Country Coach Restoration, Repair & Parts Forums => Country Coach Archive => Topic started by: Bob Kumza on October 11, 2006, 11:03:04 am
Title: Trip to Yosemite
Post by: Bob Kumza on October 11, 2006, 11:03:04 am
Yahoo Message Number: 25797 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/25797)We are planning a trip to Yosemite National Park. We will be traveling from Flagstaff Arizona in early June 2007. We have two route options. First route takes us through Barstow and then north on 395 through Independence and Bishop and approaching Yosemite on Route 120 from the East. The second route takes us through Bakersfield and up Route 99 through Fresno and Turlock and approaching Yosemite from the West.
Considering that my coach and tow car are 65 feet long and almost 40,000 pounds, do you have any suggestions about which route I should take?
Regards,
Bob Kumza 2003 Intrigue
Title: Re: Trip to Yosemite
Post by: Sue on October 11, 2006, 01:30:54 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 25800 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/25800)Re: [Country-Coach-Owners] Trip to Yosemite We're here in French Camp, Ca. (near Modesto, Turlock etc.) thinking we were going to head over 120 and go to Yosemite. Bob checked out the web site below for size restrictions and thought we couldn't go that direction. After checking this web site again, he says DOT has lifted restrictions temporarily, but we have no idea for how long. Guess we are going to have to wait till next year since we've paid for 2 more days here thinking we couldn't go that route. Now, maybe you can, but don't know for how long. As for 395, you can catch the beginning of that route coming up I-15 in Hesperia. No need to go all the way up to Barstow and over 58 to get to 395. Be careful, 395 has places where it is only 2 lanes and can be a bear at times with illegal and unsafe passing. Hopefully next year we can get to Yosemite too.
www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/trucks/bus-mh -- Sue,
'05, 42', Quad Slide Allure 31254
Title: Re: Trip to Yosemite
Post by: Bob Kumza on October 11, 2006, 04:24:20 pm
I forgot to mention that our coach is just under 40 feet, so all those 45' restrictions don't apply to us -- one of the reasons we bought a coach that is shorter than 40'.
I noticed in my topo maps that Route 120 East of Yosemite goes through a mountain pass that is around 10,000 feet. I also noticed that there are several other places in the topo maps where our intended route from Yosemite to Lake Tahoe and onward to Crater Lake goes over some really big mountains too. This will be our first trip out west in our coach, and I'm praying that all my research will result in a safe route. Our alternative route from Yosemite to Crater Lake is following I-5 -- a boring route without the beautiful mountain scenary and mountain driving adventure too! My wife would choose I-5 (the boring route) while I really want to see places that we have never seen before, so I'm leaning toward the more adventuresome mountain route north. I just don't want to get so adventuresome that I total the coach and get killed. That would certainly ruin our trip.
Thanks to all for your helpful tips.
Regards,
Bob Kumza
2003 40' Intrigue
Title: Re: Trip to Yosemite
Post by: Sue on October 11, 2006, 04:58:25 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 25811 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/25811)Re: [Country-Coach-Owners] Re: Trip to YosemiteHave a safe trip out west! We just came I-5 south from Blaine, Wa. And you're right, nothing spectacular. We've done mountain driving and our coaches have done well. Since we are over 40' we have to be more careful where we go.....always trade offs!
Enjoy, it will be a beautiful drive.
-- Sue,
'05, 42', Quad Slide Allure 31254
Title: Re: Trip to Yosemite
Post by: Pcummings4 on October 11, 2006, 06:12:07 pm
A good resource for you is the CDOT and any state DOT. They have a restriction route listing on their web site with heights posted. I used them when we made our first trip west last year. GPSs will also have a preference setting for Bus. If you have one, that routing could be a help.
We just traveled back from Maine and used Interstates most of the way but National Geo. has a senic rout book you should check out too.
I agree with you about taking time to see the country.
Hope this helps.
Paul and Nancy
#11309 01' Intrigue
Quote from: rvrobert2003
>
Hello Sue;
I forgot to mention that our coach is just under 40 feet, so all > those 45' restrictions don't apply to us -- one of the reasons we > bought a coach that is shorter than 40'.
I noticed in my topo maps that Route 120 East of Yosemite goes > through a mountain pass that is around 10,000 feet. I also
noticed
Quote
that there are several other places in the topo maps where our > intended route from Yosemite to Lake Tahoe and onward to Crater
Lake
Quote
goes over some really big mountains too. This will be our first > trip out west in our coach, and I'm praying that all my research > will result in a safe route. Our alternative route from Yosemite
to
Quote
Crater Lake is following I-5 -- a boring route without the
beautiful
Quote
mountain scenary and mountain driving adventure too! My wife
would
Quote
choose I-5 (the boring route) while I really want to see places
that
Quote
we have never seen before, so I'm leaning toward the more > adventuresome mountain route north. I just don't want to get so > adventuresome that I total the coach and get killed. That would > certainly ruin our trip.
Thanks to all for your helpful tips.
Regards,
Bob Kumza
2003 40' Intrigue
Quote from: Sue
>
> We¹re here in French Camp, Ca. (near Modesto, Turlock etc.) > thinking we
> were going to head over 120 and go to Yosemite. Bob checked out > the web
> site below for size restrictions and thought we couldn¹t go that > direction.
> After checking this web site again, he says DOT has lifted > restrictions
> temporarily, but we have no idea for how long. Guess we are
going
Quote
to have
> to wait till next year since we¹ve paid for 2 more days here > thinking we
> couldn¹t go that route. Now, maybe you can, but don¹t know for > how long.
> As for 395, you can catch the beginning of that route coming > up I-15 in
> Hesperia. No need to go all the way up to Barstow and over 58
to
Quote
get to
> 395. Be careful, 395 has places where it is only 2 lanes and
can
Title: Re: Trip to Yosemite
Post by: Jan McNeill on October 11, 2006, 09:28:57 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 25824 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/25824)Bob, I think your route will be chosen for you...Tioga Pass (i.e.what I think is 120 from Lee Vining) is usually closed until July due to snow...and also is NOT recommended for RVs.