Harpers Ferry on my hike back into town. When I met up with them, I had a small plastic bag with my trash in it, could not have weighed a pound, and asked him if he minded taking that out with him and putting it in a trash can back in town. To my shock, he acted like I had insulted him, but said "I guess so" with a pained expression. I put the trash in his van and we left. I had paid him close to $100 to do both shuttles and wondered how a little trash could be a problem.