less mountainous route thru PA? (Akron: versus, design, vehicle)

[agacia90]

Can anyone recommend a less mountainous route, albeit longer, thru PA? I'm driving from Akron Ohio to Leesburg VA. The mountainous driving on the way up using the turnpike got to me. I guess my fear of heights is getting worse as I get older.

Google maps seems to show similar terrain taking 68W or 40W back. I was thinking about returning via 80E to 15S. It adds another 2 hours to my drive but might be easier.

Any other suggestions using some less known routes or should I just get over it?

thanks,
cj

[Marodi]

You have to go through the Allegheny mountains. It's physically impossible to give a route that would avoid them except via Georgia or Maine.

[mdb06]

This might sound silly, but I was just wondering....Would it help you if you drove at night when you couldn't see the terrain?

[wanneroo]

Originally Posted by mdb06

This might sound silly, but I was just wondering....Would it help you if you drove at night when you couldn't see the terrain?

That should do it.

From Ohio to VA, somehow you have to drive though rolling hills and mountains. No way around it.

[psulions2007]

Your best bet is staying on Interstates. Interstate highways are designed to be more flat and less curvy than US highways due to the higher number of trucks on them.

U.S. Highways are generally 3000x worse wrt mountains than Interstates....and State Highways....well, I'm not going there.

I mean, you could -try- taking E 76 to S 79 to E 68....but 68 does get mountainous also...and it is a mess through Cumberland (slows down to 40 MPH in a substandard freeway). But it does have less traffic (though you have to deal with Maryland drivers )

[Icy Tea]

I would avoid driving at night. Pa isn't known as the deer hunting state for nothing. I see deer carcasses all over the major highways and probably 80% of these are hit at night. Generally the interstates and turnpikes are pretty flat and straight. I 80 goes across some pretty big mountains and its not a bad drive. They just cut right through them. Bridges and gorges might make you a little height sensitive, though.

[Marodi]

Originally Posted by Icy Tea

I would avoid driving at night. Pa isn't known as the deer hunting state for nothing. I see deer carcasses all over the major highways and probably 80% of these are hit at night. Generally the interstates and turnpikes are pretty flat and straight. I 80 goes across some pretty big mountains and its not a bad drive. They just cut right through them. Bridges and gorges might make you a little height sensitive, though.

The probability of hitting deer is astonishingly low on an interstate. Back roads, misc 2 lane highways, yes, there is a higher chance.

[wanneroo]

Originally Posted by Marodi

The probability of hitting deer is astonishingly low on an interstate. Back roads, misc 2 lane highways, yes, there is a higher chance.

Really, I know of someone that just totaled their vehicle on I-80 hitting a deer.

[weluvpa]

Originally Posted by agacia90

I guess my fear of heights is getting worse as I get older.

Its not like your driving over Mt. Everest.......Your only sitting 16" to 20" off the ground and really your not driving along any cliffs or deep canyons.

What do you do when you have to drive over bridges? Can you even get from Ohio into Pa without a bridge?

[Marodi]

Originally Posted by wanneroo

Really, I know of someone that just totaled their vehicle on I-80 hitting a deer.

Versus how many on back roads?

Also read my post. I said it's less probable, not impossible.