Bakersfield ca. to Phoenix

I have made a similar trip many times and I will be making that trip (in reverse) again in a couple of days. I just do the LA thing using the 210 to keep out of the majority of the traffic. The road is big and wide with lots of lanes and as long as you are outside of the normal rush hour times the traffic is usually very good. I hate LA but the 210 makes for an easy trip and not worth the longer, slower, windy roads, involved in those detours. That's just us and not meant to be a statement of right or wrong.