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Old 11-04-2014, 03:52 PM
 
28,896 posts, read 53,951,888 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HelpFindEscapedRoy View Post
Atlanta...ugh! There's never been a trip through there that we didn't get caught in traffic. Even on a Sunday afternoon a few miles south of there it was bottlenecked. That might've been around Dahlonega or something like that.
In the uber-logical world of Google Maps, Atlanta would be the choice. But driving through Atlanta is such a crap shoot. The last time we tried driving to Fort Lauderdale, it took us five hours to get through Atlanta because it was one tie-up after another. We limped into our hotel at 2 in the morning.
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Old 11-05-2014, 08:08 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DeMango View Post
I find it hard to believe that between exit 16 on I-85 and Tifton, GA, I assume using US 82, there are only 5 traffic lights. My preferred method has been to use US 231 from Montgomery to I-10 via Dothan, in the middle of the night.

We have talked about that intersection of I-22 and I-65, on another thread. Still not open?
Ugh. I used to take 231 to 10 to get to Jacksonville, FL from Huntsville. Wouldn't be a bad drive but Dothan sucks, sucks big time. I've gone through Columbus to Cordele GA on 280. Better, but not great, mostly due to Columbus. I've never thought about going through Eufaula, but that looks like a better route. I may need to try that next tiem.
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Old 11-05-2014, 08:13 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Williams View Post
That sounds a bit long and convoluted to me. Travelling from Huntsville to Miami (going through Orlando along the way), I stuck to I-65 through Bham until I reached Montgomery, took the W. South Blvd exit (US 80/82), then took US 231 all the way to Dothan.

But here's where I deviated from everyone else: Instead of staying on US 231 all the way to I-10, I jumped on US 84 eastbound towards Donaldsonville and Bainbridge, then hopped on US 27 until I reached I-10 in Tallahassee. Only problem with that route is going through Havana, FL (a wonderful speed trap of a town), but either way you're looking at a roughly 12-hour drive.
Mileage wise, this is shorter. But I have found going up to Chattanooga from Huntsville and taking 75 down is faster, by about a half hour or more. If I went late at night, it wasn't bad. Last time I went to PCB, I spent 45 minutes going around Dothan. Unless a major pileup happens on 75 in Atlanta, its really not a bad drive.

One thing to note, is that it looks like speeds are back up around the Brundige area on 231. For years it was down to 55 South of Ozark. It was a speed trap for sure. Now the speeds are 65 in most places.
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Old 11-05-2014, 08:18 AM
 
2,513 posts, read 2,767,306 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpg35223 View Post
In the uber-logical world of Google Maps, Atlanta would be the choice. But driving through Atlanta is such a crap shoot. The last time we tried driving to Fort Lauderdale, it took us five hours to get through Atlanta because it was one tie-up after another. We limped into our hotel at 2 in the morning.
One time have I had any real issues. 3 people dead on 75 going south. A bunch of Spring Breakers were going too fast on a turn near Marrietta. GA DOT straightened that turn out a few years ago, I guess lots of accidents. At christmas time Atlanta backs up, but we were still moving 50mph. I've gone to Jacksonville, FL 30+ times via Atlanta. Worst case was a little over 10 hours. Best case was under 9 hours. I've made Jacksonville via Dothan late at night in 8.5 hours. On average though, it was usually a 10-10.5 hour drive, with the majority of the slowdown in Dothan. I'd rather go 50mph through Atlanta than the stop and go around Dothan. Coming from Bham though instead of Huntsville I think there would be better routes.
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Old 11-05-2014, 09:01 PM
 
10 posts, read 30,859 times
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Originally Posted by rawrockills View Post
In response to the smoke:

While I doubt it is what you describe, there are a number of paper mills in that general vicinity. Some power generation facilities as well.
Not the stench of a paper mill. Used to live in GA; know what that is like. Sorry for your doubt. Not sure why anyone would think I would come here making up stories about smoke, but according to locals I spoke with since posting the question, there is some development and clearing that involves a bit of burning and due to temperature inversions the smoke can concentrate and lay low to the ground in patches across the interstate as I described. As soon as I described it, they all pegged it as that. That's exactly what it smelled like. Was just curious what it might have been. Thanks.
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Old 11-05-2014, 09:14 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rawrockills View Post
In response to the smoke:

While I doubt it is what you describe, there are a number of paper mills in that general vicinity. Some power generation facilities as well.
There are paper mills near the Gulf of Mexico but not central Alabama.

With as little information as the OP is able to share, I would say that this aspect of his journey will just fade away as a bit of a mystery.
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Old 11-05-2014, 09:30 PM
 
Location: Floribama
18,929 posts, read 43,248,233 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eljay Len View Post
Not the stench of a paper mill. Used to live in GA; know what that is like. Sorry for your doubt. Not sure why anyone would think I would come here making up stories about smoke, but according to locals I spoke with since posting the question, there is some development and clearing that involves a bit of burning and due to temperature inversions the smoke can concentrate and lay low to the ground in patches across the interstate as I described. As soon as I described it, they all pegged it as that. That's exactly what it smelled like. Was just curious what it might have been. Thanks.
It's common practice when clearing land down here to push the debris up into huge piles and set them on fire. If there's moisture that gets trapped in the pile (along with green pine needles) it'll smoke pretty heavily.
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Old 11-06-2014, 12:02 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by southernnaturelover View Post
It's common practice when clearing land down here to push the debris up into huge piles and set them on fire. If there's moisture that gets trapped in the pile (along with green pine needles) it'll smoke pretty heavily.
When I was living in Jacksonville, FL, this was illegal to do this inside the city.

Here in Huntsville, as long as a permit is obtained, it can be done. They were clearing land across the road from where we were living in an apartment complex. When they'd burn the wood/debris, the smoke was terrible and covered all of the Providence area in Huntsville. IMHO this should be illegal inside city limits.
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Old 11-06-2014, 12:07 PM
 
1,892 posts, read 3,065,627 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NoleFanHSV View Post
When I was living in Jacksonville, FL, this was illegal to do this inside the city.

Here in Huntsville, as long as a permit is obtained, it can be done. They were clearing land across the road from where we were living in an apartment complex. When they'd burn the wood/debris, the smoke was terrible and covered all of the Providence area in Huntsville. IMHO this should be illegal inside city limits.
It is illegal here. The area of I-22 I mentioned would be out of the city.

However the OP actually did say that he experienced this between Birmingham and Montgomery. He also admitted that he did not know where, even though he experienced it going and coming. (which suggests it was not a trash burn)
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