81-77 vs 81-95

As noted in a couple of other posts here, I do the 15 to 81 to 77 to 95 route and generally like it. I've been stuck on 95 heading south from Washington area a couple of times and it wasn't worth it. Truck traffic can be heavy on 81 and if there is an accident that can also get backed up for miles but it seems to be less of an issue than all of the slow downs on 95. Also a prettier route. You won't be the only one towing a big rig.

81 to 77 to 26 to 95 is about an hour longer but the drive is less stressfull in my opinion.

We have done both pulling a 5'er. In May we did the 81-77-26 route. Road conditions were good. We got hung up in traffic around Charlotte south bound (our fault for not timing the trip properly) and then north bound a truck fire had traffic stopped.

I would do about anything to keep off of I-95 as much as I can. I-81 is notorious for truck traffic, but that's because the trucks ALSO like to stay off of I-95 as long as they can.

I would do 81 to 77 to 26 and then finally get on 95 when I absolutely had to, in South Carolina.

These are pretty good roads, at least the 77, 26 part are. I haven't been on 77 above West VA in several years, but it was a good road then.

81 to 77 to 26 to 95 is probably my preferred route to Florida. (I-77 ends at Columbia.) I-81 is not quite so built up as I-95 but has reasonably frequent services like gas stations. There's no lack of traffic, but I think a bit less than on I-95 overall and it generally keeps moving pretty decently.

There is one fairly long grade you'll descend on 77 soon after it leave I-81. It's not super steep and is perfectly doable if you use proper mountain driving techniques (i.e. downshift appropriately). Probably more of a concern is that at times it can get quite foggy and that occasionally leads to crashes. They do have electronic speed limit signs to permit adjustment for weather conditions, and of course simply paying attention to what's ahead is the best defense against disaster.

As you get deeper into VA there are more hills but nothing bad. Near the NC border there is a steeper hill with run-away truck ramps but really not bad. When we went down it in a gas motor home I tried to keep my speed at 50 but with the diesel 60-65 is OK. (I drive 64-65 on the flats)

If you have done the other route several times, why not change it up.
Instead of 81 try a couple of trips on skyline drive and the Blue Ridge Pkwy, Visit Luray Caverns, Fairystone State Park, Boone N.C. and Mount Mitchell, Asheville NC and the Biltmore estate and then turn east to 95. Just know your heights for the parts of the BRP and Skyline dr.