4104 NY to Nashville, TN

[Nel]

Thinking of making the trip next week, looks like route 81 most of the way, anyone taken the trip or have any tips along the way, this will be the 3rd longest trip I have ever done with the 4104. Thanks, Nelson

[B_K]

Thinking of making the trip next week, looks like route 81 most of the way, anyone taken the trip or have any tips along the way, this will be the 3rd longest trip I have ever done with the 4104. Thanks, Nelson

Go for it! That's the route I'd take is I-81 to I-40.
  BK 

[Oonrahnjay]

Thinking of making the trip next week, looks like route 81 most of the way, anyone taken the trip or have any tips along the way, this will be the 3rd longest trip I have ever done with the 4104. Thanks, Nelson

     Planning on coming out I-84 to near Wilkes-Barre and then south?  I did that trip in a two-wheeler a couple of times early last autumn.  The section across PA is hilly - the hills aren't high but it seems you're rarely not either climbing or coasting down.  From there on south, it's pretty easy - few hills through VA until you get down near Roanoke (81 runs down the valley, mostly).   It's a pretty easy run although the truck traffic is heavy.
     There was a section about MM100 in PA (about 40 miles north of Harrisburg up to near I-80) where they're completely rebuilding the lanes.  They do the reverse-lane thing, making one side into a regular highway with one lane south and one northbound and then completely dig up the other side, put in a new base and repave it.  Unless PADOT or AA tells you that they've finished it (unlikely, I'd guess), it would probably be best to take 287 to 78 near Easton PA and then west towards Harrisburg to meet 81 near there.
      From there, like B_K says, to Tennessee, you can easily take I-75 to Chattanooga and Atlanta (avoid I-85 in ATL at all costs!!!) or I-40 towards Nashville and anything connecting that way you want.

[Nel]

Thanks, Bruce and BK, was wondering about the hills

[dtcerrato]

We done 81 with our 4104 a long time ago with a toad don't remember any issues with the hills. We ran all night in freezing rain & at dawn I was called on by a trucker on the CB radio. He asked me if I felt sluggish. I told him no that I had been slurping coffee. He told me to shoulder my rig & stand still for 30 minutes so the 3 tons of accumulated ice could fall off. Well I thought he was joking, stopped anyway - just barely enough daylight to see & yes the amount of ice was unbelievable. The belly was scraping the pavement, co-phase antennas were 3 inches in diameter covered in ice. The side skin was barely visible through over a inch of ice & the wheel wells were totally encased with ice. It was a scene to remember. Go for it  - it is an awesome run...

[Nel]

 Dan, really like hearing the experiences you have been through with your 4104,you are the 4104 guru and give us 4104 owners encouragement to get out there and travel, Thanks again, Nelson

[Bill B /bus]

Ran this road a few times with buddy with his 04. I could pull away on the hills in an 08 with extra horsepower.
Recommended routing to avoid a lot of the PA hills: I 84 to US 209(first exit in PA) to I 80(three or four exits) to PA 33 to I 78 to I 81 to I 40. Only toll is eastbound at the Hudson River at Newburgh.
Southern VA has some long pulls as does I 40 west of Knoxville.

[Nel]

Good to know thanks, Bill

[dtcerrato]

Appreciate the kind words Nel but never really considered ourself any kind of guru. We do have tons of practical experience with a specific model GM bus that we love to share, especially if it can help motivate an owner of a similar model to go & enjoy the ride. We've had lots of time to build our confidence in our bus and love sharing it. We like swinging conversation with great talent on these forums.

[Chris & Beverly]

We used to have family in Piermont. Might be easier to drop down to Rt. 80 and go across NJ. First 20 miles will be crowded but then it will thin out and take you through the Delaware Water Gap and on to Rt. 80

[Oonrahnjay]

We used to have family in Piermont. Might be easier to drop down to Rt. 80 and go across NJ. First 20 miles will be crowded but then it will thin out and take you through the Delaware Water Gap and on to Rt. 80

     Taking 80 across PA to 81 avoids a lot of the big hills between Wilkes-Barre and 80 but there are some pretty big grades south of 80, plus that's where the construction is.  I still think that if Nel feels better about avoiding hills and congestion, 278 to 78 and down to Harrisburg is a better way to go.  There are some height restrictions on US209 from near Port Jervis/Matamoras, I'd be real careful trying that, and in my experience, joining 78 or 81 from the south end of 209 puts you in a fair amount of local roads-congestion.

[pabusnut]

I agree with Bruce.  Avoid the section of I-81 between I-80 and the I-81/I-78 split.  I used to work at Fort Indiantown Gap(at the I-78/I-81 split, and that section to the north always had bad accidents (as soon as a raindrop or snowflake fell) even before all the construction started.  I-78 is much less hilly, and pleasant.

Steve Toomey

[Nel]

Thanks for all the tips guys, Looks like from where I am , the very south east section of NY state ,my route will be 287 south to 78 west to 81 south to Knoxville,about 750 miles, also just bought a Garmin RV GPS with live traffic and RV parks along the way, let's see how much trouble this thing will get me into  lol, so far all systems go for tomorrow , will take some pictures along the way and report back to my fellow bus nuts in about a week, wish me luck.

[dtcerrato]

Hey Nel, your probably on the road by now so GOOD LUCK & SAFE & UNEVENTFUL TRAVELS fellow 4104 nut!

[Nel]

Well guys we are now in Nashville, TN, just checked into a Jellystone Rv park, just around 900 miles, the 4104 ran like a champ the whole time, we stopped twice along the way and did the Walmart thing. It was great to just pull up to one on the route and shut it down and sleep. It is also great that they are always located near restaurants , diesel , shopping, etc. First time for us but see a lot of rvs parking there overnight . Now some busnut stuff to report on the 4104, first the bus ran the whole time with out a hiccup,temp stayed 177 - 180 the whole time whether climbing long hills in 3rd or flat in 4th gear, some of the long hills got us down to 38 mph and flashers on, oil consumption about 3 quarts , think mostly from drips and leaks , no smoke, I got better at down and up shifting without clutch and engine speed matching . I noticed after shutting down at rest stops air went down from about 100 psi to 40 in about half hour which I don't remember it going down that fast before although air suspension stayed up, so not sure if it's a leak some where , brakes hold pressure fine. We did hit a little traffic on 81 South because of rubber necking of a semi wreck in the north bound lane, a trucker next to us in traffic kept asking questions about the bus as we were crawling along , then just stopped his semi , jumped out and asked if he could take a picture, it was great.  Over and out for now , wish us luck for the trip home in a few days , Thanks, Nelson