Bypassing L.A.

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Pat said:
Tom: Since you're the resident authority on the area, could you advise what the I-10 to I-210 to I-5 route around town is like usually?
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Sorry Pat, wrong part of CA for me. I'd have to look at a map to figure out where I-10 and I-210 are. If they're in LA, Carl will probably be the closest.
 
Pat said:
Tom:  Since you're the resident authority on the area, could you advise what the I-10 to I-210 to I-5 route around town is like usually?  Barring accidents, does traffic usually flow ok on the 210?  Or is it normally 90 miles of stop and go?  I'm willing to do the less interesting 395 bypass if I'm likely to lose hours sitting on the 210. 

--pat
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I am not Tom, but I drive the LA area freeways most every day and it mystifys me as to why people want to go so far out of their way to bypass the LA Metro area.

This route should be perfectly fine any day. Its really not through the center of the metro area and pretty free of any backups. I assume you are coming through in the middle of the day but would avoid 7-9 AM and 3-6PM.

I plow right though the middle of rhe area  in my motorhome with toad, even in rush hour,  and never have a problem.  Just stay in the second lane from the right all the way. When you get into the Pasadena area, watch the signs ahead for the transition lanes as it gets a little tricky, but well marked. If you want to change lanes just turn on your turn signal and someone will let you in very soon.

Bob
 
Tom said:
he was just jerking your chain when he suggested going that route and bypassing CA.
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Not so Tom.  My route is 3 hours longer than up through California and a whole lot nicer.

Phil
 
Sorry Phil, I really thought you were kidding. Why would anyone spend an extra 3 hours on the road? I retired so I could spend much less time traveling the freeways  ;D
 
Tom said:
Sorry Phil, I really thought you were kidding. Why would anyone spend an extra 3 hours on the road?
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Tom,

It's not the extra 3 hours that matter.  It's the great places my route takes you through.  I'm a tourist, not a cross country driver.  :)

Phil
 
Understood Phil but, as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder  ;D
 
Pat said:
I forgot to mention that up through Nevada is not an option.  I HATE that route.
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Pat,

An even more scenic route is up I-17 to Flagstaff then to Page and highway 89 to Richfield and over to I-15.  Avoids all of Nevada.

Phil
 
Phil:  I have to admit, that Page route is the one I disliked more than any other, ever.  I was on my way down from Yakima through Boise, down 15, and through Page , except I made the mistake of going through the Kaibab Plateau.  Then on down to Flagstaff, etc. etc.  So far it's been the worst drive I've ever done  First was all the Kaibab twisting climbing and descending.  (Thought I'd be clever and skip the Page traffic.)  Then the bleak, barren, boring desert down to Flag took what seemed like forever.  I don't consider the desert to be good scenery, and mountains are obsturctions that require miles of driving to get around or over.  I-5 isn't too exciting, but it's functional and not as desolate.  And then Shasta makes it all worthwhile.

--pat
 
Bob

>>I am not Tom, but I drive the LA area freeways most every day and it mystifys me as to why people want to go so far out of their way to bypass the LA Metro area. <<


Me either...of course I was born there.<G> No large city or traffic bothers me except for Montreal, Canada where I couldn't read the French signs & didn't have a accurate mapping program to rely on. Steve Pally's tips really helped me.


Terry
At SLC, UT
 
Pat said:
Tom:? Since you're the resident authority on the area, could you advise what the I-10 to I-210 to I-5 route around town is like usually?? Barring accidents, does traffic usually flow ok on the 210?? Or is it normally 90 miles of stop and go?? ?I'm willing to do the less interesting 395 bypass if I'm likely to lose hours sitting on the 210.?
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The 210, either I-210 or the western extension, CA-210, should be an excellent bypass of LA going from the I-10 to the I-5.    The route is not seriously impacted by rush hours but by keeping your transit hours to between 9 am and 3 pm you should get thru fairly smoothly.

The I-210, aka the Foothill Fwy, is a huge modern road with a minimum of 5 lanes in each direction.  There are occasional line ups at off-ramps and transitions to other freeways, but I have never seen the  1 thru 4 lanes clobbered.  But then the 210 is an occasional thing for me.    Living on the West Side of LA, I have to go right thru the knot of freeways in downtown LA.  However, I am a professional LA commuter, don't try this yourself.  ;D
 
Carl:  I won't have any problem with traffic on the 210.  I far prefer city driving to country 2-lanes.  It's more interesting.  Looks like close to 400 miles to Pasadena.  I guess 8 hours with a fuel stop and toad motor run.  That would be going a sedate 55 or so.  I may have to hustle a little bit.  I could probably put in a few miles the night before.  Sleep in that last AZ truck stop.  Or, sleep on the other side of LA.  Drive through really late.  I don't see much when I'm driving, so I wouldn't miss much in the dark.  There's a little knot of truck stops up by Bakersfield.  I can't leave here until the house owners here get back down from up by SLC. 

Speaking of truck stops, one of the handiest books I have is one listing truck stops along major highways.  I use it quite a lot.  They show the various services, including RV parking.  I also have books of mountain passes along highways, divided by east and west. 

