1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Driving from Houston to San Fran! #2

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by xcamm1, Jan 27, 2009.

  1. xcamm1

    xcamm1 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2001
    Messages:
    344
    Likes Received:
    6
    Thats right fellas driving from Houston to San Fran. Anyone done it before? Whats the best route to take? Anything that I have to stop and see on the way? Maybe a good Restaurant? Just looking to see what anyone else has done. My girlfriend is moving there for a few months and I am driving up there and flying back on Tuesday afternoon. Talk about a long a** few days. Let me know if you have some advice.

    Thanks!
     
  2. fmullegun

    fmullegun Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2008
    Messages:
    3,279
    Likes Received:
    23
    Dude pick me up a chinese cleaver.

    I will pay you for it.

    you can get it from

    Greatmin Trading Co.
    780 Broadway St.
    San Francisco, CA 94133

    Tel: (415) 392-2788

    If you think I'm crazy then obviously I'm joking but if you are willing then I want the CCK 1301 model cleaver.

    thanks
     
  3. Realjad

    Realjad Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2005
    Messages:
    3,418
    Likes Received:
    1,726
  4. macalu

    macalu Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2002
    Messages:
    16,942
    Likes Received:
    836
    i've driven to LA from Houston a couple of times. if you take I-10 straight to El Paso, it's the worst ****in' drive in america. nothing to see except grass and cows.
     
  5. moestavern19

    moestavern19 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 1999
    Messages:
    39,003
    Likes Received:
    3,641
    Easy 2 day drive. I drove from Houston to Central Coast of Cali a few weeks ago.


    1037 miles to Tucson first day, get a hotel near U of A, not in the ghetto along the freeway.

    Another 800 miles when you wake up to get to San Fran. Make sure you don't get caught in traffic in LA. You could get on I-15, then head north toward Bakersfield, you hit route 166 around there and it takes you to Santa Maria, where you can hop on 101 and have a nice little drive up to San Fran.
     
  6. xcamm1

    xcamm1 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2001
    Messages:
    344
    Likes Received:
    6
    How much you willing to pay :)
     
  7. fmullegun

    fmullegun Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2008
    Messages:
    3,279
    Likes Received:
    23
    If you are serious and its not to much trouble I'd go $20 over cost.
     
  8. ScriboErgoSum

    ScriboErgoSum Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2002
    Messages:
    3,149
    Likes Received:
    387
    My wife and I did that when we moved from Houston to Seattle. We went I-10 to LA and then straight up 5 through SF (slight detour) and up the coast to Seattle. There are probably shorter routes, but we were driving the winter and didn't want to hit mountains or snow. Of course there was a snowstorm when we got to the California-Oregon border.

    We had a meh food along the way, but you've got to eat at Truly Mediterranean in SF. They make the best freaking lamb shwarmas I've ever had. I drool about those from time to time.
     
  9. CHI

    CHI Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 1999
    Messages:
    1,009
    Likes Received:
    323
    I can buy you the cleaver. I know that store. I live like 5 mins away from Chinatown.
     
  10. CHI

    CHI Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 1999
    Messages:
    1,009
    Likes Received:
    323
    I think its faster if you take the 5 instead of the 101.
     
  11. Rocket104

    Rocket104 Member

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2001
    Messages:
    898
    Likes Received:
    4
    I did this a few years ago:
    I-10 Houston to El Paso, stay the night
    I-10 El Paso to LA, stay the night
    I-5 LA to SF in a morning

    It was long, it was boring.

    You can go out of your way and make stops at White Sands, the car Stonehenge, and things like that if you want.

    Once you're on I-5 there are a few California things like the Mystery Spot, I believe.
     
  12. rimrocker

    rimrocker Member

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 1999
    Messages:
    23,106
    Likes Received:
    10,122
    I could be wrong, but my guess is you won't make it in one afternoon.
     
