Driving down day after tomorrow

[SomeDude78]

THIS! This is what I was talking about and couldn't remember the name. They have Takis at the Chevron.....LOL

Bwhahahaha funny the things one takes note of during boring drives across the desert Not big on Takis myself although my hankering for some Combos usually kicks in by the time I make my stop ... nicely catered to by Chevron as well! (The one on the 41 a.k.a. Kettleman City exit just goes all out by throwing in a McDonald's, that's like the holy grail of refueling while on the road -- gas, restroom, junk food, McDonald's, WHAT?!?!)

 

[larina]

...It doesn't smell all the time at Harris Ranch.

We just must be really unlucky. My parents used to go to LA almost every weekend, and they always complained about it. I've been through there a dozen times in the last year and it was awful every time. Maybe we just travel at the wrong times

...Santa Nella, we usually stop here for breakfast, there's a Denny's for a decent fast meal...

We also eat at this Denny's. It is one of the better places in the area. My ex used to deliver produce and he said they have a very clean kitchen, which is very rare for the Denny's along 5 (he delivered to them between Sac and Kettleman City).

 

[PinkBudgie]

If you can wait a few more minutes, I've always liked the Chevron in Valencia off Magic Mountain Parkway -- just get off and bang a left at the first light. It's obviously on the higher end of "soon after" Lebec, but it's close to the freeway and always nice and clean at that Chevron no matter the time of day or night. Actually that Chevron plus the one off the 41 (the one with a McDonald's inside) are my favorite stops since they're always clean and you can combo gas/food together

Otherwise Laval Road just before the grapevine maybe? I usually don't stop at rest areas ... my personal criteria is based on whether I can take care of gas/food/restroom needs and how clean the facility generally is. After years of experimentation (have made the drive on average 1-2 times a month since 1996!) I've settled on those two as my "go to" places. My backups are any of the truck stops (for example the big "TA" service station with the KFC and Taco Bell inside)

THIS! This is what I was talking about and couldn't remember the name. They have Takis at the Chevron.....LOL

Thank you both. I'm going to make note of it and make that our last stop. We also like the TA places and we always stop in Santa Nella on the way home but never on the way down. I think we did stop at that Love's place for gas one time and thought the price was lower than Buttonwillow, but the next time we couldn't remember where stopped before. It must have been that one.

 

[pixiewings71]

Bwhahahaha funny the things one takes note of during boring drives across the desert Not big on Takis myself although my hankering for some Combos usually kicks in by the time I make my stop ... nicely catered to by Chevron as well! (The one on the 41 a.k.a. Kettleman City exit just goes all out by throwing in a McDonald's, that's like the holy grail of refueling while on the road -- gas, restroom, junk food, McDonald's, WHAT?!?!)

I love Takis!! So does DD12, she's the one who turned me on to them actually. LOL She loves them. Those Chevron's, they can be pretty amazing. LOL

Thank you both. I'm going to make note of it and make that our last stop. We also like the TA places and we always stop in Santa Nella on the way home but never on the way down. I think we did stop at that Love's place for gas one time and thought the price was lower than Buttonwillow, but the next time we couldn't remember where stopped before. It must have been that one.

You're welcome Love's is in Lost Hills, it is usually cheaper than Buttonwillow. I have an app called Gas Buddy on my phone, I can look up gas prices on the drive and usually Love's has the best price.

 

[teach1abc]

We drive from the Bay Area when we go to Disney with a now 4 and 8 yr old. We try to not stop unless we need potty breaks or gas. We usually get 4 day park hoppers which is good incentive to not stop - less stopping = more time at Disney. We made it from home to a gas station by Six Flags just past the grapevine. On our last day, we go to Disney in the morning and leave around 3. We stop at the In N Out on 5 somewhere out in the middle of now where for gas and dinner. Then we drive the rest of the way home without stopping.

 

[MomToOne]

I drive the whole way down myself (only have DD12 with me). I stop at every single rest stop between Sacramento and Anaheim - it gives me a chance to stretch and wake up a bit. The rest stops are spaced between 1 and 2 hours apart. We don't stop for long - usually just around 5-10 minutes - but if you are doing all the driving alone, I think it really helps.

We like to pack a lunch to eat when we stop at the rest stop right before the Grapevine (rest stop picnics are a fond memory from my childhoodn LOL), but since it's closed right now this year we will stop at the In N Out burger at the Lebec exit. They have highly rated restrooms

I can make it all the way to Anaheim on 1 tank of gas, so we don't stop for that anywhere.

 

[SpaceTraveler]

We (DW and DS9) will be making the drive from Seattle starting early Saturday morning. 13 hours and we have a place in Lathrop for the evening. From there, estimates on the ol' interwebs have it at just under 6 hours to Anaheim for us on Sunday. Given the day before, those 6 hours sound like a breeze. We will more than likely do day 2 with no stops (one max if the wife or kid need a pit stop ).

 

[KateDrake]

We just made the trip from SLC with my DD3 and our little cousins, 9 and 10, a few months ago. It made me think we shouldn't have planned stops beforehand and just let our bladders and stomachs be our guides.
For example, we had planned lunch in Vegas, but we weren't really that hungry when we got there. But we'd told the kids we'd be stopping there, so we did. But a bit later, all the kids were complaining they were hungry, because they hadn't been at lunch and hadn't eaten. Luckily we'd brought plenty of snacks! I say just stop when it feels good, and if you get to that planned stop and are feeling in a rhythm, just keep going. It's not like there isn't another place to stop along the 5!
Now, that isn't exactly the case in the dead zone of Nevada, but that's a different story...