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Jim Dick

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Feb 11, 2005
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Titusville, FL
We hope to leave Yuma in the next couple of days and head towards Death Valley, Sequoia NP, and the Redwoods NF. Is it possible to get close to DV and Sequoia in a 40' motor coach? Also, is Rt 101 doable in a 40' plus toad north of San Francisco. I'd like to visit the Redwoods on our way to Junction City, OR and don't really want to go over Grant's Pass again. Not that it's a problem but I'd like to see some other parts of our great country. Where would be a good place to cross over to 101 coming from Sacramento? Is it really possible to get from CA to OR from that route?

 
Jim

Rt 190 from Las Vegas and Pahrump into DV is still closed. It isn't expected to reopen until some time in April. You can get in and leave from the west side via Rt 178. You can take US 395 to China Lake and pick up 178 there. We've been on 178 up to Trona and there was no problem with that stretch. Trona is an interesting stop, an old mining town with a very active historical society. They also sell roadsigns in the gift shops: Nowhere 10 miles, Trona 15 miles.
 
Jim Dick said:
We hope to leave Yuma in the next couple of days and head towards Death Valley, Sequoia NP, and the Redwoods NF. Is it possible to get close to DV and Sequoia in a 40' motor coach? Also, is Rt 101 doable in a 40' plus toad north of San Francisco. I'd like to visit the Redwoods on our way to Junction City, OR and don't really want to go over Grant's Pass again. Not that it's a problem but I'd like to see some other parts of our great country. Where would be a good place to cross over to 101 coming from Sacramento? Is it really possible to get from CA to OR from that route?

Jerry and Ardra made a recent trip to DV recently hopefully they will jump with some suggestions.  I don't remember much about the roads around the Redwoods been a few years since I have been there,  One thing I do remember is your coach won't fit through the tree that the road goes through. ;D ;D
Have a great trip. BTW I guess to an RVer DV, Sequoia, Junction City is on the way to MOab from Yuma,Az :D ;D
 
101 north of S.F. should be fine.  Trucks use it all the time.  The only stretch where it's a little narrow is a couple of miles where the road goes through Armstrong Redwoods State Park.  There's a couple of trees right next to the road so you have to watch it through there.

The road to avoid is CA 1 along the coast.
 
Jim,

101 is just fine. Just stay off Hwy 1, especially between north  of Westport to Leggett (where it joins 101).

This sections has many switchbacks that reguire the whole road for you AND the Log truck coming the other way! I don't like sharing the same space with a Log truck. You can approach the switchbacks slowly, but there are NO Pull off spaces to wait a clear road and the Log trucks drive like XXXX!

Only road I've been on that I would never take again (others I would avoid, but not like this section of hwy 1).

Ken

btw, I though I posted this (or something like it) yesterday, must have done something wrong.
 
Hi Bernie, Ron, Lou, and Ken,

Thanks for your suggestions. I think we're going to shoot for the 101 north of San Francisco. I will not be driving on CA 1. ;D We will leave tomorrow for QZ for a last look at any flowers at Alamo Lake. Then we'll try to get into Death Valley from the western side along with Sequoia.

 
Jim Dick said:
We hope to leave Yuma in the next couple of days and head towards Death Valley, Sequoia NP, and the Redwoods NF. Is it possible to get close to DV and Sequoia in a 40' motor coach? Also, is Rt 101 doable in a 40' plus toad north of San Francisco. I'd like to visit the Redwoods on our way to Junction City, OR and don't really want to go over Grant's Pass again. Not that it's a problem but I'd like to see some other parts of our great country. Where would be a good place to cross over to 101 coming from Sacramento? Is it really possible to get from CA to OR from that route?

Just got back from DV.  The Valley when I left was full.  The best one can hope for is a serviceless site.  From where you are coming, I would recommend driving to Baker, CA and picking up CA-127 to Shoshone where you pick up CA-178.  That takes you into the southern end of the park over Salsberry Pass and Jubilee Pass.  I normally do not recommend that route since it has 6% grades and winding sections and 70 odd miles of no services, no nothing.    However, CA-190 thru DV Junction is closed from storm damage. 

The run thru Trona is out of your way -- see a map.  It also forces you to enter DV over Towne Pass which is known as the place where old motorhomes go to die - one died while we were there.  It has 2 miles of 5% grade followed by 6 miles of 9% grade.
 

Just got back from DV.  The Valley when I left was full.  The best one can hope for is a serviceless site.  From where you are coming, I would recommend driving to Baker, CA and picking up CA-127 to Shoshone where you pick up CA-178.  That takes you into the southern end of the park over Salsberry Pass and Jubilee Pass.  I normally do not recommend that route since it has 6% grades and winding sections and 70 odd miles of no services, no nothing.    However, CA-190 thru DV Junction is closed from storm damage. 


