I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?
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CyanideDN @ 24th Jul 05:54PM:
I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

Hey guys,

I'm going to need to drive from Sacramento to Orange County in a couple of weeks. Google Maps displayed two routes using either I-5 or SR-99. I've already taken the I-5 route to get up to North Cal, and it was an easy drive (straight away for 240 miles). Unfortunately, the I-5 route had many expensive gas stations, barren lands, and occasionally patches of land with strong odors. Should I consider taking the SR-99 next time instead? I understand that the view is somewhat better since I'll be passing through more populated areas, but how easy is the drive in comparison to the I-5?
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yeomax @ 25th Jul 05:26AM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

promos at southwest!!!
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shinjuru @ 25th Jul 11:14AM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

I've always stuck with I-5. I would say that 99 is not easier than I-5, as far as time is concerned.
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grendal @ 26th Jul 02:40AM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

I'd vote for I-5. Civilization is nice but that also means possible traffic near the cities/towns during rush hour. Nice thing about driving the barren I-5 is that there's rarely any traffic.
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DavisPhotog @ 26th Jul 02:23PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

Higher speed limit for a lot of the way, too, I believe. It's mostly 65 on 99, isn't it? 70 on I5 almost the whole way down there, which means they won't bat an eye at 80.
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I am the Flying Photog, see my website accordingly named Flyingphotog.com. User known formerly as zakooldude.
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CyanideDN @ 26th Jul 09:01PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

Good deal. I-5 it is. Thanks for your input!
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Gbcue @ 27th Jul 11:37AM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

Put it on inside air recirculate or fly!
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myosh @ 27th Jul 01:57PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

I vote for I-5 because of less traffic and it's a smoother road. Hwy 99 is a much older road and it can be quite bumpy in certain areas.

As for the "odors" (I think you're referring to the large cow farm north of the Coalinga exit), make sure your A/C is on inside air recirculate, turn it off, and floor it. I normally don't drive that fast (75 mph max on I-5) but when I hit this section and conditions allow it, I've caught myself doing 90 trying to escape the smell.
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prestonlewis @ 27th Jul 02:06PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

I-5 if you like things easy.

Hwy99 if you are a masochist.
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ninjatutle @ 27th Jul 02:11PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

I-5 only has 2 lanes. Take 99. I swore I posted in this thread already but guess not :hmm:
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Gbcue @ 27th Jul 02:12PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

said by ninjatutle :

I-5 only has 2 lanes. Take 99. I swore I posted in this thread already but guess not :hmm:

2 lanes?
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jstack @ 27th Jul 03:11PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

I've driven between San Francisco and Los Angeles 10 times in the past 2 years. I-5 is the way to go. There is rarely any traffic. Just beware that the central valley gets hot, very hot. During one trip down to LA, the temperature was 105 for 4 straight hours.
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bobrk @ 27th Jul 03:58PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

said by ninjatutle :

I-5 only has 2 lanes. Take 99. I swore I posted in this thread already but guess not :hmm:

99 only has two lanes on each side as well. Plus exits every 1/2 a mile.

If you have the time, take 101. I used to take it from Davis to SoCal all the time. Nice ride.
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bobrk
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CyanideDN @ 27th Jul 08:23PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

said by myosh :

I vote for I-5 because of less traffic and it's a smoother road. Hwy 99 is a much older road and it can be quite bumpy in certain areas.

As for the "odors" (I think you're referring to the large cow farm north of the Coalinga exit), make sure your A/C is on inside air recirculate, turn it off, and floor it. I normally don't drive that fast (75 mph max on I-5) but when I hit this section and conditions allow it, I've caught myself doing 90 trying to escape the smell.

So along the I-5, what other areas should I be looking out for so that I won't have to smell the odors? I'm current going to school up here, so I'm not planning on driving back to Orange County until mid December..hopefully the weather will be cold enough so that I won't need to turn the AC on.

I'm definitely flying back for Thanksgiving since it's a short vacation, but then for my Winter Break I can't imagine leaving my car up here unattended (only gated lot, no covered structures) for 3-4 weeks, hence the need to drive it back to the OC with me.
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myosh @ 28th Jul 05:16PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

said by CyanideDN :

I drove to Los Angeles from the S.F. Bay Area in March 2008 and AFAIK, the cow farm near the Coalinga exit on I-5 was the only area where the "odor" is strong enough to penetrate my car's A/C even when it's on "inside air". The only section I am not familiar with is between Hwy 152 near Los Banos and I-205 in Tracy.
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bobrk @ 28th Jul 08:14PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

said by myosh :

The only section I am not familiar with is between Hwy 152 near Los Banos and I-205 in Tracy.

There is nothing in that stretch.
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bobrk
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Monica @ 30th Jul 08:40PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

On highway 99 you get to experience Livingston CA, the home of Foster Farms. If you think those cows on highway 5 smell bad try the smell of gazillions of chickens being slaughtered. It's a smell you don't get out of your car quickly, especially on a hot day.

Fresno is on highway 99 - you can wave at the IRS and your tax money as you go by. Or, better yet, drop off a chicken...... ;)

Highway 101 is longer and prettier, nice towns, farms, ocean views, seafood, if you've got the time to take a slower longer trip take 80 into the bay area and then 101 from San Jose south. Or even more costal and prettier, go across the bay and take highway 1 south.
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CyanideDN @ 31st Jul 12:45AM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

said by Monica :

On highway 99 you get to experience Livingston CA, the home of Foster Farms. If you think those cows on highway 5 smell bad try the smell of gazillions of chickens being slaughtered. It's a smell you don't get out of your car quickly, especially on a hot day.

