roadhound

Thanks for the pics Sioux. I know exactly where that is and will have to check it out on my next journey through. Roadhound

Two years ago during spring break we took a family roadtrip to the Grand Canyon. Our second day of the trip started in Las Vegas and we were on the road by 9:00 AM. We stopped for an hour at the dam, an hour in Kingman at Mr. D'z Diner for a burger, took the Interstate to Williams where we stopped for another hour, and finally got to the rim of the Grand Canyon at ~5:00 just before sunset. Granted, you could get an earlier start, and do have more hours of daylight in the summer months, but a one day trip driving it yourself is pushing it. If you are going to drive it yourself I would recommend 2 days, that will give you a chance to see The Dam, The Canyon, and maybe take in the Grand Canyon Caverns. There are a number of photos from that area here As Denny alluded to the section of 66 between Ash Fork and Kingman is a great section of road to drive. Roadhound

Keep it's like you read my mind. As I read Mikey's post I started thinking that instead of Yosemite-San Francisco you could cut across the Central Valley and hit the coast in Monterey (about a 4 hour drive from Mariposa via CA 140 and CA 152), then I read your post. It might also be worth considering going a little further south through Paso Robles and drive the entire Big Sur Coast up to Carmel. The Carmel-Monterey-Santa Cruz area is worth the trip if you can work it in. Monterey was once a fishing/canning town that has turned to tourism to support itself. Even so, much of the Cannery Row feel that John Steinbeck wrote about can still be found there. Santa Cruz is a college town with all of the amenities you would expect of a college near the beach. Santa Cruz is the original Surf City. The town was hit pretty hard in 1989 by an Earthquake but they have done a great job of restoring their downtown area with lots of nice restaurants, coffee shops, and such. Stick to the coast to get into San Francisco like Keep recommends, not much to see going through San Jose,lots of traffic, and not as many jobs as there used to be. However, if you do decide to go from Yosemite to San Francisco you will likely drive through the Altamont Pass where you can pay a quick pilgramage to the Altamont Speedway which was the sight of the infamous Rolling Stones concert in 1969. I like the rest of your plan, wish I could go along. The diversion to Crater Lake and the volcanic area around Bend is a nice touch. During the summer months you will experience quite a difference in temperature between the inland areas and the coast. Be prepared for the difference in tempurature between the inland areas and the coast. During the summer months the swing can be as much 40 degrees F or more. There's a reason that the sweatshirt vendors on Fisherman's Wharf drive nice cars. Roadhound

Thanks for filling in that gap Denny. As it turned out I drove through Banta earlier today on my way home from a training class and now that the route west out of Banta is resolved, I am now wondering about the route between Mossdale and Banta. Comparing the 1915 topo map of the area to Google Earth it would appear that the original route followed Manthey Road, is buried underneath I-5 and then W 11th St before turning right on what is now Grant Line Road towards Banta. On the topo it is a straight line from the crossing until it reaches Grant Line.

Welcome Boy Named Sioux! Good to see another Californian get on board. I once called Tracy home for about two years or so back in the mid 80's, which was before any of the devolopment of the last 20 years occurred. We used to have to drive to Modesto or Pleasanton to do anything other than shop for groceries. From what I know of that area, and I am a newbie myself when it comes to this stuff, the Lincoln made its way from Mossdale crossing to Banta. I am not sure on the exact route but I suspect a key part of it is under the I-5\I-205 interchange. Going west from Banta it followed the Southern Pacific rail line along what is now W. Brichetto Rd until it reached 11th St and continued through Tracy. Once it got through town it then met up with Byron Rd for a short distance before turning west on West Grant Line Rd and towards the Altamont. If that turns out to be incorrect you can blame Brian Butko because I got the info out of his "Greetings from The Lincoln Highway." As a side note I hear that Brian's next Lincoln Book has been sent to the printer. Can't wait to get my hands on that. I have a few other postings in the LH section of this board of sites around the Altamont, Dublin, and Castro Valley area that you might be interested in too. Cheers, Roadhound

Yes, we came west on Nevada 722, which was the re-aligned Lincoln and original US 50, out of Austin. Have I mentioned that Nevada a 722 is my favorite piece of road to drive? If my recollections are correct we passed a clearing on the side of the road 10-15 miles east of Eastgate (guess) that may have been the location that your pictures were taken at. I recall looking for the site of Lincoln Park and the only spot that gave the appearance that there was once anything of significance there was a clearing on the south side of the road. We stopped and looked but there wasn't much to see. It looked like it was cleared out to make room for road construction equipment. If those buildings were anywhere along 722 we missed them. A few of Nevada 722 From Carroll Summit Near Skull Canyon

Great postcard find Keep. It's interesting to note the elevation difference between the then and now photos. Now there looks to be a few feet rise up to the present day roadbed that I would assume was added while paving the roadway when that route was still part of US 50. On our trip through there in '07 we did stop and look through the interior of the former store building and there was not much in the way of interior amenities. Not even a floor. I wish I had known at the time that it was used as a service station. And the ranchhouse did look like it had recently been occupied.

