ir_fuel

Hi guys

I'll be doing a trip in California end of September (18 - 28).

SF -> Vegas -> LA.

Will already be doing a 2 day training with the Corvette at Spring Mountain during that period, but I was wondering if there is other stuff to do/to visit while I am over there, specifically in the Los Angeles area (will be in LA 25-28).

I will be visiting everything by car and I included some scenic routes to go from SF to Vegas and in the LA area.

I'm not the "cars and coffee" guy (no parking lot meetings for me). More interested in trackdays, racing etc.

Any suggestions? Any roads I should drive whilst I am there? Shops to visit? Places to see? People to meet?

Just let me know!

Thanks

Joris

ltcjmramos

Will you be in the San Francisco area at all? If so, when? If nothing else, we can gather a few folks for a drive.

Sac911Turbo

I'm in for the SF Ride.

If you going to be visiting Santa Monica, head up Coast Highway to Malibu, and make a right on Latigo Canyon road and enjoy Do it the first time slowly, make a Uturn at Mulholland and come back and do it again!

ir_fuel

I'll be staying in Santa Monica for a couple of days actually, at approx 4 miles from Latigo Canyon road

ir_fuel

I'll be there the first day (18th), will spend the night there and will leave in the direction of Vegas 19th in the morning. Since I will be jet lagged anyway I will be off for an early start.

This is the first part of my trip. Suggestions/corrections always welcome:

http://tinyurl.com/q547cjy

Will then spend the next day / night in Mammoth Lakes (probably to visit Yosemite), and the next day continue my drive to Spring Mountain:

http://tinyurl.com/ojjuotp

Spend 2 days @ Spring Mountain, probably 1 day Vegas and then I have to find an "interesting" way to get back to L.A.


Thinking about something like this for instance:
http://tinyurl.com/ouvcnf3


Mind you I will be travelling alone, and I have visited SF/LA a couple of times before, so spending the entire day in the car is not really an issue (and the car won't be an issue either ). Since the missus is not with me I won't have anyone constantly afraid of dying next to me when driving the canyon roads.

Any suggestions always welcome.

I know there are plenty of known shops in California (Sharkwerks, Singer, ...) but I presume they are not really the kind of places you just go as a "tourist".
I will try visiting the Shelby museum in Vegas.

Oh, and any cop/speeding related info is always welcome. I presume you can't be driving "flat out" in a canyon road and get away with it. No idea what the speed limits are on those roads.
From what I saw on google maps quite a few of those roads have double yellow lines all along, so I also presume that if you are stuck behind a camper that you just are out of luck, because of the (again, I presume) big fines when passing over double yellow.

I have no plans on driving as if I am on a race track, just to make things clear

Comanche_699

I made a couple slight modifications / suggestions for the first leg of your trip - check it out.

http://tinyurl.com/mrr7g7w

When you do Shoreline Road through Mill Valley, up the mountain and out to HWY 1 and then turn around down at Stinson and head back, you can actually broaden that loop, by taking the Panoramic Highway back up and over Mt. Tamalpais. It takes you through the redwood forest, and along the ridge overlooking the coast on the return. If you have time, you should try and take a brief (10 or 20 minute detour) and check out West Ridgecrest Boulevard. It's where they film all the best car commercials, and it's a beautiful road. (Take Pan Toll to Ridgecrest, and turn left for West Ridgecrest)

On the 1, CHP doesn't generally get out there until around 9am, and they always hang in the same spots. The most common area is on the wide open flat just north of Muir Beach Overlook before the hill drops away to Slide Ranch. The New Google Maps has gotten so obnoxious, I have no idea how to put a pin anymore. but be warned, they do rove. I'm out there almost every day, and there are lots and lots of Porsches and Ferraris and sport bikes that head out there every day and it's generally a great time. However, Saturdays and Sundays are reserved for Priuses, Honda Odysseys, and The California Highway Patrol between 8:30am and 8pm.

Also, when you head up toward Napa, keep it within sight of the speed limit on the 101 through Marin County. The speed limit is pretty much 55 everywhere until you get to northern San Rafael. Highway Patrol enjoys hiding out on the long open straight line stretches of Highway 37 too. Since it's the gateway to Sonoma Raceway, it's basically a big speed trap. When you are getting onto HWY 37 coming off the 101, they tend to hang out on the first long straight away. As you come across the bridge over the Petaluma River, it's not uncommon for the boys to be at the bottom of the bridge too, so be prudent through there.

Unless you're planning to eat in Yountville, Rutherford, or St. Helena, there is much less traffic and much smoother, wider pavement on The Silverado Trail. There are several tributaries if you want to dip back over to HWY 29 and get some good eats. Lots of great restaurants on The 29 for sure. Rutherford Grill, Ad Hoc, Goose & Gander, Mustards, Taylor's Refresher (Now "Gott's), Giugni's - the list goes on and on and on - but if you're not trying to hit all the amazing restaurants, you can just fly right along The Silverado Trail and still see plenty of Napa's amazing scenery.


Once you get up toward Placerville, you can jump off the 50, and skip all the motorhomes and priuses & what not (depending on time of travel) by taking the Mormon Emigrant Trail for a stretch. It starts off slow, but really opens up and there are a lot less Law Men out there and you can really stretch the ol' Porsche's legs - If you're on the throttle you can shave about 20 to 30 minutes off of the Highway 50 route, and get the ol' heart thumping too. Just keep off the REAL throttle mashing until you're past Jenkinson Lake, then it's pretty much vacant roadway.

