In CA, 101 to 5 via 156/152

Janss wrote:
Ok, final destination is central Oregon coast. But before that, we'll be somewhere around Santa Barbara to visit a relative. Just don't want to drive 101 all the way up CA (done it in the past), so want to go over to 5. Was going to cut over at Paso Robles. But now we decided we want to visit a friend in Gilroy. Might stay at Salinas Elks and just drive the car up to Gilroy. Therefore 156 would be closer to cut over to 5. I am a Costco member, so that would be a draw for gas though. The day we make this drive, I just want to get past Sacramento...maybe to Corning, Red Bluff, or Redding.

There isn't really much difference. I always take 156 to 152, but going up to Gilroy and getting on 152 would be almost the same. It's probably a little further mileage wise, but you stay on 101 longer which is usually faster. 156 has some traffic signals. The big thing to keep in mind is both those routes are major traffic routes for people coming from the Central Valley and going to the coast. So in the summer on Friday evening and Sunday evening traffic can be real bad.