Indio to Buellton on a weekday morning

[mileshuff]

Will be traveling from Indio to Buellton on a weekday morning. Don't want to get a late start as we want to be in Buellton by noon or so.
Our typical route would take 210 across metro LA area to 126 to 101. Am I correct to be worried about horrible rush hour traffic that route?

What about I15 to 138 to 14 to 126? Its only 10 miles further but is it good road for towing a 5'er? Would it be a better choice?

[dedmiston]

Quick follow-up. We camped outside of Barstow this weekend and took Pearblossom out to Victorville and then up I-15.

I had never noticed before that the cutoff to Victorville is named Hwy 18. We've always just called it Palmdale Avenue (or Blvd?).

Live & learn.

[dedmiston]

older_fossil wrote:

mileshuff wrote:

dedmiston wrote:
Do you mean 58? I don’t know where the 18 is. The 58 is pretty far out of the way. It joins a he 14 clear up in Mohave.

I wouldn’t be afraid Pearblossom Highway, especially in the daytime.

18 is the Pearblossom highway. I can take I-15 to 138 to Pearblossom, or I-15 to 395 to Pearblossom. The latter is 15 miles longer. Some have said 138 is curvy, dips etc. Was wondering if bypassing the 138 would be preferred.

18 merges into the 138 about half way between Victorville and Palmdale. I feel that this section of the 18 has more up and down dips than the 138. Just before Palmdale the Pearblossom Highway leaves the 138 and cuts over to the 14. Near Santa Clarita, it is probably faster just to take the 14 to the I5 and take it the few miles north to the 126, but we sometimes take Soledad Canyon Rd to Newhall Ranch Rd which then runs into the 126.

Lots of stoplights that way.

There's a "new" crosstown connector at Golden Valley. It's pretty fast. It curves around and becomes Newhall Ranch Road, that then turns into the 126. It's pretty good, but there's a steep hill on the Canyon Country end.

[older_fossil]

mileshuff wrote:

dedmiston wrote:
Do you mean 58? I don’t know where the 18 is. The 58 is pretty far out of the way. It joins a he 14 clear up in Mohave.

I wouldn’t be afraid Pearblossom Highway, especially in the daytime.

18 is the Pearblossom highway. I can take I-15 to 138 to Pearblossom, or I-15 to 395 to Pearblossom. The latter is 15 miles longer. Some have said 138 is curvy, dips etc. Was wondering if bypassing the 138 would be preferred.

18 merges into the 138 about half way between Victorville and Palmdale. I feel that this section of the 18 has more up and down dips than the 138. Just before Palmdale the Pearblossom Highway leaves the 138 and cuts over to the 14. Near Santa Clarita, it is probably faster just to take the 14 to the I5 and take it the few miles north to the 126, but we sometimes take Soledad Canyon Rd to Newhall Ranch Rd which then runs into the 126.

[mileshuff]

dedmiston wrote:
Do you mean 58? I don’t know where the 18 is. The 58 is pretty far out of the way. It joins a he 14 clear up in Mohave.

I wouldn’t be afraid Pearblossom Highway, especially in the daytime.

18 is the Pearblossom highway. I can take I-15 to 138 to Pearblossom, or I-15 to 395 to Pearblossom. The latter is 15 miles longer. Some have said 138 is curvy, dips etc. Was wondering if bypassing the 138 would be preferred.

[D_E_Bishop]

If you use the 210 thru Pasadena up to 118 or 5+126, be prepared to detour and add 1 or 2 hours to your trip.

The 210 has closures for construction, two days ago W/B 210 was diverted down the 2 to the 134. A total b####. Check with CalTrans for closures.

Take the extra time and go up to the 138, it will still be shorter than the 210 to the 5 to 126. That route is +/-292 miles. At 45mph = 6.5 hours without delays, at 50 mph = 6 hours without delays.

My suggestion would be to leave between 04:00 and 05:00.

[dedmiston]

mileshuff wrote:

dedmiston wrote:
WARNING: That 138 is a gorgeous drive, but it has rolling dips and hills and can rock you to sleep. Make sure you have some coffee that morning and stay alert for that part of the drive.

