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TN/KY riders. best route to bypass I-75?


RandyR

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Headed for Don's MD later this week. Normal route would be up I-75 between Knoxville and Lexington. However, I-75 is down to 1 lane both N&S just south of the KY line in TN (Jellico) because of a rock slide. TN DOt web site says it maybe Sept before its completely cleared. Must be massive.

 

So, am looking for an altenate route.

 

What are US 27 and 127 north out of Chattanooga like? Could take 127 all the way to I-71 south of Cinnci.

 

Another route would be to go east and take US 23 thru Asheville NC all the way to Columbus,OH.

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Guest scarylarry

That is one way, another one would be take 8 to 111 thru Cookville...These are nice roads with small towns so you might be dragging some...Lot of stop lights and speed zones..

 

Your best bet might be 24 From Chatt. to Nashville that is about 2.5 to 3.0 hrs.. Then a straight shot up 65..

 

111 going into Cookville is 4 lane and when you leave it goes back to 2 lane..

 

What day are you leaving?

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That is one way, another one would be take 8 to 111 thru Cookville...These are nice roads with small towns so you might be dragging some...Lot of stop lights and speed zones..

 

Your best bet might be 24 From Chatt. to Nashville that is about 2.5 to 3.0 hrs.. Then a straight shot up 65..

 

111 going into Cookville is 4 lane and when you leave it goes back to 2 lane..

 

What day are you leaving?

 

Probably Thurs AM from north GA. Will be riding up with Dragonslayer. We're going to talk about it this afternoon.

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I'm not TN/KY, but----

 

Looks to me like from Knoxville go east on I-81, pick up U.S. 25E, head north 'till it rejoins I-75 at Corbin, KY. Years ago I drove (Ohio to Florida) through there quite often before they completed I-75. I have no idea about the condition/driveability of U.S. 25E.

 

If you want to stay on the superslab, an alternative might be go to Chatanooga, pick up I-65 to Louisville, then I-71 to pick up I-75 near Cincinnati.

 

Otherwise, just tough it out on I-75, maybe try to time it so that the traffic isn't so heavy. Lots of trucks make it less than desireable.

 

Good luck.

 

P.S. Check out these responses from another site: http://gl1800riders.com/forums/showthread.php?320081-I-75-north-of-Knoxville

Edited by Mel
more info,
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Guest scarylarry
Probably Thurs AM from north GA. Will be riding up with Dragonslayer. We're going to talk about it this afternoon.

 

If you leaving Thursday morning AM take the back roads you will have plenty of time to get a nice ride in up there..

 

If you leave Friday AM take the slab..

 

111 towards Cookville will take you right by Fall Creek Falls and that is nice ride and you will not have to take but a couple hours of that day...

 

There are plenty of eats and gas along the way so that is not a concern

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At the end of next month I am making the trip south from Cincinatti to Central Fl. Going up I angling over thru Charlotte to pick up a buddy. Anyways thats when the other night I posted about the slide, I was looking at using TN 9/US 25W and going over thru Caryville TN. Part of the reasoning was because the Tn DOT folks were telling others to use the road that paralles I-75 (297) Says its about a 32 mile detour, but hey its got some twisies. :cool10: The northern most exit is 160 and the souther exit where you would get on/off depending on direction is 134. I'll try to link the map here. I pumped about the trip so much I've already put together the trip and ready to load route in GPS. :Venture:

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Here's you another thought, nice roads and scenic also, Take GA 60 up to Copperhill TN where you run into Tn 68 and then just follow it which goes up up thru Tellico Plains, Sweetwater, Spring City and on to Crossville where you can pick up US 127 and cut back over toward Lexington around Danville or somewhere. I used to take 68 to Crossville a lot when a friend used to live there, coming from Knoxville back to GA we pick up 68 sometimes for a change of scenery.

Edited by meach
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I would take US25 through the Cumberland Gap Tunnel and rejoin with I75 at Corbin. Or, go further west and take US 27 through Oneida to Somerset and then 80 to 461 to I75.

 

I've been both ways and they work.

 

Dennis

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If you want to stay Interstate drop down to 85 to Charlotte straight up 77.

 

need to go thru Columbus,OH. Dragonrider is leaving his GF there for the weekend.

 

US 23 is tempting. I've never ridden it north of Asheville. It passes 30 miles east of where I live in Georgia and goes to Columbus,OH. 650mile trip. probably not the fastest route.

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Guest scarylarry

Randy from the looks of it not a bad highway and you are leaving Thursday morning so that is about 400 miles a day..

 

Eastern Ky is some great riding I would do it if I was you and had the time..

 

Get in touch with Wayne-O here he lives close to that area...

 

Side note when in Eastern Ky. if you banjos playing throttle it has hard as you can...:whistling::rotf::whistling::rotf:

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need to go thru Columbus,OH. Dragonrider is leaving his GF there for the weekend.

 

US 23 is tempting. I've never ridden it north of Asheville. It passes 30 miles east of where I live in Georgia and goes to Columbus,OH. 650mile trip. probably not the fastest route.

 

23 is not bad at all usual small town slow downs take you about 8 hours from Asheville to get to Columbus.

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Randy from the looks of it not a bad highway and you are leaving Thursday morning so that is about 400 miles a day..

 

Eastern Ky is some great riding I would do it if I was you and had the time..

 

Get in touch with Wayne-O here he lives close to that area...

 

Side note when in Eastern Ky. if you banjos playing throttle it has hard as you can...:whistling::rotf::whistling::rotf:

 

 

All the routes mentioned sound good. US 23 would be the nicest ride for sites. US 27 for time, US 25E is nice also just don't gain alot of distance that way.

 

And Larry them BANJO'S were in central Tn, but still I think some of their cousins just

might live in far eastern Ky.....just saying

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Couldn't recall where 23 was located, forgotten it's the same road as I985 then joins with U.S. 441 up to Sylva NC where we usually stay on 441 thru the smokies and 23 splits off towards Ashville and on. U.S. 23 might turn out to be the way I go this fall to a niece getting married in Johnson City, never been that way. Used to have to stop in Knoxville on the way to J.C. so always went that way.

 

A side note:

Wife and I a few weeks rode across N. Ga, passing thru Dahlonega and going by Lake Lanier to I985 and were just killing some time before riding back down I85 to Duluth to my daughters house. We were just looking on the map and going to every small town we could find along the way. Found a community called "RabbitTown" where coming around a curve there was a giant rabbit about 50ft tall :yikes: in front of a small strip center. Kinda caught me by surprise.

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Guest scarylarry
All the routes mentioned sound good. US 23 would be the nicest ride for sites. US 27 for time, US 25E is nice also just don't gain alot of distance that way.

 

And Larry them BANJO'S were in central Tn, but still I think some of their cousins just

might live in far eastern Ky.....just saying

 

I'm thinking Pine Knot Ky..:rotf::rotf::rotf:

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