California Towing - Page 2 - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-18-2009, 11:17 AM   #21
Member
 
Trailer: 2004 Casita Freedom Deluxe
Posts: 50
If your coming from the north...way north Vancouver B.C. What would be the best route to enter the coast? How many days should you expect for this trek? We plan on heading east to Phoenix once we are far enough south.Yes we do realize it can be extremely hot there this time of year.We were there last July and it was 115 degrees. Thank goodness for air conditioning.Any suggestions really appreciated. Towing a 17' Casita with a 98 Pathfinder.
Bailey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-18-2009, 03:33 PM   #22
Senior Member
 
curtis c's Avatar
 
Trailer: 1994 Lite House
Posts: 172
go through the sierras instead of the valley or coast when you hit the bay area. take the 88 through the mountains. you get on it just east of Sacramento. map quest it. i think its called slough house road or something. i believe its off the 50 just past the big freeway turnpikes. once you get over the pass in a town called minden or gardnerville (same town) head south on the 395. you will see some of the most beautiful mountains in the sierras. and also some of the high desert volcanoes and what not. mono lake, mammoth lakes is a great place to go. after that just make your way east toward Vegas or keep going south. what ever you do if you chose to go through the sierras don't take 108 (Sonora pass) its brutal. many 12% grades and the pass tops out at over 9000' or so. if you don't want to go through the mountains just take the 1 and try to avoid the big cities. I go to a town up there on the 395 called bridgeport every summer since i was 5. its amaizing, i never get tired of the area. iv'e been allmost everywhere in california and its the most spectacular place yet.

Attached Thumbnails
bodie.jpg   sawtooth.jpg  

curtis c is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-18-2009, 08:05 PM   #23
Senior Member
 
Trailer: 2005 13 ft Scamp
Posts: 193
Exclamation

All comments about traveling highway 101 or highway 1, north of San Francisco, are very good. The only suggestion I would make, as a native of the north coast, is to please, please, please, please pull over when you safely can. It will truly be appreciated and maybe save an accident from an impatient traveler. I know you will enjoy either route. I have traveled both for years, with and without a trailer and have never had any trouble. But, I see folks driving that look like they are driving "white knuckled" and if so, maybe they should never taken the highway, but don't let that worry you, take your time, have a good time, the scenery it magnificent and like I tell my friends "happy trails." Margaret
Marg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-18-2009, 08:29 PM   #24
Senior Member
 
curtis c's Avatar
 
Trailer: 1994 Lite House
Posts: 172
Yea, i forgot about that. As a local we fly down the roads. usually much faster than posted. Mainly because all of the roads around rural areas are the same so you get used to curvy narrow roads. Just remember the roads are really curvy so allow more time for the distance. Make sure you got good brakes most of hwy 1 is right on the cliff so don't go off it or you will be in the drink for sure.
curtis c is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-19-2009, 12:02 AM   #25
Senior Member
 
Adrian W's Avatar
 
Trailer: Scamp 16 ft Side Dinette
Posts: 1,185
Red face

Quote:
If your coming from the north...way north Vancouver B.C. What would be the best route to enter the coast? How many days should you expect for this trek? We plan on heading east to Phoenix once we are far enough south.Yes we do realize it can be extremely hot there this time of year.We were there last July and it was 115 degrees. Thank goodness for air conditioning.Any suggestions really appreciated. Towing a 17' Casita with a 98 Pathfinder.
If you are not wanting to see the coast over by the Olympic Pen'sula, take PH99 to I-5 follow 5 down to Exit 88 then take US12 west to US101 then south down it to Leggit, CA take SR1 west there. At Ventura, CA take SR126 to I-5 turn right to SR126 to SR14 turn left then onto Sierra Hwy by Palmdale to the Pearblossom Hwy to SR138 always east to I-15 turn right (south) follow it to I-215 follow it to I-10 follow it to Phoenix.

If you want to see the cost over by the Olympic Pen'sula, I believe we turned off of I-5 at Mount Vernon and make it over to Port Townsend (a ferry ride to get to Port T) follow SR-20 to US101 turn left follow it.

The only really hairy traffic we had was over by the Redwoods along the coast of Northern CA with the loging trucks zooming around RVs and anything else on the curvy narrow roads.
__________________
DesertHawk- Las Cruces, NM USA
2015 Lance 1985 ~ Casita de Campo ~23' 4"
~Previously ~ 2005 16' Scamp
2009 White Ford F-150 Reg. Cab Longbed ARE Topper
Adrian W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-19-2009, 01:30 PM   #26
Senior Member
 
Trailer: 1973 Compact Jr
Posts: 532
Pearblossom Highway can be "interesting" as it is a two-lane road with some very impatient people. I've seen vehicles forced off the road by someone insisting on passing when there isn't enough room to complete the pass. Fortunately I have not seen a headon collision (yet). I've seen the debris, but not the collisions...

My wife taught me this trick to avoid headons -- follow a BIG 18-wheeler! Nobody is going to mess with them!

A few details: follow that 18-wheeler far enough back that you can see and also don't get hit by rocks tossed up by its wheels, but close enough that an impatient oncoming driver isn't going to think he can pass the car in front of him in the short space between the truck and you.

