NC Hauler
Asheville NC
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LittleJimmy wrote:Many thanks to all of you. We came down 74 and had no problems. Absolutely beautiful drive in spite of the rain. I must say there was one terrible curve but an on coming 18 wheeler saw us ahead and was so nice to stop for us to come through. He had to have seen us coming down the mountain because you sure could not see ahead. Made it home safe.
I knew it would be a scenic drive this time of year, so glad ya'll made it home safe and sound.
Jim & Kathy
07.5 Chevy K3500DRW/CC/LB/LMM/D/A/6speed/ LTZ,Prodigy,Reese 20K Ht.
08 Jeep Liberty Sport Trail Rated
06 HR Presidential Suite 37RLQ 4 slide,
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chisoxguy13
Rocky Mount, NC
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Have to go from Rocky Mount, NC to Chicago this weekend to see some family, catch a Bears game, and back through Elkhart, IN beginning of next week to pick up the new TT. That was definitely the way I was going to come home. Will still probably take the detour and come back that way and advoid all the tolls going up through the north east and Pennsylvania Turnpike. Might actually save the extra 150 miles and go through WV on the way there. I used the old Infantry way of checking the map distances and it looks like the detour is only about 50 miles out of the way. 140 miles from Asheville to Knoxville going I26 to I81 back to I40. Not "terrible" in that terrain for a fairly flat mountain pass.
After checking a bit further it looks like this would be a better route.
Take I-40 to Winston-Salem, US-52 to Pilot Mountain / Mount Airy, I-74 to I-77, I-77 to Wytheville, VA, and then I-81 to Knoxville.
Actually 100 miles shorter from Greensboro, NC to Knoxville going this way "according to mapquest" than it is to go I40 with no detour from Greensboro to Knoxville. Looks longer just by eyeballing it on the map, but the old Infantry measurement looks like maybe only a little shorter. Sure it will be slower on US-52 but will avoid the 50+ mile detour going all the way to Asheville.
Google maps says it's 14 miles longer taking US-52 74, 77, 81 than 40W all the way with no detour. Still better than a 50+ mile detour. Mapquest is smoking something.
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Hokiehall
Lynchburg, VA
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Chisoxguy13:
Have you thought about following I-77 all the way to Charleston, picking up I-64 west to US 35, following US 35 through WV and Ohio to I-70 west, then on to Indy and I-65 north? That is the route we follow when we make our trips to Chicago. US-35 through Ohio is 4 lane and interstate grade through much of it. The 30 mile section in WV is two lane but not bad.
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edited 10/28/09 04:36am by Hokiehall *
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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Looks like the clean-up may take even longer than the three months initially estimated, according to this local news report from yesterday PM... http://www.wlos.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/wlos_vid_1123.shtml.
Being limited by safety concerns to working daylight hours only at first will slow things down with the short days of winter coming on. It's gonna be a real 'interesting' job...
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
'06 Tiger CX 'C Minus' on a Silverado 2500HD 4x4, 8.1 & Allison ('Loafer's Glory'); '07 Forester 2.5 ( the 'HANDBSKT'); '95 Toyota SR5 V-6 4x4 pickup, ARB locker, Bilsteins, Warn hubs & M8000, etc;
'94 968, M030 swaybars ('DOPPLER')
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chisoxguy13
Rocky Mount, NC
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Hokiehall wrote:Chisoxguy13:
Have you thought about following I-77 all the way to Charleston, picking up I-64 west to US 35, following US 35 through WV and Ohio to I-70 west, then on to Indy and I-65 north? That is the route we follow when we make our trips to Chicago. US-35 through Ohio is 4 lane and interstate grade through much of it. The 30 mile section in WV is two lane but not bad.
Dad used to drive a truck "20 years ago" and he said it's alot flatter NOT going thru WV. Only a little out of the way and figured it's not a big deal. Will go up there that way I think. That way we can decide weather or not to pull the TT back thru there.
