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Author Topic: San Francisco to Tucson Road Trip  (Read 4858 times)

Jack Flesher

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San Francisco to Tucson Road Trip
« on: August 29, 2004, 01:30:11 am »

[font color=\'#000000\']You might see if you can get to San Jose more easily than SFO.

After that:

Yosemite is great in winter, but you can't get to Tucsan from there without going somewhere else first...  Tioga pass will be closed -- You will have to go via Reno or Tehachipi.  This puts Yosemite about 2 to 2-1/2 hours one direction out of your way.  

As for Bodie, forget it during Xmas unless you rent a snow cat to get in on the last 18 miles of dirt road, and temps get as low as 40 below zero at night in the winter there.

Your best bet is staying as far south as possible.  Death Valley can be very good during the winter...  Probably old route 66 too, but even then, lots of it will be closed due to weather.[/font]
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Peter McLennan

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San Francisco to Tucson Road Trip
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2004, 12:42:22 am »

[font color=\'#000000\']I don't know if you're familiar with this territory, but I'll assume it's your first time through.  If so, here's what I'd do.

South via Tehachapi and Death Valley over the north route via Reno any day.  Tehachapi alone is worth the trip.  Love those windmills!

North from Mojave, CA on US 395 gets you to DV via Panamint Valley and Town's Pass, arriving at the dunes.  An excellent way to arrive.

Exit DV via CA 190 and DV Junction, stopping at Dante's View just before DVJ.

Take CA 127, CA 178, NV 372, NV 160 to Vegas.  Don't laugh.  If you haven't seen The Strip in the last three years, you're in for a visual treat.  Do it at night, though.  Vegas is very busy at Christmas.

Southern UT may be doable, weather dependent.  

If the roads are good, I'd overnight in St George, UT and proceed east via UT 59 / UT 389, ALT US 89 to Page, AZ, then south on US 89 to Flagstaff.  St George to Page is very scenic, very Utah.  You can also keep north on UT 6 though Zion (incredible) and on eastward on US 89 via Mt Carmel Jct, Kanab and Page.

If the weather's iffy, I'd get south, fast.  I'd leave I-5 at Tejon Pass, cross the Mojave via Palmdale, Apple Valley, Twentynine Palms and Parker, joining I-10 just west of Yuma and high-tail it across to Tucson.[/font]
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howard smith

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« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2004, 04:07:25 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']I've been to Bodie in March.  It can be cold.  Very cold.  But some snow makes Bosie an extraspecial place, even if you freeze and your tongue sticks to your carbon fiber tripod.

Northern Arizona/Southern Utah can be very cold in winter.  I was there between Christams and New Years a few years ago.  I had an old VW van and a 4x5.  I set the camera up in the van, open the side door and shot.  Slammed the door.  (Film exposure: 1/30 sec. - my exposure: 20 seconds.)  Yes, some folks thought I was odd, but the photos were remarkably average!

I stayed in a motel in Mexican Hat.  I got the "warm" room.  Honest, there was an icele in the bath room between the cold water faucet and the drain.  I had a Navajo taco at the restruant that was worth the whole trip.[/font]
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Jo Irps

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« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2004, 05:54:26 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']Howard,

what is a 55+ community and how do I find them? Might try it during my next trip to the South West.[/font]
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cherman

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« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2004, 07:14:10 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']I might be doing a road trip from SF to Tucson at Xmas and need YOUR ideas about good photo locations. I don't want to do the normal stuff (well, a little) but diners, Americana, railroads etc. It would be good to check out Yosemite and maybe Death Valley (having said that) so what are they like in winter? Is Bodie, the old Ghost town, totally impassable in winter?

Any help-this is vague, I know, would be appreciated.

The reason for this is that it's cheaper (for me) to fly open-jaw to SF and out of Tucson. However, are there any better routes rather than flying to SF? I have about 6 days to get to Tucson really. I guess the roads in Utah etc will be snow hell?

Thanks![/font]
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blangton

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« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2004, 12:36:01 am »

[font color=\'#000000\']Just for info, Bodie State Park is open year round.  CalTrans and State Parks does plow the road but it can still be a "chains Required" situation any time during the winter months, especially on the dirt portion near the park.  Also, please note that CalTrans can sometimes be a bit slow to update the sign at the bottom of the road which sometimes reads "Road Closed" even when it is not.  (I found it that way on my last visit in April when in fact, the road was clear all the way up - the park ranger gave me the CalTrans tip)

Of course, the snow can really add to the photographic possibilities.  Keep an eye on the weather at the time of your visit and give the park a call before heading up to confirm current conditions.

Have a great trip..

Bill[/font]
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Bill Langton (blangton@blangton.com)  AR

cherman

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« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2004, 04:22:16 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']Excellent. Thanks for the help.[/font]
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howard smith

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« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2004, 04:12:37 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']P.S.  Save a day or two in the Tucson area to warm up and see the desert before you leave.

I don't know your age, but my wife and I have stayed at the 55+ communities for much less than a motel.  You stya in real houses (no sales pitch), get a round of golf (if you care) and a real kitchen.  You can save a lot of money if you want to stay a few days.[/font]
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howard smith

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« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2004, 10:31:30 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']I stayed at Pebble Crek in Phoenix.  It is a housing comminity fot people 55 and over.  Actually, this may have been 40 and over, but they are usually called senior communities.  Check with AARP and/or "Sun City."[/font]
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