Nashville to Raleigh thru the Smokies

Hello,

I am closing this topic due to lack of activity. Thank you for your time and participating. Please feel free to open a new thread on this topic in the future if you wish.

Thank you,
Ella
Good Sam Care Team

Good advice from all above.

Ivylog wrote:
After Asheville on I-40 there is a serious down grade that's fairly steep and very long (for in the East). While I do not go the 25 posted for trucks you need to keep your speed down by not using your brakes very often...gearing the tranny down instead.

You've got to remember, I was only 25 years old (1980) when I lived in NC. One Spring the rainy weather finally stopped and I got the motorcycle out. I rode up to Ashville via I-40 from the Piedmont. On my return, I came down that hill. I killed the engine on the motorcycle and coasted. I had the motorcycle up to 85 mph at the bottom of the hill, and unbeknown to me, a patrol car was there in the grassy medium.

Well, he got me all right! I had no excuse. His lights flipped on and I zoomed right by him, every bit at 85 mph, if not faster. I'm not sure, I was driving so fast, I didn't dare take my eyes off the road to even glance down at the final speed.

Well, I zoomed on by, thinking I had nothing to looses and he "got me!"

I watched out the rear view mirror and he whipped that patrol car around, lights started flashing, and mud started flying out from under the back wheels and then he just stopped! He got stuck! I kept going!

That was the last time I ever did anything like that. I survived. I'm 63 years old now. My motorcycle days are long past now.

But, your comment sure brought back a great memory for me!

Going through the mountains, just remember that the I-40 is one of the heaviest used transport routes from coast to coast, and there is no other way for merchandise you want to be able to buy to get to where you want to buy it. We owe our lives to a few of the professional drivers that use I-40 through there on a regular basis. A stupid person driving a car who did not have any idea how to merge onto the interstate, pulled out in front of our motor home and stopped. The professional drivers in a row behind us and in front of us were observant as we all approached the entrance ramp, and were able to control their heavy loaded rigs, giving us the space we needed. So, yes, it is a good route, populated by LOTS of truck traffic, so just don't try to push things and drive safely.

After Asheville on I-40 there is a serious down grade that's fairly steep and very long (for in the East). While I do not go the 25 posted for trucks you need to keep your speed down by not using your brakes very often...gearing the tranny down instead.

You will be traveling I-40 the entire route. No problem at all. If you are traveling with RV (not a car), you definitely want to travel the POSTED speed limit over the mountains. It's posted for a reason, don't exceed it anywhere an you'll have a safe passage.

Semi-trucks will scare the bee-jee-ber's out of you. Don't let them push you faster. If they are in THAT much of a hurry, let them pass and pray a mile up the road you won't find them flipped over the edge of the road blocking your route for the next 10 hours while they clear the accident.

Roads are curvy and sometimes the curves tighten after you enter into them. And if you are going down hill, this can be real hairy. But, if you DO NOT exceed the speed limit, you will retain good control of your vehicle and rig.

Use Tow Mode in your vehicle if you have it, and if you have exhaust brakes, use them too. DO NOT use cruise control. You have to constantly maintain the posted speed limit. Cruise will case the vehicle to go faster and faster down-hill and those curves all of a sudden become horribly sharp.

This is the only advise I can give you. I've traveled I-40 multiple times in my lifetime, the first was 1979 when I moved to North Carolina for 2 years and drove that stretch of road a lot, all the way to Raleigh and Nashville the other way. Nothing has changed in 39 years, and I've traveled it at least once every year since 1979. Speed is the only thing you MUST watch. Don't exceed it. You'll be fine.

Edit:
If you are in a car or a motorcycle, shoot! Have fun! It's a fantastic drive for a motorcycle (which I had when I lived there), and I couldn't go fast enough around those curves. What a rush! But.... NEVER in an RV!

Jacksilsby,

Thank you for contacting Good Sam. We have a great feature which is called the Good Sam Trip Planner and it can be found in our Plan a Trip drop down on the Good Sam Club web site. You would be able to add your stops on the map and it would tell you if there are any routes that are unsafe for your vehicle. Please let us know if you need further assistance.

Thanks,
Stacy
Good Sam Care Team