Spidey! You kill me.(:))
[quote=“WildaBeast, post:17, topic:846448”]
Head north until you hit I-40, then take I-40 west all the way to Barstow, CA, where it merges with I-15. Stay on I-15 for a few miles through Barstow, then take CA Hwy 58 west to Bakersfield. In Bakersfield, CA 58 and CA 99 are the same road for a short distance, and here you have two options. If you prefer Interstates follow 58 west to I-5, then take I-5 north to Sacramento. Or you can stick with Hwy 99 north. On I-5 your scenery will be farmland pretty much the whole way, but it’s probably a bit faster. 99 passes through more populated areas, like Fresno, Merced, and Modesto. Either way, you’ll eventually get to US 50 in Sacramento. Take 50 east and hope you don’t get there during rush hour. In about 20 miles you’ll be in my general vicinity. I pretty much described the exact route I took when I moved from North Carolina to California 15 years ago (taking the I-5 option).
Some highlights/attractions along this route:
[ul]
[li]Lots of historic Route 66 places from Texas on, since I-40 pretty much follows the old Route 66 routing much of the way.[/li][li]In Arizona you can visit the Petrified Forest. It’s right off the Interstate.[/li][li]Just west of there in Holbrook, eat at Joe and Aggie’s cafe. I remember having some really good food there on a family road trip when I was 16 while we were waiting for our van to have its fuel pump replaced at a shop nearby. At the time we didn’t know it was somewhat famous (or maybe it wasn’t in the pre-internet days); it was just a restaurant that was walking distance from where we were.[/li][li]Also in Holbrook, stay in the famous Wigwam Motel[/li][li]Of course if you want you can take a little detour up to the Grand Canyon from Flagstaff.[/li][li]On CA 58 west of Barstow you’ll pass through the little town of Hinkley, where the events portrayed in the film Erin Brockovich took place, not that there’s much to see there.[/li][li]If you choose the I-5 route, your drive on CA 58 from Bakersfield to I-5 will smell like oranges this time of year, as they’re actually in season and being harvested during the winter. [/li][li]If you’re a Johnny Cash fan, visit the Folsom Prison Museum when you get here.[/ul][/li][/QUOTE]
sniff
If she’s gonna get on I-40 and actually STOP at Holbrook, by GAWD, she better call us! Go ahead, see the sights in Holbrook–all five or six–then she needs to go East on US 180 about 30 miles to the Petrified Forest! Then she can continue East on US 180 ten miles to the dirt road that will take her to our place! We’re only 2-1/2 miles from the paved highway!
If, after you leave us, you continue West on I-40 to Barstow, pick up I-15 South towards San Bernardino. (You can take 58 some other time :D) Then take I-215 to San Bernardino. Once in San Bernardino, take Foothill Boulevard West. That’s old 66! Head West until you are ALMOST to Rialto, and the right, you’ll see the only other Wigwam Motel still in existence!
Public Service Announcement: lock your doors before you get off on Foothill. 'Nuff said.
We used to live in Rialto. That’s why we retired to AZ.
~VOW
Ooh! Wigwam motel. I wanna see that.
This is very true, and if you’re a bit of a thrill seeker, you turn the music up loud and break a few speed limits as you cruise down. The scenery in Utah ain’t too shabby either in that red rock canyon land there once you get off the mountains.
Another alternate route is to go through WY and turn right onto US30 just after Little America, follow that to I15, then north on I15 up to Idaho Falls. turn west again onto US26 and drive to Arco. There you turn left to stay on US26 and continue west a little bit and then spend a day exploring Craters of The Moon National Monument and Preserve. After that you can continue west on US26 to Carey, take the junction with US20 and continue west. When you get to ID75 if you want to can go south a bit and see the Shoshone Ice Caves. Alternatively you can continue on US20 and somewhere west of there on the Camas Prairie is the Camas Prairie Centennial Marsh Wildlife Management Area. Never been there myself, because I’m always working when I drive through, it seems. One of the peaks of the hills bordering the south of the prairie is Twin Peaks East according to google maps.
