Calif. 49 Gold country route for RVs??

[Still_Searchin_]

Hi All, we'd like to take our 28ft travel trailer from Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes to TT Ponderosa (Lotus,CA) via hwy. 49, about 130 miles. Is this route more or less challenging than hwy. 1 in Northern California?? That was the twistiest hwy. we've been on, but it was do-able, though don't plan to do it again!

[Still_Searchin_]

Thanks NevadaNick, that is the route that Thousand Trails recomends getting to their park at Lotus.

[nevadanick]

The worse part is from Placerville to Coloma. Once you get to ElDorado you can go to Shingle Springs and take North Shingle to Lotus and miss the twistiest part.

[Lynnmor]

tahiti16 wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:
If you abide by those signs, and do the right thing, without fail the nuts will come along side and force you to slow or stop in that turnout lane. I believe it is a local sport. I quit moving over.

BTW it is the law to pull over if more than 4 vehicles are behind you. One I generally do if I see the turnout coming up is hit my signal so the cars behind know I am pulling over which gives them a chance to get ready to speed up and pass.

I understand all that. First of all, I can maintain the speed limit so, unlike a motorhome, I was not impeding traffic. Second, I use the signals. Third, the suckers will not pass till the very end of the turnout and then will come along side forcing you to brake. Forth, some of the turnouts are rather level and straight and merge back into a two lane where continued passing is permitted, but the jerks won't move over to continue their pass instead they force you to brake once again. Fine me, I will never yield to this kind of people again.

[tahiti16]

Lynnmor wrote:
If you abide by those signs, and do the right thing, without fail the nuts will come along side and force you to slow or stop in that turnout lane. I believe it is a local sport. I quit moving over.

BTW it is the law to pull over if more than 4 vehicles are behind you. One I generally do if I see the turnout coming up is hit my signal so the cars behind know I am pulling over which gives them a chance to get ready to speed up and pass.

Personally I liked the 49 between Lotus and the 50 in my convertible but would not have liked driving the motorhome through there.

I have lost that need for challenges I had when I was younger. I have a tendency to take the easier route when possible.

[Still_Searchin_]

Thanks all. certainly sounds doable and is the shortest route from Yosemite to Auburn. Yup, I use turnouts even when I need to stop and the following cars/trucks appreciate it and often honk to show that.

[msmith1199]

If you don't like twisty roads don't do it. But as California mountain roads go it's not bad at all. The narrowest part is between Plymouth and Placerville. I've done it many times in my 35 foot DP with a toad.

[Lynnmor]

I ran 49 from Yosemite all the way to 89 pulling a 26 ft. trailer just last year. I lived to tell about it. Yes, it is a rather twisty road and some places it is near impossible to stay in just your lane, but I prefer that to Interstates. My Michelin tires didn't like it so much.

When you come to a turnout, you are to move into that lane if there are cars behind you. If you abide by those signs, and do the right thing, without fail the nuts will come along side and force you to slow or stop in that turnout lane. I believe it is a local sport. I quit moving over.

Search for some YouTube videos, there are a number of them, mostly showing motorcycles.

[donkeydew]

not sure where lotus ca is but 49 is a much easier drive than 1 . it is a good ca 2 lane highway with lots of traffic