koalaroo wrote:
I did "drive" the route out of San Francisco on google earth, looks ok I think. We will be travelling 5th to the 19th May. Our plan after Santa Cruz is to head east, towards Lake Tahoe and Reno. Then across to Susanville and Mt. Lasser Volcanic Park, and Lake Shasta. Then the coast road back. That's the rough plan.
When you head east out of Santa Cruz, you will be taking hiway 17. It is very narrow, two lane commuter racetrack.
If you leave Santa Cruz during commute hours out here (I live just outside of San Jose, in Campbell), which is from 6:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. East bound, 3:00 to 7:00 P.M. West bound, you will not have a very nice ride.
Plan on leaving Santa Cruz between 10:30 A.M., and 2:00 P.M. - much nicer ride, although hiway 17 is not what I would call a "nice" ride.
Once clear of San Jose area, you can take Interstate 680 to Interstat 205 to Stockton, pick up I5, to Sacramento.
Switch of to state hiway 50 to Tahoo, Carson City, and Reno. Between San Jose and Mantica (end of 205, get onto I5), is not what I would call to scenic, but it will get you to really scenic state 50.
Been that way many times, decen route, and a fun drive.
We love to do the back roads, and we always stop and read the historic markers, if they are on our side of the road.
Bon Voyage!