Would it be easier and possibly faster to skip 138 and take I-15 to 395 to 18? It's about 15 miles further.

Do you mean 58? I don’t know where the 18 is. The 58 is pretty far out of the way. It joins a he 14 clear up in Mohave.

I wouldn’t be afraid Pearblossom Highway, especially in the daytime.

[Fulltimers]

I’ve done 210 to 134 to 101 a few times. Most times it was a breeze but one time, I never got over 20 mph from Calabasas to Santa Barbara. Took FOREVER.

[mileshuff]

dedmiston wrote:
WARNING: That 138 is a gorgeous drive, but it has rolling dips and hills and can rock you to sleep. Make sure you have some coffee that morning and stay alert for that part of the drive.

Would it be easier and possibly faster to skip 138 and take I-15 to 395 to 18? It's about 15 miles further.

[dedmiston]

older_fossil wrote:

mileshuff wrote:
I have seen others mention routing through palmdale for other destinations. Have you driven the 2nd route mentioned and can describe the route and any issues?

We recently traveled from Redlands to Ventura on a Tuesday morning using the 215->15->138->14->126->101 just to avoid as much of the LA area as possible. We started mid-morning so missed much of the 215 and 15 rush hour. Much of the 138 is just two lane, but mostly decent road. I'd recommend leaving early enough to miss as much of the San Bernardino area traffic as possible. But you may hit some traffic on the 14.

The westbound 210 is guaranteed to be horrible on a weekday morning. It's very predictably clogged. The only way I would chance it is to use Google Maps and tell it what time I wanted to arrive in Buelton. Google will probably tell you to leave at 2:00 am to beat the rush.

I would take the back way around the hills as suggested above (the 138 through Pearblossom).

WARNING: That 138 is a gorgeous drive, but it has rolling dips and hills and can rock you to sleep. Make sure you have some coffee that morning and stay alert for that part of the drive.

The 138 is the last leg of any of our drives home from parts north-east (Utah, Vegas, etc.). I always keep a Red Bull and a cup of ice handy for that last leg of the trip so I don't get drowsy on that rolling road.

[lhenry8113]

That is pretty much the route we have always taken-as you've probably guessed any road/highway headed toward L.A. from So. County in the early A.M. is going to be miserable-leave early trying to be beyond L.A. before 8 A.M. at the latest. Might try the #91 to #605 N. to #210 but straight shot on the 210 is probably best.

While in Buellton check out Ellen's Restaurant--great food-one of our favorites. Also, if possible, spend some time in Solvang-a Danish village.

[eDUBz]

oldcat1 wrote:
The route I like is 10 > 210 > 118 > 126 >101. Just 5 miles longer than your typical route. Only a short stretch that is not freeway (Moorpark to Saticoy). Keeps north of much of LA/San Fernando Valley. Still going to be traffic. Lesser of two evils.

Safe travels

I just did this drive in reverse, left Oxnard to Baeaumont yesterday morning. At 8am. Traffic headed south, north bound was clear. I would take 118 west and exit Los Angeles Ave through Moorpark / Somis. You will catch 101 in Oxnard.

[the_bear_II]

I work in the LA area and anytime I need to get out of town on a weekday I try to leave by 5AM or wait until after 9AM. So coming from Indio you would need to leave around 2:30AM or 6AM to pass through LA at 5 or 9AM.

Your 138 route can get tricky due to traffic on I-15 and 138 in Palmdale/Lancaster

[EdTheEdge]

I've lived in L.A for 35 years and traffic has always been a **** shoot. If you take the shortest route plan to leave very early. If you want to take the "scenic" route plan to spend time on the road. Either way leave early.... There are no guarantees getting through the L.A. metro area.

[oldcat1]

The route I like is 10 > 210 > 118 > 126 >101. Just 5 miles longer than your typical route. Only a short stretch that is not freeway (Moorpark to Saticoy). Keeps north of much of LA/San Fernando Valley. Still going to be traffic. Lesser of two evils.

Safe travels