The highest temperature was around San Miguel and San Ardo which was now about 91 degrees on Highway 101 which is the easiest way north from Santa Barbara to the SF Bay area. I suppose you could also go out to Interstate 5 at Paso Robles on 46 but I'm not sure how practical that would be depending upon where in the Bay area you want to go.
Often when I go to Mt. Shasta I want to bypass the SF Bay Area Traffic completely by heading out 152 to Santa Nella and up from there. Many younger drivers think this is nuts but remember I'm 74 and the stress of driving through all of the Bay area is a lot for me to deal with especially if I"m driving all the way to Mt. Shasta which is no easy drive for me at this point in my life. So, under the most and best conditions it might be anywhere between 5 and 7 hours to get to Mt. Shasta from the SF Bay area depending upon what kind of traffic you hit along the way. But, once you get past Vacaville on 80 to 505 usually there is no more traffic unless it is rush hour in Redding and that isn't usually very bad. However, it is true that My wife and I each often drive 1/2 of the way which makes it easier. But, even then unless one of us wants to drive through Bay area traffic most of the time I would rather drive out 152 and completely bypass any Bay area traffic at all if I can. But, if it is summer time it can be 100, 110 or even 115 Farhenheit all the way from Santa Nella to Redding up Interstate 5 and the heat doesn't diminish at all until you leave Redding and cross Shasta Dam and Lake and head up to 3500 feet at Mt. Shasta City. So, only the altitude cools you down anyway usually around 20 to 30 degrees (any time of year at least between Redding and Mt. Shasta (which means if it is January through March you might be driving through snow on Interstate 5 between Dunsmuir and Yreka and Ashland Oregon then.
Anyway, today I wondered why it was so smoky around the Salinas Area and found out on local news once I got home that there had been a large 900 acre control burn which is what I had suspected because the fire wasn't listed that I could find very easily anywhere on my IPhone online as we drove north.
But, all in all we spent most of the time having a lovely telephone call through the speakers in the car with an old friend we both ( my wife and I) have known since 1994.
So, the time flew by because of this. Beautiful day especially along the beach from Santa Barbara through the tunnel up into Buellton. One Strange thing was that I couldn't seem to get Data to run the internet on my Iphone in Santa Barbara this time and it didn't really work until I got as far north as Monterey County which seemed pretty strange to me because we have so many smartphones on our phone policy that we get free Data all the time anywhere usually so getting Data to go online is basically unlimited so I was pretty upset in Santa Barbara when it didn't work.
But, Life Goes on and my health has come back from walking every day on the beaches of Santa Barbara which was very like walking through the warm waters of Hawaii which was really wonderful for my wife and I this trip.
By God's Grace
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