Best route?

[Highwaygirl1078]

I have FINALLY bought a bus and will be driving it from Tampa, Fl. to Hot Springs NC. I want to bypass Atlanta, I will also be breaking the trip into 2 days so I don't hit the mountains of NC in the dark. Any suggestions on the best route, where to get fuel, are there any toll roads etc will be greatly appreciated.

[o1marc]

Put this Waze app on your phone. It's user interactive, so you get real time updates from travelers on delays, tolls, road conditions, etc.


https://www.waze.com/

[joeblack5]

Hi, I hate driving big cities. Atlanta included. So we plan our trips that we stop 20 miles before a city at a rest area and go to rest. The at 1.30 Am I wake up and by around 2.30 we drive thru a city to the rest area on the other side. So little traffic and with 4 lanes easy to drive.
Take a GPS so that you do nothave to mess with your phone.


my 0.02


Good luck, J

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Originally Posted by Highwaygirl1078

I have FINALLY bought a bus and will be driving it from Tampa, Fl. to Hot Springs NC. I want to bypass Atlanta, I will also be breaking the trip into 2 days so I don't hit the mountains of NC in the dark. Any suggestions on the best route, where to get fuel, are there any toll roads etc will be greatly appreciated.

Assuming you are running I-75 into GA and I-85 into the Carolinas...


I'd get off I-75 at exit 187 in Forsyth. Be fair warned Forsyth is home to the GA public safety training facility so there is *VERY* heavy law enforcement presence in the area (they generally will leave you alone if you aren't speeding or driving erratically). Take Highway 83 all the way to Monticello. Take Highway 11 from Monticello (use the bypass around Social Circle) all the way to Winder. From there, take Highway 53 to Braselton and get back on I-85 there.


I've run this route numerous times and it is pretty truck friendly. There is a Pilot truck stop in Braselton, or a QT truck stop one exit north of that (8 miles) in Pendergrass (Jefferson).


I do recommend checking a "live" GPS before getting back on I-85 just for a traffic check, or you can call 511 anywhere in GA for one.


Alternatively you could take 83 from Forsyth, through Monticello, all the way to Madison, then 441 from Madison to Athens (use the bypass), 29 from Athens to Royston, and 17 from Royston to Lavonia. There are a couple truckstops in/near Madison, there are none in Athens.

[Rovobay]

Waze is my co-pilot!!!

[JDOnTheGo]

Originally Posted by joeblack5

we stop 20 miles before a city at a rest area and go to rest. The at 1.30 Am I wake up and by around 2.30 we drive thru a city to the rest area on the other side. So little traffic and with 4 lanes easy to drive.

Much easiest than navigating secondary roads thru small towns for many extra miles.

[CMORGANSKOOL]

I use an app called Truck Map.
It routes you around low bridges and has all the truck stops and diesel locations clearly marked for easy use. I think it uses google maps as a base but it has never left me roofless or out of fuel.