L.A. Bypass (scales & traffic) Tip

L.A. Bypass Tip: (for Knight et all who can drive out-of-route)

I used a very handy 'short cut' (actually about 15+ miles longer in distance) when usually starting out with Knight in Phx carrying a heavy Gatorade load going to Tracy, CA or for any loads delivering along CA99, by:

Taking 177 north out of Desert Center to 62 going west, then turning off to 247 north at Yucca Valley and taking to Barstow I15 north of city. Miss 2 scales and all the eastern L.A. suburbs traffic (and any accidents)! Around 12 lites going thru 29 Palms, Joshua Tree, and Yucca Valley, but moderate traffic if not rush hour. Very few trucks (altho trucks OK) until hit the mine traffic at Lucerne Valley.

Only 'concerns' are continuing on 247 north out of Lucerne Valley 4-way stop (take a right---dont go south/left at 4-way or you'll be heading up to Big Bear!). Also got my 1 and only traffic tkt in 10 yrs of driving when heading out of Lucerne Valley by a CHIPs for passing a slow, heavy potash truck, almost out of town (only 1 more dirt cross road to go), and passing in a 'short' no passing zone (yellow line---no sign, didnt even see), aka a "trucker trap!" Considered myself 'lucky,' tho since cop didnt hit me with a speeding tkt also as I passed at 65 mph for the usual truck 55 mph speed limit!

Other concern, short 8% grade leaving Yucca Valley with traffic following, and 8%+ grade about 17 miles north of Lucerne Valley, which was only the 2nd place in my career that I missed a shift and had to stop and restart. Was just starting out as Express in a Pete (8-speed + LL) where I usually drove Volvos (10-speeds).

Also, make sure you have good tires on your trailer (esp. in summer) carrying heavy loads---it is the Mojave and not a good place to break down!!!!

Once I got used to this route, I never went back to the usual I10/210/I215/I15 way around .....

EDIT: I liked this route better than the 62 north off I10 to Yucca Valley bypass option (right B4 the Banning scales) due to long, steep grades, lots of 'impatient' traffic following, good chance of catching stop lights, and was turned back 3 times during summers due to wild fires!!

 

Have gotten behind a couple over-sized loads in "the humps" (2 steep dips thru washes north of Yucca Valley) that slowed me down, but running it in the daytime is a piece of cake normally. Also picked up a 'wine' load near Chowchilla, CA heading to Phx that didnt have time to weigh (usually at Bakersfield T/S's), knowing the Tehachapi scales would be closed, took this route back and never was scaled all the way home, since Knights used to always get bypassed going into the AZ scales.

Once you get used to the hills and learn the stop lights, etc., it's a piece of cake---must have run it 25+ times the last 2 years of driving for Knight.

 

Yeah, took that route a couple of times, but on Friday afternoon/nights, holidays, and weekends got behind a lot of slow, RV & boat traffic coming out of L.A. from I10 up 177 from Desert Center to 62 east and heading to Parker, Havasu and Lake Mead. Also on way east into Parker had to get out at AZ scales and show ppw regularly...