Forum Discussion
MarkTwain
Feb 18, 2019Explorer
otrfun wrote:MarkTwain wrote:Ed_Gee, MarkTwain, thanks! Just the stuff I need to know before my drive next week.Ed_Gee wrote:AVOID the LA area like a plague:):) I-5 on the Grape Vine is closed/restricted today 2/18 due to snow. Take I-10 to Hesperia/Victorville to 395 to 58 to Bakersfield. About 30 miles north of Bakersfield on Hwy. 99 take Hwy 46 west right over to I-5. Or, you can stay on Hwy 99 to Sacramento which connects to I-5. Hwy. 99 road conditiosn are in much better shape than I-5 especially when towing. There is an alternative route just past Palm Springs, go north to Apple Valley to Victorville to 395.NMDriver2 wrote:This is certainly a better route than getting in to the LA mess, but we have always preferred to avoid even more of the greater LA mess....Get off I-10 at earliest convenience and heading north to Hesperia , then getting on US395 north to Kramer Junction where we go west on 58 until we hit I-5. This avoids all of greater LA including the Grapevine. We like to make a pit stop in Bakersfield RV Resort ( they have an excellent on-site restaurant/bar. Another well reviewed RV stop would be Orange Grove RV, just off 58 a few miles before getting in to Bakersfield.
You can miss the construction and most of LA traffic by going up to Palmdale on 138. Take I-210 to I-15 to 138 and follow it all the way to I-5 near the top of the grapevine. It generally saves some time, a lot of traffic headaches, and is a good road.
Ed_Gee, Your welcome. email privately if you want more detailed information about your whole trip, places to stay to i.e. RV parks, free overnight spots like SpotLight Casino just before you get to Indio, no hook ups but good food in Casino. Your turn off to Hesperia is just a few miles west of Palms at Hwy 162. Watch the weather for the Siskyiou Pass from Redding Caif. to Ashland Oregon. If the pass has road contains due to snow, take Hwy 20 off I-5 about 40 miles north of Sacramento. Go west to Hwy. 101. Take 101 north to Hwy 26 near Seaside. Take Hwy 26 east right into Portland. My daughter lives right near Portland, so we make the trip a couple of times every year. If at all possible I would attempt to avoid towing right in the center of Portland, alot of traffic.
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