The Asheville I-26 geekmeet about 10 years ago

[brianreynolds]

Does anyone have documentation and/or crisp reliable memories of the tour of new I-26 about 10 years ago?

The reason I ask is:   I was looking at my mob-rule Google map of counties visited.  It appears to be incomplete.

The map shows Madison County NC as "not visited" but I certainly remember going past Mars Hill on the way north.

I also remember a designated area for trucks to stop and inspect brakes prior to a major downhill grade. 

It seems like that was at or very near the Tennessee line. 

I'm pretty sure we ventured into Tennessee (Unicoi County?) before turning back.

[brianreynolds]

Never mind.   I found a Google link to an m.t.r. discussion of the tour by Adam Prince.

My recollection was correct.

[froggie]

I don't remember if we turned around at Exit 46 or Exit 43, but we went at least as far as the rest area on the northbound side in Tennessee.

But yes, we did catch both Madison County, NC and Unicoi County, TN.

[wriddle082]

I don't remember if we turned around at Exit 46 or Exit 43, but we went at least as far as the rest area on the northbound side in Tennessee.

It was a Scenic View parking area.  I know TDOT is either planning or has recently finished a Welcome Center in this area for westbound.  The Eastbound Welcome Centrr in Kingsport is now either open or very close.  I last passed through this area in July.

[hbelkins]

From a video I saw posted in the FreewayJim group recently, it looks like a Welcome Center has been built at the exit that's north of the Flag Pond exit. Access is from the surface road so it can be accessed from either direction of I-26.

My understanding is that ADHS money paid for the welcome center at Kingsport. Not sure if it paid for the one near the NC border or not.

[wriddle082]

I should also mention that that was my first official road meet.  Met many folks who I still consider friends today.  Adam Prince, Froggie, Carter Buchanan, Chris and Christy Curley, Brian Reynolds, and Stanley Cline (now deceased).

I remember I was at least an hour late because I wanted to drive on the slightly confusing US 411/441 duplex from SE of Knoxville to Sevierville, and was subsequently stuck in traffic trying to get across The Parkway in Sevierville (waited through at least 6 signal cycles), and I even passed by the large Bush's Beans factory somewhere before Newport (roll that beautiful bean footage!).

Adam Prince can tell everyone about what happened at the hotel that night, LOL!

[hbelkins]

I remember I was at least an hour late because I wanted to drive on the slightly confusing US 411/441 duplex from SE of Knoxville to Sevierville, and was subsequently stuck in traffic trying to get across The Parkway in Sevierville (waited through at least 6 signal cycles), and I even passed by the large Bush's Beans factory somewhere before Newport (roll that beautiful bean footage!).

When we used to go to the Smokies in my youth, TN 66 and Exit 407 hadn't been built yet, so we always went into downtown Knoxville and out Chapman Highway (US 441). So i was intimately familiar with US 441 south and US 411 north on the same route.

Hadn't been through the Seymour area in many years until a few weeks ago, when I was following US 411 out of Maryville. Seymour has grown a lot, but there's not a lot of development between Seymour and Sevierville, which is a bit surprising considering how everything else in Sevier County has grown up.

The bean factory is at the intersection of US 411 and TN 92, and they have a visitor's center there now (not sure how old it is). Access to the bean factory is probably why the last few miles of 411 going toward Newport are being relocated.

[wriddle082]

Hadn't been through the Seymour area in many years until a few weeks ago, when I was following US 411 out of Maryville. Seymour has grown a lot, but there's not a lot of development between Seymour and Sevierville, which is a bit surprising considering how everything else in Sevier County has grown up.

I'm thinking Seymour must be the current SE extent of the traditional Knoxville bedroom communities, and the lack of development SE of there is essentially the dividing line between Knoxville and the Sevier County tourist district.  Sort of like how along I-40, the Strawberry Plains exit is the eastern extent of Knoxville, no development at the Midway Rd exit, then the tourist district begins at TN 66.

[CanesFan27]

I should also mention that that was my first official road meet.  Met many folks who I still consider friends today.  Adam Prince, Froggie, Carter Buchanan, Chris and Christy Curley, Brian Reynolds, and Stanley Cline (now deceased).

I remember I was at least an hour late because I wanted to drive on the slightly confusing US 411/441 duplex from SE of Knoxville to Sevierville, and was subsequently stuck in traffic trying to get across The Parkway in Sevierville (waited through at least 6 signal cycles), and I even passed by the large Bush's Beans factory somewhere before Newport (roll that beautiful bean footage!).

Adam Prince can tell everyone about what happened at the hotel that night, LOL!

I've not tried to microwave popcorn since, true story.