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From Knoxville to Atlanta



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 16th 04, 02:41 PM
peter
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Default From Knoxville to Atlanta



Is there a particularly good route from Knoxville to Atlanta?

I was thinking of going either Rt 441 and 23 or Rt 411. Is
either of these two routes good riding? Or is there a better way?


TIA.


Peter

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  #2  
Old October 20th 04, 06:50 PM
Pat Lamb
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Posts: n/a
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peter wrote:

Is there a particularly good route from Knoxville to Atlanta?

I was thinking of going either Rt 441 and 23 or Rt 411. Is
either of these two routes good riding? Or is there a better way?


Since nobody else has responded, I'll throw in my 2 cents. I have
driven parts of both of these (roughly down to US 64 along the Georgia
border). First, there's no good way to get out of Knoxville, IMHO. 411
down to Alcoa is four fast lanes, curvy, no shoulder, heavily trafficed.
Traffic stays heavy through Maryville, and then lightens up (at least
outside of rush hour) while the road widens (turn lane and a reasonably
good shoulder) most of the way down south of Madisonville. It goes back
to two lanes south of the Hiwassee River, and traffic tends to be
heavier down to 64.

441. Two lanes, too fast, too narrow, too winding. Some of Chapman
Highway east towards Sevierville is two lanes, and then it widens to
four. Sevierville through Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg is turning into an
LA freeway with driveways -- world's longest parking lot full of
tourists, moving occasionally to the next red light. Four to seven
lanes until you get into Gatlinburg. I'm frankly amazed to read that
some people have cycled from Gatlinburg to Cherokee -- two lanes,
winding, steep, narrow, filled with SUVs going too fast driven by people
watching the (admittedly magnificent) scenery. They were paving this
summer through the park, but that may be complete now. IIRC it's mostly
two lanes from Cherokee down to Franklin, but the traffic is generally
lighter, especially after you get south of the Great Smoky Mountains
Parkway. Rugged terrain all the way from Gatlinburg down to Franklin.

I really don't know how I'd approach this trip. A couple of things to
think about, though. If you can work your way west of Knoxville,
Tennessee 58 from Kingston down through Decatur to Chattanooga is
lightly travelled, and has few large (length and slope) hills. You
could fight your way through Chattanooga to US 27 going south, and
there's not much traffic (except for Rome), and then cut back east to
Atlanta.

Alternatively, if you can get down to Maryville, you might look at US
129 and 19 south to Murphy. 129 is SO curvy that traffic is light and
relatively slow. Once you hit 19, you have about 5 miles of winding,
two lane road to get to the Nantahala Gorge, where most traffic slows to
watch the river. Two miles after the road leaves the river, you hit
divided highway (wide, mostly flat) into Murphy. 19 is lightly
travelled except during tourist season(s). You'd have to ask someone
else what these routes look like in north central or northeast Georgia.

Maybe if this doesn't help, it will at least stimulate some discussion.

Pat
  #3  
Old October 20th 04, 06:50 PM
Pat Lamb
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

peter wrote:

Is there a particularly good route from Knoxville to Atlanta?

I was thinking of going either Rt 441 and 23 or Rt 411. Is
either of these two routes good riding? Or is there a better way?


Since nobody else has responded, I'll throw in my 2 cents. I have
driven parts of both of these (roughly down to US 64 along the Georgia
border). First, there's no good way to get out of Knoxville, IMHO. 411
down to Alcoa is four fast lanes, curvy, no shoulder, heavily trafficed.
Traffic stays heavy through Maryville, and then lightens up (at least
outside of rush hour) while the road widens (turn lane and a reasonably
good shoulder) most of the way down south of Madisonville. It goes back
to two lanes south of the Hiwassee River, and traffic tends to be
heavier down to 64.

