Best way through/around Atlanta

[Dangerous Dave]

For those of you in/around the Atlanta area;

The wife and I are heading from Ohio to Florida next week via I-75. Probably going to get a hotel room in northern Georgia Monday night, which means we'll be heading through Atlanta Tuesday morning. I'm thinking that straight through Atlanta on a weekday morning would be a baaaaaad idea. So what's the best way to get through/around Atlanta on a weekday morning via motorcyle?? Would I be wiser to try to push a little farther and get through Atlanta Monday night, then get a room south of Atlanta. If so, same question about best way through or around Atlanta, but on a weekday evening.

Anybody?

 

[Bounce]

Take the 285 loop. Stick to "the wall lane". Be sure to keep your speed up to avoid being pushed from behind by those who don't tollerate slow pokes.

HANG ON TIGHT!

To quote a friend, "There are lots of places that have bumper-to-bumper traffic. There are a lot of places that do 95 mph. Hotlanta is the only place I know that had 95mph bumper-to-bumper traffic."

I can assure you no one is trying to eat a bowl of Post Toasties while driving the 285.

 

[Scab]

Yep, do the 285. Get in the "hammer lane" and haul ass. You'll have the wall on your left and traffic on your right. Just tell your wife to close her eyes. Don't go during rush hour. (although no hour is a joy) Have you watched much Nascar? This is it, beemer style.

And be extra watchful at the 75/285 junction. They call it "Malfunction Junction."

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Take the 285 loop. Stick to "the wall lane". Be sure to keep your speed up to avoid being pushed from behind by those who don't tollerate slow pokes.
HANG ON TIGHT!

Yeah, I've been through there many times, but always by car on the weekend. They're definately crazy down there. So whaddaya think...better to push through in the evening and miss "rush hour"?

 

[Scab]

If you can time it right, anything to miss rush hour.

 

[GalaxyBlue]

It's about 20 miles farther to take the loop "west" than to go though town... 75 through town is not as bad as you might think since most of the ******** work off of the belt. And trucks are restricted from going through town, So thats a better option. This from a trucker's point of view...

 

[BullCBX]

Since motorcycles are allowed to use the HOV lanes, I would stick to I-75 thru town. Depending on your arrival time into the Atlanta area, you might be better served to push thru town late (say after 6:00PM) in the afternoon and stay on the south side. Just my $.02 worth-BULL

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Sounds like straight through is the way to go as long as it's nowhere NEAR rush hour! The wife has never done this long a trip in one day, so more frequent stops than I'm used to will probably prevail. We'll be able to make a better call based on what time we hit northern Georgia (that doesn't even sound right <_< ) Since we'll have a bit more liesurely travel on the return trip, we might just have to detour through Deal's Gap. I haven't had the FJR there yet, and since I'm almost out of vacation days until March, it may be my only chance to get there this season.

Man do I need this vacation! Now as long as this tropical storm coming doesn't ruin the party, it oughta be good.

Thanks to all who replied...all good input! B)

 

[Bananas!]

I, like "Galaxy Blue", drive truck for a living. I drive through Atlanta quite often. If you stop north of Atlanta for the night, plan to be back on the road and through Atlanta by 5:00 am (on a week day). The traffic begins to build about that time. Also as was mentioned, stay on I-75 through town. There will be very few trucks going through the center of the city because of the restrictions that allow for local deliveries only. I-285 is a race track and the trucks haul ass on that road. Better for you to stay off of that one.

If you divert over to the Deals Gap area (US129), take it south to the Cherohala Skyway. Take it to the end which will put you in Tellico Plains. Then go south on Rt.68 to Ducktown where you'll pick up Rt.5. Stay on Rt.5 for a short distance until you get to US76. Go East on US76 for a short way until you get to Rt.60. Take Rt. 60 south to Suches Ga. In Suches there is a wonderful place that caters to Motorcyclists and Motorcyclists only. Hence the name "T.W.O." which means "Two Wheels Only". They have a website that you can go too (www.twowheelsonly.com). Great place, beautiful setting, nice people. Just a thought, but a worth while detour if you'all have the time. Safe trip!

Bananas!

 

[Bounce]

TWO's da bomb! Great place! Great people! Great riding!

Take 180 east for some good riding!

 

[MotorSWATCop]

Good advice to push through on 75. Hit the HOV Lane. I'd head to Macon to RON and finish the next day. Where in FL are you going? I'm a Ft. Laud. native.

