2nd call for the NorCal group drive to the SoCal Vintage BMW

[BarryA]

event on Oct 11th in LA.

Current plans are to leave from the general area of Sonora CA early (around 7-8 am) on the morning of Friday Oct 10th, drive through the northern end of Yosemite Nat'l Park, over Tioga Pass to 395 and south to LA via 395, 14 and I-5. Only fixed cost for the drive other than gas and food is the $20 Yosemite entry fee required to take Highway 120 through the park to Tioga Pass.

My wife & I are planning to spend Thurs night at the Yosemite Westgate Lodge (209-962-5281) about 10 miles east of Groveland on 120 (for drive-time reference, it's about a 1 - 1.5 hour drive from Escalon on US 99 to Sonora, and about another 30-45 minutes from Sonora to Groveland) - the motel has a restaurant on the premises, so it'll be easy to eat and get on the road from there.

Tom Jones and Norm have already said they're planning to come - anybody else in?

[norm]

I signed up for the show last week so I am going. I hope the park rangers let my beast in.

[tjones02]

I'm definitely plannin' on it. Can't wait!!

I'll be starting O-Dark-Early out hwys 113 to 12 to 49 from Vacaville if anyone from the Dixon to Fairfield area wants to caravan to Sonora let me know.... Sherman Martinez??

Here's a Google Maps link to my planned route.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=yellowstone+dr+vacaville+ca&daddr=fry+road+vacaville+ca+to:rio+vista+ca+to:sonora+ca&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=38.35458,-121.190186&sspn=1.451667,1.983032&ie=UTF8&ll=38.130236,-121.16272&spn=1.456153,1.983032&z=9

Or if it's just better to meet up with Sacramento folks then we can take this route.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=yellowstone+dr+vacaville+ca&daddr=sonora+ca&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=38.12981,-121.162475&sspn=1.456153,1.983032&ie=UTF8&ll=38.279157,-121.16272&spn=1.453178,1.983032&z=9

Sweet!

[mtriple]

I can't wait to see you all down here...This is going to be awesome.

Hamada

[BarryA]

Two roads run southeast off 99 and cut a few miles off the drive - East Mariposa Rd starts at Hwy 4, "t's" into San Joaquin Co road 6 a couple of miles north of Escalon and connects with 120 in Escalon; French Camp Rd exits off 99 about 6-7 miles south of Hwy 4 and connects to Hwy 120 about 5 miles west of Escalon.

Mariposa Rd cuts about 10 miles off the drive, French Camp Rd saves about 5.

[BarryA]

the Yosemite Westgate Lodge (http://www.yosemitewestgate.com/) - on the detail map (link below - click on the little double arrows at the top left corner of the map image to expand it to full screen), turn southeast where 108 and 120 separate, take 120 south and follow 120 east to Groveland where 49 and 120 separate .

At the turnoff where 120 & 49 separate, there are two options for climbing the grade to Groveland - the main road (as highlighted on the map) is a considerably less steep climb, but it's really twisty - right at the base of the grade there's also a turnoff to the right that's signed as the "Old Priest Grade" - it's a LOT steeper (probably 2nd/3rd gear), but also shorter and less winding.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&ie=UTF8&ll=37.862115,-120.312996&spn=0.125767,0.219727&z=12

Best place to top up on gas (without backtracking) will probably be Oakdale - detouring to Sonora adds about a half hour of drive time up 108 and back to the intersection with 120. When we passed through Groveland last month, there were a couple of gas stations open, but they were expensive - as far as I know, the next gas stop past Groveland will be in Lee Vining on 395.

Checked the temps for what will probably be the warmest point on the trip (Lancaster/Palmdale) yesterday as well - average high temp in October is 80 degrees, so it shouldn't be too bad when we pass through.

One other detail - when we were in the area last month, we found that cell service was pretty much non-existant in the foothills and on up toward Yosemite. I'll bring along a pair of 8 mile range walkie-talkies in case we wind up with enough cars that we can't all stay in visual contact.

[tjones02]

At the turnoff where 120 & 49 separate, there are two options for climbing the grade to Groveland - the main road (as highlighted on the map) is a considerably less steep climb, but it's really twisty - right at the base of the grade there's also a turnoff to the right that's signed as the "Old Priest Grade" - it's a LOT steeper (probably 2nd/3rd gear), but also shorter and less winding.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=&ie=UTF8&ll=37.862115,-120.312996&spn=0.125767,0.219727&z=12

I actually prefer Old Priest Grade because there is usually less traffic, and I hate getting stuck behind diesel buses! But if we're early enough and traffic is light enough, the "New Priest Grade" is more fun but... definitely longer.

BTW Coming back down the hill the old road is very testing on the brakes.