CA Central Valley

When you plug Sebastopol to Tehachapi into Google maps it gives the route I listed above. It's 370 miles. The route you listed taking Highway 12 all the way over to Lodi and then taking 99 south is 384 miles. So it really isn't all that different.

Now that I see where you are starting from, if it were me I'd come down 101 through Vallejo onto 780 and then over to 680. Take 680 down to 580 and then take that over to I-5 and head south. You'll have to pay the bridge toll at the Martinez bridge and I don't know if that's more than the GG or not. I'd have to check Google maps, but taking highway 12 across seems to add a lot of miles to me.

eric1514 wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
The question was Sacramento to Bakersfield, not Santa Rosa.

Well actually, that was my fault. My OP said Sacramento because I didn't think too many people knew where Sebastopol was. I revised it a few posts later.

Thanks,
Eric

Sebastopol is that place where the sewer lines all go to isn't it?

dkreuzen wrote:
...You can also get to I-5 by going east on I-80 at Vallejo to CA12 and east to Lodi but then you are in the Stockton mess.

This is what I was planning to do but I was going to continue on 12 past 5 to 99. I don't know. I kinda hate that whole area of CA. I'll be leaving Sebast. by 7AM, so it'll be rush hour somewhere

The nice thing about going through SF is that I've done it many times and I know what lane to be in on 19th Ave and the speed limit is low. I just couldn't believe how much they wanted at the GG Bridge last time and going down 101 takes about an hour longer than 99.

Eric

msmith1199 wrote:
The question was Sacramento to Bakersfield, not Santa Rosa.

Well actually, that was my fault. My OP said Sacramento because I didn't think too many people knew where Sebastopol was. I revised it a few posts later.

Thanks,
Eric

The question was Sacramento to Bakersfield, not Santa Rosa.

I used to live in Santa Rosa and made the trip to AZ throught Tehachapi many times. I have gone about every way possible but never through San Francisco...
I think the best route is 101 south to Petaluma Lakeville Hwy, to CA37 to I-80 in Vallejo, west to I-780, east to I-680, south to I-580, to I-5 and south to 7th Standard Rd and over to CA99, south to CA58 and east to Tehachapi. There will be traffic going south on I-680, just don't drive during rush hours. You can also get to I-5 by going east on I-80 at Vallejo to CA12 and east to Lodi but then you are in the Stockton mess.

That's always fun at night when you can't see it coming.. :)

SCVJeff wrote:
Now don't nip Eric out of the experience of the dairy farm at 103 degrees...

I remember driving on 5 many years ago and passed what I think was the Harris cattle ranch. It smelled like death for about 15 min.

Thanks all for your info. I'll probably take 99.

Eric

Now don't nip Eric out of the experience of the dairy farm at 103 degrees...