US 395 north of Reno

[Tom and Patty]

What is the condition of 395 north of Reno. Hills and decents?
Thank you for your input.

[Tom and Patty]

What is the condition of 395 north of Reno. Hills and decents?
Thank you for your input.

[Paul Heuvelhorst]

Tom & Patty,
My answer to your question is that it depends on how far you plan to drive north on 395. If you plan to go all the way into Oregon and Idaho, you'll find 395 very easy... some gentle hills occasionally, but no high mountain passes (rarely more that a 500' ascent). Leaving Susanville you will encounter the highest grade, about a 2-3 mile climb of no more than 1,000'. We live just west of Susanville, CA and 395 is our main route to Reno, and we prefer it when we are heading north, also.

If you plan to leave 395 before hitting Oregon 20 and the Idaho border to the northeast, then you need to check that route off 395, but 395 is good. Make sure you fill your tanks in Lakeview, OR before you go further. The prices are better than CA, and it is a long haul to anywhere else after that.

Happy traveling.

[Tom and Patty]

Paul, thank you. We are headed for Yakima, so will take 395 all the way. Last time we were that way was 20 years ago. Can't remember a thing about the road.

[Colesmeister]

Enjoy your stay in our fair city.

[Tom and Patty]

I don't know if we will actually get to Yakima. We will be staying in Toppenish for an Alpine Coach homecoming rally Oct 4th to the 9th. We will be sure to take back to Ca some of the wonderful Yakima produce! Hope it is apple picking time!

Thank you for all the help

[Paul Heuvelhorst]

Hi T&P,
You can now bring back all the out-of-state produce you want to. CA no longer requires the casual traveler to stop at the border crossing stations to declare what produce or plants you're bringing into the state. They only stop commercial carriers. This change occurred about the first of 2005.

Enjoy all the wonderful Washington produce you can carry.

[h2guy]

I don't know about CA now allowing POVs to pass thru the Ag inspection now.

A couple friends from San Diego returned 3 weeks ago thru Yuma on I-8 and had to eat two bananas that they admitted having had on board before being allowed to continue. They were in a new Buick sedan.

[Tom and Patty]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">A couple friends from San Diego returned 3 weeks ago thru Yuma on I-8 and had to eat two bananas that they admitted having had on board before being allowed to continue. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hope they didn't hold up the line

I'll have Patty make me apple pie then

[Paul Heuvelhorst]

My earlier comment on the CA Border Patrol no longer checking POV's was based on personal experience crossing the CA/NV border after shopping in Reno on several occasions this year, and this week crossing into CA at the OR border on Hwy 101. Only commercial trucks are being inspected. A local CHP officer told me the change occured in early 2005.

Those who were stopped coming in from Yuma must have had a "suspicious" look on their faces. ;-)

[FatDog]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Those who were stopped coming in from Yuma must have had a "suspicious" look on their faces. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I've gone from Yuma towards SanDiego many times and i can't remember ever having had to come to a complete stop at the border. Usually just a wave through. Fact is, i can't even recall some of those. I though you just drove across.
Hopefully i haven't been just driving thru without noticing the Agent trying to stop me.

That 395 trip up NorCal into Oregon sounds like the trip though. I love that terrirory.

[taletellers]

Hi, We're looking for an alternative to I-5 and 99 from No.Ca. to Washington. (Motto: Take me up a road I've never been on!) Is 395 better than these?
A trip to Reno from where we are would be fun and only a few hours.

[Paul Heuvelhorst]

Hi taletellers,
I think 395 is better. It certainly is not as boring as I-5 or 99 (altho' 4 of our grandkids live near 99 in Yuba City and Chico). If you are comfortable driving 55 to 60 on 2-lane roads without the traffic, you'll love 395. You'll encounter freeway in the Reno area, but other than that you will enjoy the scenery and the lack of pressure.

Can you get to 395 over Hwy 4 at this time? If not, take Hwy 49 to 50, then 193 to 80. Once you get to Reno on 80 you can pick up 395. If you pick it up from Hwy 4, you have lots of great country before you get to Reno, too.