Local comments on CA 43 thru central Valley?

[GhidorahX]

Folks:

Looking at ways of getting from LA to Grant Grove, CA that would avoid the Grapevine . . . google maps ran me through a few options . . . the 33 to 166 option looks OK for that . . . then the idea of riding up the 99 just doesn't make any sense . . . but looking at the map shows state route 43 that runs parallel to the 99.

Question is, is that road basically a highway with only a few stoplights, or lots of stoplights, not worth the hassle?? This would be for a two-up/loaded run . . . trying to avoid the potential for high winds mixed with truck traffic while on two wheels . . . while not getting stuck in SJV heat riding from stoplight to stoplight . . . ????

Gx

 

[russperry]

I've never been on 43 but I would expect you'll have decent stretches of open running but then go through several small towns with stop signs and stop lights. 65 which is further to the east has I think fewer stops. I've been between Bakersfield and Porterville on that one and I recall it being pretty open running.

other from that area will know more than I however......

 

[GhidorahX]

@russperry:

Thanks for the post, I also have taken 65 in the past when I was coming down via 245 . . . that sort of puts me a tad more east than I would want, as I go into the park by the 63 & 180 . . . . But, right, the 65 is pretty open running as long as there aren't too many trucks and/or road construction. It seems like the 43 might be a mix as it runs by small towns . . . .

 

[CAJW]

43 is basically a 2 lane country road with a few stop signs. Just keep your head on a swivel as cross traffic is required to stop, but often doesn't! I fly EMS and we get calls out there pretty regularly, but then we're out on I-5 a lot also. Travel early, everywhere below 5,000' is hot this time of year.

 

[Bugnatr]

Travel early, everywhere below 5,000' is hot this time of year.

Amen to that John!

 

[GhidorahX]

43 is basically a 2 lane country road with a few stop signs. Just keep your head on a swivel as cross traffic is required to stop, but often doesn't! I fly EMS and we get calls out there pretty regularly, but then we're out on I-5 a lot also. Travel early, everywhere below 5,000' is hot this time of year.

@CAJW, et al:

2 lane country road is my kind of riding these days . . . so, the 43 is similar to the 65 then, with pretty long distances between stop signs? Might be a tad slower than the 99, but more fun or scenic?

But, agreed, I was just through there in a car . . . 103 degrees in the valley, climbing up to Grant Grove pushed the temp gauge into 3/4+ range . . . had to turn the heater on the bring it down, etc . . . "hot" is sort of an understatement . . . . But, very nice up with the big trees . . . 75 - 80 . . . .

It does sort of put a damper on open cockpit vehicles making that run, esp. as the better half does not like to be rushed in the morning, or anytime for that matter. But, we shall see; she might go for it if it involved a stop at the Superior Dairy and a mini-mountain of ice cream as a bribe . . . . : - ) Heads start swiveling for ice cream . . . .

GX

 

[James Burleigh]

I love riding freeways on my FJR. And for me, running the Highway 5 slolom course from L.A. over the mountains into the valley on a cool crisp weekend morning on an FJR is the BEST!

Watch out for LEOs....

 

[Bokerfork]

What's wrong with 101, ahem, I mean the 101? You'd be out of the Valley, closer to the coast and plenty of scenery.

Okay, just noticed Grant Grove is East of Fresno. No worries. Cut over on 198 through Coalinga. Minimizes SJV time while maximizing scenery.

 

[GhidorahX]

I love riding freeways on my FJR. And for me, running the Highway 5 slolom course from L.A. over the mountains into the valley on a cool crisp weekend morning on an FJR is the BEST!

Watch out for LEOs....

Sure, early morning is the best running the grapevine . . . but, too much history of two-up loaded and the pesky crosswinds that would push my old C-10 all over the road . . . havn't had the FJR up the 405 "slot" to the 5 . . . as the price of gas has cut out the high speed runs to nowhere . . . . But, I did a few COG rides that way . . . had to work on Saturdays for so long that those kind of rides went away . . . haven't seen if FOG has local rides in SoCal . . . . Point being . . . it's "different" with a passenger . . . and also when the LEO thing is no longer amusing . . . cuts out the "riding faster than the wind can blow me" approach to riding . . . .

@Bokerfork:

Agreed, I much prefer the 101 as the "best" freeway, mix of turns in with the boring long straights, cooler weather . . . generally goes where I want to go . . . north to the Big Sur . . . and the 198 is very entertaining . . . but pretty far out of the way to get to Grant Grove . . . . Even going the 33 to the 43 adds about 2 hours to the trip . . . making a boring ride even longer. The real fun would be to ride the 180 down into Kings Canyon . . . its the getting there that is the consideration.