July 30, 200719 yr I am driving from Chicago to Mooresville, NC with truck and trailer to pick up a car and drive back. I have always gone to Louisville, Lexington, Knoxville to Statesville to Mooresville (Charlotte). Yahoo mpas showed the better route as going to Charleston, WV from Lexington and then taking I-77 south. I am going to give it a shot and see if it is better. Any suggestions??
July 30, 200719 yr I am driving from Chicago to Mooresville, NC with truck and trailer to pick up a car and drive back. I have always gone to Louisville, Lexington, Knoxville to Statesville to Mooresville (Charlotte). Yahoo mpas showed the better route as going to Charleston, WV from Lexington and then taking I-77 south. I am going to give it a shot and see if it is better. Any suggestions?? Yeah stop in Ashland and buy me lunch. :D
July 30, 200719 yr Only concern would be there are some really steep grades on 77 between Charleston and Charlotte. Depending on the weight of your trailer and the tow vehicle you are using, you could have some problems there. If that isn't a concern, then enjoy the trip, it is a beautiful drive. Will you be spending the night anywhere along the way? Charleston maybe?
July 30, 200719 yr I am driving from Chicago to Mooresville, NC with truck and trailer to pick up a car and drive back. I have always gone to Louisville, Lexington, Knoxville to Statesville to Mooresville (Charlotte). Yahoo mpas showed the better route as going to Charleston, WV from Lexington and then taking I-77 south. I am going to give it a shot and see if it is better. Any suggestions?? It may be shorter mileage-wise to go through Charleston, but I wouldn't recommend it, especially if you are pulling a trailer. I would sacrifice mileage for a less curvy and less dangerous highway, which is the way you've always been going. You might be able to shave some time off by taking I-74 from Indy to Cincy rather than going all the way down I-65 to L'ville then cutting across.
July 30, 200719 yr Yeah stop in Ashland and buy me lunch. :D We could invite Wireman and he could buy us all wings. :sssh: :banana:
July 30, 200719 yr We could invite Wireman and he could buy us all wings. :sssh: :banana: I'm still waiting on my wings from Wireman. :irked:
July 30, 200719 yr Only concern would be there are some really steep grades on 77 between Charleston and Charlotte. Depending on the weight of your trailer and the tow vehicle you are using, you could have some problems there. If that isn't a concern, then enjoy the trip, it is a beautiful drive. Will you be spending the night anywhere along the way? Charleston maybe? Trucks go down 77 constantly
July 30, 200719 yr They always had me go that way (through VA) when I went to the Outer Banks, too. However, I would go to Knoxville if for no other reason than Virginia has passed that ridiculous speeding law that fines you your life savings if you get pulled over. Might not apply with truck and trailer, but its a thought. Ebay vehicle?
July 30, 200719 yr He's going to have to cross the mountains sometime. Where's the best place to do it? If he goes throught Lexington, he has to make the climb at the Tennessee border and then has to deal with the hills on I-40 at the NC border.
July 30, 200719 yr The windy hills on I-40 are insane, I can only imagine how bad they'd be pulling a trailor. I'd try to avoid them if possible.
July 30, 200719 yr Also, according to MapQuest, average gas prices in Charleston WV are about a dime lower than in Asheville, NC at the moment.
July 30, 200719 yr Trucks go down 77 constantlyI was assuming Mr. N. wasn't going to be driving a Peterbilt. Long steep grades are tough on the transmission and add a lot to the towing problems when hauling a very heavy trailer with a pickup/SUV. Planning for such is absolutely critical. It may be shorter mileage-wise to go through Charleston, but I wouldn't recommend it, especially if you are pulling a trailer. I would sacrifice mileage for a less curvy and less dangerous highway, which is the way you've always been going. I don't remember I64 and I77 being particularly curvy and dangerous compared to I75 and I40/I81. That is a wash IMO.
July 30, 200719 yr I was assuming Mr. N. wasn't going to be driving a Peterbilt. Long steep grades are tough on the transmission and add a lot to the towing problems when hauling a very heavy trailer with a pickup/SUV. Planning for such is absolutely critical. I don't remember I64 and I77 being particularly curvy and dangerous compared to I75 and I40/I81. That is a wash IMO. :thumb: I would much rather go across I-77 than I-40.
July 30, 200719 yr I was assuming Mr. N. wasn't going to be driving a Peterbilt. Long steep grades are tough on the transmission and add a lot to the towing problems when hauling a very heavy trailer with a pickup/SUV. Planning for such is absolutely critical. I don't remember I64 and I77 being particularly curvy and dangerous compared to I75 and I40/I81. That is a wash IMO. Maybe my natural aversion to West Virginia is clouding my objectivity on the matter …
July 30, 200719 yr Author I am driving a Ford F-350 dually with a lighweight open, dual axle trailer. I am going to Mooresville to pick up a late model asphalt race car. I have a racing partner in Mooresville and he has prepared one of our cars for my son to drive this weekend. My son is turning 17 on Saturday and I have been very strict about his driving and he has been (mostly) cooperative about it. I always told him that I would rather him drive a race car than drive on the street. He is with me and is helping drive this trip. He won a race in a beginner division (Chevettes)at a track that I owned 5 years ago. He was 11 going on 12 and the rules reguired the drivers in that class to be 14. I didn't know he was in the car until the race was over. The tracks around here require a driver's license to race the kinds of cars that I have. He just got his license a few weeks ago and I am going to let him race. BTW, he doesn't know the car is prepared for him and will be surprised when we get there andthe car has his name over the door and his football number on the doors and roof. As to the route, I can't imagine the grade on 77 being any worse than Jelico mountain and the white-knuckle gorge at the NC state line on I-40. I will let you know late tonight. I am driving now (actually son is). Thanks for your input.
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