Forum Discussion

arlo62's avatar
arlo62
Explorer
Aug 10, 2017

1-40 from NC to Tenn

does anyone have advice for taking this route with a car in tow, i am new to this RVing and would appreciate any advice.

thanks
Richard lowe
  • Make this trip several times a year going to Memphis. 2015 34ft Bay Star with toad. Not bad at all, just stay with what is comfortable to you. Don't rush and enjoy the ride. Beautiful trip trough the mountains.
  • West of Asheville you will go through the Pigeon River Gorge which will be mostly down hill. Not sure what type of rig you will be driving but do not ride the brakes, instead down shift the transmission to a lower gear and coast letting the engine slow you down. There will be times to hit the brakes to slow your momentum so brake to get to the speed you want and then get off the brakes again. I find using 3rd gear does the trick for me when I go that way. The speed limit for semi trucks is 50 and they are supposed to use the right hand lane only and not pass anyone. Just fall in behind a truck and stay with them......with the appropriate following distance of course.
  • Been through several times with gasser Class A and toad. Just ride with the trucks, respect their size and load, and you will be fine. Last time through, a couple of idiots in four-wheelers tried to kill me and DW by cutting in front or us at an entrance ramp, then stopping instead of accelerating. The professional driver with a 53' loaded trailer behind us saved our lives by following the spacing rules, and being aware of what was happening at the entrance ramp in front of him.
  • Since you are in SC, will assume you are headed up I26 to I40. You will have to deal with Saluda Grade followed by the Green River Dip. Just west of Asheville you have a short 1 mile steep climb with truck lane. Then you have a few miles until the gorge. It's curvey but not like a back road, speed limit is 55mph, truck 50mph. If you feel a bit uncomfortable passing semis on the curves, just slow down and take the slow lane through the entire gorge.

    It's really a piece of cake regardless of what you are driving or towing.

    It's an Interstate and trucks pulling 53' trailers use it 24/7.


    Went through about 1am heading to my first granddaughter's birth and I was the only non-semi in the entire gorge. Had a couple blow their horns at me thinking I was a semi in the left hand passing them. Don't know what their reaction was to a truck camper going through that time of night. Was the easiest drive through the gorge I've ever had.
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    It's an Interstate and trucks pulling 53' trailers use it 24/7.
  • Done it towing a pup. It is just a little curvy, and the speed limit drops to 50 a couple of times. But after all, it is an interstate, so it is not bad at all. just don't get in a big hurry. Black Mountain is your steepest grade. However if you go up 26 to 40 you will miss it. And Saluda grade becomes the steepest. Not bad as BM though. Neither is anything to worry about, as they have slow lanes going up to use.