A Word on the Grade

A few straight words about the driving on this next stretch, because Route 243 down toward Banning is steep, and it winds, and it deserves your respect. First, your brakes: on a long descent like this, don't just ride the brake pedal all the way down, or you can overheat your brakes and lose them right when you need them most. Shift down into a lower gear and let the engine do the holding-back for you; save the brakes for the actual curves. Second, these are tight mountain curves with real drop-offs and not always a guardrail, so take them at a sane speed and stay well on your own side of the double yellow.

And third — expect motorcycles. These mountain highways, 74 and 243 both, are famous, beloved riding roads, and on any nice weekend you'll meet a lot of bikes, often coming fast and leaned over into the blind curves. So hug your lane, don't cut the corners, and check twice before you pull out or turn. In the colder months, know that up here it snows — the high country gets real winter, with ice and chain controls, so if there's a storm in the forecast, check the road conditions before you start up and carry chains if you need them. None of this is meant to spook you; it's a wonderful road. Just drive it like the mountain road it is — low gear, easy speed, eyes up — and it'll treat you right all the way down.