Carl

I've driven that route with our previous coach, 37', plus toad without problem. However, I am not sure whether CA178 meets CA190 before the closed section or after. I had the impression that it was before and therefore you couldn't get to Furnace Creek via that road. For Jim's sake, I hope I'm wrong.

Just reread the Death Valley morning report. It says that access to the Park from the east is available via CA178.
 
Ron said:
Bernie,

Hope you got some photos to share.

Ron

Haven't been there in 4 years. And you were with us.  :) The only pictures I have are of some of the mining equipment and rocks in the area. No good flower pictures, nothing to brag about.
 
Bernie and Carl,

Sorry Bernie I should have addressed that to Carl.  Hopefully Carl will see this and share some of the recent photos. ::)
 
Carl,

Thanks. I thought I would leave the coach on the west side of DV. There's a PA campground in Imyorkern. I would then drive the toad to the valley. I've never entered from that direction before so really don't know what I'm talking about. :)

 
Jim Dick said:
Carl,

Thanks. I thought I would leave the coach on the west side of DV. There's a PA campground in Imyorkern. I would then drive the toad to the valley. I've never entered from that direction before so really don't know what I'm talking about. :)

Did I ever tell you, I hate you! You're being very unkind, telling us about going to DV to see the once in 100 year desert bloom-----------and I'm looking out the window at snow<<GGG>>.  Oh well, just make sure you get lot's of good photos to show us at Moab. In fact, make a slide show for us. I'm bringing my LCD projector, so you can show them right from your computer.

Chet

 
Chet,

Sorry about that. :) I hope to get some photos. Took a bunch at Alamo Lake and Harqeuhala Mountain yesterday. Got a couple of keepers out of 98 shots.

 
Lou said:
101 north of S.F. should be fine.  Trucks use it all the time.  The only stretch where it's a little narrow is a couple of miles where the road goes through Armstrong Redwoods State Park.  There's a couple of trees right next to the road so you have to watch it through there. <<<

Jim,  I have driven 101 from Bay area all the way up through Oregon and its fine.

Not to pick at Lou's geography, but Armstrong Redwoods State park is a ways off 101 in Sonama County.  I believe he is referring to Humbolt Redwoods.  There is a visitor center there right on 101 and parking to take a tour. Do a Google search with Redwoods and Humbolt and you will get some good websites.

One good RV park along the way Benbow Valley. Believe its still rated very high and right on Highway.

I recommend you stay one night at Bandon when you get in Oregon to go out to coast and do photography at sunset. Its fantastic. There is a good park right in town that is big rig accessable. http://www.el.com/to/bandon/

This is a prime spot for great photography.

Bob
 
Hi Bob,

Thanks for the confirmation. I'm going to try to find a way to 101 from the Stockton area. We'll be visiting Tom & Chris for a few days before heading further north. I'm anxious to see the Redwoods.

I'm afraid if I keep taking pictures the way I have I'll wear out another camera!!! ;D Sure would like to get some shots like yours!

Please give Joyce our best.

                             
 
Thanks for the correction, Bob.  Actually, the park I was thinking of is Richardson Grove State Park, just south of Benbow.

Jim -

Isn't Tom in the Livermore Valley?  If so, just go north on I-680, over the bridge to Benicia.  Then head west on I-780 to Vallejo, north a couple of miles on I-80 to CA 37.  Take this around the north end of the bay.  When you get to the Sonoma County side, turn right at the Lakeville Highway stoplight and take this to join US 101 in Petaluma.

If you're really in Stockton, the best route to get to CA 37 is to go west on CA 12 through Rio Vista to the south edge of Fairfield.  Go west (towards S.F.) on I-80 until you reach CA 37 in Vallejo.  Think of me as you pass the Western Railway Museum west of Rio Vista.
 
Lou

We sold the Livermore house and now live full time in Discovery Bay. From here, Jim can take Hwy 4 to Hwy 160, over the Antich bridge to Hwy 12, then left over the Rio Vista bridge. We're less than an hour from Rio Vista, so maybe we could make a trip to the RR museum (I've been wanting to visit the museum myself). Are you there only on weekends?
 
Jim Dick said:
Hi Bob,

Thanks for the confirmation. I'm going to try to find a way to 101 from the Stockton area. We'll be visiting Tom & Chris for a few days before heading further north. I'm anxious to see the Redwoods.

I'm afraid if I keep taking pictures the way I have I'll wear out another camera!!! ;D Sure would like to get some shots like yours!

Please give Joyce our best.

                             

Please besure and keep a Delorme file of you trirp north up 101. Laurie and I wlill be going that way in June. You always discover the neat places, so I'll rely on your recommendations.

Chet
 
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