Best route to avoid mountains in WV

For 15 years while we fulltimed, I drove from Indiana to Charlottesville, VA, back and forth and least twice a year to see our daughter and her family. We traveled I-64, I-77, or I-81. Sandstone mountain heading south is not for the faint of heart in a big rig, but like has been said, you must use your gears and I used the exhaust brake as well. You must manage the brakes, you can't ride them down the hill. We always towed, first a truck, then a Ford Flex. You also need an auxiliary brake on your toad. Going south I always stopped at the truckers' brake check lot so that I would be starting at the top from a stopped position, not from 55mph, then trying to slow as you speed down the hill. This is the only route and most direct route and we would have done no other in the RV. I do it now in my B+, a 25' Coach House and have no problem with the Ford TRansit chassis. Going uphill was never a problem even in the big rig, it was just slower. Incidentally, in those 15 years, we never had to install new brakes on the Phaeton. They were still in good shape when I sold her. You must manage the braking.

Mountain driving can be challenging, but you must "learn" if you are going to use those routes. Make sure you are not overloaded. The Flex is not a lightweight vehicle.

Dale