  13. aeroman10

    aeroman10 Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2003
    Messages:
    2,695
    Likes Received:
    50
    That is so true. I drove to Vegas and back twice. Both times I took I-10.
    Houston to El Paso drive on I-10 totally sucks. You are in the middle of nowhere and there is nothing around you for..umm...hundreds of miles. Not only is there nothing to see but there are not a lot of gas stations on the way. We ran out of gas one time on the way back because we were too cheap to fill up at a gas station that hiked up its prices right after El Paso. I guess there is a reason it was expensive...because there were no more for the next 300 miles :D
     
  14. moestavern19

    moestavern19 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 1999
    Messages:
    39,003
    Likes Received:
    3,641
    I love driving through West Texas. 600 miles of open road. Set the cruise control at 90 and enjoy the ride.
     
  15. MONON

    MONON Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2002
    Messages:
    4,903
    Likes Received:
    935
    Where the **** did you see grass or cattle west of Junction??!! There's nothing but cactus, sheep, oil seepings and windmills out there! You shouldn't have to worry about rattlesnakes this time of year.

    Anyway wcamm1, about the only thing worth stopping to see would be Carlsbad, Grand Canyon or Las Vegas. The latter 2 would cost you an extra day each. If you take 10 to LA, be aware of the high Santa Monica winds between Blythe and LA. They've been known to topple semi's and rv's. Tajon Pass on 5 just north of LA is a blast going over. Just remember that you take 40 miles getting up to 4183' but only 5 miles coming down! Watch your brakes!! Stay in the left lanes as trucks & rv's are limited to 35 mph coming down and in a car I wouldn't go more than 55.

    Between Kerrville and El Paso the speed limit is 80. Don't stop for gas at Ft. Stockton. That's gotta be the highest gas price in Texas!

    That's all I can think of for right now. OH yeh! Stop at a donut shop in Arizona and order a kolache. :D They don't know what they are!

    Anyway have fun!!
     
  16. IROC it

    IROC it Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 1999
    Messages:
    12,629
    Likes Received:
    89

    The best part is anywhere away from Dallas.

    We did it last year... Dallas to San Diego straight through. Straight through back as well, but from LA.


    We are road warriors though. 21 hours I think?
     
  17. dsnow23

    dsnow23 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2002
    Messages:
    1,458
    Likes Received:
    68
    I've driven from Austin to SF and back twice.

    Have your girlfriend sell her car. She wont' need it if she's living in the city in SF. And if she has the car without her own parking space, she'll rack up hundreds of dollars in parking tickets while she's here.

    Do yourself a favor and fly. The drive sucks donkeys.

    If you decide to drive anyway, make good and sure that you aren't driving through LA during rush hour. And LA isn't that dot on the map. It's that dot, plus a 200 mile radius around it. And rush hour in LA is from about 4:00 AM til midnight. Also, bring oxygen tanks/masks. And use them when going through LA. But, make sure you save enough to get through Coalinga about half way between LA and SF on I-5. The smell of the cowsh1t will KILL you. And it lasts FOREVER if you live to keep smelling. Ironicallly, the ranch that is responsible for the horrendous smell (Harris Ranch) also has a restaurant on site, where for some reason, you can't smell the poo. They must have an amazing air filtration system in that place.

    SF is great. She'll love it. And probably won't go back to Houston when she's done.

    So, remember it's the last time you'll ever see your girlfriend. So, the drive isn't worth it. Fly.
     
  18. 111chase111

    111chase111 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2000
    Messages:
    1,660
    Likes Received:
    21
    Do you have time to make stops along the way? Carlsbad, NM is not far out of the direct 1-10 route and Carlsbad Caverns is cool, especially this time of year when NO ONE will be there.

    If you do go north in NM, you can hit White Sands, then Santa Fe, then over to Flagstaff (going through the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest along the way). From Flagstaff it's a short drive to the Grand Canyon where you can just drive in, park on the South Rim and walk along it for a while (do the Chevy Chase Family Vacation visit). This time of year there is a good chance it will be covered in snow.

    Then you can take 40 directly into CA and miss LA entirely.
     

Share This Page