Originally Posted By peeaanuut jayna and i are getting back into our day trips of california and she mentioned that she has not seen the redwoods. Technically I think she has because we have been through big sur. Arent those redwoods? lol. I did take her to Sequoia not too long ago as well. But this weekend we figured we could do a nor cal trip. So my plan is this. Get to San francisco either up the 5 or 101. We have done both of those drives and so thats no biggie. But she saw an article about Philo with covered bridges and stuff so we are going to go past SF and head up the cost on the 1 to the 128. take that south east to the 101 passing Philo and the Hendy Woods State Park and Milliard Redwood State park. Ok what do you guys think? Anyone been up that way before? I have been through there on the 101 and the 1 going to Eureka and past but never really driven around in that area. Anyone have experience with those roads?
Originally Posted By Lisann22 Personally I'd take 101 up, then get onto 128 as it loops around to 1 taking it back down. Kind of a complete circle of the area. That way you get up into the area, then you can decide how much time to spend where. If you take 1 all the way up, that's a long drive on a lot of one lane road that twists and turns. FYI Saturday we are suppose to have rain and fog up in that area. So that's going to slow you down too. It's be beautiful though. ;>
Originally Posted By peeaanuut thanks for the tip Lisa. As I looked at the maps that seemed to be a better idea. I also looked at cutting a small part of the northern trip by taking a smaller road that might offer some better scenery. Also it is the road I would need to take to Hendy. I love small backroads. But I am certain we will go north on the 101 now and come down the coast, at least back to the bay and than back home down the 5. Another 1000 mile+ day trip. Good times, good times.
Originally Posted By peeaanuut I figure we will go up the 5 to the bay area as we can make good time if we leave early enough. Than go around the north end of the bay to the 101 and than head north from there. We have do the 1 up to the bay several times so the key for this trip would be getting north first and then taking different roads.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 Ok - just a warning 5 to 580 to 80 onto the Bay Bridge can really start backing up on the weekends. My 35 to 45 min drive into SF under normal conditions can turn into 90 min on a Saturday morning (10 to 12noon). Just a word of caution.
Originally Posted By peeaanuut yeah we ran into that during fleet week which is why I figured we would go around to the north. However we will have company with us so they might want to cross the Golden Gate bridge. I know Jayna likes that stuff.
Originally Posted By Big Thunder personally if I were take I-5 to eventually get on 101 above I would take 5 north to 580 west and go PAST 80 [bay bridge] and skip going through the city, instead staying on 580 until it connects to 101 in San Rafael. Unless you want to stop in SF. If my family were with me they would insist, but I'm up in the bay area every month so I would probably skip it if I wanted to focuss on places farther north.
Originally Posted By peeaanuut I think I will be able to convince jayna to skip it, it just depends on our guests. However, we will be in need of food about the time we roll into the city so maybe we will stop there anyways. Right now its so up in the air.
Originally Posted By Big Thunder ^^ plus if you take Bay Bridge into the city to 101, you have congested street traffic
Originally Posted By Lisann22 That's where I was going with my questions Big Thunder is just to keep going on either 580 or take 680 and go across the Benicia/Martinez bridge drops you into the Novato area. You skip all of that.
Originally Posted By peeaanuut what is the bridge that goes along the north of the bay right by San Quentin? Is that the 580?
Originally Posted By peeaanuut The last time we went into the city we went 5 north to the 580. So I guess we could go 5 north to 580 west to 680 north towards valejo to the 780 and than go west on the 37 to the 101. That seems quite a round about way though. Now that I look at it, the 5 to the 580 to the 101 seems like a good route. probably not the fastest but faster than going into the city right?
Originally Posted By Lisann22 That would be the San Rafael bridge. Your other option is to go 5, to 580 to 680 and stay on it all the way till you get to Vallejo, then take the 37 across to Novato. You go across the Benicia/Martinez bridge and past Sears Point.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 LOL - echo. Yes 5 to 580 to 101 is more direct but like LA just depends on traffic. That's the route I'd take if I wasn't wanting to sightsee SF.
Originally Posted By peeaanuut its like the difference of taking the 105 to the 405 to the 10 vs just running straight through on the 10.
Originally Posted By peeaanuut hmmm, any good places for brunch in livermore? Should be around that time when we get through there.