[quote=“WildaBeast, post:17, topic:846448”]
Head north until you hit I-40, then take I-40 west all the way to Barstow, CA, where it merges with I-15. Stay on I-15 for a few miles through Barstow, then take CA Hwy 58 west to Bakersfield. In Bakersfield, CA 58 and CA 99 are the same road for a short distance, and here you have two options. If you prefer Interstates follow 58 west to I-5, then take I-5 north to Sacramento. Or you can stick with Hwy 99 north. On I-5 your scenery will be farmland pretty much the whole way, but it’s probably a bit faster. 99 passes through more populated areas, like Fresno, Merced, and Modesto. Either way, you’ll eventually get to US 50 in Sacramento. Take 50 east and hope you don’t get there during rush hour. In about 20 miles you’ll be in my general vicinity. I pretty much described the exact route I took when I moved from North Carolina to California 15 years ago (taking the I-5 option).
Some highlights/attractions along this route:
[ul]
[li]Lots of historic Route 66 places from Texas on, since I-40 pretty much follows the old Route 66 routing much of the way.[/li][li]In Arizona you can visit the Petrified Forest. It’s right off the Interstate.[/li][li]Just west of there in Holbrook, eat at Joe and Aggie’s cafe. I remember having some really good food there on a family road trip when I was 16 while we were waiting for our van to have its fuel pump replaced at a shop nearby. At the time we didn’t know it was somewhat famous (or maybe it wasn’t in the pre-internet days); it was just a restaurant that was walking distance from where we were.[/li][li]Also in Holbrook, stay in the famous Wigwam Motel[/li][li]Of course if you want you can take a little detour up to the Grand Canyon from Flagstaff.[/li][li]On CA 58 west of Barstow you’ll pass through the little town of Hinkley, where the events portrayed in the film Erin Brockovich took place, not that there’s much to see there.[/li][li]If you choose the I-5 route, your drive on CA 58 from Bakersfield to I-5 will smell like oranges this time of year, as they’re actually in season and being harvested during the winter. [/li][li]If you’re a Johnny Cash fan, visit the Folsom Prison Museum when you get here.[/ul][/li][/QUOTE]
Okay, here’s something we can work with.
If you take State Route CA-58 as described above, there’s even more!
Somewhere in the Mojave Desert or thereabouts, there’s a small town of Boron, famous for its boron mine. I think it’s along 15 or 58 where you’ll pass it. You can drive in, there’s a visitor center there with a museum of all things about boron.
West of the town of Mojave, you go up over a mountain and down the other side into Bakersfield near the south end of the San Joaquin Valley. At the top of this mountain is the town of Tehachapi. There is a very active glider port there. Stop and visit that. Maybe even take a glider ride! Or even an introductory flying lesson. Web site, including a short video and lots of pictures: Skylark North.
A bit farther west, between Tehachapi and the bottom of the mountain, is the world-famous Tehachapi Loop, a pilgrimage spot for train buffs. The railroad runs alongside the highway, for the most part. You can get a glimpse of the Loop, but for better viewing there’s a back road you need to take. WARNING: I’ve read the the surrounding property owners have gotten real serious about people tramping on their land for the best view. Best to watch from the roadside. I want to fly an airplane over it on the way to Tehachapi someday. Web site with lots of pics: Tehachapi Loop including aerial pics. You’ll see why I want to fly over it!
If you drive up CA-99 you will pass through a variety of small-to-medium cities and lots of open farm land.
If you drive up I-5 the scenery is much less varied, mostly farm land. In between Los Banos and Tracy, you will pass just 5 miles from where I live.
You could also wend your way over to U.S. 101, via either CA-58, CA-41, or CA-46 or CA-152. For a long scenic drive up and down the length of California, US 101 is the most scenic that you can drive in a reasonable time. This passes through a great many cities of all sizes, including Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and the San Francisco area and points farther north. You will see cities, farmland, seascapes, and some mountains and forests. North of San Francisco is wine country and redwood forests.
