Easiest tow route to Harlan?

Jody Treadway said:
About 2 miles after you turn at the McDonald's you encounter the hills from hell. Back to back steep climbs in a 45-55 mph zone.
Make sure you gassers fill up as there isn't much between there and the KY line.

BTW- That's the route I have always taken myself. 3 hours from AVL.
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Is it better just to stay on 58 then?

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StretchASU said:
Did this alternate route around the big pull outside Duffield by accident one time when coming in from Boone at night. If you're loaded heavy and/or don't want to flog your shit its not a bad option and only added maybe 15-20 min to the trip. That said, I'm with @GONOVRIT and can tell you what a mildly modified 7.3 6spd and turned up 24V auto truck will do pulling similar loads up the stairway to heaven outside Duffield. Besides, if a guy in a Tacoma pulling a buggy can do it bouncing a 3.4 rev limiter, yall can all do it.
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That's one of the main roads from Jonesville/Pennington back to 58 at Duffield so it has a lot of traffic.You cant get a run at it because of the traffic.I never go that way anymore.
 
shawn said:
Good to know. That extra bit north on 23 misses all the hills on 58.
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Theres still some hills to pull but its not like that mess outside of Duffield.
 
shawn said:
I don't mind going 11W, either. Drivers tend to be more aggressive on I81 and I26 around Bristol, but haven't had anything like that on 11W. But I take New Beason Well Road to Bloomingdale Road to TN93/VA224 to Weber City, then on to Harlan. I pull the goosenecks through there no problem, but that might be narrower than some folks can tolerate.
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You live in Raleigh and wanna talk about aggressive drivers??:lol:
 
Chris_Keziah said:
@BigClay I'm prob gonna run this route, also glad you posted this cause I hadn't made my mind up yet on how we were going in.
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Any of you guys that are gonna go 81 to Kport make sure you get off at 57B.There is 2-3 kport exits and the others will put you in town.At 57B your right off the int and on to 26 which is four lane.The other exits will get ya there just have to deal w town traffic and red lights.
 
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Chris_Keziah said:
Is it better just to stay on 58 then?

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I take 26 through Kingsport, 23 through Gate City, top off at the Food City and grab a snack. Then take 58 at Mickey D's and then 421 into Harlan. Not a bad tow IMO aside form those 2 long hills. I've towed that route since 2005 with everything from a 18 car hauler to a 44' GN without issue. Just gotta swing her a little wide at the VA/KY line in the 2 lane stretch.

Oh, and beware the China Buffet in Pennington Gap. They put a LOT of air in that food. BTDT.
 
Jody Treadway said:
I take 26 through Kingsport, 23 through Gate City, top off at the Food City and grab a snack. Then take 58 at Mickey D's and then 421 into Harlan. Not a bad tow IMO aside form those 2 long hills. I've towed that route since 2005 with everything from a 18 car hauler to a 44' GN without issue. Just gotta swing her a little wide at the VA/KY line in the 2 lane stretch.

Oh, and beware the China Buffet in Pennington Gap. They put a LOT of air in that food. BTDT.
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This x2.

And watch out for ice on 421 near the state line thru the 180 degree switchback if it’s anywhere close to freezing
 
Mac5005 said:
This x2.

And watch out for ice on 421 near the state line thru the 180 degree switchback if it’s anywhere close to freezing
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and wet leaves in the fall.Been there had the brown stains to prove it.
 
Don't let @rockcity navigate. You end up in the town of keokee or similar and it's so curvy we had to 3 point turn two curves to get down
 
Well I came up and took the faster route and took the stairway to heaven. Wasn’t too bad. The ole half million mile Chevy done good! Got a little warm, stayed in 2nd gear at 3700rpms holding a steady 50mph.

@BigClay you may want to go around it with that camper though. Not sure, but for me the Hill wasn’t too bad. Got a little warm but nothing to be concerned about.

I’m just hanging out in Evarts waiting on you guys!
 
77GreenMachine said:
Well I came up and took the faster route and took the stairway to heaven. Wasn’t too bad. The ole half million mile Chevy done good! Got a little warm, stayed in 2nd gear at 3700rpms holding a steady 50mph.

@BigClay you may want to go around it with that camper though. Not sure, but for me the Hill wasn’t too bad. Got a little warm but nothing to be concerned about.

I’m just hanging out in Evarts waiting on you guys!
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Swing over behind the Dairy Hut and pickup a bump of meth for everyone and y’all will fit right in. Hate I’m missing this ride!
 
77GreenMachine said:
Well I came up and took the faster route and took the stairway to heaven. Wasn’t too bad. The ole half million mile Chevy done good! Got a little warm, stayed in 2nd gear at 3700rpms holding a steady 50mph.

@BigClay you may want to go around it with that camper though. Not sure, but for me the Hill wasn’t too bad. Got a little warm but nothing to be concerned about.

I’m just hanging out in Evarts waiting on you guys!
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I did the same and it wasn't bad at all, granted the Cummins pulled it faster than 50 mph.

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obullfish said:
Swing over behind the Dairy Hut and pickup a bump of meth for everyone and y’all will fit right in. Hate I’m missing this ride!
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No meth but there's something about a taxi in Panama.

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Chris_Keziah said:
No meth but there's something about a taxi in Panama.

