Long Day in the Saddle!

Road Trippin’
with Steve McCarthy

Sometimes, we just get carried away. But, there are SO many neat things to see, SO many neat roads to drive, SO much good food to eat...But, 530 miles? In a day? Yeah, I know, sometimes, we just get carried away. sigh. Of course, if you’re not as crazy as we are, there are plenty of places to stay the night along the way. If you’ve read enough of these columns, you’ll know a few. If not, Cambria has great places, as do Atascadero or Paso Robles.

It started innocently enough. “Let’s go to breakfast!” I was up early and restless. Marianne got up too, groggily got herself ready, was happy to have a coffee at the AM/PM and we headed out. Nothing fancy, not as yet. Up the 210 to the 5, across the 126 to Ventura and our new favorite breakfast place, The Busy Bee in  Ventura. The old Worker Bee in Carpinteria is ok, but they don’t open early and with the new owners, it just doesn’t have the same funky charm.

From there it was up 101, just relaxing and letting the ocean views calm us. About Atascadero we gassed up (just on general principles, we took the Dart, so that 38+mpg gets us a LONG way), then over the 46 to Cambria and Lunch. There are so many good places there, it’s pick one that tickles your fancy and chow down. We’ve never had a bad meal there.

We did a brief walk about town, hit one of our favorite antiques stores and damn if Marianne didn’t find a turquoise ring! S’OK, I found some cool TR3 magazine ads. We headed out of town, back over 46, down the 101 and east on the 58.

California 58 is a fascinating road. It starts amid the coastal oaks around Santa Marguerita, then hits the vastness of the Carrizo Plain, it’s desert moonscape is amazing. In Bakersfield, we continued up through the Tehachapis and low and behold, Marianne spotted an old GM 4104 bus cruising along! I used to drive them for Embree’s back in the 70s. They were old then. this one was, well scruffy, but seemed to be running well. Glad to see one of these Auld Crates still on the road.

In Tehachapi, we tried the Redhouse BBQ for dinner. It was OK, but not the best we’ve had. The people were nice, the service quick, and the atmosphere appropriate. I’d give it 3 out of 5 stars.

After dinner, it was east on the 58 again, then south on the 14, up over Angeles Crest and home. Yep, 520 miles, three good meals, and lots of great scenery. Beats hell out of the Tragic Kingdom any day and cheaper too, even when you buy a turquoise ring along the way!


Driving directions

9 h 43 min
530 miles
United Artists La Canada 8
1919 Verdugo Boulevard, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011

1. Head west on Verdugo Blvd toward Hilldale Dr 0.4 mi
2. Turn right onto Montrose Ave 0.4 mi
3. Turn right onto Ocean View Blvd 0.2 mi
4. Turn left to merge onto I-210 W 0.3 mi
5. Merge onto I-210 W 17.4 mi
6. I-5 N/Golden State Fwy toward Sacramento 0.6 mi
7. merge onto I-5 N/Golden State Fwy
Continue to follow I-5 N 10.9 mi
8. West 126/Newhall Ranch Road toward Ventura 0.3 mi
9. Continue to follow CA-126 W/State Hwy 126 W 40.8 mi
10. Continue onto US-101 N 3.2 mi
11. Take exit 70A for California St 0.2 mi
12. turn right onto S California St 0.2 mi
13. Turn left at the 3rd cross street onto E Main St
Destination will be on the left 115 ft

1 h 19 min (75.0 mi)
Busy Bee Cafe
478 East Main Street, Ventura, CA 93001

14. Head west on E Main St toward S Oak St 358 ft
15. Turn left at the 1st cross street onto S Oak St 0.2 mi
16. Turn right to merge onto US-101 N toward Santa Barbara 0.1 mi
17. Merge onto US-101 154 mi
18. Take exit 224 for Vineyard Dr 0.2 mi
19. Turn left onto Vineyard Dr 3.2 mi
20. Turn left onto CA-46 W 17.2 mi
21. Turn right onto CA-1 N 2.3 mi
22. Turn right onto Main St 0.2 mi
23. Turn left onto Eton Rd 0.4 mi
24. Slight right onto Burton Dr 0.4 mi
25. Turn right to stay on Burton Dr
Destination will be on the left 0.1 mi

2 h 49 min (178 mi)
Robin's Restaurant
4095 Burton Drive, Cambria, CA 93428

26. Head south on Burton Dr toward Rodeo Grounds Rd 0.5 mi
27. Continue straight onto Eton Rd 0.4 mi
28. Turn right onto Main St 0.2 mi
29. Turn left onto CA-1 S 2.3 mi
30. Turn left onto CA-46 E 17.3 mi
31. Turn right onto Vineyard Dr 3.1 mi
32. Turn right to merge onto US-101 S 0.2 mi
33. Merge onto US-101 S 8.0 mi
34. Take exit 216 for Santa Barbara Rd 0.2 mi
35. Turn left onto Santa Barbara Rd 0.4 mi
36. Turn right onto El Camino Real 4.6 mi
35. Turn left onto CA-58 E 1.5 mi
36. Turn left to stay on CA-58 E 68.8 mi
37. Turn left onto 2nd St 0.8 mi
38. Continue straight onto CA-58 W 9.3 mi
39/ Get on CA-99 S 27.5 mi
40. Turn left onto Corn Camp Rd 3.0 mi
41. Turn right onto 7th Standard Rd 24.3 mi
42. Use the right lane to take the ramp onto CA-99 S 0.3 mi
43. Merge onto CA-99 S 3.0 mi
44. Keep left to stay on CA-99 S 3.3 mi
45. Keep right at the fork to continue on CA-58 E, 39.4 mi
46. Take exit 149 for Mill St 0.3 mi
47. Turn right onto N Mill St 0.3 mi
48. Continue onto W H St 0.3 mi
49. Turn right onto N Green St 305 ft
50. Turn left at the 1st cross street onto E Tehachapi Blvd
Destination will be on the right 0.3 mi

3 h 36 min (192 mi)
Redhouse BBQ
426 East Tehachapi Boulevard, Tehachapi, CA 93561

51. Head east on E Tehachapi Blvd toward S Hayes St 1.7 mi
52. Turn right to merge onto CA-58 E toward Mojave 0.5 mi
53. Merge onto CA-58 E 13.4 mi
54, Take exit 165 toward Mojave 0.4 mi
55. Turn right onto CA-58 BUS E 4.6 mi
56. Continue onto CA-14 S/Midland Trail
Continue to follow CA-14 S 38.4 mi
57. Take exit 30 toward Angeles Forest Hwy 0.4 mi
58. Sharp right onto Sierra Hwy (signs for Angeles Forest Hwy) 0.2 mi
59. Keep left to continue on Angeles Forest Hwy 16.2 mi
60. Turn left onto Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Rd 9.1 mi
61. Turn right onto CA-2 W/Angeles Crest Hwy
Continue to follow Angeles Crest Hwy 18.3 mi