Chattanooga to Concord

[cstmwgn]

What are the local's opinions about the route as stated. The best I can tell is that it does not formally go through the Tail of the Dragon (or atleast it does not go through Deals Gap).

Is this a good road?
How heavy is the traffic?

[Bucky67]

Alan, when I ran it a few months ago, interstate was the best way to go. But even then, it took 6 and half hours and that was only stopping once for fuel.

[cstmwgn]

Alan, when I ran it a few months ago, interstate was the best way to go. But even then, it took 6 and half hours and that was only stopping once for fuel.

Bucky - the route as posted only has about 140 miles of Interstate - the rest appears to be predominately US 74.

[rexdogg]

interested as well to hear some opinions.....this is going to be one long leg, no matter how it cuts.....and a "lunch stop as well?".....

[cstmwgn]

....and a "lunch stop as well?".....

Maybe they can do it like a bicycle race - have people standing out in the street handing out bags as we drive by!

[rexdogg]

Maybe they can do it like a bicycle race - have people standing out in the street handing out bags as we drive by!

unless we leave Chattanooga by 5 am or so, that kind of "fly by" might be all they have time for....as an aside, in years' past, lunch stops have been somewhat of a cluster.....long lines of cars, traffic jams, etc.....not sure if this one is going to work....

[smalblock]

US 74 is a very scenic drive traveling along the Ocoee River (white water rafting), through the Nantahala Gorge, and not close to the Tail of the Dragon. If you want to drive a mountain road, get off highway 74 at Balsan and drive the Blue Ridge Parkway to I-40. To me the Blue Ridge Parkway is a lot prettier drive than the Dragon. Diane-Okie did a test run the last few days and posted the time it took on the forum. I have driven both roads several times. All you see on the TOD is curves. Along the Blue Ridge Parkway, you will be on a ridge and able to see for miles off both sides.

[Pumpkin]

74 is a beautiful stretch of road, but there will be at least two major bottlenecks. Ocoee river put in and take out will be the first, and Nantahala river put in and take out and the whole stretch in between. White water paddling will be in full swing now and you can pretty much count on serious traffic jams even without the additional PT cars. I've paddled both and have seen the chaos that can be many times.

[cstmwgn]

Thanks for the info. I will look into the BRP option. Not much on scenery - I tend to focus on the road and like to push some on the twisties.

[cstmwgn]

Thanks Matt - good info. If they have those trailers that have a dozen kayacks / canoes I can imagine it could be a major cluster. Added in several hunderd hotrods and things could get ugly.

[z06dennis]

Chattanooga to Concord

I driven the selected route many times. I used to live in Cleveland and my parents lived in Asheville, NC. Driving over the mountains is shorter and just as fast as taking the interstate highway. The big difference is the traffic and the gawkers. If you don't like winding, narrow two lane highways and don't want to risk passing slow moving traffic then take I 75 - I40 -I77. I came to drive the tour so US 74 is my pick. One of the worst traffic jam I got stuck in was on I 40 between Waynesville, NC and the Tennessee state line. Missed my niece's wedding because we sat on the highway for hours.

[tpinman]

Great Drive

My folks live in Dayton (near Cleveland, TN) and I live in Clyde (near Asheville). I have driven that route several times an it takes about 3.5-4 hours from Dayton to Clyde. It is a beautiful drive and is actually the route I was hoping the tour would take.
The Dragon's Tail is certainly a driver's dream, but not for this day in my opinion. It takes a while to get through and one break down or wreck could back up traffic for hours.
I also have been stuck in terrible traffic jams on I-40 between Knoxville and Waynesville several times.
That last day will really be a haul, but we're starting out early, looking forward to the Roush Yates stop (a late lunch), and cruising on!

[dianeokie]

My folks live in Dayton (near Cleveland, TN) and I live in Clyde (near Asheville). I have driven that route several times an it takes about 3.5-4 hours from Dayton to Clyde. It is a beautiful drive and is actually the route I was hoping the tour would take.
The Dragon's Tail is certainly a driver's dream, but not for this day in my opinion. It takes a while to get through and one break down or wreck could back up traffic for hours.
I also have been stuck in terrible traffic jams on I-40 between Knoxville and Waynesville several times.
That last day will really be a haul, but we're starting out early, looking forward to the Roush Yates stop (a late lunch), and cruising on!

Exactly why I'm staying in Murphy Thursday night

[cstmwgn]

My folks live in Dayton (near Cleveland, TN) and I live in Clyde (near Asheville). I have driven that route several times an it takes about 3.5-4 hours from Dayton to Clyde. It is a beautiful drive and is actually the route I was hoping the tour would take.
The Dragon's Tail is certainly a driver's dream, but not for this day in my opinion. It takes a while to get through and one break down or wreck could back up traffic for hours.
I also have been stuck in terrible traffic jams on I-40 between Knoxville and Waynesville several times.
That last day will really be a haul, but we're starting out early, looking forward to the Roush Yates stop (a late lunch), and cruising on!

Thanks for all the input. I do like twisties and typically am not too bashful about passing folks. I have laid out an alternate route taking off just east of Byson City going up 411 to pick up the BRP and follow it up and around and back down and about and then tieing in to I40 around Asheville. Not sure this is the day to add ~30 miles / 1 hour but I have it programed just in case.

[Impala_Guy]

The part of 64 that is two lane and next to the river was the venue for the whitewater competion during the Atlanta olympics. Just watch out for an old school bus with a stack of rafts on the roof. The Smokey Mtn Expressway (74/441, the stretch from Toptop to Waynesville) is a nice run. Wide, winding, 4-lanes. It's not the dragon, but still fun. This is the route that I hoped HRPT would use. It's just too far between venues to travel & include the dragon on this day.
Stateville, NC, where I-40/I-77 intersect is always very trafficy. Perhaps 321 at Hickory would be a better bet and skip the lunch.