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Old 01-27-2017, 12:03 AM
 
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Pictures of the area look all like gentle, rolling, small mountains with well maintained roads going through hills. Are there any roads with sheer drop offs? Are these located deep in the mountains where you would really only be going to explore or hike? How are the roads between Blue Ridge and other eastern County areas, Daleville, and towards Roanoke? What about driving towards Blacksburg, or even crossing the mountains towards Pennsylvania? The mountain roads here in California are often very sheer and sometimes without rails and I'm having a hard time getting that picture out of my mind when I try picturing Roanoke.
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Old 01-27-2017, 07:16 AM
 
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No worries at all. The road from Blacksburg to Roanoke cuts through a mountain, and the roads from Daleville/Blue Ridge are not mountainous at all. The road south to Floyd is switchbacky and fun to drive (if nausea-inducing for passengers), but no sheer dropoffs to be found.

Our mountains have been here a long time and they have nothing to prove. They are pretty chill about letting you pass through them.
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Old 01-27-2017, 10:32 AM
 
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I'm gonna Highjack this thread to ask a related question - when it's snowy are the roads cleared/treated? Or is it like here in Charlotte, wait til the snow melts. I'm coming up in February and of course in the back of my mind it will have just snowed - cuz I bring snow places I think.
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Old 01-27-2017, 12:06 PM
 
Location: Daleville, VA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by littlelou View Post
I'm gonna Highjack this thread to ask a related question - when it's snowy are the roads cleared/treated? Or is it like here in Charlotte, wait til the snow melts. I'm coming up in February and of course in the back of my mind it will have just snowed - cuz I bring snow places I think.
The "through" routes are treated very quickly but very rural and residential roads might linger for a while.

Moving here from Texas it seems to me that they do a pretty good job. But those who come from much snowier places complain a lot!
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Old 01-27-2017, 12:11 PM
 
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Most roads are cleared. Smaller residential streets not right away and low-population rural roads not so much, but Roanoke and the surrounding counties have snow-clearing equipment and they're not afraid to use it.
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Old 01-28-2017, 07:06 AM
 
Location: SW Virginia
2,189 posts, read 1,389,410 times
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Would like to point out though that there are many roads out there with dangerous curves and steep drops offs without guardrails, although they are mostly are rural back roads.

But, even in the city limits there are places where you need to take careful control and not veer off too far to the edge, as you will find yourself stuck down into a deep ditch.

Just don't want the OP to get the wrong impression.

If someone was on a mission to find some horrifying places, they wouldn't have that far to travel.
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Old 01-29-2017, 11:08 AM
 
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Horrifying roads sound easy to avoid at least.
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Old 01-29-2017, 11:14 AM
 
Location: Roanoke, VA
363 posts, read 555,203 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SarahAndFamily View Post
Horrifying roads sound easy to avoid at least.
Most "horrifying" roads are easy to drive with common sense. I know living here makes it easier to deal with these roads, but really its no big deal IMO.
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Old 01-29-2017, 01:33 PM
 
Location: Daleville, VA
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I'm an Uber driver on the side so I make it around the area quite a bit. If you are a normally careful driver not under the influence, the roads are not particularly scary - having moved here from the flatlands they do take some getting used to!

Here are the things I truly do watch for:

1 - Steep roads during icy conditions. Avoid if possible.

2 - Some driveways can be a bear to back down!

3 - DEER. That's probably number one. Stay alert, because they are all over the place, even in the city.

4 - Interstate 81. That's still probably the most nervous I get, due to heavy truck traffic and elevation changes. You really need to drive defensively. The truck drivers are obviously very skillful, but they sometimes follow awfully closely. Don't just set your cruise control and drive - prepare to get out of the way.

The roads are often narrow and winding but the speed limits are pretty slow!
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Old 01-29-2017, 01:54 PM
 
Location: SW Virginia
2,189 posts, read 1,389,410 times
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Also on I-81 between Roanoke and Christiansburg, be careful of Speed Limit changes. They go back and forth and you can get ticketed if you don't pay close enough attention.
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