Ara, I was so looking forward to your extended visit to Death Valley and thoughts on Titus Canyon, the Racetrack, and Eureka Dunes. Having been there twice in the last 18 months and 3 times in the last 4 years I know how fickle and extreme the valley can be. I think if you had been a month earlier during our January heat wave or a month later you would have faired better. On our visit there last April we had the perfect weather with temperatures in the mid 70's and all roads open. We were even treated to a flyby by the shuttle and space station (2 very bright stars moving through the sky) during our evening meal. Afterwards the Navy showed off their stuff with night ops over the desert. A perfect camping trip. On the previous stay while camping with my son's Boy Scout Troop we had perfect weather for 3 days and on the last night we were hit with a ferocious windstorm that broke tent poles and had scouts eating meals in the shelter of the restrooms. You could hear the wind build in intensity until it sounded like a freight train was coming at you. Seconds later the tent would be shaking violently and sand would be pelting the outside of the tent. It went on like that all night long and into the next morning. On my visit 4 years ago I entered the valley from the west and was greeted by an incoming storm that left half a years worth of rain overnight. At least I was able to figure out why the CalTrans trucks had snow plows on them in a desert, or should I say mudplows? The next day it was absolutely perfect. Cheers and have a safe trip home. Roadhound

$2.27 this morning in San Ramon, CA. Plus, as part of California's ever growing budget problems it looks like they are going to add an additional 12 cents a gallon in taxes. I predict we will be well above $2.50 a gallon by the time Memorial Day comes around.

A few comments. First, it may not have been evident but I am not a big fan of Southern California which is why I recommended going the opposite direction. Like Keep said it is urban sprawl and congestion. However, there are a couple of attractions that I would venture there for (USS Midway Museum in San Diego, San Diego Aeronautical Museum, and the Planes of Fame Aviation Museum in Chino) just because they are unique enough to justify dealing with the urban sprawl and congestion. Plus, I would like to encourage you to spend your tourist dollars in Northern California. The mission that Keep recommended is a good one but I also like Mission San Antonio de Padua on the Fort Hunter Ligget Military Reservation. Because it is on land once owned by William Randolph Hearst, and is now on an active Army base, it has no development around it and retains much of the original feel including the tanning tanks and irrigation systems used almost 200 years ago. However, you would need to stay on the El Camino Real (US 101) instead of visiting the Big Sur Coast. Hearst Castle is an interesting visit if you want to see all of the treasures that he purchased in Europe and brought to California. It does require tickets for an allotted time and you will have difficulty getting on a tour if you don't purchase them in advance. If you intend to drive California Highway 1 between Cambria and Carmel (the Big Sur Coast) plan on it taking a full day. It is a windy road with no room to pass the slower summer RV traffic that will no doubt be in front of you. Roadhound

This forum is full of folks that all know the best road to drive. We only ask that you share your journey with us. Here's the route I would take. First of all expect it to be hot in Vegas when you get there, like 110 degrees hot. Grand Canyon and Route 66 between Kingman and Williams is a great drive if you don't mind backtracking a bit. There is not much but desert to the North of Vegas including Death Valley National Park which you can easily expect to be above 115 degrees at that time of year. If you don't mind the heat and load yourself up with plenty of water you could pass through Death Valley to get to US 395. Take your time, watch your engine temp and don't overheat the brakes coming down the mountains. If you're not up for driving through a furnace you could go south out of Vegas to Barstow and catch 395 just to the west of Barstow and head north from there. 395 takes you along the east side of the Sierra Nevada Range up to Mono Lake and Tioga Pass. Tioga Pass takes you into Yosemite National Park which is...well, it's Yosemite. Nothing else needs to be said. Unfortunately you may not see any of the waterfalls at that time of year because of the lateness in the summer combined with our current drought. Still worth seeing though. From Yosemite you are less than a day from San Francisco and US 101. Taking US 101 north follows the Redwood Highway all the way to the Oregon border. Biggest damn trees you have ever seen and make sure you follow the Avenue of the Giants. For a side trip divert to the Mendicino Coast. A few discussion about regarding the the Redwood Highway from last year. http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...p?showtopic=934 http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...t=0&start=0 The Oregon Coast is simply spectacular with sand dunes and sea stacks. There are lots of campgrounds and parks along the whole route. 101 into Washington will loop around the Olympic Peninsula, which unfortunately I have never been to, but is on my bucket list. Take the ferry across Puget Sound into Seattle. There is no better way to enter the Emerald City. Good luck on your planning! Roadhound

Ara, when is your trip to Death Valley? Good time of year to visit with warm days, cold nights, and the occassional windstorm. I've been there a couple of times in the last few years. Make sure a trip out to Racetrack Playa and drive through Titus Canyon is on your itinerary. Roadhound

From the Popular Science article about the motorized bike unicycle thingy "The Uno’s two wheelchair motors should, theoretically, give it a top speed of 40 mph, but for safety’s sake, Gulak hasn’t taken it above 15 mph yet."

