Headed to the Stagg

repete · December 17, 2009, 01:27:46 AM

I'm headed to Salem Friday from DC as soon as repete jr. and his buddy get out of school. I've always just headed out 66 to 81, but a guy at work says 29 to Lynchburg, then 460 into Roanoke is a better route. Looks a fair bit slower, however.

81, with its major truck traffic, is never fun. How does 29 rate? Any decent places not to miss along the way. As much as I enjoy Charlottesville, I don't plan to head into town on this trip.

Thanks for any tips.

Pat Coleman · December 17, 2009, 01:34:55 AM

I have never taken 29 to Salem from D.C. I always took 81.

Once I took ... is that U.S. 15 ... back to D.C. from Hampden-Sydney. That wasn't that great, in my mind.

I never really stopped along the way either, but you have Skyline Drive at your disposal. I have heard good things about Washington & Lee's campus that might be worth seeing, but you'd be going by in the dark on the way down.

Honestly, I would take 66 to 81. It always seemed quicker every time I did it. Yeah, the trucks are out in force and there's not much to be done about that, but it's an interstate.

PBR... · December 17, 2009, 08:12:10 AM

hope your all taking snow shovels as you will need them....weather could be a huge huge factor in this game now. safe travels and be careful everyone traveling to the game.

HSCTiger74 · December 17, 2009, 08:17:08 AM

Quote from: repete on December 17, 2009, 01:27:46 AM
I'm headed to Salem Friday from DC as soon as repete jr. and his buddy get out of school. I've always just headed out 66 to 81, but a guy at work says 29 to Lynchburg, then 460 into Roanoke is a better route. Looks a fair bit slower, however.

81, with its major truck traffic, is never fun. How does 29 rate? Any decent places not to miss along the way. As much as I enjoy Charlottesville, I don't plan to head into town on this trip.

Thanks for any tips.

The road quality using 29/460 would be similar to the interstates since both are well-maintained multilane divided highways, but you'd also have to contend with the occasional traffic signal and lower posted speed limits. So I guess it just depends on what factors are most important to you.

repete · December 17, 2009, 10:18:26 AM

Yeah, that weather looks interesting. Snow doesn't scare me but the Mid-Atlantic drivers sometime do.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. That mirrors what I was thinking. The tip on 29 came from a nicer older (and when I say that I mean old) guy who doesn't do anything quickly, but a lifelong resident of the Old Dominion.

Safe travels all.

Ryan Tipps · December 17, 2009, 11:06:30 AM

Quote from: repete on December 17, 2009, 01:27:46 AM
I'm headed to Salem Friday from DC as soon as repete jr. and his buddy get out of school. I've always just headed out 66 to 81, but a guy at work says 29 to Lynchburg, then 460 into Roanoke is a better route. Looks a fair bit slower, however.

81, with its major truck traffic, is never fun. How does 29 rate? Any decent places not to miss along the way. As much as I enjoy Charlottesville, I don't plan to head into town on this trip.

Thanks for any tips.

I live just east of Roanoke and travel Rte. 29 up to D.C. often. However, if you're headed to Salem (which is on the west side of Roanoke) it's definitley not worth it to take 29. By the time you'd weave your way through Roanoke to get to Salem, it would probably add 30 minutes to your travel time as oppsed to taking I-81 down to this area.

Ron Boerger · December 17, 2009, 11:51:17 AM

It will be awesome to watch the snow falling during the game - and now that a Saturday rehearsal has been called off, I'll actually get to watch.

K-Mack · December 17, 2009, 02:21:51 PM

I agree with the above and endorse 66/81 to Roanoke. Taken 29 to Charlottesville and Lynchburg many-a-time, and wouldn't choose it over 81 unless you have a fear of trucks + snow.

For all the complaints about 81 and its truck traffic, it's usually sparsely populated enough so that you can manage just fine.

repete · December 17, 2009, 05:41:37 PM

I'll probably take the tank instead of the tin can and head down 81, but at this point I'm more confident of making it DC to Roanoke on Friday night than hotel-to-game on Saturday a.m.

Latest I hear is a foot of snow and 25-mph winds. Sounds like fun.

K-Mack · December 18, 2009, 09:15:20 PM

Quote from: repete on December 17, 2009, 05:41:37 PM
I'll probably take the tank instead of the tin can and head down 81, but at this point I'm more confident of making it DC to Roanoke on Friday night than hotel-to-game on Saturday a.m.

Latest I hear is a foot of snow and 25-mph winds. Sounds like fun.

Yep, my main adjustment was taking the Jeep instead of the Hyundai.

First 3 hours of the trip took three hours. The last hour took 2:15. I'll let you guess where I hit the snow.

I'm here though, so there's that.