San Francisco to LA on I-5 -- midway lodging options??
Dec 4th, 2010, 04:43 PM
#21
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I see this thread has simmered down a bit, so.....I endorse your idea of driving down the central valley and back up 101. My wife and I made an an analogous loop in late September, driving from the LA area up CA-99 to the Sacramento delta, and back two days later via I-5. We could easily have jumped on 101, which we have done a number of times previously, but decided to see some different scenery.
On 99, we did not experience a "tougher drive" going through the various towns along the route. It was 65+ all the way. The whole route is now freeway and is being considered for Interstate status.
I-5 was a pleasant drive, even scenic to my eyes. Again, 65+ all the way. We did not detect any annoying smells, even when we stopped in Kettleman for a burger.
Like a lot of people, I have driven in thick fog and do not like it one bit. And Tule fog can indeed be a problem in the central valley. In fact, I found by checking that they are in the fog season right now, which runs from November 1 through March. I was unable to find statistical data on how often the tule fog occurs, how long it lasts, etc. But it's certainly not every day, because some schools have "fog days" and that wouldn't work if the fog is too frequent, or the kids would be way behind by March, and their mothers would be nuts. I've been looking at the weather forecasts for Fresno, and right now they say no fog through Dec.18.
On 99, we did not experience a "tougher drive" going through the various towns along the route. It was 65+ all the way. The whole route is now freeway and is being considered for Interstate status.
I-5 was a pleasant drive, even scenic to my eyes. Again, 65+ all the way. We did not detect any annoying smells, even when we stopped in Kettleman for a burger.
Like a lot of people, I have driven in thick fog and do not like it one bit. And Tule fog can indeed be a problem in the central valley. In fact, I found by checking that they are in the fog season right now, which runs from November 1 through March. I was unable to find statistical data on how often the tule fog occurs, how long it lasts, etc. But it's certainly not every day, because some schools have "fog days" and that wouldn't work if the fog is too frequent, or the kids would be way behind by March, and their mothers would be nuts. I've been looking at the weather forecasts for Fresno, and right now they say no fog through Dec.18.
Dec 5th, 2010, 02:51 PM
#22
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Fog is related to the temperature and amount of moisture on the ground. I despise the fog. In years where there is not alot of rain it can be foggy for weeks. You can turn into mole people unless you travel to higher ground to see the sun.
Dec 5th, 2010, 07:47 PM
#24
"But it's certainly not every day"
No, but when it does occur it can last for weeks. It isn't like coastal fog.
"We did not detect any annoying smells, even when we stopped in Kettleman for a burger"
Harris Ranch is 30 miles from Kettleman City
No, but when it does occur it can last for weeks. It isn't like coastal fog.
"We did not detect any annoying smells, even when we stopped in Kettleman for a burger"
Harris Ranch is 30 miles from Kettleman City
Dec 5th, 2010, 08:56 PM
#25
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What's more important than fog (which may or may not be a problem at the time the OP is traveling) or smells (which may or may not be localized to Harris Ranch) is how do you italicize text in these posts? I would like to be able to do that. Maybe it's a choice of the browser and/or operating system. I'm using Firefox 3.6.12 on a Mac OS 10.6.5. But I have other choices.
Dec 6th, 2010, 09:20 AM
#27
Italic is done by typing < i > (w/o the spaces and < /i > to close the Italics.
same w/ bold: < B >, < /B >
Underline: < u >, < /u>
red: < red >, < /red >
Like this: < i>< red>< B>< u> <red>Like this</red>< /i>< /red>< /B>< /u>
same w/ bold: < B >, < /B >
Underline: < u >, < /u>
red: < red >, < /red >
Like this: < i>< red>< B>< u> <red>Like this</red>< /i>< /red>< /B>< /u>
Dec 8th, 2010, 07:43 AM
#33
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It's not that we FAILED to notice the smell around the Harris Ranch it's that the feed lot is sufficiently far from the Inn that the smell was not present at the Inn.
Also 99 smells far worse than anything on I5. When we drove south on 99 at Thanksgiving the smell of feed lots was nearly constant in some areas and far worse than the feed lot near Harris Ranch. I don't remember so many feed lots along 99. Maybe it had to do with temperature or wind direction but the kids sure did carry on.
Also 99 smells far worse than anything on I5. When we drove south on 99 at Thanksgiving the smell of feed lots was nearly constant in some areas and far worse than the feed lot near Harris Ranch. I don't remember so many feed lots along 99. Maybe it had to do with temperature or wind direction but the kids sure did carry on.
Dec 8th, 2010, 09:41 AM
#34
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Suzie, I wasn't referring to your post - I agree with you, inside the inn and restaurant you don't smell "the smell". I was referring to dbdurand's post, which read in part:
"I-5 was a pleasant drive, even scenic to my eyes. Again, 65+ all the way. We did not detect any annoying smells, even when we stopped in Kettleman for a burger"
"I-5 was a pleasant drive, even scenic to my eyes. Again, 65+ all the way. We did not detect any annoying smells, even when we stopped in Kettleman for a burger"
Dec 8th, 2010, 10:38 AM
#35
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Oh well then that makes sense. I know the Harris Ranch does move around the feed lot so maybe it was further away from the freeway and the wind was blowing in another direction during dbdurand's drive on I5. Lucky! 
Dec 8th, 2010, 10:02 PM
#37
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It really depends on where you are starting out from.
If you start out from San Francisco (and not from some other part of the Bay Area) at 8am or earlier you will not run into much traffic here in Silicon Valley, since the rush hour traffic is all going the other way.
This means that you should be able to pull up to Grandma's house in Burbank by about 3pm in the afternoon.
I would suggest starting out early from the Bay Area, since the rush hour traffic you want to miss is down at the LA end. 3pm would be pushing right up to the beginning of the rush hour down there.
If you start out from San Francisco (and not from some other part of the Bay Area) at 8am or earlier you will not run into much traffic here in Silicon Valley, since the rush hour traffic is all going the other way.
This means that you should be able to pull up to Grandma's house in Burbank by about 3pm in the afternoon.
I would suggest starting out early from the Bay Area, since the rush hour traffic you want to miss is down at the LA end. 3pm would be pushing right up to the beginning of the rush hour down there.
