Gosha Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Hey guys, I just moved to Mountain View from Chicago, unfortunately had to leave my 07 LGT in Chicago until my dealer gets the 2012 LGT i ordered, and then I'll drive it to CA (always wanted to do that drive). Anyone know the best route to take? Best scenery? No speed limits? Etc....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldouse Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 hwy 80. =P -- yay for the sig! -- my garage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazdaslo Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 buy a valentine 1, or if you bake me cookies, you can borrow mine, i drove my car from maryland, through Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, NM, Arizona and up through California, seems most highway guys use Ka band, visible from about 4-7 miles on the valentine 1, only in Arizona did I encounter any Lidar. Since you will probably not slow down much for curves, and will avoid the law, take all the byways, it only takes 10-15% longer, in time, usually cuts distance off, and is about 300% more fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nm Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 When? In the winter I'd stick to 80 or take a southern route. In the summer, I have suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpmarky Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Welcome to Cali! I took hwy 95 to 10 from NYC to here going 95mph most of the way, got lucky and didn't see any cops the whole week. I almost bought a car from chicago, was planning to drive through the hwy 80 route with stops in Denver and Salt Lake City. +1 to the valentine, I feel so vulnerable driving without one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gosha Posted December 7, 2011 Author Share Posted December 7, 2011 I'll be traveling the first week of January; so hwy 80? Or is there a better route? Will a passport detector do? Or does it have to be the valentine? Because my cookie baking skills are not that great.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nm Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 I'd stick to the freeways. Keep a careful eye on the weather. If it is looking nasty, duck south to like 40 or even 10. The freeways will be your best bet in the winter simply because they'll be plowed the quickest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny boy Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I'll be traveling the first week of January; so hwy 80? Or is there a better route? Will a passport detector do? Or does it have to be the valentine? Because my cookie baking skills are not that great.... Ditto what these guys say about freeways. Not sure I'd be bombing along at speeds requiring a detector unless roads are in really good shape (dry, etc). If you will be, I think a Passport is adequate- works for me. Have a safe trip, and welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gosha Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 Thanks for the tips, I'm picking up the new LGT on the 23rd. Should be fun... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftcoast74 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Welcome to the forums. I'm origanaly from MI and lived in MT for a couple years before landing in socal. On top of that ive done a ton of traveling. The 80 does have a lot of cops but is by far the fastest route. The 90 goes thru MN, SD,MT then u could cut down to the 80. Those states don't enforce the posted limit, weather permitting. There is ur problem, it's winter so ur talking about snow & ice. If time was no concern I'd cut all the way south to the 40 take that thru AZ then head up thru NV the back way to Tahoe then hit the 50 which will kick u onto the 80. I know, a lot of info check it out. Have fun, drive safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gosha Posted December 16, 2011 Author Share Posted December 16, 2011 40 does look pretty good, it's just that I always wanted to drive through the desert, so I'm trying to figure out how to incorporate that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nm Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Welcome to the forums. I'm origanaly from MI and lived in MT for a couple years before landing in socal. On top of that ive done a ton of traveling. The 80 does have a lot of cops but is by far the fastest route. The 90 goes thru MN, SD,MT then u could cut down to the 80. Those states don't enforce the posted limit, weather permitting. There is ur problem, it's winter so ur talking about snow & ice. If time was no concern I'd cut all the way south to the 40 take that thru AZ then head up thru NV the back way to Tahoe then hit the 50 which will kick u onto the 80. I know, a lot of info check it out. Have fun, drive safe. 50 is worse in the winter than 80. In that scenario, I'd just take 40 to Barstow and then cross over through Tehachapi to Bakersfield and then up 5. You can get snow and ice on 40 though. back when I lived in Minnesota, I picked up a car in Sacramento and did the reverse of that. Discovered that the washer fluid was almost pure water when it froze in New Mexico Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftcoast74 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 ^ Yep, the 50 can b a little hairy in the winter but that's at the end of the trip and taking the back way through NV into CA is beautiful, mono basin, Tahoe, ect... Just an idea if time isn't important. The 5 is so boring. I used to live by Placerville. Nice country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nm Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 ^ Yep, the 50 can b a little hairy in the winter but that's at the end of the trip and taking the back way through NV into CA is beautiful, mono basin, Tahoe, ect... Just an idea if time isn't important. The 5 is so boring. I used to live by Placerville. Nice country. A better way to the bay area than 5 if you can spare an hour or 2 extra is 101. Hell, even 99 is better than 5. 