Just paid $1.33 per gallon. The posted price was $2.03 but we had a number of 10 cents a gallon discount credits that we hadn't used. In California if you have a Safeway Club Card they give you credits whenever you purchase a certain amount in the store. Apparently it had been a while since we gased up at a Safeway Gas Station. 17 Gallons for $23. Roadhound

Welcome aboard SF, great to see you here. I, and I am sure others, can't wait for you to share some of the family history in the area around 395. It's a really good group here with lots of information to share with anybody interested in the American Road. One thing I think we all agree on around here is that it is more than the asphalt or dirt trail that make these roads interesting but rather the people and history that surround them. Speaking of which, didn't you have a recent adventure on Conway Summit that you can share? Roadhound

Ibapah can be reached off of US 93 via Ibapah Rd. and I can validate that it is paved at least 15 miles north of Ibapah, Gold Hill road connects to Ibapah Road in 2 places and the southernmost road was well graded in the summertime. In the winter you would have to make a judgement call. Gold Hill had occupants when I went through there and with the price of metals staying high I would assume that people are still there digging for gold. There are a couple of landmarks to be seen in Ibapah and a nice monument with panels for the Pony Express, Overland Trail, and the Lincoln Highway. There is a Pony Express obelisk south of Ibapah near Eightmile. Of course, you would need to double back to US 93 to continue your journey but if you have the time it might be a pleasant diversion. Roadhound

I can personally recommend Brian Butko's "Greetings from the Lincoln Highway" as a good resource. It covers the route fully from east to west. I've also heard that he has a "traveler's companion" in the works that sounds like it was meant to be used while on the road. Roadhound

Keep fails to mention that there is a fee for this advice...We get to hear all about your journey

Thanks for chiming in Keep. My experience on desert high country dirt roads in the winter can be counted on, well it can't be counted because I don't have any. Although, It would be spectacular to see in the late winter and early spring I bet. The more I think about it though you are absolutely right, it shouldn't be attempted in the winter months by the unexperienced.

This is a journey that I have given some thought to and am undecided on whether I would give it a try. It will all depend on the weather but it may be possible as long as you are cautious. First a 4x4, chains and the tools necessary to dig yourself out if you get stuck are a must. I would also be packing cold weather survival gear but if your are coming from Yellowstone I would assume that you already have the necessary long johns and such. The risk you run through the Salt Lake desert is the potential for wet conditions that might cause you to get stuck in the mud or salt flats. However, I don't believe that it would be much of a problem unless you decided to get off of the graded gravel roadway. Of course, if it is a really wet year and the once dry lakebed is now an actual lake that could be a problem. Between Callao and Ely you cross two mountain ranges on dirt roads with the potential for snow or ice. Although, given the desert climate I would not expect the snow to be to deep. The area between Eightmile and Tippets was slippery during the summertime but it may be frozen at that time of year. West of Ely should be no problem as long as you stay on the US 50 hardtop but there is always the potential for road closures West of Lake Tahoe if there is a storm passing through. Before you go study the map carefully and give consideration to bailout points either north or south where you could go around a closed mountain pass or head quickly back to civilization. I did the journey between Salt Lake and Ely in a single day, during the summer, starting at the break of dawn and it was dark when we arrived in Ely. There are no services along the way so you would be committing to either sleeping in the car or driving in the dark. I would assume that your progress would be slower than ours was where our typical speed was 35-45 mph. There is another option which is to follow the final alignment of the Lincoln on I-80 to Wendover, South on US 93 to Ely, and then West on 50. Probably a safer option at that time of year. Roadhound

Keep, Sorry to hear about Bo. I know the dilemma between caring for an old dog and the yearning to hit the open road on a whim. You know where I would recommend in Utah (Salt Lake City to Ely via the Lincoln in case I needed to spell it out) but it doesn't have the dramatic canyon vistas and could be a bit dicey in a sedan the closer you get to winter. Safe travels where ever you decide to head. Roadhound

I dropped an e-mail to the webmaster on the Canada Highways site that is at the top of this thread but no response as of yet. I suspect that it is King's Highway 11 as well and did follow it on Google maps in the Lake Nipogon area. It's not to far from Thunder Bay which is where my grandfather grew up. There's no indication on the photo who the person walking on the roadway is. Roadhound

Bain Summit near near Lake Nipigan in Ontario. Bain is my mother's maiden name and her grandfather was the superintendant responsible for building the road. The name has since been changed meaning it is now time for me to do some research and find out what it has been changed too. Roadhound

Keep, I would certainly be interested in anything in California but in particular the Redwood Highway. I've developed quite a fascination with that piece of roadway. Roadhound

Great stuff Keep, I've been occupied with other things for the last few weeks and finally had a chance to catch up on some of your explorations. Just one question, when are you going publish this all in a book? Roadhound