Towing advice Vacaville to Mendocino

[weirdstuff]

Originally Posted by Mattirs

It is the best route, living in Fairfield, we just drove that route in the spring.

Which route (from the posts above) are you referring to?

The reason for Mendocino, is to visit a good friend that recently moved up there. We are so close, that it would have been a shame to not be able to visit him while we're up here.

The plan, as of this morning, is to take the 128. But, waiting to see which route Mattirs is referring to.

[PKI]

Got it - suspected your destination had a back story. The route research is good prep to achieve a positive trip outcome.

Travel safe and enjoy the experience. Hope to see you down the road. Pat

[Mattirs]

sorry, the one MacDave suggested in post#12 That is the one we took and it was my wife's first windey road drive and she did fine.

[weirdstuff]

Was just pointed out to me that the state parks on the coast, are probably dry camping only. We don't have solar or a generator yet, and don't want to kill our batteries, so this might throw a small wrench in the plans.

Plan A...find campground somewhere near Mendocino that has electric hook ups (I'll look on All Stays)

Plan B...find a campground on east side of the coastal range, and then just day trip into Mendocino. Not our first choice, but this way, we wouldn't even have to tow the trailer over there.

[VaTravelers]

Lots of great advice on routes pros and cons. Most coming from residents or those who have spent years honing their AS towing skills. I would offer the view of another newbie. We've had our AS for 1 year, it's a 28 International. Our TV is a F-250 diesel 4x4 long bed. So the rig is substantial. We have been on 5 trips so far with two of them over 450 miles each way. I don't live in CA but grew up in the SF bay area and left as a young adult. I spent a lot of time driving those roads and know them well. However I am now living in Virginia. I would seriously consider gaining some experience and confidence in towing and handling your new rig. For me, just as I learned in my 27 year flying career, when everything goes as planned, it's a piece of cake. But when the weather turns bad, or you have an emergency or something goes awry, experience and confidence in your ability to handle the situation matters a great deal. Practice maneuvering in traffic, getting into and out of a gas station, practice stopping quickly, think about how you will manage merging traffic, learn how to control speed and braking coming off a hill, get comfortable with lane control especially when turning and develop a scan that will keep you fully engaged with your TV, AS and surrounding environment/traffic. IMHO you may want to consider getting a little more experience before taking on a run to Mendocino. We can't predict what is going to happen on a trip but we can mitigate some of the risk by good preparation. You are the only one who knows what your confidence level is and how well prepared you are. Good luck and safe travels.

[CDONA]

Sorry I missed you, I'm still parked around the pond @ Vineyards. Was in laundry mode, you left before I got done.
Last year I took 128 thru Winters to Silverado Trail to Calistoga and have been on 128 all the way to the coast. I'm leaving on Mon, 128 to Calistoga again, a little curvy but avoiding all that freeway traffic.

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by Mattirs

It is the best route, living in Fairfield, we just drove that route in the spring. We stopped half way and overnighted up in the hills to break up the drive since we left after work.
Glass beach is nothing right now, it's bern picked over so much, but the rest of the coast is beautiful. We stayed at MacKerricher State Park. It was beautiful but you only have water hookups.
From there we drove up and down the coast exploring it.

Great point. Mendo to FB is maybe 20 minutes max. Mendo S to Sea Ranch is about 1.5 hours max. and you don't have to go that far. That section of coast (FB to SR) has it's curves but generally a road that flows very well, with one exception (Hwy 1 SB just past Elk Creek http://tinyurl.com/y8w8p26u ). The section with the reputation and the killer views is Ft Ross S to Jenner.



Bob

PKI...great aside...re Benbow...a Hwy 101 Icon as well as Ave of the Giants, especially the N section (Richardson Grove to Pepperwood) IMO.

Also (IMO)..Hwy 20 from 5 to 101 is an exhaustive drive up to and past Clear Lake ,even in a car.

