Startin to FREAK about driving I75 mountains!

[katied718]

We leave in 5 days, never drove before. We are driving 75 straight thru from Michigan. I'm terrified of heights, and get vertigo when I look into the open lobby from the 2nd floor of my office building. We will also be driving thru them at night. I'm worried about it being pitch black and driving off the cliff. Am I being silly? Should I just take done meds and close my eyes while DH drives, lol? Help! :/

 

[bianca]

As someone who has made that drive from Michigan many times, I can say that you are probably over thinking this. Most all of 75 is cut THROUGH the mountain, so you're not really just see-sawing over mountains. There are a few spots in TN that are higher, but the view is breathtaking. Honestly, the only part that I ever felt was a little freaky was the bridge from Cincinatti to KY. If you need to, medicate yourself ........ but its not bad at all.

 

[DOOM1001]

Yep,as long as you stick to 75 you'll be fine.You'll see and be up in mountains but it's not like the sides of the cliffs are close.One time I got off 75 around SE Tennessee and ended up on a road called "The Tail of the Dragon" and that's the kind of road you'll want to stay far away from.It has like 300 curves in around 20 miles with the cliffs right next to you as well as big 18 wheelers hauling trees and motorcycles doing 50-60 mph when the curves limit you to like 25-35 safely,the blind curves are what freaked me out the most as it's a one lane each way.The highway,that's a breeze.

 

[delilah]

I have driven from Florida to Indiana/Ohio/Illinois many times since 1968, when I took my first trip with my parents. Back in the 70's, the roads through the mountains were more steep, but, the interstate (I75) is much less so. If you stay on the interstate, and didn't look over the edge, you would hardly know you were in the mountains at all. It is very gentle grades.

I can remember my dad burning out the brakes driving through. The interesting part to me is in places in the mountains, there are off ramps for "run away trucks" that lead into sand piles. So, I guess the roads are steeper than they seem. That was a little scary. I'm really happy that we never encountered any "run away trucks".

 

[mrsclark]

Just returned from our vacation (drove yesterday and today) and drove I75 through Georgia until I24 in Chattanooga. I would suggest pre-planning so your husband takes the shift of driving through the mountains that way you won't have to worry that you'll freak out in the middle of driving the mountain section. As for being a passenger the interstate is nice and wide so no worries on cliff edges, but as long as you are the passenger it won't matter if you do close your eyes!

 

[LilyWDW]

Stay out of the way of trucks and for all that is good PLEASE stay in the right lane and allow traffic to pass. Do that and you are good. I drive I75 when I go between TN and IN.

 

[jlay68]

We live in Tennessee just south of Knoxville. We joke that Kentucky just has "hills" and we have the "mountains" here in Tennessee. Kentucky is hilly between Lexington and Tennessee - not bad at all. The horse farms you can see from the freeway around Lexington are beautiful. Once you cross the Tennessee state line, you will start up Jellico Mountain. There is a 30 mile stretch between the Tennessee state line and Knoxville that is mountainous and slightly curvy, but it is still a large 4 lane interstate. You are not winding through little mountain passes or anything. After that stretch of road, it's pretty flat after that. Good luck on your journey. We are originally from Michigan and have made the trip down I-75 often. After driving from Tennessee to Florida in May, we are happily flying for our Disney trip next month.

 

[LadyBeBop]

Honestly, the only part that I ever felt was a little freaky was the bridge from Cincinatti to KY.

Are you talking about the I-75 bridge (ATA the Brent Spence Bridge). Drive it all the time with no problems.

However, once I had a tire blow out on me while driving in the left hand lane of the Brent Spence Bridge. Was stuck on the bridge for an hour. Now, that was freaky.

OP, you'll be fine. That part of night, you really can't see that you're that high up. However, I would suggest letting DH drive. Last time I drove the mountains, I had a little fearful moment that the brakes would give out. DH insisted he'd take over. I got off at the next exit, and he took over.

He will drive that portion next month on our trip to Disney.

 

[Sugar Jones]

Don't worry! I was the same way when we drove three years ago, and it doesn't even seem like you are driving through a mountain.

 

[sam_gordon]

As mentioned, the "mountains" are once you cross the KY/TN border. There's only a couple places where you can even tell you're high, and if you're hitting that area at night, you won't even notice.

It's like any other interstate, with a few more curves.

 

[utkscvol1]

We live off 75- roads are not what you are imaging. Stick to the interstate and enjoy the view. You won't even feel like you are "in the mountains" roads are pretty straight/level

 

[Surfinpiratee]

OP, I am the same way! We are driving down from IL in January! I can't decide if we should take i75 or i65 to i75!

 

[wiigirl]

Stay out of the way of trucks and for all that is good PLEASE stay in the right lane and allow traffic to pass. Do that and you are good. I drive I75 when I go between TN and IN.

x2!