--pat
 
Hi Terry:

Terry A. Brewer said:
No large city or traffic bothers me . . .
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Word has it that you had fun doing all the rides atop the Stratosphere Hotel tower in Las Vegas. I noticed while visiting there that they ask and must receive a Yes response from each potential rider to the question, "Are you insane or slightly out of your mind?" before they are allowed to proceed.

So, yes, I would imagine driving LA freeways would seem pretty dull to you. :)
 
Pat said:
Carl:? I won't have any problem with traffic on the 210.? I far prefer city driving to country 2-lanes.? It's more interesting.? Looks like close to 400 miles to Pasadena.? I guess 8 hours with a fuel stop and toad motor run.? That would be going a sedate 55 or so.? I may have to hustle a little bit.? I could probably put in a few miles the night before.
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Make it sedate.  The CA speed limit if you are towing anything is 55 mph.  Furthermore, you are restricted to the right two thru lanes on a 4 laner,  the right lane on a 3 with passing ok in the adjacent lane, and only the right lane on a 2 laner.   

From the AZ line you should not have a problem getting past LA, but you ain't gonna make Bakersfield without a death march.    I recommend a stop at Valencia which is just north of the junction of I-5 and 210.  There is a decent RV park at Valencia on CA-126 just off to the west of I-5.  Use them for an overnighter.
 
Bob

>>Word has it that you had fun doing all the rides atop the Stratosphere Hotel tower in Las Vegas.<<

Thats true but I can only get Jim Dick to do the rides with me so i don't do them often as I hate standing alone among all those kids.<G>

Some of the worst traffic I have encountered is Portland, OR. Going North in the morning or South in the evening is a real killer.


Terry
At SLC, UT
 
Carl:  Thanks for the reminder on the speed limit and the lane usage requirements for CA.  Now that you mention it, I think I recall the signs.  A lot of them refer to cars towing trailers, but I always  figure they also mean this newfangled concept of motorhomes towing cars.  I usually max out at 55mph.  Assuming even that's possible on the 210.  I don't speed, but I'm not intimidated by traffic.  I have made Santa Nella Village in the past when I didn't have another stop scheduled along the way.  It's a good half way mark.  I've changed my plans back to leaving in the morning and doing LA before rush hour instead of after. 

Regarding the discussion about rides and standing in line with the kids, I wholly agree.  I'm never comfortable.  When I retired I had to decide between sampling all the rollercoasters in the country or simple commuting north and south like I'm doing, with occasional side trips.

--pat
 
Pat said:
A lot of them refer to cars towing trailers, but I always  figure they also mean this newfangled concept of motorhomes towing cars.
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A friend of mine was stopped by the CHP for driving his motorhome faster than 55 while towing a car. He genuinely believed the law didn't apply to his situation because his coach and toad have these great braking systems. After 20 minutes of discussion and explanation of the law, the CHP officer said "I think you really believed that", and let him off with a warning.
 
One time I pulled onto I-80 in Indiana and, before I got settled in, I was over the speed limit.  I started to correct it right away, but, needless to say at the exact same moment that I realized my oversight, so did a local traffic policeman.  After I pulled over and rolled down the window, the first words out of my mouth were, "I'm sorry."  I think the guy was taken aback at the lack of argument.  I wasn't ticketed; although, I think I might have gotten a paper warning. 

I never use cruise control.  I don't like the way it keeps the vehicle going.  If I should pass out or become distracted, there could be a problem.  On the other hand, it's really difficult to maintain a fixed speed without it.  I'm not sure it's supposed to be used while towing a vehicle.  It's probably not much use from about Palm Springs where the freeway adds more traffic lanes for obvious reasons, to well into I-5 past the city. 

--pat
 
Hi Pat:

Pat said:
A lot of them refer to cars towing trailers, but I always? figure they also mean this newfangled concept of motor homes towing cars.

I have made Santa Nella Village in the past when I didn't have another stop scheduled along the way.
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Check out the signs again -- the way the law reads, ANYTHING pulling ANY kind of trailer is limited 45mph. If you had a 40 footer pulling a 10 foot fishing boat, that law applies. Not sure it anyone has been stopped, but that law also restricts vehicles with three axles to 55mph. For example, if an 18 wheeler unhooked the trailer, they still can't drive over 55. Well -- they do, but they are not supposed to. :

BTW, you had asked about gas prices. The intersection of 58 and I5 has stations that were much more reasonable than other I5 stops. That didn't change until Santa Nella -- so that's is a good spot to shoot for to fill up. There's a discount truck stop station just across the street from the RV park (and north a bit) that will have the best prices. AND -- you can go across the freeway and get a bowl of Pea Soup at Anderson's . . .
 
Tom said:
A friend of mine was stopped by the CHP for driving his motorhome faster than 55 while towing a car.
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Tom,

When I was stopped for towing faster than 55 in CA, the officer was pretty nice.  He knew that Utah did not have that law and he just told me to slow down in the future.  I was impressed and very happy that I did not get a ticket.  :)

Phil
 
Phil

I hope the Utah police will return the favor  :)
 
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