Cambria to Bakersfield
 

Trying to hook up with Interstate 40 after driving the Highway 1 coastal route South from Carmel. Is it reasonable to take 46E? Thanks! It looks good on a map, but you never know the reality. Appreciate your help!

Perfectly reasonable. I've driven a number of times from Flagstaff to the Bay Area - 40, Tehachapi, Bakersfield, then 46 to Paso Robles and up 101. 46 is the best part (meaning the part I enjoy the most, not the fastest). On another trip I drove from Yosemite to Cambria via 41 & 46. I like both those roads.

You are hopefully trying to meet up with I 5 not 40. I did this drive for the first time a few months ago and the road was fine. To get to Bakersfield you actually need to cut over to the 99 not I 5.

Well, in fact I am trying to reach 40 to head to the East Coast.

Glad you clarified. The Western terminus of I-40 is Barstow, CA. So map out a route to get from Cambria to Barstow. I like Google Maps for this sort of thing. Mapquest will do it too. So will the Rand McNally road atlas or an AAA map. Or just about any other road map of California.

Just reverse the route I mention above. 46 to 99, south to Bakersfield. 58 over the hill through Tehachapi and down, continue into the desert, cross 395 (gas & food at the intersection). A very short section of 15 and onto 40.

There is a sign at the split of I-15 and I-40 "Wilmington NC 2554 miles". The sign in NC has been stolen and will not be replaced http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?se...rre&id=7116384
Be careful west of Wasco on 46. You will pass the intersection where James Dean was killed.

Got it! Many thanks. This is all we need. Barstow it is.

Thanks for clarifying. The post makes more sense now.