Community Forums

blackhawkscp · 10-26-2017, 06:36 AM

Hi JMonroe,
Mostly me being comfortable. I am fine with mountains except when there is a lot of winding narrow roads with no guard rails (which are probably worthless but makes you feel better) and you can see the bottom. Especially when many fine people don’t cut you a break on the roads these days. Do fine in a car, but I will try to avoid if possible.

m.elliott63 · 10-26-2017, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seashell

We don't know about the roads between I-16 and I-85 but from Montgomery you can take I-65 North until you connect to the Natcher Pkwy at Bowling Green, KY.

Follow until the end of the Pkwy and then take U.S. 231 which you can follow all the way to a few miles from Bloomfield, IN (where we live) then hop onto I-69 and enter Bloomington from the South side. (Likewise, you can catch I-69 outside of Nashville or from Evansville).

No mountains and it is very easy to drive. This is also part of the route the tour bus uses to get to Disney World from the Bloomington area.

Not sure which side of Bloomington you want and that may also affect how you enter. There is major construction on Hwy 37 on both sides of Bloomington but especially on 37N.

Hope this helps.

Agreed on this route. We live just NW of Bloomington and seek the less mountainous route south to Florida and avoid the madness of I75 for as long as possible. If you are traveling north on I65, you can take I24 west out of Nashville to I69 north. This will bring you into Bloomington and turn into hwy 37 north. They are still working to connect I69 through this arrea to the section north of Indy. Safe travels.

Whaler2 · 10-27-2017, 04:38 AM

I mostly agree with my fellow Hoosiers except from Nashville on I24 get off on the Pennyrile to Hopkinsville which joins I69. Stay on it all the way to Bloomington. Have to pass thru Henderson which has five stop lights but just time them. Good rest stop because there are none on I69. Stay in right lane from Henderson as bridge construction is on going over the Ohio and stay right to pick up 69 around Evansville once over the bridge. Bridge joints are horrible on 69. Pennyrile not too bad and not a lot of traffic once clear of cities. Did this 2 weeks ago. Did the 231 yesterday. Good route but road construction in Huntingburg and dang ruff road thru there and Jasper to Loogootee. My suggestion avoids I65 truck traffic once off I24 and small towns once pass Henderson plus avoids Louisville. There in no "good" route to Bloomington from Louisville in a motorhome. That's why I did 231 yesterday.

m.elliott63 · 10-27-2017, 05:26 AM

Right, I forgot about the section on the Penneyrile Parkway. Glad you mentioned that.😎

blackhawkscp · 05-21-2018, 07:15 AM

Just an FYI. I decided to take rte 40 into Tennessee and it wasn’t bad at all. Just slow down for some curves but otherwise I would do it again without hesitation.

johnhicks · 05-21-2018, 09:07 AM

US 80 from Statesboro to Montgomery will get you past the Apalachians. If you don't mind interstates then head up I-65. I understand that I-65 at Birmingham and Nashville is pretty bad but I don't go that way so don't know.

twogypsies · 05-21-2018, 04:03 PM

The only way you're going to be comfortable driving in mountain areas is to do it - don't try to avoid them. Your motorhome is fully capable of driving them. Have you ever been West? We both thoroughly enjoyed driving the two-lane scenic mountain roads. That's where the beauty is!

johnhicks · 05-21-2018, 08:16 PM

I'll agree with twogypsies. Go slow and then go slower. If you're uncomfortable at 20mph then go slower. If anyone doesn't like they can go around

Busskipper · 05-23-2018, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackhawkscp

Hi all,
Does anyone know the best way to travel with a 38 ft. Class A motorhome with toad from Hilton Head SC to Bloomington Indiana? The catch is I want to avoid high mountains and Atlanta Ga. I see there is a rout which takes 26 and then 40, but I don’t know if they go thru the mountains or over them?
Any advice is much appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
CP

I don't get it - The Mountains (or Hills in the East) are where the fun/beauty is, If I were you I'd go out of my way to get into those spots, Not Avoid them.

Sorry, not much help, JMHO,

..

Mr.Goodbar · 05-29-2018, 03:06 PM

Former Hoosier now living in Tennessee. Having gone to to Florida thru Atlanta two years in a row I will say this. If you go thru mid-morning or early afternoon, the traffic is not all as bad as I expected. During rush (more like crawl) hours, in the late afternoon is another story. There is a I-285 bypass, but have not ever been on it. From there take I-75 to Chattanooga and take I-24 thru Nashville (Avoid rush hour at all costs. Worse than Atlanta) to I-169 for Hopkinsville, KY then it runs into I-69 (Pennyrile Pkwy). You can cross the Ohio River into Evansville (US41) and soon after the bridge are signs for I-69 North. That will take you to just outside of Bloomington. (there is construction on US41 at Henderson/Evansville) An alternative would be to take the Audubon Pkwy. to Owensboro, KY, US60 bypass the US231 into Indiana. The bridge over the Ohio is relatively new cable-stay bridge. US 231 wanders thru all the little towns in southern Indiana eventually meeting up with I-69 just southwest of Bloomington. i would check this route for low clearances before driving it with an RV.

The only mountain pass along I-24 is at Monteagle Pass west of Chattanooga. In my opinion, it is not as steep as East Tennessee/West North Carolina on I-40. Just don't be in a hurry and observe the posted speed and mind the truck lanes.