The drive between Havasu and SoCal

[DUNEFLYER]

French Valley!

 

[boatnam2]

I'll leave a light on for ya...

View attachment 1012188

Your a good man Joe!

 

[28Eliminator]

Only takes me about 2 hours and 45 minutes to Havasu from CV

 

[HB2Havasu]

Do it....
Stay late on Sunday and fly home at dusk. Lil warm leaving Havi late in the summer days but only for a few mins.
View attachment 1012191

Yeah a friend of mine said he packs some towels in an ice chest to wrap around them until they get to a cooler altitude.

 

[NicPaus]

Only takes me about 2 hours and 45 minutes to Havasu from CV

But it's the same temperature outside. Cranking the AC here at the beach leaving a job. 40 degrees cooler than Parker.

 

[FishSniper]

Doing the drive currently making good time but for anyone traveling this way it’s down to one lane few miles past Newberry Springs and just before Water Rd on the 40 east. Took Route 66 around the Newberry springs construction and luckily very little slowdown at Water Rd but I’m guessing tommorow it will be a nasty drive. Also down to one lane that stretch where they doing the culverts and a second stretch right at the exit to pirates.

 

[DRYHEAT]

View attachment 1012192

Don’t have a heart attack shoveling.

 

[boatnam2]

But it's the same temperature outside. Cranking the AC here at the beach leaving a job. 40 degrees cooler than Parker. View attachment 1012200

Looking all over for my dam sweatshirt.

 

[Boat 405]

Is becoming fucking unbearable!!!. Yesterday driving home on the 40. Single lane construction between the river and all through needles. Making a huge flood control channel between the highway. WHY??? Total waste of time and money. It’s the desert. Flood control channel??? It never rains that much to warrant that. Then. Three!!!! Huge big rig truck crashes between Kelbaker rd and Barstow. Nonstop sea of slow ass moron big rig drivers. Then traffic going through Victorville. Then get through that. Big Brush fire [emoji91] along side of freeway in Hesperia causing traffic. Then. 4 car pile up crash watching fire and helicopter dropping water on fire. Get to the top of the Cajon pass and 10-15 mph all the way to the bottom no matter the time of day. All of this on a Wednesday afternoon! Doesn’t anyone work?? What is wrong with people?

The folks that sat at home for a year, have met up with the folks that have been using the freeways for their own personal race track.... LOL

I've been going during non traffic times from San Diego and consistently 4.5 to 5 hours depending on pee, food, and fuel stops. I can't imagine trying to go during friday afternoon or sunday night. fuck that

 

[DRYHEAT]

Do it....
Stay late on Sunday and fly home at dusk. Lil warm leaving Havi late in the summer days but only for a few mins.
View attachment 1012191

Kind of off-topic on the thread but I’m curious how much does a 15° temperature spike reduce the efficiency of the airplane? Do you have to carry less fuel to get off the ground or leave someone behind? Or is it not that drastic? I realize it’s pretty wide-open question because every airplanes different but I was just curious if there’s a rule of thumb for High temperatures.

 

[TCHB]

looking back I sure wasted a lot time traveling from HB to the river/lake. My advice get a plane if you are going to do the drive for years. I would not do the drive again.

 

[SkyDirtWaterguy]

Kind of off-topic on the thread but I’m curious how much does a 15° temperature spike reduce the efficiency of the airplane? Do you have to carry less fuel to get off the ground or leave someone behind? Or is it not that drastic? I realize it’s pretty wide-open question because every airplanes different but I was just curious if there’s a rule of thumb for High temperatures.

density altitude - Google Search

www.google.com

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[EarpRider]

I feel your pain, my full time house is in Havasu, part-time party vacation house is in Parker. Occasionally the 40 minute drive takes up to 50 minutes, UGH it's soooo annoying!

 

[77charger]

Use to drive the 40 alot and seemd like there was always a slowdown somewhere.Mostly coming back home but its been a while.Was either road work or sunday traffic i bet this summer will be bad and no way to avoid it wheter its the 40 or the 10

 

[Rondog4405]

You've never seen a flash flood in the desert I'm guessing?