Oh yeah, turn on your lights, even if it's daylight.

----
If you like roller coasters there are some nice whoopee bumps also. Nothing to be scared of, but do be aware that even though you can see what looks like a mile or more of straight road in front of you that there are many dips which completely hide oncoming traffic. If you see a solid line on your side of the centerline it means "don't pass" and is probably there because there is either an intersection coming up or a dip which prevents you from determining whether there is oncoming traffic.

Don't let us scare you -- just be aware, be predictable, and enjoy your trip.
Dana T is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-19-2009, 11:24 PM   #27
Senior Member
 
Adrian W's Avatar
 
Trailer: Scamp 16 ft Side Dinette
Posts: 1,185
Arrow

I am thinking Pearblossom Highway should be a lot better by now, 2 1/2 years since I have driven it. They were and had improved a lot of it then, widening the hwy, more passing lanes, less dips, less curves. We towed our Scamp over it 3 years ago without any problems, but did not speed doing it. Yes, it could be dangerous, but I am thinking it has been improved most of the way by now. The parts finished were very easy to travel. Yes, there could still be some drivers on it. Good to give people a heads up on them. We did several more in a car on it. Hopefully, folks from Canada only drive with their lights on, as I always do as well. Very good law they have up north. US should do likewise, be a blessing.
__________________
DesertHawk- Las Cruces, NM USA
2015 Lance 1985 ~ Casita de Campo ~23' 4"
~Previously ~ 2005 16' Scamp
2009 White Ford F-150 Reg. Cab Longbed ARE Topper
Adrian W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2009, 08:56 AM   #28
Moderator
 
Frederick L. Simson's Avatar
 
Trailer: Fiber Stream 1978 / Honda Odyssey LX 2003
Posts: 8,222
Registry
Send a message via AIM to Frederick L. Simson
Unhappy

Quote:
So how would you avoid [b]that stretch? I have driven many times without towing (and hate every minute going thru LA) but will be towing from SD to N CA and beyond. I am wondering about where to go over the San Bernardinos (Cajon Pass then thru Tehachapi or Tejon Pass?) and the best way to avoid LA (up the 15 then cross over to 5 by way of Pasadena, I think it is 202?).

[b]For those who have towed over both passes, which do you like better?
As San Diego is our starting point, we find that the vast majority of our travels are to the north, via the Tejon Pass. We only use the Cajon Pass to go to Las Vegas, and points northeast. I find that diverting that far east is counterproductive if my goal is due north on I-5.

The best advise I can give for the I-5 corridor through Hollywood is to become completely familiar with the quirks of that old stretch. "Hair of the Dog" as it were... I usually keep it slow and stay to the right, [b]but a middle lane is a wiser choice through that area. I also mitigate problems by trying to schedule my time through there for evenings, after the commuter traffic has died down...

If I want to get to the 101 up the coast, then connecting via I-405 is less harrowing than I-5, even with all of the LAX traffic.
__________________
Frederick - The Scaleman
Frederick L. Simson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2009, 09:44 AM   #29
Member
 
Trailer: 2004 Casita Freedom Deluxe
Posts: 50
Wow you guys are fantastic! Thank you so much for your suggestions and keep em coming
Bailey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2009, 02:14 PM   #30
Senior Member
 
David & Leslie's Avatar
 
Trailer: Scamp 16 ft Side Bath
Posts: 705
As Marg said, all the comments are good ones, and Frederick's advise about avoiding LA rush-hour traffic in that area could be a life-saver! Try the 210 around LA, or even the highway throught Tehachapi into Bakersfield.

We have traveled Hwy 1 (Pacific Coast Hwy) pulling our Scamp 13 with a Mazda MPV - no sweat. Our recommendation is to drive south-to-north (as you are planning to do). That way, you are on the INLAND side of the roadway, away from the edge where it can 'appear' to be very hairy driving! As you might guess, I am a tad paranoid about mountain-side roads. One other proviso - this road is a magnet for bicyclists, and they sometimes seem to have a 'death wish' - don't seem to care about vehicle traffic, they just GO - arrgghhh!

As others have said, be sure to take advantage of the many pull-outs so the driver can also enjoy the scenery ... when driving, you GOTTA keep your eyes on the road. I'm sooo glad we did that drive, but once was enough, at least towing. We also second the idea of visiting the Avenue of the Giants - it is only 16 miles long. but it took us nearly a week of camping and exploring to get thru it - awesome!

We hope you will enjoy this amazing and gorgeous area of California. We wish you safe journeys and many, many happy memories. Hope you will post so we can all follow your adventures. Take care, L 'n D

Edit - after consideration, only think about Tehachapi if you are coming from I-40 ... that pull over Cajon Pass can be ugly!
__________________
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.” A. Einstein
David & Leslie is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Cruising California Douglas Knudson General Chat 4 05-15-2009 08:41 AM
California Sales / Use tax Alan Weinel Money Matters 5 07-16-2008 08:00 AM
California DMV Towing Guide Roger H Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 6 12-24-2006 09:04 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:11 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.