441. Two lanes, too fast, too narrow, too winding. Some of Chapman
Highway east towards Sevierville is two lanes, and then it widens to
four. Sevierville through Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg is turning into an
LA freeway with driveways -- world's longest parking lot full of
tourists, moving occasionally to the next red light. Four to seven
lanes until you get into Gatlinburg. I'm frankly amazed to read that
some people have cycled from Gatlinburg to Cherokee -- two lanes,
winding, steep, narrow, filled with SUVs going too fast driven by people
watching the (admittedly magnificent) scenery. They were paving this
summer through the park, but that may be complete now. IIRC it's mostly
two lanes from Cherokee down to Franklin, but the traffic is generally
lighter, especially after you get south of the Great Smoky Mountains
Parkway. Rugged terrain all the way from Gatlinburg down to Franklin.

I really don't know how I'd approach this trip. A couple of things to
think about, though. If you can work your way west of Knoxville,
Tennessee 58 from Kingston down through Decatur to Chattanooga is
lightly travelled, and has few large (length and slope) hills. You
could fight your way through Chattanooga to US 27 going south, and
there's not much traffic (except for Rome), and then cut back east to
Atlanta.

Alternatively, if you can get down to Maryville, you might look at US
129 and 19 south to Murphy. 129 is SO curvy that traffic is light and
relatively slow. Once you hit 19, you have about 5 miles of winding,
two lane road to get to the Nantahala Gorge, where most traffic slows to
watch the river. Two miles after the road leaves the river, you hit
divided highway (wide, mostly flat) into Murphy. 19 is lightly
travelled except during tourist season(s). You'd have to ask someone
else what these routes look like in north central or northeast Georgia.

Maybe if this doesn't help, it will at least stimulate some discussion.

Pat
  #4  
Old October 20th 04, 06:50 PM
Pat Lamb
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

peter wrote:

Is there a particularly good route from Knoxville to Atlanta?

I was thinking of going either Rt 441 and 23 or Rt 411. Is
either of these two routes good riding? Or is there a better way?


Since nobody else has responded, I'll throw in my 2 cents. I have
driven parts of both of these (roughly down to US 64 along the Georgia
border). First, there's no good way to get out of Knoxville, IMHO. 411
down to Alcoa is four fast lanes, curvy, no shoulder, heavily trafficed.
Traffic stays heavy through Maryville, and then lightens up (at least
outside of rush hour) while the road widens (turn lane and a reasonably
good shoulder) most of the way down south of Madisonville. It goes back
to two lanes south of the Hiwassee River, and traffic tends to be
heavier down to 64.

441. Two lanes, too fast, too narrow, too winding. Some of Chapman
Highway east towards Sevierville is two lanes, and then it widens to
four. Sevierville through Pigeon Forge to Gatlinburg is turning into an
LA freeway with driveways -- world's longest parking lot full of
tourists, moving occasionally to the next red light. Four to seven
lanes until you get into Gatlinburg. I'm frankly amazed to read that
some people have cycled from Gatlinburg to Cherokee -- two lanes,
winding, steep, narrow, filled with SUVs going too fast driven by people
watching the (admittedly magnificent) scenery. They were paving this
summer through the park, but that may be complete now. IIRC it's mostly
two lanes from Cherokee down to Franklin, but the traffic is generally
lighter, especially after you get south of the Great Smoky Mountains
Parkway. Rugged terrain all the way from Gatlinburg down to Franklin.

I really don't know how I'd approach this trip. A couple of things to
think about, though. If you can work your way west of Knoxville,
Tennessee 58 from Kingston down through Decatur to Chattanooga is
lightly travelled, and has few large (length and slope) hills. You
could fight your way through Chattanooga to US 27 going south, and
there's not much traffic (except for Rome), and then cut back east to
Atlanta.

Alternatively, if you can get down to Maryville, you might look at US
129 and 19 south to Murphy. 129 is SO curvy that traffic is light and
relatively slow. Once you hit 19, you have about 5 miles of winding,
two lane road to get to the Nantahala Gorge, where most traffic slows to
watch the river. Two miles after the road leaves the river, you hit
divided highway (wide, mostly flat) into Murphy. 19 is lightly
travelled except during tourist season(s). You'd have to ask someone
else what these routes look like in north central or northeast Georgia.

Maybe if this doesn't help, it will at least stimulate some discussion.

Pat
 




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