Driving from Concord, NC, to Findlay, OH & back thru Tipp City, OH, best route

[dsbike]

I am driving my SUV & towing a small to med sized utility trailer. Google maps says to take Highway 33 from I-77 to I-270 near Columbus, OH, & for the return trip highway 35 from Dayton, OH to I-64 in VA. What type of road is highway 33 & 35? 4 lane, 2 lane, back roads twisting up & down the mountians, or can I have an easy trip with goodroads? I would take the interstates, but they put me about another 1 + hours & about 90 miles extra each way on an already 9- 10 hour drive. What would you do?
Who best to ask than the members of iRV2, we see alot of pavment.Thanks for any advise.

[tderonne]

I regularly take 23 to 35 from Columbus to Chillicothe to Charleston, WV. It's mostly 4 lane, some 2 lane in WV as you drop down to 64. I've never taken 33, I know Google Maps routes it that way, but I've been taking my route for 20 years. It was good before when it was lots of 2 lane, it keeps getting better. Can't speak to 35 from Chillicothe to Dayton, but can't imagine it's much different than 23 between Chillicothe and Columbus, mostly flat 4 lane.

[NLOVNIT]

Short answer: yes an easy trip w/good roads.

Rt-33 to I-270 is mostly 4-lane, rolling hills, although it narrows down to 2 lane as it goes through Nelsonville, but will open back up to 4-lane again a littleways outside of town. Traffic will back up through town so be patient. Last time we were through there (Spring), there was road paving SE of Nelsonville that had lanes down to 1 each way for about 5 mi or so, but I don't know if that's still going on or not.

I'm not familar with the part of Rt-35 between Dayton & Chillicothe, but I'd think, if it's like what's between Chillicothe & Pt. Pleasant, it'll be 4-lane, mostly level w/some rolling hills as you go through Jackson. Watch your speed going through the Jackson area. It's real easy to pick up speed doing the downhills & you'll be a target for the local law. DH & I travel the same route as tderonne several times a year. Rt-35 is now all 4-lane to I-64, with the exception of about a 10 mile stretch from approx. Leon, WV to Buffalo, WV. Here, hug the centerline as much as possible when not in oncoming traffic, as the semi's have really torn up the road edges & even though the hwy dept has tried to patch the edges, it's really rough. After you turn onto the newer segement at Buffalo, those hills are a bit bigger, but still very easy to drive.

The only other tip is, if you're passing through any of these areas at dusk, watch for deer. They're quite prevalent along the sides of the road & can jump out at you without warning.

Safe travels.

Lori-

[dsbike]

Great, thanks so much for the road condition report. This will save me about 150-200 miles & 1+ hours drive each way. We are going to Findlay for the HHH bicycle ride on Sunday the 11th. Anyone else here going to be riding? On the way back we are buying some tires & wheels for my Toyota from another forum, forum member. Pretty cool how these forums have brought people together.