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2007dura
Hendersonville, NC
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Joined: 10/16/2003
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NC Hauler wrote:2007dura wrote:NC Hauler wrote:Can't tell by your sig what your towing or drving, but your probably right. The road over the mountain is curvy and a tad on the narrow side. I'd play it safe and go the route you've chosen. Much as I hate to do it, when we go to Sevierville next month, if the road isn't open, we'll take I26 to I81 to I40, "better safe than sorry".
We are heading that way next weekend. We are taking I-26 to Erwin, TN, then taking the Jonesborough exit, then SR81 north, go about 4-5 miles, turn left on highway 107 to Greenville, TN. It intersects with 11E, take 11E west to the junction with I-81 at Bulls Gap. All good road, SR81 and 107 are 2 lane, 11E is 4 lane.
Hadn't thought about that, don't think I've ever been on that road. I'll look at it on a map, hey if it's shorter and you don't think there will be a problem with my length, (long bed CC dually) towing a 39' 5er, I'm most appreciative for the information.
I am towing CC long bed dually with 39' fiver, no issues on this route. Trucks use SR81 from Erwin to Jonesborough all the time. When you first get on SR81 you go up a hill and down and run along the Nolichucky river. Have a rock bank on your side for about 1/2 mile or so. 107 has alot of farmers sales stands when you first turn on it, and there is a great resturant on it, old country style cooking where the food comes out in bowls. Can't remember name, but will get when I go by nest week if you want. Only traffic you will encounter is once you get to Greeneville, just depends on time, but shouldn't be bad.
2007 Classic 3500HD DRW/LT3 Duramax/Allison
2008 Jayco Designer 35RLTS
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NC Hauler
Asheville NC
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Watching the 5PM news on WLOS (Asheville NC) concerning the rock slide on I40. The East bound lanes are clear right now, BUT, until the NCDOT is absolutely sure there will be no danger of any more rock slide into that lane, it will remain closed,but again, the plan is to open these two lanes just as soon as possible. The West bound lanes though will probably stay closed for some time.. There was an idea of using the east bound lanes to filter east and west bound traffic on the east bound side, BUT, having been there done that, I'd just as soon drive around the obstruction instead of sitting in traffic waiting for 4 lanes of congested traffic trying to go east and west on two lanes...just not condusive for that area with the traffic that goes through the gorge.
2007 Dura, thanks for the helpful info, unless something else comes up, your route sounds like the best way to get back on I 40 to Sevierville...thanks a lot...and if you come up with the name of the restaurant, I'll take that also
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chisoxguy13
Rocky Mount, NC
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NC Hauler wrote:Watching the 5PM news on WLOS (Asheville NC) concerning the rock slide on I40. The East bound lanes are clear right now, BUT, until the NCDOT is absolutely sure there will be no danger of any more rock slide into that lane, it will remain closed,but again, the plan is to open these two lanes just as soon as possible. The West bound lanes though will probably stay closed for some time.. There was an idea of using the east bound lanes to filter east and west bound traffic on the east bound side, BUT, having been there done that, I'd just as soon drive around the obstruction instead of sitting in traffic waiting for 4 lanes of congested traffic trying to go east and west on two lanes...just not condusive for that area with the traffic that goes through the gorge.
2007 Dura, thanks for the helpful info, unless something else comes up, your route sounds like the best way to get back on I 40 to Sevierville...thanks a lot...and if you come up with the name of the restaurant, I'll take that also
They have done this before in this area and I am sure as soon as they can do that they will. And as you have said I'm sure it might be more of a pain than going around. Sure once it is open there will be someone on here to share their experience with it.
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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Now NCDOT's saying it may take four months to just open two lanes. Given the size of the existing slide, the amount of 'unslid' rock that will have to be removed to stabilize things, and winter weather, that may be realistic.
http://www.wlos.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/wlos_vid_1140.shtml
I wonder if anybody pointed out to Gov. Perdue that this whole mess is yet another result of letting politicians meddle in engineering decisions?
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
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NC Hauler
Asheville NC
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And WWNC (local radio station) just about 15 mins. ago, said it could take up to 5 months to open the westbound lanes and they were still going to try to open the eastbound lanes as soon as possible, IF they could be sure the slide wouldn't occur again into the eastbound lane, so go figure....
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