I-77 South: Virginia to North Carolina

[EasilyWowed]

I drove this portion of I-77 north from Mt. Airy (from Winston-Salem, NC.) via the new alignment of I-74. Drove this portion northbound in October 2007. First time ever: beautiful. Going up Beamer Knob in Virginia on a bright sunny Saturday afternoon: breath taking!

[Fanik10]

Freeway Jim. You ever think of driving the Blue Ridge Parkway (Afton, Va (starting at I-64) to Cherokee, NC (ending in the Great Smoky Mountains NP)? I bet that would make for some great scenery.

[Freewayjim]

@Fanik10 I've driven part of it, great scenery yes, but highly frustrating to drive....I might film some of it some day.

[nostalgiamelancolia1]

Driving through rural America is a real fun.I've done many times.

[PGMEagle]

Once you cross into NC some of the views comming donw the mountian our breath taking

[madbengalsfan85]

The view reminds me somewhat of I-75 climbing up past Jellico in TN

[MrMariobig]

I drive my big rig on this route alot theres few steep grades around there.

[keith20988]

in Virginia they dont play with the speed limit you cant even go 6 over the speed limit

[VaFreeways]

@keith20988 The Va. state and local cops sometimes play dirty pool IMO. They position themselves in an area where they know that folks naturally go faster (ie. descending down a hill). The interstates are bad but the worst speed traps they set up are on the 4-lane rural US routes in the state.

[sal3060]

For some reason this stretch of road is utter hell for left lane bandits and other members of the Anti Destination League. I don't wanna run 85 mph. Frankly I'd be damned tickled to be able to do the speed limit without some goob in a conversion van slogging along in the left lane at 60 mph...

[Freewayjim]

I could not agree more.

[wvufanngarner]

@Freewayjim left lane hogs, ha don't I know it.

have came this way so many time I can't count. It drains the entire rust belt into the south,

I-77 the hillbilly highway.

*****!!!!!

[irish89055]

Jim, I drove this in late 09. My ears popped again coming down that mountain lol.... I like the fast replay.. but you do drive like on autobahn, flashing lights.... How many tickets and do you use turn signals??

[Freewayjim]

My ears popped too :)

This was one of the few times I was driving for the camera, I wanted to make this video special and had some slowpokes (left lane hogs) in my way.

I have not received a ticket in over 5 years (knock on wood) and yes I use turn signals.

[bairpaws]

Wow, I can't stand when people break when it's not needed. Nice vid!

[localdriver]

Nice, green countryside like England.

[SubwayRapper220]

Nice song rock on!!!

[colinstu]

what camera have you been using in your videos? Heh, want to go shoot some stuff of the Milwaukee/Waukesha/Chicago-ish area now.

[Freewayjim]

I'm using a Sony HDR-HC9 Camera, very happy with it. Would love to get up to Chicago-Milwaukee someday, but I have no Idea when.

[techman224]

Does it shoot 1080p? Youtube now has support for it.

[Freewayjim]

Yes

[techman224]

Did you upload your videos in 1080p, or did you compressed it before uploading it to Youtube?

[Freewayjim]

Had to compress it to a Quicktime file before uploading to YouTube (and being compressed again)

[techman224]

Did you upload the video to Youtube in 1080p?

[FreewayAndrew]

@Freewayjim Compress it to a quicktime file? I save my vids to MPEG2, so that's the reason it doesn't look like your frame blending style, so how do you compress the file to a quicktime one without messing your quality up?

[UFunnyNow2]

You drive like I do.

I am happy to see others drive like this and video their journeys.

We drove from East coast of Canada to San Diego, summer of 2008.

I taped all except maybe 6 hrs of night time driving.

I drive with video camera on the dash and have captured allot of crazy stuff.

Just started posting to Youtube.

Thank you for sharing

[trashdunka99]

in the DC and Baltimore suburbs, during the non rush hours, you have to be doing 75 mph even the in middle two lanes (in a 55 speed limit). then some slow poke comes up. they need to better enforce the passing lane

[SubwayRapper220]

Love the Song and I 77 blue ridge mtns rock

[Fanik8]

it is, just found out it's been remade about 10 times since it was written in 1948.

[Fanik8]

wasn't this song in The Blues Brothers 2000?

[Freewayjim]

I don't know, never saw it.

[necroslair]

Excellent video, Jim; definitely 5 stars! The full screen HD will blow you away.

BTW, at 4:20, were you flashing headlights at that LLB? ;)

[Freewayjim]

Thanks!

Yes I was :)

[CosmoPhotography]

Excellent! At 4:49, on clear days you can actually see the Winston-Salem skyline. You have stop at the right spot otherwise Pilot Mountain blocks the view. I went to Charleston, WV for the first time 10 years ago and snow was being dumped by the bucket load through here. Awesome, yet treacherous sight!

I've always thought that was odd that NCDOT would sign I-74 on the 77 stetch and then it abruptly ends at the state line. Doesn't that go against some AASHTO rule?

[1petealmquist1]

I-77 at fancy gap has a truck climbing lane on the other side.

[CAMINOANDALUZ]

excellent walk!!!

[ArtificialBanana]

This was the first time I viewed your video in full screen with HD... it was almost like being there in person! I recommend this to everyone who watches!

[exit322]

I can see it being made to a 3X3 - that road can be a cluster**** in busy times.

[fldoughboy72]

It looks like you went downhill for a lot of miles!!