 

[Valueman]

I rode through Atlanta a couple of weeks ago (2:00 pm on a Thursday). I took 75 through town, and it wasn't bad. Stop and go for one five minute period, but that was WAY better than dealing with the trucks on 285.

VM

 

[Rickster]

It's about 20 miles farther to take the loop "west" than to go though town... 75 through town is not as bad as you might think since most of the ******** work off of the belt. And trucks are restricted from going through town, So thats a better option. This from a trucker's point of view...

+1 on straight through.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Well, like I always say...timing is everything. The original plan was to hit the road at 0900 Monday morning...didn't happen. We kept watching the weather map trying to convince ourselves the rain was gonna stop soon...that didn't happen either. We finally just put on the rain gear and hit the road at 11:00 It poured for the first 150 miles, but once we got south of Lexington, KY, the skies cleared, the roads dried, and it got HOT and HUMID! Fortunately we had Fieldsheer mesh jackets underneath, so once we shucked off the raingear, we were ready to make time. I also had a camelback full of ice cold Propel (ok, not a gen-u-wine Camelback, but a Blackburn Hydrapak), so we stayed hydrated. Once we crossed the TN state line, I set the Audiovox cruise at 85 and motored on with the XM jammin and the Garmin to confirm for the wife that I was going way too fast. We got to Atlanta at 9:00 PM, so I followed the concensus and went straight through. We were the only vehicle in the HOV lane so it was smooth sailing. By 9:30 we were on the south side of Atlanta and decided to call it a night at the Best Western in Morrow.

In the morning, I hit them up at the front desk for some REALLY CRAPPY TOWELS, and gave the bike a bath in the parking lot. I'm always happier when the bike is clean. We were back on the road at 9:00 AM, rested up, gassed up, and plenty of ice water on board. We must have just missed a storm at the GA/FL border around 1:30, because the roads were slightly damp and there was a double rainbow in the sky. We landed at her parents house in Beverly Hills at 4:30 PM and put the bike in the garage. We spent today watching the remains of Ernesto fall from the sky. Like I said...timing is everything!

Any detours yesterday were pretty much out of the question, because we wanted to beat Ernesto here. The return trip home next week from Ft Myers Beach will be via the scenic route across the Cherohala Skyway, up the Dragon, through Cumberland Gap, and back to the old homestead. Oughta be waaaaay better than that boring-ass drone down I-75.

Thanks again for everybody's input...it was greatly appreciated!

 

[nidan]

I've lived in the Atlanta area 13 + years , and Banana's is spot on . Straight through isn''t bad if you go early , I'm usually on the road no later than 6am. between 10am -2pm it is tolerable , then you have to wait till after 7. 285 isn't bad outside of rush hour , the HOV lanes help , but be advised after living and driving all over the USA the drivers here are among the worst , they are extremely erratic. In town they aren't used to seeing bikes so be careful.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

I've lived in the Atlanta area 13 + years , and Banana's is spot on . Straight through isn''t bad if you go early , I'm usually on the road no later than 6am. between 10am -2pm it is tolerable , then you have to wait till after 7. 285 isn't bad outside of rush hour , the HOV lanes help , but be advised after living and driving all over the USA the drivers here are among the worst , they are extremely erratic. In town they aren't used to seeing bikes so be careful.

Getting there late at night like we did was a good thing I'm sure. Where we are now in FL, little old blue-haired ladies are where my radar is currently focused.

 

[06INDIXIE]

If you have the time and like the two lane you could look at Hwy 441. It will take you from central Fla. all the way to the North Ga. mountains and beyond not to far from Deals Gap. I think that Hwy 41 close to where your at in Fla. connects you to 441 near High Springs. Just a thought. Have fun be safe.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

If you have the time and like the two lane you could look at Hwy 441. It will take you from central Fla. all the way to the North Ga. mountains and beyond not to far from Deals Gap. I think that Hwy 41 close to where your at in Fla. connects you to 441 near High Springs. Just a thought. Have fun be safe.

I'll check it out on the map in the next few days. We're headed for Ft Myers Beach today, and will be there for several days. Don't know if I'll have any web acccess once we get there, so I'll thank you in advance for the tip. I've got plenty-o-maps + Garmin with me, so I'll definately scope it out.

Thanks Bro',