Oh oh oh, on State Route 99, you’ll go through Selma. Their sign says they are the Raisin Capital of the World!
~VOW
Pfft! You don’t need no stinkin’ directions to my place. Just keep heading toward the glow in the sky. 'Tis my beatific presence. Or possibly a nuclear reactor. Hard to tell the difference.
[quote=“WildaBeast, post:17, topic:846448”]
[ul][li]If you’re a Johnny Cash fan, visit the Folsom Prison Museum when you get here.[/ul][/li][/QUOTE]
Before the prison, stop at Broderick’s Roadhouse and order a Johnny Cash burger with scrambled eggs and bahn-mi fries. It deserves strong beer. Then head north on CA.49, the Gold Rush route, up to Grass Valley and CA.20 and turn west, across foothills and Central Valley and inner ranges, then over the redwood-laden Coast Range to Noyo Harbor. Eat superb BBQ seafood at The Q. Stroll the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens.
If you want to continue westward without drowning, take a boat. Then bring it back.
I’ve stayed there; had my own wigwam. The owner (son of the original owner) was into taxidermy, and showed me his collection of stuffed birds. A really creepy guy, who reminded me a little too much of Norman Bates. But he did have a neat collection of run-down classic cars, parked in front of the wigwams.
Though I had a reservation for 2 nights, one was more than enough.
Head west until you hit I-15. Then take I-15 north. At the border, I-15 becomes Alberta Highway 4. Follow that until it drops you in the middle of a city. I’m there.
But do it in summer. Right now, it’s too freakin’ cold to think about long highway trips on the US and Canadian prairies.
Head west until you reach an ocean. Cross that ocean until you reach land. Cross that land until you reach another ocean. Cross that ocean until you reach land again. Go north on I-77 until you reach northeast Ohio. I’ll leave the light on for you.
3 lefts make a right. (:))
And three rights are seven shy of the ten contained in the US Bill of Rights. 
Off topic - but I am keeping this ^^^ as my new motto.
To Beckdawrek: You missed me, as it would entail yourself to travel East for a bit, you are welcome here any time.
As for travelling west? Avoid Limon CO in Franklin County outside of Denver. I spent a weekend there in their well-appointed jail courtesy of the fine police force of one for playing music too loud outside my TravelLodge motel room. Yes, I was tipsy, had keys in the ignition, sitting in the drivers seat, and my dog was howling at the moon.
Once you cross the Continental Divide you are in a different country.
Take I80. Besides Nebraska (which has its own rich history) you can deviate to I76 for The Pawnee Nation history is fascinating, or just keep on going on I80 to Utah. Salt Lake city. Head north on 15 to Ogden and once you crest the pass, it will take your breath away. (lived there for several years).
Why do I have the song “Happy Trails to you” in my head right now?
<<<going outside to fire up my 1990 Geo Metro (which has made this trip this trip twice, once with only a parking brake as a means of slowing down).
That must have been the Wigwams in Holbrook. It’s fun to drive by and see the old cars and trucks parked there!
The Wigwams in San Bernardino have passed through many, many owners.
~VOW
It ain’t me, Babe.
Start at the indoor Muffler Man at Ledwell Machinery in Texarkana.
Next, drive to the Muffler Man at Bud & Ben’s in Dallas.
From there, proceed to the Muffler Man in front of Fox Cave in Glencoe, New Mexico.
Next Stop: the Muffler Man in front of the Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff AZ.
Proceed to the Muffler Man in Mentone, CA.
Onward to the Muffler Man at the Ag Museum in Merced CA
Finally, drive to Babe’s Muffler Service on the Alameda in San Jose and park next to the Muffler Man.
Give me a call, and I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.
Take Route 66 and make a right on Vermont.
I’ll meet you at the House of Pies on Franklin.
Ooh. I like pie!!
Be careful which way you turn at Albuquerque.