Tennessee: I-24 West Chattanooga to Monteagle

[GAdawgsfan93]

I'm driving through Monteagle again this week. I'm glad that I'm driving during daylight this time. Last time, I drove on no sleep at 3 am, with 2 trucks behind me going downhill. hahaha

[theartistsvlog]

This was awesome!

[Freewayjim]

@theartistsvlog Thank you!

[Mrmr2r]

I've been lokking for videos like this. It's so easy to relax when your watching this. Great job, :)

[Freewayjim]

@Mrmr2r Thank you for watching!

[stirlwm]

Grew up in Sewanee & made this drive MANY times--including the old pre-1986 EB lanes down the rock which claimed so many trucks back in the day. The scene from the movie Starman where Jeff Bridges' alien character in a human body brings the deer back to life was filmed at the Martin Springs Rd exit 143 in 1983 or 84...

[stanbernadino]

You guys seem to have a big problem with left lane hogs there too. And I thought Oregon was bad XD

[Freewayjim]

@stanbernadino It's a nationwide epidemic! 

[wipandco]

Truly awesome. Gotta look into this band I've never heard of, too.

[Freewayjim]

@wipandco Thanks, the Outlaws have a few really good songs in addition to this one.

[GAdawgsfan93]

I'd have to say that this has to be the prettiest stretch of interstate in the whole eastern U.S., followed by maybe I-40 or I-26 at the TN/NC border. I can't say whole nation because I haven't seen any of the interstates through the Rockies.

[Freewayjim]

@GAdawgsfan93 I-93 through Fanconia Notch in NH is pretty spectacular, but this one id definitely top 5 in the eastern US.

[oldsklteg]

Hands down the best part of the 16hr drive i make every year :). mostly WOT to do 85-95 up the hill then its like a roller coaster ride downhill after you get pass the tracy city exit :)

[Evile9669]

that person in that white car is a total moron 

[GAdawgsfan93]

That is a very scenic drive at sunset. The bad part was that once we were going downhill in Monteagle we were between two semis in one lane of traffic.

[Papillonmuscogee]

Wow, what a ride. The music really adds to the experience. Driving the mountain, kinda scary. (I was in back seat saying "damn Freewayjim slow down hell" Lol.

[Freewayjim]

@Papillonmuscogee Thanks! It's really a fun drive.

[GAdawgsfan93]

@Papillonmuscogee I drove through there in June going from GA to Wisconsin. Goin' downhill was scary 4 two reasons: Go 20 feet 2 the right=falling off the mountain. Also, only 1 lane was open and I was surrounded by nothin' but 18 wheelers. Very pretty drive at sunset.

[Papillonmuscogee]

@GAdawgsfan93 lol, 18 wheelers, (chills)

[thecarolinamudcat]

There's a video taken from a train crossing the trestle that you go under after you go back into Tenessee from Georgia in Marion County, The trian is a steam excursion pulled by Southern 4501 running from Huntsville AL to the Chattanooga Choochoo depot. Check it out!

[ttownfeen]

You missed out on exit 152 (US 72). It's the main highway (expressway standard) between Chatt and Huntsville, but the signage fails to mention that.

[north5880]

I've never seen a fireworks store in the median of the highway like that! It was like a service center in Maryland, New Jersey and New York with how they had it, but with no exit--you have to take the exit interchange to reach it. Maybe they're targeting the Tennessee and Alabama area drivers on that route.

[north5880]

Remarkable video! And the song you chose is superb for its 9 plus minures! But I liked that route and how it swings through those mountains. I was surprised at the floods of tractor trailers between 7:30 and 7:45 as you were going uphill--there had to have been 12 to 13 trucks in front of you.

[Freewayjim]

@north5880: Thanks for the kind words.

[mlh53057]

Tennessee has some of the best maintained interstates.

[brichmer]

You Tube video of the year for soundtrack & Video Location :))

[Freewayjim]

@brichmer: Thank you!

[batavia710]

How many times i must drive from NYC to there?

[fatrock386]

Great ride Jim!

[mudfroggie]

Interesting use of a close-up of overhead guide signage at major interchanges...good use of the empty space up top.

Not sure if you had it on your side earlier, but around 9:20 on the eastbound side is the rare case of a "winding road" sign on an Interstate.

[Freewayjim]

@mudfroggie: I'm not sure if I like the overhead closeups, unless I have a clear path it's hard to get right. The 2nd one (I-24/US-27) was from a photo and looks a little better than the others.

[mudfroggie]

@Freewayjim Agree it's tough, but photos are plentiful on the net (I'm sure Alex Nitzman would be willing to share if you had to "borrow" one of his overhead sign photos, which are pretty clear. I'd definitely be willing to share any of mine. But I do like the overhead closeups.

[Freewayjim]

@mudfroggie: Thanks, I'll keep that in mind for future videos.

[edgexxi]

Here in AZ, they're considering a law that will force large trucks to keep to the right at all times. I think they need one for TN by the looks of that awesome uphill footage.

[VaFreeways]

@edgexxi Yeah truck traffic irritates the hell out of me, sometimes. I live in a state with not enough highway capacity and a lot of truck traffic so I know how they can slow things down. But I think AZ should reconsider that law because in this day and age when a state is trying to attract business and new jobs, any law that puts any sort of restriction on the transport of goods might cause perspective companies considering doing business in the state to look elsewhere.

[damonhynes]

Live the music! Let's see ScrewedUpClick step to the The Outlaws!

[Freewayjim]

@damonhynes: I'd like to use "Angels Hide" at some point :)

[FreewayBrent]

@damonhynes: Ha, Click is more likely to feature N.W.A. or Bone Thugs N Harmony, before he ends up using anything like the Outlaws in one of his videos.

