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[jander]

So we are headed to Tucson at the end of January. Just over 13 hours non-stop, so we’re are not going to do that.

The original plan was to stop in Barstow for the night, do touristy things in Barstow such as the Route  66 museum and the Calico ghost town, and then head to Tucson.  The issue with this is that it’s still 7.5 hours to Tucson and if we do the tourist stuff we will be rolling in around 9-10 pm, less than ideal.

So where is the best place to stop?  The most direct route is through Palm Springs, spend the night there, and on to Tucson the next day. This is going to be I-10 the entire way. I was hoping for some random 2 lane US highways but this is about it I think.

Any other options or ideas?  Any routes that may be “out of the way, but not too much?”   Any other places to stay halfway or so?

[Max Rockatansky]

If you looking for a fun way to get to I-5 take CA 25, CA 198, CA 33 and Jayne Avenue over CA 152 or Altamont Pass.  You can bypass Phoenix one of two ways:

-  CA 86, CA 78 and CA 111 from I-10 to I-8. 
-  AZ 85 from I-10 to I-8.
-  Three if you want to do US 95 between Quartzsite and Yuma but there is an annoying westward backtrack.   

CA 247, CA 62, AZ 95, AZ 72 and Vicksburg Road is a out of the way route I take to Phoenix a lot starting in Barstow.  CA 62 can be kind of spooky at night but it does have lots of places to pull over and sleep comfortably if that’s your thing.  Rice is a neat ghost town on CA 62 that you don’t have to pay to see unlike Calico. 

I’ve found reliable hotel to be found in San Bernardino (the Quality Inn on Waterman), Palm Springs (the Comfort Inn in downtown) and Coachella (the Clarion) but beyond that it was always too close to home (then Phoenix) to do anything but sleep in the car.

[doglover44]

Hope your ready for your trip !

[jander]

I am going to take 99 –> ca-58 over Tehachapi to Mojave, ca-138 over the Cajon pass, and then into Palm Springs. 

From Palm Springs to Tucson we will take 10 to Tonopah and then run old US-80 down to Gila Bend, and then I-8 and I-10 into Tucson.

The route home will be (roughly) the Organ Pipe Cactus Monument, I-8 to Escondido, up to LA, over the grapevine, and then set the cruise to 95 and rip up I-5 until Tracy.
(This covers a couple days).