Can you give me information about driving from Tampa to Akron?

Asked by JLeslie (65419) September 20th, 2015 from iPhone

I drove it once using I77 through Western Virginia and West Virginia and the mountains were brutal! The next time we do the trip will be pulling a trailer and I’m afraid. I was thinking of going up I75 through Chattanooga, and then in Cincinnati get onto I71. I know I will hit some mountains through TN, but what I want to know is will the mountain driving be shorter in duration on this alternate route? Less extreme? It’s a longer route, but pulling a trailer we will have to slow down so much so often in West Virginia that I think it won’t be that different, and hopefully I won’t be so scared.

Plus, I’m hoping hotels will be better along I75 up towards Lexington and Cincinnati than what was in WV.

I’m hoping some of you have driven both, or know a way in can easily look at a topography map with an overlay of the roads and make an educated guess.

I’m going to send the Q to SQUEEKY. I’m hoping truck drivers have some sort of trick of the trade.