Fresno is on highway 99 - you can wave at the IRS and your tax money as you go by. Or, better yet, drop off a chicken...... ;)

Highway 101 is longer and prettier, nice towns, farms, ocean views, seafood, if you've got the time to take a slower longer trip take 80 into the bay area and then 101 from San Jose south. Or even more costal and prettier, go across the bay and take highway 1 south.

Lol. Speaking of smell, my dad and I stopped at a gas station near the Harris Ranch to fill up the tank, and my dad literally exclaimed "Holy Shit" and he opened the door. Highway 101 is certainly a much better route, but it'll add 2 more hours to my trip and I just want to arrive at my parents' place as soon as possible. I'll just roll through I-5 and be done with it since it's only a once a year event.
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ninjatutle @ 31st Jul 12:50PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

Never eat at that Harris Ranch restaurant. They gave me a dirty cup with lipstick when I went there. If they can overlook some lipstick, who know what else is going on in the kitchen.
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DavisPhotog @ 31st Jul 12:54PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

Give me a break, that place is fine. I had a great avocado burger and their fries are delicious. It was the ultimate 100 dollar burger since I flew a colleague and myself onto their tiny strip in a large cessna.
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I am the Flying Photog, see my website accordingly named Flyingphotog.com. User known formerly as zakooldude.
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ninjatutle @ 31st Jul 01:08PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

Well, we drove there in a Honda Civic and the food was nothing to write home about. They know all the customers are just driving through and don't live in the area so they could get away with lipstick on dirty glasses and what not.
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bobrk @ 31st Jul 02:31PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

That is an awesome flight. I did it a couple times back in the day, once in my instrument instructor's vintage Cessna 310.

Lipstick on glasses is everywhere. I just hold the glass up to the waiter and make them shit bricks about it.
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bobrk
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ninjatutle @ 31st Jul 04:34PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

To be fair to all the other restaurants out there about the blanket statement about it being everywhere, I have never had it happened anywhere else. Never seen it.
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bobrk @ 31st Jul 04:36PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

Really? I had it happen in a motel last week and a restaurant as well.
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bobrk
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cmaenginsb @ 3rd Aug 06:48PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

I used to "cummute" the 5 from LA to the 152 exit over to 101 every week for over a year.

Harris Ranch is ok, never seen lipstick on anything, then again I sit in the bar (at least in the evenings), Pat the bartender is a good guy and provides good service. The food is a bit high priced considering what you get but it's better than most choices on the road.

Just north of the restaurant/hotel is the feedlot that everyone complains about smell wise.

Another stinky spot is what I believe to be some dairy farms south of button willow before the 5 and 99 merge. To this day when I make the trip we use the "stinky cow spots" as a way for my wife to know where I am on the road.

As to the 99, I've done it a couple of times, on average it's slower, just as hot and has a few stinky places as well.
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bobrk @ 3rd Aug 06:50PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

said by cmaenginsb :

I used to "cummute" the 5 from LA to the 152 exit over to 101 every week for over a year.

Long distance relationship?
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bobrk
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Gbcue @ 18th Aug 11:47PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

I'm now debating driving or flying for Labor Day weekend.

Would be going down on Saturday and back on Monday...
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ninjatutle @ 19th Aug 12:22PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

I'd take a train.
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Gbcue @ 19th Aug 12:35PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

said by ninjatutle :

I'd take a train.

If there was a bullet train, I'd take that in a heartbeat. SF to LA in less than 3 hours.

Unfortunately there's Amtrak, a 12h train ride vs. a 6.5 hour drive.
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bobrk @ 19th Aug 01:38PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

For a weekend, I'd fly. Spending that much time in the car just for one day doesn't cut it in my world.
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bobrk
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Gbcue @ 19th Aug 02:46PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

said by bobrk :

For a weekend, I'd fly. Spending that much time in the car just for one day doesn't cut it in my world.

True, but I've done long drives for a day and a bit before...
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DavisPhotog @ 19th Aug 08:18PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

said by bobrk :

For a weekend, I'd fly. Spending that much time in the car just for one day doesn't cut it in my world.

In terms of total travel time where you cannot be with your family, you're going to be out about the same amount of time as you would if you were driving.

5 hours from San Jose to LA, driving. Think getting to SJC 1.5 hours before a 1:30 flight - leave your house at noon. That's 2.5 hours from leaving your house to landing in LA. Then you have to rent a car and fare traffic from some of the worst traffic areas (BUR, LAX) to wherever you're going - figure at least 90 minutes for that. There's 4 hours right there....
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I am the Flying Photog, see my website accordingly named Flyingphotog.com. User known formerly as zakooldude.
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bobrk @ 19th Aug 08:30PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

Yeah, it's close.
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cmaenginsb @ 1st Sep 06:08PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

said by bobrk :

said by cmaenginsb :

I used to "cummute" the 5 from LA to the 152 exit over to 101 every week for over a year.

Long distance relationship?

Doh!
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CCNA, Comtrain Certified Tower Climber
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cmaenginsb @ 1st Sep 06:11PM:
Re: I-5 or SR-99 to go from Sacramento to Orange County?

said by Gbcue :

said by ninjatutle :

I'd take a train.

If there was a bullet train, I'd take that in a heartbeat. SF to LA in less than 3 hours.

Unfortunately there's Amtrak, a 12h train ride vs. a 6.5 hour drive.

While traffic might have slowed down a bit because of the economy, the drive will be more than 6.5 hours and you'll be dodging slow idiots the whole way down.

I'd fly if I didn't need a car when I got there.
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CCNA, Comtrain Certified Tower Climber
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