A few years ago one completely shut down the 10 cause it took out an overpass. Not good.

I've seen em on Rice Road too...

They are gearing up for monsoon season. Smart move.

Was caught up in that traffic and flash flood. Insane!!

 

[lbhsbz]

The drive started getting stupid about 5 years ago....before that, it was rare that I spent more than 4 1/2 hours on the road from Long Beach to Parker. Then all of a sudden I'd pretty much leave a whole day for driving out and another one for packing up and heading home. We used to hit traffic on the way home near riverside, then it started at Cabazon, and took 3-4 hours from there.

Tough to do the midnight runs like we did when we were younger with a kid...not to mention I'll fall asleep if I try that now.

 

[lbhsbz]

Was caught up in that traffic and flash flood. Insane!!

A year or so before the bridge washed out, we were cruising home one night on and we were the last vehicle through before they shut down rice road....I remember the belt squeaking a few times as the crank pulley got wet driving through the washes. It was dry 5 minutes earlier. Flash floods are not to be fucked with.

 

[Rondog4405]

That stretch of 40 between havasu and barstow seems like a fn eternity to get through when there's no traffic.....

 

[Desert Whaler]

alarm's set for 3:00, on the rode by 3:30 am manana . . . we'll see.

 

[Happy Smitty]

Not worth it anymore to drive from CA to Havasu? I get it, the drive and traffic begins to outweigh the pleasure. Sounds like CA is becoming a hamster cage.

....sorry I had to get my digs in.

 

[Javajoe]

Just arrived. Riverside to LH 3-1/2 hours Rice road. Easy Sailing

 

[Tank0088]

Is becoming fucking unbearable!!!. Yesterday driving home on the 40. Single lane construction between the river and all through needles. Making a huge flood control channel between the highway. WHY??? Total waste of time and money. It’s the desert. Flood control channel??? It never rains that much to warrant that. Then. Three!!!! Huge big rig truck crashes between Kelbaker rd and Barstow. Nonstop sea of slow ass moron big rig drivers. Then traffic going through Victorville. Then get through that. Big Brush fire [emoji91] along side of freeway in Hesperia causing traffic. Then. 4 car pile up crash watching fire and helicopter dropping water on fire. Get to the top of the Cajon pass and 10-15 mph all the way to the bottom no matter the time of day. All of this on a Wednesday afternoon! Doesn’t anyone work?? What is wrong with people?

I drove home yesterday too. It was a bad day to drive east bound on the 40. I only hit traffic by the fire. I can’t stand seeing people driving 50 mph in the emergency lanes.

 

[Chili Palmer]

We left last Friday at 3:00am to pick up the boat at the storage just outside Parker to the trailer place in Havasu for a service by 8:00 so we’d be in and out and on the water by noon. It was an awesome ride with no traffic the whole way. Yes, getting up at 2 sucks and by 6:00pm I was ready for bed.

 

[franky]

Been driving to Vegas through Searchlight (thanks Ziggy). Did it two days ago at 5am. Not a big deal other than the three semi that were going slow and passed with ease. After the train tacks it was smooth sailing. Got to LAS with time to spare and got my wristband at the gate. That was the time saver. When arrived in Honolulu there was a line for the Scamdemic that went on for many gates. Our son’s friend said it took him 1.5 hours the day before. Tourism is back in the islands and it is More of cluster F than the 40. :aniteef: At least we can move around the US.....for now.

From Havasu? How else would you get there?

 

[DMF]

We left Redlands last night at 6pm and made it to the Havasu house at 9:32. We hit a little bit of traffic going up the pass and got food in Barstow. I have been coming to the river my entire life. The wife and I bought our 1st river house in 2007 and have been making the commute on average twice a month since then. I don't mind the drive at all. My love and excitement for Havasu far exceeds any negativity some of you have towards the drive.

 

[Nordie]

From Havasu? How else would you get there?

I thought the same thing, but possibly through Kingman.

 

[grumpy88]

looking back I sure wasted a lot time traveling from HB to the river/lake. My advice get a plane if you are going to do the drive for years. I would not do the drive again.

