Going to Las Vegas for SEMA; Which Route Through Bakersfield?
10-19-2006, 08:20 PM
#1
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Going to Las Vegas for SEMA; Which Route Through Bakersfield?
Hey guys,
First time driving to las vegas, and I want to know if there is any advatange to the following 3 routes?
5S>46E>99S>58E>15E (which is what Google Maps says)
or
5S>Stockdale HWY E>58E>15E
Both of the above will has us stopping in Bakersfield at around 4am to gas up, get some food, switch drivers, hit the porcelan bowl, etc...
or
5S>223E>58E>15E
Which has us stopping in the small town of Arvin instead of Bakersfield for the same reasons.
Total distance is 554 miles. Google says 9hrs 40mins... which is BS I think.
We are leaving around midnight. The car is my buddy Derek's, it's a 92 (i think) Saturn. It doesn't weight much (2400lbs), but it lacks power with all the extra weight (124hp/130tq). I think it'll do fine though. My dad thinks the elevation gains through the desert might be tough with an extra 600lbs (3 guys plus luggage).
At 75mph average it's 7.3 hrs. and this is basically what I'm shooting for. To do the entire thing within 8hrs. This give us 1 hr once there to wash up a little, eat something, and hit SEMA.
I speed, of course. Derek doesn't. Danny Fong, probably speeds too. So, most of the time we'll be booking.
Anyone have any experience, and would like to give me a few tips on where and where not to speed, and maybe the degree of elevation change (how hard is the load on the car going up those hills).
Thanks!
-Gagan
First time driving to las vegas, and I want to know if there is any advatange to the following 3 routes?
5S>46E>99S>58E>15E (which is what Google Maps says)
or
5S>Stockdale HWY E>58E>15E
Both of the above will has us stopping in Bakersfield at around 4am to gas up, get some food, switch drivers, hit the porcelan bowl, etc...
or
5S>223E>58E>15E
Which has us stopping in the small town of Arvin instead of Bakersfield for the same reasons.
Total distance is 554 miles. Google says 9hrs 40mins... which is BS I think.
We are leaving around midnight. The car is my buddy Derek's, it's a 92 (i think) Saturn. It doesn't weight much (2400lbs), but it lacks power with all the extra weight (124hp/130tq). I think it'll do fine though. My dad thinks the elevation gains through the desert might be tough with an extra 600lbs (3 guys plus luggage).
At 75mph average it's 7.3 hrs. and this is basically what I'm shooting for. To do the entire thing within 8hrs. This give us 1 hr once there to wash up a little, eat something, and hit SEMA.
I speed, of course. Derek doesn't. Danny Fong, probably speeds too. So, most of the time we'll be booking.
Anyone have any experience, and would like to give me a few tips on where and where not to speed, and maybe the degree of elevation change (how hard is the load on the car going up those hills).
Thanks!
-Gagan
10-19-2006, 08:25 PM
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I will tell you from experience of driving it well over 20 times. The easiest way to go is 5south-->58east-->99south(for like a mile)-->58east-->15E
I hate taking 46.
I hate taking 46.
10-19-2006, 08:34 PM
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Originally Posted by ish
I will tell you from experience of driving it well over 20 times. The easiest way to go is 5south-->58east-->99south(for like a mile)-->58east-->15E
I hate taking 46.
I hate taking 46.
Is it fairly quick to vegas? I mean, I don't think it could take longer than 8 hrs even if we were driving at legal limits.
I heard there was a stretch of road where there isn't a speed limit as well
-Gagan
10-19-2006, 08:35 PM
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Originally Posted by A.V.E.
wsup with the business cards??
-Gagan
10-19-2006, 09:00 PM
#6
58 has the CHP office... (maybe it's the exit 4 miles south of 58...)
i've taken 46. 2 lane HWY. gets foggy at winter (for me, it's CES). if you take 46, gas up at the stations there.
if not, gas up at 99 and 58.
and no, there aint no road with no speed limit...
i've taken 46. 2 lane HWY. gets foggy at winter (for me, it's CES). if you take 46, gas up at the stations there.
if not, gas up at 99 and 58.
and no, there aint no road with no speed limit...
10-19-2006, 09:56 PM
#9
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Originally Posted by A.V.E.
ive always wondered whose van that belonged to everytime i come to the shop
-Ave
-Ave
10-20-2006, 12:37 AM
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i've done the 5>46>99>58>15
46 is really scary at night for me. i got to vegas from san francisco in about 6.5 hours once. that's with two 15 min pit stop. i swear i would never do that again. young and stupid. my friends were blaming me cause we got there around 7am and we couldn't check in yet.
46 is really scary at night for me. i got to vegas from san francisco in about 6.5 hours once. that's with two 15 min pit stop. i swear i would never do that again. young and stupid. my friends were blaming me cause we got there around 7am and we couldn't check in yet.
10-20-2006, 12:49 AM
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Originally Posted by ish
I will tell you from experience of driving it well over 20 times. The easiest way to go is 5south-->58east-->99south(for like a mile)-->58east-->15E
I hate taking 46.
I hate taking 46.
10-20-2006, 08:10 AM
#15
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Originally Posted by rota wheels wrx
Yup. Same as what ish said. That's the route we take everytime we drive to SEMA.
Oh and the climb on the 15 is killer. Thats were we blew the first engine of the white Vanagon that is now rotting in the SubyDude shop.
Oh and the climb on the 15 is killer. Thats were we blew the first engine of the white Vanagon that is now rotting in the SubyDude shop.
So what are the average times it's taken you guys, not trying to push it?
-Gagan