[interstateflyer]

Originally Posted by VaTravelers

Lots of great advice on routes pros and cons. Most coming from residents or those who have spent years honing their AS towing skills. I would offer the view of another newbie. We've had our AS for 1 year, it's a 28 International. Our TV is a F-250 diesel 4x4 long bed. So the rig is substantial. We have been on 5 trips so far with two of them over 450 miles each way. I don't live in CA but grew up in the SF bay area and left as a young adult. I spent a lot of time driving those roads and know them well. However I am now living in Virginia. I would seriously consider gaining some experience and confidence in towing and handling your new rig. For me, just as I learned in my 27 year flying career, when everything goes as planned, it's a piece of cake. But when the weather turns bad, or you have an emergency or something goes awry, experience and confidence in your ability to handle the situation matters a great deal. Practice maneuvering in traffic, getting into and out of a gas station, practice stopping quickly, think about how you will manage merging traffic, learn how to control speed and braking coming off a hill, get comfortable with lane control especially when turning and develop a scan that will keep you fully engaged with your TV, AS and surrounding environment/traffic. IMHO you may want to consider getting a little more experience before taking on a run to Mendocino. We can't predict what is going to happen on a trip but we can mitigate some of the risk by good preparation. You are the only one who knows what your confidence level is and how well prepared you are. Good luck and safe travels.

Agreed. I've owned Airstreams since 2005, RVs and horse trailer before that. We've towed all over California, Western US, Canada and Alaska. We still face uncomfortable scenarios that challenge our abundant experience. I'd suggest easing into this. Any route to Mendocino will present new challenges, busy freeway towing, twisty mountain routes with impatient drivers behind, drop-offs etc. There has some been great advice given here, but again you might want to ease into this with a few shorter, less challenging trips until you learn a bit more about your truck an trailer and how to interact with traffic and lane width etc.

[AlinCal]

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

Was just pointed out to me that the state parks on the coast, are probably dry camping only. We don't have solar or a generator yet, and don't want to kill our batteries, so this might throw a small wrench in the plans.

Plan A...find campground somewhere near Mendocino that has electric hook ups (I'll look on All Stays)

Plan B...find a campground on east side of the coastal range, and then just day trip into Mendocino. Not our first choice, but this way, we wouldn't even have to tow the trailer over there.

We dry camp with out a generator or solar with no problem for 5 days or more without connecting to tv for a charge. You won't need AC on the coast and you will be without a microwave. There will usually be a water source and a dump station so why not go?

[weirdstuff]

UPDATE: We decided that some of you peeps here are much smarter and much more experienced than we are, and that we should take your advice. Notice that I said SOME of you...not ALL of you. LOL!

We've decided to stay at the KOA that's just past Willits on the 20, and just day trip to the coast each day. Will leave the towing for when we are more experienced. No risk, no stress this time.

CDONA....I'm so sorry we missed meeting you. I saw 2 other beautiful Airstreams nearby, and should have come by to say hello. We're in the "getting set up" stage, which is kind of an introverted stage.

[McDave]

The Mendocino area is my favorite place in Northern California. Living in Sacramento, as I do, or Vacaville, as you do, not going to Mendocino would be like not going to the Grand Canyon if I lived in Flagstaff.

That said, it's not really a beginner's drive, however you go. That said, it's not really anymore dangerous than most other places you would go, so long as you take it slow. The roads are well maintained, and for me are a lot less nerve wracking than driving through a congested city. I would much rather poke through the mountains between Willits and Ft Bragg at whatever speed I chose, pulling out as necessary to let other cars by, than I would drive through a new city at 55 mph trying to figure out which exit I needed next as other cars zoomed around me on both sides.

As it happened, the drive to Ft Bragg was the first trip we took in the Airstream, or any trailer, although I had driven the route without a trailer many times before, so I knew what to expect.

As others have mentioned, there is nothing wrong with taking a shakedown cruise locally first, and practice parking in an almost empty parking lot. A little confidence will go a long way.

[NorCal Matt]

Congratulations on getting your trailer! I just drove by the dealer today (not leaving 80) and saw a few Airstreams along the way. It’s a good time to visit the coast.

Guallala is one of our favorite places along the north coast, but it is a long ways up 1. I’m usually quite exhausted and need a beer and a nap before I’m ready to start enjoying our time. It’s not scary or nerve wracking so much, just requires all you attention. Ft Bragg is much easier to get to, as others have commented, simply because of the time spent on 1. Mackericher is our favorite state park near FB, but they are all pretty good.