When we lived in LA i looked into it and being a hourly employee it did not pencil out . I was able to take more days off and travel Thursdays and Mondays for the same cost of flying .

 

[gqchris]

The drive sucks. No arguing there. But it was not this bad back in the day. This is Covid Scamdemic effect. Everyone and their cousin somehow magically discovered the lake. We have non boaters asking us for the first time in 15 years to take them.

I see all the weed farm young ballers on Instagram flying out these days on their own planes. Seems thats where the hot ticket is nowadays until this shit calms down. (Grow Weed, or Buy A Plane or do both like these dudes!)

 

[HNL2LHC]

I feel your pain, my full time house is in Havasu, part-time party vacation house is in Parker. Occasionally the 40 minute drive takes up to 50 minutes, UGH it's soooo annoying!

Then there is my commute. Leave Havasu at 5am Tuesday morning and to arrive in Honolulu at 12:55pm. Don’t forget the 3 hour time difference.

Oh yeah I will ass one more......2 years ago the labor day weekend that the wife and I were up in SF for a few months with her medical treatments. She needed an escape so we rented a car and headed for Havasu. with the holiday traffic the drive back was about 12 hours.

 

[HNL2LHC]

From Havasu? How else would you get there?

Up trough Kingman since the MIL is there. We used to stop in on our way to Havasu to see her for a day. The route was kind of programmed into our routine.

 

[LowRiver2]

2nd year of skipping the lake July/August and doing beach camping instead. Absolutely enjoy avoiding the crowds, 110+ Temps, and crowded highway commutes.

 

[DUNEFLYER]

Great, now when we come across traffic up there the radio call will be more like
"WOW DUUUUDE. I see you over there"

The drive sucks. No arguing there. But it was not this bad back in the day. This is Covid Scamdemic effect. Everyone and their cousin somehow magically discovered the lake. We have non boaters asking us for the first time in 15 years to take them.

I see all the weed farm young ballers on Instagram flying out these days on their own planes. Seems thats where the hot ticket is nowadays until this shit calms down. (Grow Weed, or Buy A Plane or do both like these dudes!)

 

[lbhsbz]

I left Sunday morning to head out to Parker for a turn and burn to pick up my jet ski...left Long Beach at 8:25, pulled into Parker at 11:30...just like the old days. Of course, I didn’t get back home till 5:00, but that’s still better than 7:00

I think we’ll start doing the early mornings...be gone before the sun comes up and that should get us outta the shitshow before traffic hits.

 

[rivermobster]

2nd year of skipping the lake July/August and doing beach camping instead. Absolutely enjoy avoiding the crowds, 110+ Temps, and crowded highway commutes.

I've been skipping the summer heat (and amateurs) for decades. You'll find me in the Sierra's by a cool creek/lake listening to the wind in the pines most of the time in the summer.

 

[LowRiver2]

I've been skipping the summer heat (and amateurs) for decades. You'll find me in the Sierra's by a cool creek/lake listening to the wind in the pines most of the time in the summer.

View attachment 1012421

Hitting Mammoth, June Lake and relatives in Bishop in Aug. Great change of pace

 

[rivermobster]

Hitting Mammoth, June Lake and relatives in Bishop in Aug. Great change of pace

Lots of great riding up there...

 

[Ziggy]

Was caught up in that traffic and flash flood. Insane!!

Us too. It was the eastbound bridge that collapsed but we were heading west and got stopped < 1/4 mile from it...I remember seeing posts from @Wmc that they'd crossed the collapsed bridge shortly before it falling. After idling there for a few hours we crossed through median(after the water drained) and headed east through low flooded parts on the highway back to take the 78 through Glamis. Got turned back on the 78 too, just short of Glamis after another downpour there. Ended up backtracking to Quartzite and getting home via Yuma and I-8. Nearly 12hr ordeal.
.
Was on another ride home where a supercell storm hit us just west of Chiriaco. Had planned to take BoxCanyon but last minute chose not to after seeing sideways rain and semi's blown over. Great decision to change route 'cause that was the storm that flooded the canyon, trapping(and killing) some people and closing the road for a year.

