T
here is only one Skyline
Drive in Vermont and
it begins at VT Route
7A just 5 minutes south of
Manchester Village. Round-trip,
the journey to the top of Equinox
Mountain and back is 10.5 miles.
Easy peasy, you say? Well, yes…
and no. The toll road takes you
to the highest peak in the entire
Taconic Mountain range, so at
the top, you and your car will be
nearly 4,000 feet above sea level,
taking in some of America’s most
unforgettable views. But have you
thought about this: Is climbing
the mountain more difficult on
your vehicle? Or is it worse
cruising down again? car is ready for the climb and
descent by checking your tires,
oil, and transmission and brake
systems,” says Russ Bauer of
Langway Chevrolet Volkswagen
of Manchester. Russ worked as
a technician and service manager
before becoming the general
manager, and he has driven up the
Skyline Drive enough to know
what that road does to cars. He
says, “Going up is easier on your
car. Coming down, use your low
gear and brakes about 50/50 to
prevent brake fade. If your brakes
overheat, your stopping power
declines.” His best tip is to keep
one eye on your gauges, but to
also enjoy the scenery.
“It’s like a runner getting ready
for a marathon. You don’t just
show up and run. So, be sure your The best place to stop and rest
both your transmission and
brakes along the way, as well as to
perhaps steady your nerves, is a
scenic turnout called “the saddle.”
It’s quite thrilling that the skinny
ridge you are on at that spot is
only as wide as the pavement and
not an inch more. Like the feeling
you get on a roller coaster the
moment it drops, the terra firma
on both sides dramatically falls
away into the broad valleys
far below.
Now for some street smarts!
Considering there are 41 turns
on the Skyline Drive, and that
half of those are heart-pounding
hairpins, and that only one short
section of the climb offers a slight
dip, you would want the driver
of your car to know that it’s not
a good idea to hug the center line
at any time—heading up or down.
Just a little high-altitude courtesy
manchester life magazine 2018 41