aussie chris 
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A couple of modifications
This route is too long for one day. Either you will need to drive too fast or you need to "straighten" some of the curvy sections. I would cut county road 35 and take I-280 directly to CA-17. (I-280 follows the San Andreas fault and is very scenic -- plus you might even reach the posted speed limit in a couple of places).Originally Posted by aussie chris
Um. What? There is no toll road -- oh wait a moment -- you are referring to the Pebble beach road. It is a gorgeous route, but you do not have time to include this road (average speed = 30 mph) and still travel the entire length of the Big Sur and reach Bakersfield before 9:00 pm If you are going to spend any time at Hearst castle -- you need to make sure that you can get there in time for a tour. (You can't enter the grounds unless you are a tour). If you are going to leave CA-1 at Cambria, I would stay overnight at Paso Robles (and allow more time for exploring the coast). But Bakersfield is fine too....Take the 1 from Santa Cruz to make sure we go down Montery toll,...It is how I prefer to travel.We were assuming we can play it by ear as far as accomodation is concerned, hoping to find something. is this stupid?I am not sure if you can even visit the AFB in these days of higher restrictions. Perhaps someone else can jump here on this point, but I really don't see how you have enough time. What I would suggest is to proceed east on CA-58 as planned and then take CA-14 north along the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains, through Red Rock Canyon State Park and and then CA-178 through Ridgecrest (since you wanted to see the Trona Pinnacles).From Bakersfield we are planning to head down the 58 to the 14 and head north to Death Valley. this is where I'm not sure. Would love to go to Edwards AF base,
Not really, it is all state/county roads and if you don't look at the map (too much) you won't really be aware when you are not on state highways -- After Trona, it is called Panamint Valley Road. The road surface in Saline valley is a little rough -- but certain RTA editors have been known to travel some version of three digits on this route. (The road to Trona Pinnacles is a graded, gravel road...)From here my map seems to go to very local roads. I don't want to get off bitumen, as I will have a rental. Assume I need to get up to Death Valley by getting to the 190, heading north east past the Stove Pipe Wells, then south east down the national scenic byway to DV junction. from here,
Actually a great place to catch a soda and check out the immense redwood burl bar is only a short three minute detour... When you reach CA-190, turn left (west) and drive to Panamint Springs. Nice, friendly staff -- very cool western photographs and then you can jump in the car and head east again on CA-190.
You will be driving through one of my favorite places in the world. Don't speed thru -- there is so much to marvel at in Death Valley NP.
But, yes, you follow CA-190 past Furnace Creek out to the Death Valley Junction -- but when you reach the junction take the locals route! There are lots of signs! What you do is turn left (east) on State Line Road -- this turns into Ash Meadows Road and changes its name a third time to Bell Vista Avenue when you reach the outskirts of Pahrump. (You don't make any route changes -- the names of the road change). When you reach NV-160, turn right (south) and follow it all the way through town and all the way over to I-15 and then north into downtown Las Vegas.I think AZbuck said to take the Pahrump back road, and into Vegas. is this route down 127, up 178 into 372 to Pahrump, or is it the no number road on my map that looks more direct alond the state line? from Pahrump, I assume the 160 into vegas is the best way.
If you want to follow NV-127 from the junction -- that works too -- it goes through the little town of Shoshone -- very cool little museum and lots of ghost town stuff in the surrounding hills. This route is about twice the distance of the "local's route".
Mark
