Asheville, NC to Bismarck, ND? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Asheville, NC to Bismarck, ND?

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Not much help here... ND has 2 seasons... Winter and road construction. You could be hitting either one.

I94 is generally not bad even with construction. But not sure on the rest. The last time I was on 65 it stunk... Travel safe and enjoy ND. The state museum is a worth a visit if you have time.

Carol

Neil and Connie · RV-Dreams Family Member

cherylbrv wrote:
Finally leaving Asheville after 8 months. Next assignment brings us to Bismarck from May to Sept.
Looking at google maps, there are basically just 2 routes: first is I75 to 64 to 65 to 90 to 94. Lots of construction along the route.
The other way starts off the same but after 65 puts us on I74 until we pick up 94 again - basically putting us further west, bypassing the Chicago area (and also the tolls). This route also has a lot of construction along the way.
Any recommendations of which route is better, or if there is an alternative way to get up to Bismarck? Unfortunately, time is of the essence so we can't plan to stop and see any sights along the way - only rest areas or wallydocking for when we get tired.
Thanks,

We've been the way a couple of times and the route up through Gary isn't too bad with just a bit of traffic for maybe 100 miles as you get past Chicago area…just don't go through at rush hour.

I googlemap'ed it and 65 up towards Gary is nice…but once you're on 94 instead of heading north on 57 towards Orland Park and Oak Brook…continue on west to get 385 north to Naperville…then continue on 385 to 290 NW of Elmhurst to Schaumburg then west on 90 towards Rockford. Once you get on 90 towards Rockford traffic isn't too bad.

We stayed at the city park in Burnsville which is right off of 94 south of Fargo, great stopping place and it's like 2 minutes from the freeway.

Really the only bad part is from about Gary IN to Schaumburg IL. There are a couple of tolls on that section but I think we paid less than $20 total for the truck and rig plus another 3-4 for the car.

Alternatively…get off of 65 onto 30 at Merrillville and head west about 30 miles to New Lenox then north on 355 to 385 to Schaumburg…30's a pretty decent road as well (albeit with a few lights and small towns but it's better than rush hour in the Chicago area).

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Assuming the goal is to "get there" the easiest / fastest way in our opinion:

I-40 to Knoxville – I-75 through Lexington – Don’t go via Louisville – Everything is under construction.

I-75 o I-275 around the SW side of Cincinnati to I-74. (No problem traffic this way.)

I-74 to I-465 around the SW side of Indy back to I-74.

I-74 to I-39 – Pickup I-39 on the North side of Bloomington.

I-39 to I-90.

I-90 to I-94.

I-94 to Bismarck

Made this trip several times. Works fine if the goal is “get there.” No tolls. There will always be construction someplace. You just have to deal with it. But this way works and is hassle free for us. It also keeps you out of the Chicago problems.

Came back most of this way last year from Alaska and the rest of it in February.

IMO, always avoid Louisville if you can till they get ALL the bridge work done.

Bill

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for the tip! What did you think of Bismarck, and where did you stay?

Neil and Connie · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill and Linda wrote:

I-40 to Knoxville – I-75 through Lexington – Don’t go via Louisville – Everything is under construction

We're headed from Chattanooga to Louisville next week…staying at Charleston State Park in Charleston IN…are you saying we should stay away from the metro area? I had looked at it before (we're traveling on Saturday). The park we're going to is about 10 miles from the center of town at 1 o'clock.

I had figured on 65 to 264 around the west side of town to 64 to cross the river then 265 around the north side to IN-62 to the park…there aren't that many bridges across the river…if you've got a better routing suggestion from Chattanooga please share. According to google there's bridge construction on the 65 bridge but none shown on the 264/64 route.

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yea, I would plan on staying out of the metro area - However, kind of like Atlanta, I'd have real time traffic set up on the GPS and if it were "green" I might go straight through.

The last two times we were going that way we were coming in from the east. Your coming from the south so with the bridge situation there are few options as you are actually going to the Louisville area.

We got caught up in the downtown interstate construction and there was construction coming in from the east on I-64 for a long way.

What I am saying "big picture" Knoxville, Lexington, Cincinnati is a good route and it avoids issues in Louisville and isn't any longer. BTW, the SW Cincinnati bypass works really well and minimal traffic.

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

We had to stay two nights at the North Walmart. Then got into the KOA for the other two nights. The KOA was very nice. Excellent people running it and very accommodating.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

TRAILERKING wrote:
... The KOA was very nice. Excellent people running it and very accommodating.

That's where we'll be staying. Looks like a nice place to be for the summer months, especially for me, who can't get off the campground while DH is at work with our only vehicle.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

According to Mountain Directory, it looks like there's a 4 mile stretch of I-75 near the TN/KY border with a 5-6% grade. How bad is it? Have you ever driven I-40 East through the Black Mountains? I find that very scary and wonder how this stretch of 75 compares.

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

cherylbrv wrote:
According to Mountain Directory, it looks like there's a 4 mile stretch of I-75 near the TN/KY border with a 5-6% grade. How bad is it? Have you ever driven I-40 East through the Black Mountains? I find that very scary and wonder how this stretch of 75 compares.

We drive it all the time. The entire route. Not scary or "bad" to us at all. But we do it all the time with the rig. If you are leaving via Asheville and going where you are going, and don't want to drive hundreds of miles out of your way, you will have mountains. 5-6% really isn't really that big a deal. It's all interstate. Your not dealing with dead stop climbs or switchbacks. Just our view.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'm sure we'll be fine. I have a fear of driving in the mountains when there is either someone slow in front of me, causing me to continually press the brakes to keep the speed down, or someone behind me who might lose their brakes or not slow down in time. Clear and open road is no problem. We're also very new at this and only drive I40 Black Mountains twice - that's the extent of mountain driving we've done.

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

cherylbrv wrote:
I'm sure we'll be fine. I have a fear of driving in the mountains when there is either someone slow in front of me, causing me to continually press the brakes to keep the speed down, or someone behind me who might lose their brakes or not slow down in time. Clear and open road is no problem. We're also very new at this and only drive I40 Black Mountains twice - that's the extent of mountain driving we've done.

While this comment can be taken out of context and to the extreme, don't worry about the people behind you, concentrate on the road and vehicle in front and beside you, if any, and just stick to the job at hand - driving your rig. Don't look for some magic formula of which gear or whatever. Concentrate and get experience. The more you do the better you get at it. "The Bull" will be fine. Just coax it along. It's a very pretty drive.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Actually, I may need to rethink the route. My neighbor reminded me that there was a rock slide a few weeks ago on I-75 in KY and, although open again, it's only 1 lane, so the traffic may be worse than normal construction traffic.

What do you think about going further west and taking I-29 through the midwest states?

I wonder if my RV can grow wings?

-- Edited by cherylbrv on Wednesday 20th of April 2016 05:00:09 PM

Judy L · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Cheryl,

On April 14, a member of the Escapes forum posted that they had traveled north on I-75 and found it was "no issue at Jellico where it was closed earlier. One lane open north with no delays. Lots of work going on the mountain side and looks like close to having all lanes open soon". Thought maybe that might help.

Looking forward to hearing about Bismark. Safe travels.