Best route?

[Stranger]

OK guys I need answers fast. Leaving Tracy, CA on Friday @ 4PM to Gold Beach, OR for a week. Pulling the big A$$ trailer.

I want to go I-5 to Yreka then 96 to Eureka then north on 101.

Lana, bless her heart, wants to go I-5 to Red Bluff then 36 to Fortuna then north on 101.

"I" like 96 through Happy Camp.

Never been on 36.

Any suggestions.

Joe G. where are you? Oo.

 

[Joe G.]

Whatever you do DON'T take SR36!!!! There is a big sign on it that says trailers are not recommended. They ain't kiddin'!! 96 between Happy Camp and Willow Creek runs along some cliffs in some places. That can get exciting with a trailer.



There is no good way to get from I5 to US101 between the SF Bay Area and Olympia, WA. Period! I usually take SR20 at Williams and go by Clear Lake. SR299 from Redding to US101 is not too bad but it's 150 miles. You start to wonder what you have done to be punished after a while on that road. If you get on US101 at SF or by using SR20 you can take the Avenue of the Giants (old US101) in Humboldt County for a beautiful drive on your way north.

 

[NVR FNSH]

Come up 580 across the bridge to 101 and take 101 all the way to Gold Beach. My wife & I did Vancouver, WA to Santa Rosa for our first trip with a 36ft 5th wheel - no problems at all. I'd never towed a 5th wheel before this trip and it was a piece of cake. We hit the coast around Lincoln City, Oregon. I've been told to stay the hell off SR 36. I wouldn't bother taking I-5 north to Williams and then coming across Hwy 20 to Ukiah - too hilly compared to 580/101. Why go thru the hills when you can go

around them?



I just realized you are leaving at 4PM..... on a Friday. You're gonna get hosed no matter which way you go. Traffic on 101 from San Rafael to Santa Rosa is going to suck. Going I-5 to Hwy 20 adds a lot of miles & time. You may want to come up 680 to 80 and then cut over on Hwy 12 thru Napa/Sonoma. If you do take Hwy 12 you want to go around Sonoma & Glen Ellen on Arnold Drive - you avoid going thru town. You'll be in a bit of traffic from where Hwy 12 merges on 101 - I DO NOT go thru this interchange with the trailer, it's bad enough with just a car - to Windsor and then you'll have pretty clear sailing. How far are you trying to go on Friday evening? There is a WalMart in Windsor - Shiloh Rd, and in Ukiah - see it from the hwy.



Call me at work 707-577-3559 if you need/want more specific directions - I live in Santa Rosa.



Brian

 

[Joe G.]

Brian is right about the traffic. The advantage to SR20 is that the traffic is not nearly as bad. The disadvantage is that it is certainly hilly. If you do get stuck behind someone driving at a snail's pace around the lake at least you have something nice to look at. When you get to US101 most of the traffic mess is south of you. There is a strangle point at the traffic light where SR20 turns off US101 to Fort Bragg in Willits. Not too exciting or dangerous tho, it's stopped.

 

[NVR FNSH]

Since you're going for week maybe you should leave early Sat morning and miss the Friday evening disaster. It takes me 2 hours to get to 580/5 w/o traffic. Tomorrow at 4 PM it's gonna take you 4 hours.....



We went to Stonyford the weekend before Memorial Day to do some riding. I took Friday off just so I wouldn't have to deal with afternoon traffic on 80 & 505.



Sure glad it's not me driving tomorrow



Brian

 

[dabubba]

Friday traffic on 680 from 580 to the benicia bridge:--) if you want to try a few back roads- I've hauled up to a 35'er this way to I5 and to & thru tracy-- J4 (grant line road) to hwy 4- It will be slow through brentwood - hwy 160 to rio vista- west on hwy 12- north on hwy 113-- at midway road turn left it will bring you to I 505 (cross over I 80) Can't help getting from 5 to 101- have done hwy 20 by clear lake- good pull shouldn't bother a ctd and have gone from medford to the coast that way(been a long time CRS)

but take the 52mi jet boat ride Oo. Oo. Have a great trip