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They deliver door to door at the houses,down in behind the store/pizza place,before the RR tracks.We sat there on the porch one night and watched em.
 
1-tonmudder said:
77 to 81 S (I assume ???).Then exit 57B in Kingsport TN onto I-26,then Hwy 58 at the VA state line all the way to the McDonalds in Big Stone Gap.58 Alt thru BSG/pennignton gap,then 421 on to Harlan.Might not be the closest but it cuts out all that up and down thru Duffield all that mess from Abington VA.Note there is ALOT of construction on that stretch-es of road.Im sure folks will question or disagree but I always run to BSG and go in.Its a lot easier on a truck to not have to pull one mnt after another when turning left at the Mcdonalds in Duffield.
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1-tonmudder said:
Something like.
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Bumping this back up. We're headed to Harlan in May and I'll be pulling a 32-ft 5th wheel camper. Just wanted to see if this was the route that would be the easiest pull for my gasser 3500. Not only with less hills but less narrow 2-lane roads.

Any updates on road construction between W-S and Harlan? Areas to avoid?

@1-tonmudder @Jody Treadway @77GreenMachine or anyone else that's been that way.
 
@untchabl you should be fine. I’ve seen enough of 77/81 the last two months between Windrock and AOP. Your worst climb will be that long 2 lane coming out of Duffield, and then the last leg of 421 is the only narrow curvy 2 lane. It’s very manageable just take your time. Really only one turn is bad, and you’ll need both lanes.

Just remember to run 81 all the way down to 26, GPS will try to get you off at Abingdon and at 11W but that will wind you they town and lots of stop lights. Jeep rolling to 26.

I have the joy of towing thru Atlanta this coming Thursday, heading to Choccolocco.
 
My route cuts out all the two lane stuff(except city streets)until the left hand cut off, just past the Pizza Hut, in Pennington.Its two lane from there to almost Harlan.Others May hate and says it’s too long but my experience is it’s better


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77GreenMachine said:
@untchabl you should be fine. I’ve seen enough of 77/81 the last two months between Windrock and AOP. Your worst climb will be that long 2 lane coming out of Duffield, and then the last leg of 421 is the only narrow curvy 2 lane. It’s very manageable just take your time. Really only one turn is bad, and you’ll need both lanes.

Just remember to run 81 all the way down to 26, GPS will try to get you off at Abingdon and at 11W but that will wind you they town and lots of stop lights. Jeep rolling to 26.

I have the joy of towing thru Atlanta this coming Thursday, heading to Choccolocco.
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Take 285 to 20 NOT 85 to 20. Trust me.
Also, don't take the exit off 20 that GPS tells you to.
Instead take the exit for Hwy 21 just a few miles down. 21 runs straight into Jacksonville. Turn rt at the Sonic and you'll be at the park in 5
 
@77GreenMachine I'm planning to skip the turn at Duffield and take 58-Alt to avoid the hill.

@1-tonmudder I'm going to give your route a shot. We always turn left at Duffield in the past but I want to avoid the hill there so I'll report back after I go your way and see how I like it.

@Jody Treadway we're staying at the Putney campground, so won't be going to Evarts.
 
untchabl said:
@77GreenMachine I'm planning to skip the turn at Duffield and take 58-Alt to avoid the hill.

@1-tonmudder I'm going to give your route a shot. We always turn left at Duffield in the past but I want to avoid the hill there so I'll report back after I go your way and see how I like it.

.
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Just be sure and run 81 all the way to Kingsport TN then get on 26 there.From what I understand if you get off at Abington Va and come in that way it’ll be hell on trailer brakes.A friend of mine pulled a 40 foot dual tandem w two blazers on it that way w a day cab peterbuilt and had to replace the trailer brakes before heading back to Roanoke.




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That hills isn’t so bad that I would bother to avoid it but that’s really up to you.
My 6.0 gasser does it fine, and Robby Mozley drags his rig up it with a 30’+ Motor home at 27mph lol.
 
1-tonmudder said:
My route cuts out all the two lane stuff(except city streets)until the left hand cut off, just past the Pizza Hut, in Pennington.Its two lane from there to almost Harlan.Others May hate and says it’s too long but my experience is it’s better


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Correction “RIGHT “ hand turn


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77GreenMachine said:
That hills isn’t so bad that I would bother to avoid it but that’s really up to you.
My 6.0 gasser does it fine, and Robby Mozley drags his rig up it with a 30’+ Motor home at 27mph lol.
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Not worried about the hill outside Duffield, I'm sure my truck could pull it fine, that's the way we've always gone in the past. It looks like 58-Alt might avoid some of the traffic on the 2-lane 58, I've been thru there and got stuck in slow moving traffic. Just looking for the easiest overall route, that includes hills, traffic, curvy 2-lane vs. open 4-lane, etc.
 
77GreenMachine said:
That hills isn’t so bad that I would bother to avoid it but that’s really up to you.
My 6.0 gasser does it fine, and Robby Mozley drags his rig up it with a 30’+ Motor home at 27mph lol.
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I was doing barely 20mph in first gear when I was towing with my 1999 5.7L Tahoe :eek: At one point I thought I was going to have unload the jeep and drive both rigs up the hill.
 
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