[Freewayjim]

@FreewayBrent: Wait now, he did use Alice Cooper in a Dallas video, I would not put it past him :)

[eluko79]

Awesome views from beginning to end. Nice work!

[Freewayjim]

@eluko79: Thanks.

[adogg619]

The first 5 minutes with all that traffic was a little frustrating to watch I must admit. However, the rest of the video, the whole outlook of the scenery was amazing!

[0marigolds]

forgot to say earlier, this has to be one of the BEST songs to drive to!

[Freewayjim]

@0marigolds: True dat!

[CosmoPhotography]

Jim, I love this song!! It ranks up there with your use of REO Speedwagon's "Keep Pushin' " and Toto's "Girl Goodbye". Loved the video and the interstate guide signs at the top. I talked to Brent about doing a similar thing when I eventually start. Great job!

[Freewayjim]

@CosmoPhotography: Thank you! (I love "Girl Goodbye"). Not sure I like the virtual guide signs. The 2nd one at US-27 looks so much better because it's from a photo, the others were freeze frames from the video, but unless I have straight clear shot, they don't look all the good.

[booklover691]

Very cool and scenic video@ FreewayBrent; Putting central TN on the east coast is similar to having The Pacific Ocean into the middle of NV lol. Whats 400 miles between friends :P

[ScrewdUPClickV2]

pretty nice .. enjoyed the ride man , thanks

[FreewayTitan]

Very appropriate music for a place like Chattanooga. I'm glad you don't use this music for all of your videos ;) Nice job, it is clearly a very busy highway!

[Freewayjim]

@FreewayTitan: That was the thinking behind it :) I think the music I use is pretty diverse.

[aswchris]

Awesome ride, Monteagle is always interesting. Great song as well, I saw the Outlaws live back in '06.

[aswchris]

The American band "Outlaws", that is. Not the British band "the Outlaws" (Ritchie Blackmore)

[patrick560sl]

idk why but that sebring was making me mad haha anyways great vid! thumbs up like!

[Freewayjim]

@patrick560sl: Thanks, The Sebring was a thorn in my side the whole way, she was wearing earbuds for one thing and while going up Monteagle she was behind me (tailgating at one point) and almost went off the road in the left lane all by herself.

[patrick560sl]

@Freewayjim gotta love those drivers! glad you were not involved in any accidents with her!

[necroslair]

NIce one, Jim. I'd give it ***** if I could, but youtube changed things. Oh, what the hell: 5/5 stars anyways! Thanks for the ride.

[Freewayjim]

@necroslair: Thank you! it's the thought that counts :)

[FreewayBrent]

@tiffnollie1: Yeah, when I drove thru here in the Summer of 2009, seeing that fireworks store in the median totally threw me off guard; I think I literally yelled, "What the heck? That's totally random!", upon passing by it. And yes, I'm not Jim, but Brent, in case you think your eyes are deceiving you. :-P

[FreewayBrent]

...not get the opportunity to fully appreciate the westbound drive, had I been offered perfect conditions like what you experienced on the day you filmed this video.

But back to the song; I loved how it sorta "climaxed" along with the obvious crowning moment of the video, which was the drive thru Monteagle Ridge (is that the proper name for it?), itself.

Prob my favorite video of yours, to date. Excellent visuals, music and perfect weather conditions. 6 stars!

[Freewayjim]

@FreewayBrent: Thanks, I appreciate that.

[FreewayBrent]

Excellent! Yes, I totally remembered the song, as soon as the video started playing. I'm wondering if TDOT (Tennessee) will ever get around to rebuilding I-24 thru Chattanooga, as it seems to be the worst congested freeway in the state.

I would say that I-24 thru Monteagle is the most thrilling scenic drive on the east coast, and offers a good training ground for the interstates out in the rural mountain west. I drove the westbound lanes in a torrential downpour, and did not get the...

[sephyrothsb]

@tiffnollie1 You should see that joint at night - I went through there about 12 years ago, and it was noon in the middle of the night, and quite annoying! :-)

[verybadsuzy]

waves & smiles @ Jim....good stuff, man!

[Freewayjim]

@verybadsuzy: Thank you!

[wceagle4life]

This stretch of highway never gets old.

[RoadMagician415II]

Excellent work! And nice music as well. Good job!

[0marigolds]

Wow, there are tons of skid marks on this road! Do you "blank" out some the billboards, or has the economy hit so hard that road advertising is down as well? As always, great editing - when you don't realize you just watched a 9.5 minute video, you know it's good (visuals and music) - thanks FWJ for another great drive - the south in the springtime = sweet ;.)

[Freewayjim]

@0marigolds Thank you! No I take no responsibility for the blank billboards, blame it on the economy.

[Bryant5493]

I-24 through the mountains reminds me of I-20 between Pell City and the community east of Birmingham.

[carocarotho]

this seems not to the best of Freewayjim's quality! what happened to the hd?

[Dalaskan]

@carocarotho HD is later when view is highest can put on HD

[Freewayjim]

@carocarotho : It's a large file, it takes several hours for processing, check back later. It's the same quality as the others I can assure you.

[04smallmj]

@carocarotho Youtube takes ages to process anything :(

[FreewayBrent]

@04smallmj: Depends on the video. For some odd reason, YouTube usually processes my HD videos in less than an hour, but others have complained about the process taking 9 or even 10 hours long. What gives, I wonder?

[RoadMagician415II]

@carocarotho HD is in now. It can take a while before the video is fully processed.