help with a route

[David Anderson]

Heading to Buena Vista Aquatic Reservoir (Corp Park) just outside of Bakersfield CA in a couple of weeks.  I will be coming in on I10 WB and want to avoid as much of LA as I can.  Thought I would exit I10 at San Bernadino, head north on I 215 to I 15 then cut across on CA 138 to Palmdale and Lancaster and continue on CA 138 west to I 5 and on into the park from there.  Anyone recommend this route?  It will be on a Friday mid afternoon, so I'll be in for heavy traffic and I bet lots of heat

David

[digesterman]

Construction on 138, avoid. Take 395 off of 15 up the 4 corners then head west, will drop you right into Bakersfield

[luvrbus]

Check your AC David it is going to be hot this week end and next week  looking at well over 100

[digesterman]

David Clifford is right, the high desert routes are hot hot hot. That's why I love my OTA, don't care how hot it gets always comfortable inside, it's when you open the door to get out it hits you like your walking into an oven.

[David Anderson]

Construction on 138, avoid. Take 395 off of 15 up the 4 corners then head west, will drop you right into Bakersfield

So, CA138 is bad, bad, bad.  395 is ok but seems a bit out of my way.  What would I be in for if I did I 210 west bound, north of the city and picked up I 5?

I should be ok in the heat I've got 3 AC's

[luvrbus]

David, I know I 40 is a little longer for you but it is a better route you won't have to fight the 115* + heat for hundreds of miles,Kingman is where it will start being unbearable 

[oltrunt]

David, I'd agree about 40--as long as it isn't windy. Once you transition to the 210, you will have heavy but experienced traffic.  Just give yourself enough advance time in the proper lane to assure smooth transitions and you'll have no trouble with the I 5 interchange.  The roadway from the 210 to Castaic on I 5 is very rough and will shake loose stuff you didn't think could shake loose.  The I 5 follows almost exactly the San Andres fault and therefore is well heaved about.  We just today, returned from a camping trip on the "Ridge Route" which parallels the I 5 from Castaic to the Tejon pass along the old road built in 1915 (we took the toad and a motorcycle camping trailer, the route would be very difficult for a coach).  Day time temps were in the high 70's to low 80's which is unusually cool for this time of year--dosen't get much better than that!  Jack

[David Anderson]

David, I know I 40 is a little longer for you but it is a better route you won't have to fight the 115* + heat for hundreds of miles,Kingman is where it will start being unbearable 

I agree.  I think I may change my route from I 10 at Phoenix on the front end and go I17 to Flagstaff and spend a few days there before heading to Bakersfield.  This will get me on to I40 instead.  I40 to Barstow then CA58 to Bakersfield.  Lots more to see and do than just driving I10   Flagstaff and Sedona are neat places to go. 

[TomC]

From Phoenix up I-17 to Flagstaff is a gigantic pull. You're going from 1,100ft to 7,000ft elevation. Granted Flagstaff is pretty.
I would come west from Phoenix on I-10 to Quartzsite, north on 95 to Parker, Az, then west on 62 to California 95, north on 95 to Needles, then continue on I-40 to 58 to I-10. It is a very hot route, but you'll avoid having to go up to 7,000ft, then back down again. Good Luck, TomC

[luvrbus]

To friggn hot on that route TomC, we just came home from the area he is leaving I just drove a little out of the way and caught I 40 in Amarillo never used the dash air till we got to Golden Valley Az 

[Lin]

I would offer a different route.  As Tom said, get onto 62 West.  Continue on it to Yucca Valley and turn right onto 247 (Old Woman Springs Road).  Follow that about 40 miles or so to Lucerne Valley where 247 itself turns right heading to Barstow.  Take I15 South in Barstow for 2 exists and get on 58, which goes right into Bakersfield.  It's a beautiful ride and there is almost no traffic.  We live it this area and that is the only way we travel to points north of LA.

[David Anderson]

I would offer a different route.  As Tom said, get onto 62 West.  Continue on it to Yucca Valley and turn right onto 247 (Old Woman Springs Road).  Follow that about 40 miles or so to Lucerne Valley where 247 itself turns right heading to Barstow.  Take I15 South in Barstow for 2 exists and get on 58, which goes right into Bakersfield.  It's a beautiful ride and there is almost no traffic.  We live it this area and that is the only way we travel to points north of LA.

This looks like a good route and if we don't go to Flagstaff I'll take it.  I went to Flagstaff when I was a kid and loved the area.  I'd like to go back.  I'm not worried about the climb.  My old eagle has been all over the passes in Colorado, and the only one that frightens me is Wolf Creek west bound (U.S.160 west).  That one is a bear to go down   Thanks for the ideas

[luvrbus]

David. plenty to do in Flag, then headed west on 40 Williams is a good spot on 64 about 8 miles headed for the Grand Canyon you have a Forest Service camp ground on Lake Kaibab. Then in Williams take 4th street out to White Horse Lake campground and there are plenty of free spaces before you reach White Horse too

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Phoenix is already into triple digit heat and it will be from 113-121 degrees starting on Friday and lasting for at least a week or more. You might want to consider going up to I-40 before you get to Az.

[lvmci]

hi, I use 58 from Barstow to the 14 fwy into LA frequently, big improvements coming, the 2 sections with just two lane roads, have been repacked and soon will be a cement freeway, hwy 395 crosses at Kramer junction the only stop till you get to the 14, or stay on 58 up tehachapie to bakersfield, lvmci...