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running through california

P

Peggy

Guest
We are planning on heading through California on I-5 on the 20th of this month we don't want to get stuck in traffic and are wondering is there a better route south to I-10? We're making a quick trip to get to bike week. Any help navigating through california traffic would help

OH YES BTW if any are interested we are going to blog our trip at 3digitadventures.blogspot.com
 
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If you just want speed, I-5 can't be beat. Watch out for the CHP and the eye in the sky, if the weather's ok.

Your other choices are US-101, which I find much more pleasant, but has a few bottlenecks, especially going through Santa Barbara; and CA-99, which might as well be I-5 except that it's often only two lanes and runs through many towns.

US-101 will definitely add a couple hours onto the transit vs. I-5. You could take it south to CA-46 east to I-5.

Also, you could take I-5 south to CA-58, which turns into I-40 in Barstow, and head east that way. That would keep you out of the greater southern California megalopolis. Then you could take US-95 south to CA-62 to Parker, AZ, and AZ-72 to I-10. Or, you could continue east on I-40 and take US-93 to AZ-74 to I-15 to I-10, into Phoenix.

Phoenix traffic is no fun, so if you're coming along I-10 to Phoenix, you can take AZ-85 to Gila Bend and catch I-8.

Good luck!
 
We are planning on heading through California on I-5 on the 20th of this month we don't want to get stuck in traffic and are wondering is there a better route south to I-10? We're making a quick trip to get to bike week. Any help navigating through california traffic would help

Where is your destination?
 
99 isn't too bad, just made a quick trip to SoCal and back (from WA), and I made decent time on 99. Pretty much all of it is freeway now, I think the only time I dropped below 70-75 was for a couple miles in Fresno and Stockton where the limit is 60.
Less semi's and SUV's in a hurry trying to run you over and the scenery is not as mind numbingly dull as I-5. And the only time on the trip that I saw ANY L.E. was the stretch of I-5 from Weed to Sacramento.

Darryl's idea of taking 58 to Barstow was good. LA traffic sucks at all times, day and night. You'll save a couple (if not several ) hours that way.

Where are you starting out at?
 
The 20th is a Saturday. If you can plan on going through the L.A. area between 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. you shouldn't have any trouble with traffic. It is even better on Sunday at those times.
 
Wow thanks you guys that is all great info. And yes we are going to Daytona In Florida, just because it is a little bit of a challange this time of year from here. I appreciate everyones input it will be great help, we'll take all the info we can get. Looks like we'll catch the first 1000 miles at just south of Sacramento. Any warnings about were to stay away from when we pull off for the night? we are going to motel it.
 
I went to Daytona in 2002. The coldest part of the trip, BY FAR, was going across west Texas.

Although a bit above Sacto, I sometimes meet friends in Williams. Granzellas motel is comfortable and they have a newly rebuilt restaurant across the parking lot. For better food, I like to walk the three blocks to "downtown" and eat at Louis Cairo's. Order the "Louie Bread"!

In Bakersfield, try out Benji's French Basque restaurant. It's on CA-58 just west of CA-99. If you're adventurous, the sweetbreads are fabulous, but I haven't had anything I didn't really enjoy.

In Barstow, if you go that way, eat at The Idle Spurs, which is on old Hwy 58, a bit north of town. Excellent steaks.

I guess I'm living up to my "motto"...
 
Having recently gone down 10, I would say, HWY 5 or 99, 99 has more SLOW trucks in the valley, on 5, they seem to travel faster. Definitely check your GPS/Mapoquest, HWY 58 over Tehachapie is quicker than GRAPEVINE. You go over to 4 corners, then turn right toward 210. Yeah, it seems wierd, but it is quicker than going all the way to Barstow & down 95. If you hit Texas in daylight, speed limit is 80, during the dark, it is 65, the troopers DO care... Haven't gone east past San Antonio...
 
Just came the other way;

Florida to CA:). I did it a month ago. Cake walk:).....I did Pensacola to New Orleans, up to Shreveport to Dallas to Amarillo and I40 across to Bakersfield. Cold? New Mexico and AZ were the worst. GSA Rider. What you riding across? Enjoy bike week. Its a rat race down there:). Randy
 
Florida to CA:). I did it a month ago. Cake walk:).....I did Pensacola to New Orleans, up to Shreveport to Dallas to Amarillo and I40 across to Bakersfield. Cold? New Mexico and AZ were the worst. GSA Rider. What you riding across? Enjoy bike week. Its a rat race down there:). Randy

Randy,
We're actually starting in Eastern washington my husband rides a Triumph sprint and I ride a K1200GT. We just don't know much about traffic and best roads to take to make the best time through California.
I sure appreciate all the info fromeveryone
Peggy
 
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