I know that in 1953, the year I was born, there was no interstate highways system, but why was he as far east as Bristol if he was going from Knoxville TE to Dayton OH, [pretty much due north?
Maybe there was something wrong with the GPS.
If you look at a road map US 23 runs from the Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, TN area through Eastern KY where Ralph Stanley and a whole host of other country singers are from to the West Side of Columbus and Toledo not far from Dayton.
Look it up on WIKI
I’m not sure if there was a road over Jellico Mtn before I-75.
Those coal roads in western VA, and WV have been there since horse and buggy days.