Driving around California

[Weasel]

Anybody got any experience in winter driving around California?

I was looking to go to Yosemite and Sequoia in November on the way to Vegas from San Francisco, but apparently they close some of the main roads due to snow. The other possiblity is Lake Tahoe, but I've not heard anything good about it.

Any info gratefully received, ta muchly.

[BANGKOK RED]

Just remember to drive on the Right hand side of the road.

[pauld]

Anybody got any experience in winter driving around California?

I was looking to go to Yosemite and Sequoia in November on the way to Vegas from San Francisco, but apparently they close some of the main roads due to snow. The other possiblity is Lake Tahoe, but I've not heard anything good about it.

Any info gratefully received, ta muchly.

FWIW (and I suspect that's not very much) I was out in SF last November and we toyed with the idea of going to Yosemite on our "free" weekend, no mention of any road problems and the guy planning it has been there several times before. That said, we didn't go in the end and it was cracking the flags even in November - we were in t-shirts the whole week - so may not have come up because it was abnormally warm?

[ron dodgers]

went touring in May and it was very warm but the high road into Yosemite was still blocked - had to go the long way

[suttonred]

I like these threads, have no advice on this, but am doing Route 66 next year, anyone done that, and have any suggestions or advice?

[A Gent Orange]

Driving long distances in America is easy but incredibly dull and slow. Because of cruise control everyone drives absolutely on the speed limit - or 2 mph over - margin for error. So you can find yourself driving along next to a huge rig for about six hours - it's like Duel but only a 55mph.

Oh yeah speed limit vary massively from state to state and they are enforced rigidly so keep your eyes open. Some will be 70 and some as low as 35 - if it crosses a national park.

We went East Coast - from Atlanta all the way up to DC on the Blue Ridge Parkway, down to the Outer Banks and then down to Wlmington and into South Carolina in about ten days. Which was about 2000 miles - so unlimited milage on the rental was a bit of a must.

Oh the only bit of good advice I can think of is when you cross into a new state look for the official state welcome centre - they will give you free maps and you can get vouchers for motels and stuff.

Oh and if you do get pulled over the old british paper licences do a good job of confusing US coppers. Sometimes they just decide that isn't worth the hassle...

[pumbaa]

Bullshit Orange. You've clearly never driven in Atlanta then, or any other big city in the States for that matter. To say that everybody drives at the speed limit is so totally incorrect its untrue. Its truly scary shit when some huge 40+ tonner overtakes you downhill at 80mph.......other than that, good general driving advice.

Back to the original question. I can't offer any specific advice as I never made it to SanFran area while I was there, however be aware that it does suffer from some serious snowfall in the winter months. I've heard Lake Tahoe is fairly spectacular, but can't verify it. Yosemite is a must though I would guess.

I plan to move to Wilmington NC idc, I just love the place. I might just adopt Sonic Youth and just move there......

[Nomoreheroes]

Yosemite in November: Its just the luck of the draw with weather I'm afraid.

Route 66: A bloody long and boring road!

NMH

[suttonred]

Bullshit Orange. You've clearly never driven in Atlanta then, or any other big city in the States for that matter. To say that everybody drives at the speed limit is so totally incorrect its untrue. Its truly scary shit when some huge 40+ tonner overtakes you downhill at 80mph.......other than that, good general driving advice.

Back to the original question. I can't offer any specific advice as I never made it to SanFran area while I was there, however be aware that it does suffer from some serious snowfall in the winter months. I've heard Lake Tahoe is fairly spectacular, but can't verify it. Yosemite is a must though I would guess.

I plan to move to Wilmington NC idc, I just love the place. I might just adopt Sonic Youth and just move there......

Must admit i agree, have driven on the freeways around LA and no one sticks to the limits, many way above, coupled with the wrong side of the road shenanigans bloody scary.

[A Gent Orange]

No I never drove in Atlanta and never claimed I did. I went from there - ie. the airport and staright to the north. I never went through the city. The rest was all interstate driving.