Topic: Possible Road Trip to Cali

[Zaider]

Cue Notorious BIG - Going back to Cali.....


So, one of my best friends is getting married in San Diego on August 26. It's a thursday, which is kind of annoying, but I have a bunch of vacation I should use at some point.

Option A is to fly down on the wednesday night and then fly back on Sunday night... boring, but probably the most responsible. Option B is the more exciting option.

I have to be in Victoria the weekend before. I am thinking about taking the friday off (Aug 20) and driving out to Victoria that day (done this many times). Then, stay there till Sunday and either take the ferry across to Port Angeles or spend that night in Vancouver with friends and then cross the border. Monday, I'd head south. I would take the Pacific Coast highway all the way south, staying in Southern Oregon (monday night) and San Jose (tuesday night with a friend) before reaching San Diego on the Wednesday. Then, I could hang out in Cali until Sunday when I could head over to the Grand Canyon, camp there... and then up to the Salt Flats on Tuesday. I'd like to run my car on the salt flats, but it might be a decision i make when i get there. It would be full of stuff from the trip and I wouldn't want to break anything by running it flat out 5 times (that's what the pass gets you). I think i'd be able to make it into the 150mph club... that's only 240km... Im just wondering if I could get up to speed that fast...  Leaving there, I would have until the Monday to make my way back up to Calgary (could do it in 2 days, but why rush?)

This is my anticipated route: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=107894770041139742019.00048aa5796305a14ff04&ie=UTF8&ll=47.383474,-119.069824&spn=3.77899,19.335937&t=h&z=6

It's probably about 7000km when all is said and done. My only concerns right now:
a) I'd most likely be doing it alone and that's a hell of a long time to be in the car by myself...
b) The car is running well right now. I have plenty of time to sort out the AC issues and replace the leaky axle seal.
c) I'd need to get tuned to run on 91 octane as i dont want to rely on finding 94.

So? Any thoughts on the route? Suggestions for places I should stay on the way South in Oregon? I have it down as Florence, but Im pretty easy... im basically trying to keep it to about 900km/day max. I've done more in a day, but that keeps it reasonable and allows for a few delays. Also, on the way back, after the salt flats, i dont really know where to go after that as I make my way back.

Thanks guys!

[THE EDJ]

I'm heading out this weekend on a similar trip. Will be heading through Montana (Going to the Sun Highway), across Idaho to Seattle, and then south along the coast through Oregon down to Redding. I'll let you know if I find anything particularly awesome along the way.

We're going to be staying at a hostel in Seattle (there's lots of hostels along the way), and a B&B near Cannon Beach in Oregon. Aside from that we will be doing a lot of camping.

[Zaider]

Right on... i look forward to hearing what you find out...

I figure ill hit Going to the Sun on the way back... the weekend in Victoria is kinda set in stone.

If im doing this trip myself, I will probably alternate cheap motels with camping... depends on how the driving is going i guess. If im spending 10 hours in teh car every day, its kinda nice to start the day with a shower and a good idea to make sure im getting a good restful night's sleep which camping doesn't always provide.

[BDL Motorsports]

I drove my Z06 back the opposite way in April.

I think it took 3 full days LA to Vancouver on this exact route with some stopping.

Now, my brother lived near San Fran years ago and watched the video's i took and said the traffic down the coast was light when i went - he said if I did the trip in the summer there would be more motorhomes and it would take longer. Said there would be tons of motorhomes.

southern Oregon is nice. Hotel's, I just found one's when it got dark ( earlier in the spring / darker earlier so that might help you get further now ) and most were $70-90 for decent places. summer rates might be higher.

I had tons of power to pass but some roads are so curvy it is hard to pass. late Aug still might be busy traffic

So, Van to San D might be 4 or so days possibly. So, keep that in mind.

It was fun, do it but plan for delays / heavier traffic i think.

Brian

[Zaider]

So, it looks like my road trip to Cali is going to get postponed until next summer. I dont have AC in the car and really dont want to drive through all the deserts with no AC. I am, however, going to drive out to Victoria...

here's a question, does every chevron in BC have 94 octane? or is it just random, like the husky gas stations.

[jutes]

here's a question, does every chevron in BC have 94 octane?

All the ones starting from Golden all the way to Vancouver do.

[Zaider]

All the ones starting from Golden all the way to Vancouver do.

that's what i needed to know. thanks jutes!