MidnightExpress

My only advice, is cut out any and all of the i5 north back towards Danville as you can. I personally find the 5 brutal and exhausting and not enjoyable. I would head north toward Ridgecrest, jump on 395n past Sequoia, Kings, Lake June, Mammoth,... and cut across through Yosemite or by Tahoe to get back to Danville. I bet all in all... only adds 4-6 hours, and is 10x more enjoyable and scenic.

Just my 0.02 from an LA guy who has done the 5 from LA to SF several times and regretted it. Any trips now I just suck up the extra few hours and take the PCH1 / 101... when and where available.

G

ThatDaveDude

Yes, I agree. I've been driving that section of I5 my whole life, I hear ya. But the final segment from Sedona to Danville will likely be done mainly for speed and efficiency, but I may still go up through Mammoth and back along 120. I've travelled all the roads of California many times and I never tire of any of them, except I-5 ;-). Just like last year, we had plans to take some leisurely roads back from Aspen, but after being on the road 11 days, we just went straight from Aspen to Danville with only 3 stops for gas (see my link in the initial post): 14 hours, bombing along US 50. Epic!

Her'e another of my blog posts where I describe the road trip we took in my McLaren going out to Mammoth using 108 through Strawberry and down 395 to mammoth and then back up and west on Hwy 120 through Yosemite. Great roads! We did Kings and Sequoia in 2021 in my wife's Audi. The road into King's is crazy fun!
https://davecarguy.blogspot.com/2016...es-ca-via.html

ThatDaveDude

Thinking more about your valid point, I think we might add a final night and stop in Mammoth Lakes after leaving Sedona. So we could go up 395 or more likely up 95 and West across NV266/CA168. Then the last day would be a leisurely 5 hour drive home through Sonora Pass on Highway 108. That highway was repaved a few years ago after a big fire and it's smooth and still beautiful.

MidnightExpress

I think that is a great adaption... ok TWO more roads I'll throw at you....I know I keep adding to your trip, but if your going to do that way back out of Sedona, prob add 2 hours, but my brother swears this way is worth it. I have not driven them yet.

Sedona to Prescott via Jerome (on the 89a) and then continue on Prescott through Ponderosa Park to Kirkland Junction (via 89) - Head north on route 96/97 to catch up to rt93 to vegas and your back on your same route home.

Cheers.
looks Epic!

Chris88

It looks like you might be be driving on HWY128 that heads north out of Moab This is an epic road in the deep canyons along the Colorado River. If you take it up to Cisco, you'll enjoy about 40 miles of this road along the river. One of these days, I want to take my GT3 to these areas on the Southwest.

ThatDaveDude

I will definitely get to part of Colorado Highway 128, thanks! (BTW, our Highway 128 here in Northern California is also pretty spectacular, and closer to you!).

I highly encourage you to take your GT3 out there! It's really pretty easy to get out that way. Like I said in my other thread, my Wife and I drove a straight shot from Aspen to Danville, CA in 14 hours with just a couple stops for gas! Sedona, AZ will be much shorter than that 1100 mile single-day shot!
No better way to get out to the Southwest than in a GT3!

KamilPL

That’s an awesome trip! Looking forward to joining some Rennlist road-trippers eventually in a 991.1 GT3 :-)