5 is just easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftcoast74 Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 ^Last post in this thread. Drive wherever u want, b safe. @nm+ stop quoting me, opinions r like assholes, obviously. Redlands huh, lived there for 5yrs as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nm Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 What the hell? I'm not exactly sure how any of that offended you at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gosha Posted December 18, 2011 Author Share Posted December 18, 2011 Well, I'm not really worried about snow and ice. I lived in Russia, so I'm not afraid of driving in bad conditions; especially in an awd vehicle with a manual transmission, but I heard that sometimes, state officials close the roads due to bad weather. That is what I am trying to avoid. Last thing I want is to be stuck somewhere with no possibility of a detour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosAngelesLGT Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 AWD is meaningless in snow and ice without proper tires. If the road is closed Gandalf may as well have said "you shall not pass". Even if you shall pass, under those conditions you will be in a caravan line following a plow or state trooper going 10mph. Do your best to avoid any closures. In CA a call to the automated CHP (Cali Highway Pat.) should give you all the info you need. If I find the number I'll post it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nm Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 AWD is meaningless in snow and ice without proper tires. If the road is closed Gandalf may as well have said "you shall not pass". Even if you shall pass, under those conditions you will be in a caravan line following a plow or state trooper going 10mph. Do your best to avoid any closures. In CA a call to the automated CHP (Cali Highway Pat.) should give you all the info you need. If I find the number I'll post it. Do new LGTs come with summers or no-seasons? Donner pass (I-80) can be particularly nasty in the winter and seems to close every few week's despite Caltrans best efforts. Donner is basically 60 mi of continuous sleep downhill. With no-seasons and AWD, you'll basically be the last person CHP stops, though technically you will be legally required to carry chains (but chains are never really required for AWD, when it gets to that point, the road gets closed). They'll tend to let you go in situations that RE92s likely never should go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gosha Posted December 19, 2011 Author Share Posted December 19, 2011 Edmunds.com lists them as 91w performance tires, but it's unclear to me if they're all season or summer. "LosAngelesLGT": As far as your post, I do thank you for that number, but when it comes to driving in snow and ice; you are very wrong. Take it from someone who has lived in a giant snowstorm for most of his life, awd even with summer performance tires is much better than FWD or especially RWD. Breaking is the same as any other car, but that's when manual transmission comes into play, if you know what you're doing, you're better off than most cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabidWombat Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 CHP will let any Subaru with "M+S" marked tires through the standard chain controls. Standard chain controls would be chains, or "AWD/4WD with snow tires". M+S marked tires are considered snow tires. Technically, you are supposed to carry chains, but I've never had it be an issue. I-80 will the clearest and least likely to close. Your best bet is to monitor weather and CHP road conditions carefully as your date approaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nm Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 New LGTs (2012) come with summers only. Even with AWD (or perhaps especially), summers in any snow, much less ice will likely result is terrible, terrible things. I'd seriously look at a truck or take 10. As far as your post, I do thank you for that number, but when it comes to driving in snow and ice; you are very wrong. Take it from someone who has lived in a giant snowstorm for most of his life, awd even with summer performance tires is much better than FWD or especially RWD. Breaking is the same as any other car, but that's when manual transmission comes into play, if you know what you're doing, you're better off than most cars. As someone who ice raced, I strongly disagree. AWD will get you moving (though going up donner, maybe not -- Sierra snow is more brutal than anything ypou get in the midwest). It won't keep you turning or stopping. It is extremely dangerous. Also, it is illegal to drive them past chain control without chains on. (And I'm pretty sure chains won't clear a 2012 LGT) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gosha Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 Let's say i don't want to buy snow tires just to drive from IL to CA. What I understand so far is that 80 is a "no go", and I have a choice between 40 and 10. Did i get that right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RabidWombat Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Let's say i don't want to buy snow tires just to drive from IL to CA. What I understand so far is that 80 is a "no go", and I have a choice between 40 and 10. Did i get that right? Your best bet is probably to take I-80 to Salt Lake. When you get to SLC, check weather and road conditions for the next 3 days. If it looks clear, you should be able to take I-80 into the Bay Area. If the weather forecast is calls for a storm, you can abort on I-15 through Las Vegas and then over to I-5. Taking I-10 or I-40 are going to be even bigger detours. Given where I-40 goes, I don't know that road conditions on I-40 will be much better than over Donner Pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nm Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Let's say i don't want to buy snow tires just to drive from IL to CA. What I understand so far is that 80 is a "no go", and I have a choice between 40 and 10. Did i get that right? Yeah, that would be the gist of what I'm saying. Drive south, check the weather and if 40 looks clear in NM, take it. If not, I don't think 10 ever gets snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.