questions on I-40 going west from NC to OK

All good posts. Thanks on the drive timing.
20-24 hours sounds about what I had in mind.I knew it would not be 18.50 hrs.
Thanks on the road woes. The toll fees help to have cash in hand.
Plus know where you said to stay the nights helps too.
I might get to know walmart parking lots or Flying J's, Love's etc.
I just drove from Atlanta last Friday towing the 5er and that was a six hour ride with about 45 minute break for fuel and food at the 3 hour mark. MY rear end was dope when I got home..
plus we had the around Charlotte I-85 construction from the race track exit until Salisbury. I-85 Construction around Spartanburg, SC too.
I will be primary driver trying to get the wife to pull an hour or two.. She is still not sure..
My daughter will be driving behind us in her car.
We plan to camp or parking lot camp, I have a generator so that will help with AC and food will be mainly dining out other than fuel stops and then we can sandwich eat at those. My diet is mainly high protein these days and water with crystal light mixes.
We will have one dog with us so she will need to potty break too. 3 hours a leg sounds doable. 8 hours a day would be pushing it?
I may need to find some type of memory foam seat cushion or donut to keep my rearend from cramping. The 03 seats are about toast as far as comfort goes beyond that 2&1/2-3 hr mark..
The wife and I talked earlier today and she asked did we think we could pull out Friday night and get maybe 3-4 hours into trip that evening.
BUT the kicker is: All this is Memorial day weekend for the first days of the trip.
We will go out and spend a few days around the area then come home without camper the next Thursday/Friday. Then do it all again 10 weeks later for a turn and burn return trip. 5 day total on that side of the trip(6 if I had too) vacations days are precious.
The reason for all this is a Summer internship for my rising senior in college. The camper was the cheapest way for her to be able to do this and not break the bank for housing(room & board). 10 weeks is expensive for housing with furniture and all the associated needs. SO the 5er was our best option.
What you ask? you will allow your child to use your camper for 10 weeks 1250 miles & 19 plus hours from home.
Yes unless anyone here wants to donate 4-6 thousand $$ for housing, food, etc. and she has to have reliable transportation, so flying is out..
Thanks and any more comments I would appreciate.
randy
PS I really mean if you feel inclined to donate let me know!:)
Oh yeah fuel prices are on the rise too...:(

I-40 between Memphis and Little Rock will likely be the worst part of the trip. Frequent construction and areas where you'll likely "porpoise" a bit...just adjust your speed to compensate. Once you get west of Little Rock, it's fine, a few hills here and there, but certainly nothing that you've not encountered in NC.

I remember when that stretch between Memphis and Little Rock was being built...and it seems like the construction has never stopped! EVERY time I've been that way, there's been construction somewhere. Been a bit since I've been through, but I've read where there's still some construction going on in the West Memphis area.

That should be an easy 3-1/2 day trip. I make the trip from Charlotte to Albuquerque in 4 days easily. You have basically finished with the mountains just after entering TN. I hate the Memphis to Little Rock section of I-40. They dig holes in the road just to fill them in for fun I think. There has been construction in that area every time I have driven it for the past 20 years. I-40 in Oklahoma is a little rough I have heard but I didn't find it too bad but it has been two years since I drove this route. I normally try to take the southern route just to avoid Arkansas.

I-40 across Tennessee is one of the best maintained interstates in the nation. Take I-840 around Nashveiil, a bit longer, but a good road and you miss traffic in Nashville. (Just in case you want to bypass Nashville, and all the fun places there). As far as mountains, there are some pretty good grades over the hills up to Crosville, not as bad as the ones in NC. After the Cumberland peaks, its all downhill. (really). If you make it up I-40 to Knoxville, you are past the worst part. The rest are just big hills. We have run it all, from Texas to Cape Lookout.

My experience with any interstate is that there are going to be mostly good miles with the occasional few rough miles. But it is easier and faster to just slow down in the bad and enjoy the good and go with it rather than trying to find bypasses for any possible bad stretches.

I-44 from OKC to Lawton is toll, but only something like $6-$7 towing the trailer.

You are looking at around 20 hours of actual drive time plus stops for food, fuel, and rest. So figure 24 hours of travel time if you don't tarry long at each stop. So 7 hours of travel time per day would get you there in 3 1/2 days. Leave by 9 am and stop around 4 pm would give you enough down time in the evening to rest up. That is a lot of seat time and would make for some long days, but doable depending on the people involved.

After the Pigeon River Gorge at TN/NC line, you will have a couple of hills to deal with that are similar to I26 Saluda Grade though not as steep. A short one just west of Knoxville at Oak Ridge, then the longer up hill going up onto the Cumberland Plateau.

There is a longer way around Nashville now call I840. It adds about 10 miles to the trip but lets you avoid most of the Nashville traffic.

Not sure how now, but just as bad from what I hear is I40 around Oklahoma City, both east and west side.

We figure an average of 50mph and adjust for lunch stops. So 1250 miles would be 25 hours. So three 7 hour days and a 4 hour last day.

I think if I was to make the trip, figuring Elon as the start would be:
1) Cumberland Mtn SP, Crossville TN for 373 miles
2) Somethine west of Memphis for about 340 miles
3) Sallisaw KOA just into Arkansas for about 300 miles.
Leaves about 230 miles for the last leg, though would be easy to shorten it down by extending day 3 some which I would do.

I can only help with the short section from Checotah to Fort Smith, and it was fine. Concrete with good joints, 2 lanes both ways, no construction.

My neighbor drove to Vegas using I-40 a few years ago. He always complained about Arkansas.