Sounds like you’ve got a plan that you’re comfortable with, enjoy your trip!

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

. . .
We've decided to stay at the KOA that's just past Willits on the 20, and just day trip to the coast each day. Will leave the towing for when we are more experienced. No risk, no stress this time.
. . .

An excellent and mature choice, for this early stage in your AS life IMO.

Have a great time!

Peter

PS -- Going out to the coast by car will permit lots of great photos, without the white knuckle experience of towing!

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

UPDATE: We decided that some of you peeps here are much smarter and much more experienced than we are, and that we should take your advice. Notice that I said SOME of you...not ALL of you. LOL!

We've decided to stay at the KOA that's just past Willits on the 20, and just day trip to the coast each day. Will leave the towing for when we are more experienced. No risk, no stress this time.

CDONA....I'm so sorry we missed meeting you. I saw 2 other beautiful Airstreams nearby, and should have come by to say hello. We're in the "getting set up" stage, which is kind of an introverted stage.

Great news and can't argue with that strategy. I'm sure you'll have a great time exploring and discovering the Mendo coast/101 corridor.

happy trails

Bob

[sac1gaa]

Hwy 1 North is easier than going South. Make a mistake heading north you hit a cliff, heading south you drive off the cliff. The further north you take 101 the shorter you have to drive on Hwy 1 and the more experience you gain. Hwy 128 should give you the confidence you will need. Slow is better and when you pull over to let traffic go by pick a spot YOU are comfortable pulling over in.

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by CDONA

Sorry I missed you, I'm still parked around the pond @ Vineyards. Was in laundry mode, you left before I got done.
Last year I took 128 thru Winters to Silverado Trail to Calistoga and have been on 128 all the way to the coast. I'm leaving on Mon, 128 to Calistoga again, a little curvy but avoiding all that freeway traffic.

CEONA, a great reminder/tip. Growing up in the east bay family water skiing trips meant Napa to Berryessa to spanish flat resort. After college fishing was pick up Frank in Vacaville and go by the Berryessa Dam. I've never thought of that road as a E/W thru road...128 meant Alex Valley on my way to a buddy's house. I remember it as a great country road capable of handing a volume of TV's with boat trailers.

Thanks for the reminder. I think we'll try it on our next Angwin trip!

Bob

[Ronman]

For the record, it is Hiway 128 into Anderson Valley. Nice drive. The Hiway 1 route is only a challenge from Jenner to Fort Ross. (Take it slow and you’re fine) Beyond that, it’s a piece of cake. Just don’t make the trip south, that’s a bit hairy!! Slow and cautious and you’ll be fine. Have fun!!

[chelli]

Originally Posted by mixedpuppy

I cant help you with the route but thought I'd comment.



When we got ours I had never towed before either. Best advice I got was from my sister (who drives large public transit buses) when I was beginning: Go slow as you need, take turns wide and slow, keep a good distance between you and the vehicle in front, if someone pops in slow down to recover the distance. make sure you look at the mirrors very frequently. It can be nerve wracking when you start, but that does ease with experience. Keep your initial trips short is the one I didn't follow. Drive from BC to southern CA I've been in and out of some very tight spots, just remember SLOW.


I also tend to look at satellite images sometimes if I'm going somewhere with smaller roads and I haven't been there.



Another helpful thing if you haven't, search the forums for a trip checklist (what to look at before driving off).

Great advice, especially the slow part. And the wide turns. I might add, if you haven't done so already is to make sure ALL of your systems are working correctly before venturing too far from the dealer.
You have to start somewhere and here and now is as good as it gets! Have fun!

[Jack West]

I have been towing for 10 years; a 16' Casita, 19' Bambi, and s 23' flying cloud since 2013. I towed all of these along route 1. Advise you take 101 to Calistoga, the 128 thru Booneville to Mendocino. Hendy Woods SP near Philo is a great CG. Watch especially for cyclists on 101, use turnouts to allow passing. Good luck.

[Jack West]

Don't do Russian Gulch, too tight for a newbie especially.