Houston to Smokey mountains

Any ideas folks!!!
I am planning on taking I-1O to Batan Rouge and then drive up...

I did it folks!!!!
Not only to Smokeys, but actually all the way to Philadelphia from Houston texas over this long weekend.
I left on Friday last week and returned last night i,e Tuesday.
Here is how it went...
From Houston took 59 to Marshall to get to Hwy 20,59 SUCKS!!! Never take it out of Houston.
Hwy 20 was good till I guess Birmingham, Alabama, there after it becomes 59 and 75 thereafter, which are also good roads.
From 75 took 40 to reach SMOKEY mountains, there I was in for the shock of my lifetime,I have never seen a road leading to a National park so crowded as the one in Smokeys.It took me and HOUR to travel 15 or so miles to the park headquarters, its even worse than YOSEMITE in summer.
Anyways after comming down from the Smokey's,I took Hwy 40 to Hwy 81 passing thru some of the most beautiful country of North Eastern Tennesse and Virginia,the rolling hills especially of Virginia covered with hay bales scattered here and there and farm houses on top of ridges seemed like a scene created by some poem taken right out of Wordsworth's or Shelly's poetry..
My bond with Hwy 81 ended in Pensylvania from where I took 76 to go to Philadelphia.
The only Grouse I had was the speed limit of 65 on all these highways of EAST. The stretch of 81 through virginia is very Zealously guarded by the HIghway partrol.
Be aware!!!!
Overall it was a fun trip, now I am yearning for more!!!!

What was the problem with 59? Why didn't you like it? Just curious...

Otherwise, it sounds like a neat trip. You can run into the crowds like you did in the Smokies just about in any National Park in the summer -- I think that's a problem that will get worse over time. Still worth seeing though, eh? Bob

Hi Bob,<br>
The problem with 59 getting out of Houston is that there are too many construction crews on many stretches.It has two lanes on either side and where the constrution is going on,one lane is closed..u can imagine the "Venturi" effect it will have, from two lanes merging into one.<br>
Also it passes thru small towns that have traffic lights on this freeway at the intersections,which really slow you down.<br>

Ah! Good to know! Thanks for the report.