 

[franky]

I’ve seriously been considering getting my PPL to commute to Havasu & Back. You can buy a decent used 4 seat plane for about what a new Tesla costs. The traffic now is just a Giant Clusterbomb!!!

It is not the initial cost, it is the maintenance....

 

[Danger Dave]

It is not the initial cost, it is the maintenance....

"Sounds like marriage." - Al Bundy

 

[HB2Havasu]

"Sounds like marriage." - Al Bundy

Wiser words have never been spoken

 

[DomesticDrifter]

Lots of great riding up there...

Amazing riding up there, especially east of 395 at June Lake exit, lots of fun fast trails

 

[Looking Glass]

I've been skipping the summer heat (and amateurs) for decades. You'll find me in the Sierra's by a cool creek/lake listening to the wind in the pines most of the time in the summer.

View attachment 1012421

With A Laptop OR Smartphone within Reach!!

 

[rivermobster]

With A Laptop OR Smartphone within Reach!!

Negative ghost rider. That's the whole point of getting away...

 

[Groper]

The 5hr drive is what keeps me away these days.... I’ve always hated it & not to mention the wear n tear on my vehicles, driving 300 miles each way across a blazing hot desert.

Maybe the IE to Havasu would be doable for me, but I’m deep into OC, so that’s another 50+ miles & that makes me say no...

I miss the lake & the lifestyle out there, however unless I ever move closer, I don’t plan on making that long miserable drive anytime soon.

I’m to the point now where the last thing I want to do on my days off is drive anywhere.


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This ^^^^ the more I go out into the Big Blue with my Pilot House the more I might be moving to a bigger Boat in a slip lifestyle.

Even launching for the day anywhere along the coast is zero stress for me compared to Windsor or the Marina and no crowds once you pass the jetty even cruising the Harbors aren't too bad other than the paddleboard rentals.

Yesterday a friend from up north down to OC (he left@4am) and dropped off some IPA's from a N. Cal Brewery, during our conversation I mentioned exactly what you stated about driving anywhere except I added weekends.
He did a turn around visiting his elderly mother and left for the drive up the 5 fwy he texted me last night saying it took him an extra 3-1/2 hrs to get home due to accidents along the 5 fwy going north, in either direction N,S, E or W we cannot escape congestion.

 

[Desert Whaler]

Made it from Blythe to HB this morning in 3 hours 15 minutes towing my little rig.
Left at 5:30 . . . very little traffic, warmest temp was 88 just outside Indio . . . cooled back down after that.
I'm sold on leaving early to avoid the heat, traffic.
I planned on leaving earlier, but stayed up celebrating last night.

 

[77charger]

I've been skipping the summer heat (and amateurs) for decades. You'll find me in the Sierra's by a cool creek/lake listening to the wind in the pines most of the time in the summer.

View attachment 1012421

I skipped a couple years of river trips to do just that but hit upper kern area peppermint creek. Get burned out doing same thing after a few years. So a break is refreshing

 

[Ziggy]

I've been skipping the summer heat (and amateurs) for decades. You'll find me in the Sierra's by a cool creek/lake listening to the wind in the pines most of the time in the summer.

View attachment 1012421

The winds through the trees is the Rübezahl.
Born in the mountains of Silesia where my parents grew up.

 

[rivermobster]

I skipped a couple years of river trips to do just that but hit upper kern area peppermint creek. Get burned out doing same thing after a few years. So a break is refreshing

Kennedy and Monanche meadows?

 

[rivermobster]

The winds through the trees is the Rübezahl.
Born in the mountains of Silesia where my parents grew up.

So are you trying to say this is you?

Ruebezhal is actually a Woodwose… a native spirit of the mountains and forest. He’s not a demon or god, just a big prankster and shape shifter.

 

[Ziggy]

So are you trying to say this is you?

Ruebezhal is actually a Woodwose… a native spirit of the mountains and forest. He’s not a demon or god, just a big prankster and shape shifter.

The only trinket from my parents I kept.