[eluko79]

I'd like to take an 18 wheeler up one of those ramps just to see what would happen.

[MazdaStrider]

I guess I-77 will have 6 lanes somehow.. because I-74 is going to be signed along I-77 on this video in the future.. (VDOT havent signed it as of yet) but it is when you enter NC.

[ScrewdUpClick2000]

plus i believe texas law clearly states .. if you are driving 5-10 mph under the speed limit , you must be on the far right outer lane of the freeway..

[Freewayjim]

That's a great law!

[Bryant5493]

Excellent, keeps the other lanes open for faster flowing traffic.

[ScrewdUpClick2000]

i dont mind fast drivers , its there ticket .. but for example when you have a speed limit of lets say 65 mph . technicaly where im from its the left 2 lanes . if you are driving 55 in a 65 zone , it will obvisouly create major lane changes , will result in accidents .. not so much in this stretch of freeway .. but expecially in metro areas .. 25% of the accidents by collisions are caused by this scenario.. you drive in the left lane here in houston you better be doing 90 mph

[waggeo99]

do you have in west virginia the 64/77 split on video

[Freewayjim]

I've driven it several times but I have not filmed in WV yet.

[ScrewdUpClick2000]

i like the idea of the truck ramps in case of brakes locking up in the winter times .. how come there not paved ? hittn those bumps doing 60 plus would suck .. but beautiful landscape nice work

[Freewayjim]

They are meant to slow the truck down quickly and keep it from rolling back in to traffic, the bumps do a good job of that.

I'd hate to experience that though, geesh.

[broadhurst04]

Would you please consider laying off the comments concerning people who don't drive fast enough in the left lane to suit you? There are times when the posted speed limit is not safe in ANY lane. Going down a steep grade like I-77 in VA is one of those times. People slow down because their only bailout options are a 2000 ft drop on the left and a steep mountainside on the right. Your on-screen complaints about other drivers don't add anything to your videos. Some things are better left unsaid.

[roberthickerson]

I had an experience on 81 near Lexington. I'm going 65 on 81 and making my pass when I ran into two college kids going 60 in the left lane. I let my feelings known. The left lane is the passing lane and that is what it's designed for, not for gumming up traffic.

[Freewayjim]

I'm only echoing what many people notice and think. Personally I find it highly aggravating when someone is going BELOW the speed limit in the left lane under any circumstances, they can keep right, go whatever speed they like and nobody will have a problem with it.

If someone is coming up fast behind me in the left lane I will gladly move over, it's only fair.

[Freewayjim]

Most of the time these people have no idea what they are doing. I'm convinced that they do not know that the left lane is for passing and not "cruising"

[Bryant5493]

And, yeah, folks oblivious to the speed limit and people driving too slow in the passing lane piss me off. >:-(

[Bryant5493]

Regardless of what the speed limit is, if you're not passing in the left lane move over for faster traffic and let them deal with the consequences of their actions.

[CAMINOANDALUZ]

Fantastic trip!!.

[integgy95]

Awesome trip Jim!!! I loved every video. I finnally got the video to load. Just a quick question, in the beggining, on that sign that said Bristol, was that Bristol Tennessee ??

[broadhurst04]

Technically, since that sign is in Virginia I'd say they mean Bristol, VA. Bristol does straddle the TN/VA border though, so I guess for all practical purposes the sign can refer to either one.

[integgy95]

Jim, did you use a different format to upload this video? It says this format not supported on my iPhone.. And it's never said that before...

[Freewayjim]

No, I used the same format, same settings as I would for any video.

[Gwinneco]

Why do you insist that rural roads become six lanes?? Lol hilarious

[Freewayjim]

Heavy truck traffic on these two rural roads in particular.

I-75 through rural GA is six lanes and sometimes it's not enough but it sure does help the flow of traffic.

[Gwinneco]

I get it!! 3 on each side. I'm thinking I-85 in gwinnett, that would be 12 lanes!!

[Freewayjim]

Eventually I-85 in Georgia will be 6 lanes (3 each way) all the way up to SC.

[Bryant5493]

Yeah, that portion just south of Newnan up to around S.R. 74 should be finished by December '09, according to the GDOT website.

[NINJA792]

yu need to go west like ca, colorado , Neveda, etc. Up to you for future trip.

[dablommer]

You Tube needs to get over themselves...

[Bryant5493]

Yes, they do (lol).

[Bryant5493]

Nice. This song fits the tempo. Good version of "Ghostriders in the Sky," but I like Johnny Cash's version a little better.

[FreewayBrent]

This looks like a pretty fun freeway. I might have to consider it as a part of my driving plans, later this month.

[mnacct]

why was it blocked? i saw some message about the video not being available in my country (US) because of copyright violation.

[FreewayBrent]

Very simple. He used a song that had copyright ownership from Warner Music Group; they refuse to sign a deal with YouTube to allow their music to uploaded to the website. Pretty lame, as the other music recording groups have made a small profit from allowing their songs to be uploaded by users onto YouTube.

[MazdaStrider]

Miami as your next road trip? I enjoyed your video :) that road is the most scenic well traveled.

[Freewayjim]

Thanks, sorry but I'm not going to Miami anytime soon.

[FreewayBrent]

Hopefully I can record some Miami videos, next month. :-)

[MazdaStrider]

yeah- hope to see more of your videos anytime soon :)