When you get in to Markleeville, if you've got a half hour to spare, it's worth a quick trip out Hot Springs road to Grover Hotsprings - it's an old school natural hotspring - not very fancy, but it's got fantastic panoramic views of 10,000' mountains and the hot springs are a very relaxing break after riding hard in the saddle from SF to The Mountains.

Also, Markleeville was home to Snowshoe Thompson - google up on his history, it's a hell of a story. That guy was a badass.

Lastly, that stretch of HWY 89 (Monitor Pass) over the mountain and heading toward Topaz lake is amazingly beautiful. Highway 395 is also just incredibly beautiful - but watch it. Highway Patrol has some very subtle looking cruisers out there, They have some all white ford Explorers and they're easy to miss. I've also seen some totally unmarked metallic rose colored coupes, and little brown SUV's - so trust your instincts, and use the go pedal wisely. They don't get too bummed on individuals doing 80mph, but I've watched them drive like The God Damned Dukes of Hazzard across the median to flip around and really light it up to go catch motorcades of escalades and cayenne turbos doing a hundred.

The double yellow thing is a 'dealer's choice' kind of thing. Again, use your judgement, but you'll see there's lots of opportunity to safely pass in many places, and you don't have to be 'out of luck' if you come up on a camper. (or Prius) - Also, in my experience, if your headlights are on, and you don't get right up the slower car's tailpipe, they will typically pull over at the first opportunity. My rule is, if the driver ahead is really holding me up (it's not uncommon to come up on someone doing 15 or 20 under the posted speed limit - sustained - in the canyons and coastal routes), and they drive past 3 turn outs without letting me by I just pass them (not aggressively) and get on with my life.

Yes, you can drive flat out in a canyon and get away with it. But you just have to have your eyes up, all the time. I keep my speeds absolutely in check when in town, and on the freeways, but still that oil temp makes its way up toward 250 very frequently.

Anyway - that's my Novella.

Enjoy your trip. I'm sure it'll be a blast - if you know what time you might head out the coast, PM me and I may be able to rally and roll out for a quick lap around the coast with you.

Good times,

- Dan

ltcjmramos

Is the 19th the day you head out to the first leg, Hwy 1? If so, like Comanche_699, let me know your departure time, and I'll join you (with my radar detector). As a meeting place, I would suggest the Vista Point at the north end of the GG Bridge. Name the time.

So, you're in Mammoth on the 20th? If so, see http://raddrives.com/catalog/index.p...&product_id=50 for a good group of driving enthusiasts who will be there that evening. If interested, I can get you the drive leader's email.

ir_fuel

This is great stuff guys! Thanks A LOT!

Yes the 19th is the day I head out to Mammoth Lakes. Will be staying there the 20th, and the 21st I will be heading for Spring Mountain.

I'll check out departure time from SF after having studied the route info I got from Comanche_699.

FYI I'll be driving the Hertz rental Camaro SS convertible.

ir_fuel

My guess is I will leave SF quite early (staying in *** Hill). Since it will be my first day there, and taking the jet lag into account I will be on the road early in the morning. Don't have a fixed schedule, so, ltcjmramos (had to copy paste that ), how early are you up on Fridays?

ltcjmramos

I'm up every day 5-5:30. With that, I could be at the Vista Point NLT 7. If you need it earlier, I could probably do 1/2 hour earlier.

BTW, name is Joe

ir_fuel

Sounds good. 7am over there then?

Any idea of how far you will drive along? Since you know your way around it will make part of my drive more relaxing by following the leader.

Btw do you use WhatsApp?

ltcjmramos

I'll be good for most of the day. Depends on how far we get. Just so I return to the homestead for dinner.

I might suggest that we go further up Hwy 1, and cut over near Tomales to Petaluma where we can pick up 116/12 into Napa. Saves freeway driving.

I'm not tech fluent, what's WhatsApp?

Comanche_699

I agree continuing up the 1 to Tomales is a good call, and the sun is behind you the whole way instead of in your windshield looping back over the mountain. 116 to the 12, up to Napa is nice too- (that's the route where you turn off Lakeville Highway at the old Tin Bar and shoot up the hill I think. 7am heading up the mountain should get you well ahead of any LE or Ranger drama too.

I'll keep an eye on this thread- I've been getting a Lonestar LeMans itch and may dip down to Austin for the race that weekend instead, ( really want to see Mark Webber piloting the 919 around COTA) but if I stay local I will try and cruise with at least for the coastal stretch & loop back for work around Olema or Point Reyes Station if you do take the 1 up to the 116 instead.

- Dan

ir_fuel

Any tips for an "interesting" route from Vegas back to LA? Can be done in 2 days. I guess there isn't that much to see since its basically in the desert.

david

Late to this thread...thanks for the heads-up, Joe!

I believe that I can shepherd you through the north bay on Friday. Would it be possible to hook up in Mill Valley? In order for me to access the Vista Point, I'd have to first go south over the bridge, turn around and come back north.

We could meet at Strawberry Village and I can take you up a local route to Panoramic Hwy....let me know.

Comanche's suggestion to go through Monitor is a great one (Sonora Pass is also a blast!) however if you are coming all the way here and not transiting Yosemite (via Oakdale > Old Priest's Grade > Groveland > Tioga Pass) than I believe that you may be making a mistake.

Nevertheless all of the Sierra crossing are very special...I hope to see you on Friday!