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Am I crazy
- Thread starter Ragman2
- Start date
crustybeemer
Member
So whats wrong with I-81?
So whats wrong with I-81?
It’s a interstate highway, usually by a lot, the fastest way between two points. If you are going through Illinois on the interstate highways the speed limit is 70 if your not going about 80 you are running the risk of getting ran over, if you want to go a bit faster than traffic you will being doing 85 to 90 ( MPH)
Interstate driving is supposed to be the safest and it probably is, no people turning left in front of or pulling out of a cross road into your path, leave yourself an escape route and stay aware of your surroundings and you will probably be safe.
However riding on the interstate is not fun, many times it’s a boil on the butt not fun
It’s 347 miles from my house to the rally, mapping program says 4 hours An 57 minutes. I plan on taking 2 days and 60 out of the first 100 miles may be on the interstate but still wii take part of two days to get to rally because while riding fast and safe is nice,having fun much nicer.
Last this is just my opinion and we all know opinions are like ———————- we all have one
akbeemer
SURVIVOR
There are many “fun” stretches of interstate highway in this part of the world. But I agree that I70 in OH and west across the Mississippi is not one of them. I once lived near I81 in the Roanoke area. The road itself was a decent ride, but traffic could turn it into a road of misery. I can only surmise that things are worse 40 years later.
pglaves
#13338
I once got on I-95 south of Washington, DC headed south toward Richmond. Traffic was several lanes wide, bumper to bumper, running about 80 mph, with a cacophony of brake lights flashing intermittently ahead of me. I had moved over out of the right lane, but promptly worked back right and took the next exit. I had been on I95 precisely 1.5 miles. Being from the Great Plains, and riding mostly in the vast west, my nervous system simply could not endure the threat of sudden death surrounding me. From there I sauntered on the back roads through the woods to Dave Swisher's house, using my GPS to get me to the right spot. For those eastern and/or urban riders that can tolerate these riding conditions, you have both my admiration and my condolences.
My favorite Interstate highway story: Several years ago a buddy and I were on the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-70, I-76 and others). Bumper to bumper traffic. Too fast for conditions. Too many big trucks. Too narrow road lanes and too narrow shoulders. Concrete walls alongside you leading to a sort of tunnel vision that was sorta claustrophobic. I kept hearing horns blasting away all around me but could not figure out where they were coming from. After a few miles I made my way across the driving lanes and pulled into a rest area, my riding buddy right behind me. When he took off his helmet his face was as white as a sheet--this was his first motorcycle tour outside of the Kansas/Oklahoma/Nebraska region--and he appeared to be holding his breath. When he relaxed a bit I asked if he had heard all that horn-honking and he gasped. "Yeah" he said, "it was me. My hands had a death grip on the bars and my thumb was pushing the horn button and I could not release it. Man, I was petrified!"
We got off the 'Pike at the next exit and continued on back roads the rest of the trip until we got back across the Mississippi River.
We got off the 'Pike at the next exit and continued on back roads the rest of the trip until we got back across the Mississippi River.
HSVPhil
AlaBeemer_Prez
Please reference my remark concerning Left-Lane "campers" out on OUR highways.... 
It is as you state:
Not Fun on I-81!
https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?94916-Left-Lane-Campers
Nevertheless, we'll see U somehow in Lebanon, TN next month!
Ciao,
HSV-Phil + HSV-Karen
It is as you state:
Not Fun on I-81!
https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?94916-Left-Lane-Campers
Nevertheless, we'll see U somehow in Lebanon, TN next month!
Ciao,
HSV-Phil + HSV-Karen
Ragman2
New member
Reconsidering
To avoid I-81, I could take RT 64 to RT 65
or
take RT 15 to RT 29 and then RT 40 to Lebanon. This route would take longer but may be a (funner) ride.
On the 13th, I would like to have just a short ride to the rally. My plan is to camp the 8 days but this ~70 year old body may rebel.
To avoid I-81, I could take RT 64 to RT 65
or
take RT 15 to RT 29 and then RT 40 to Lebanon. This route would take longer but may be a (funner) ride.
On the 13th, I would like to have just a short ride to the rally. My plan is to camp the 8 days but this ~70 year old body may rebel.
Ragman2
New member
The Rally is not 8 days but my trip down and back will be 8 days.
Ragman2
New member
Thought about that too. I wanted to get down there as quickly as possible and do my return trip on the parkway.
glenfiddich
TravelsWithBarley.com
You could split the difference and take I-81 south to Roanoke before picking up the southern (more scenic) portion of the BRP all the way to Cherokee, drop down to the Cherohala over to Tellico Plains, then angle up to Crossville where you'd pick up Hwy 70 all the way to Lebanon.\
Pete
Pete
Ragman2
New member
Thanks
Thanks Pete!!!
I can travel from Philadelphia, go around Baltimore, pick up rt 70 to 340 to 7 to I 81 in Winchester VA. Take I 81 as you suggested to the Roanoke area and camp out for the night. That would be a ~6 hour ride. I think that would be enough for this old body. I will take a look at the remaining route as you suggested.
Thanks!!!
Thanks Pete!!!
I can travel from Philadelphia, go around Baltimore, pick up rt 70 to 340 to 7 to I 81 in Winchester VA. Take I 81 as you suggested to the Roanoke area and camp out for the night. That would be a ~6 hour ride. I think that would be enough for this old body. I will take a look at the remaining route as you suggested.
Thanks!!!
I'm taking a similar route, though coming from east/central NC. Going to ride I-40 to Asheville, then the Skyway to Tellico Plains. My original plan was then to head south through Chattanooga, but I'd rather avoid the city. RT 68 looks like a decent road from Google Maps, so I might take that route.
Visian
look out!!!
Why ride “I” ???
Why on earth would anyone ride the interstate to get to the rally? I supposed at one point you need to make some time, butt..... I-81 is a major truck route... so is I-40.
Here is a route that shows an awesome parallel road to I-81.
<iframe src="https://ridewithgps.com/embeds?type=route&id=29297444&sampleGraph=true" style="width: 1px; min-width: 100%; height: 1000px; border: none;" scrolling="no"></iframe>
Why on earth would anyone ride the interstate to get to the rally? I supposed at one point you need to make some time, butt..... I-81 is a major truck route... so is I-40.
Here is a route that shows an awesome parallel road to I-81.
<iframe src="https://ridewithgps.com/embeds?type=route&id=29297444&sampleGraph=true" style="width: 1px; min-width: 100%; height: 1000px; border: none;" scrolling="no"></iframe>
Visian
look out!!!
