San Diego burners,

I just did a camping trip up to Lee Vining and back — about 2/3 of the way to BRC up 395.

  • It’s hot. It was 105 in Adelanto but it felt like 150. Consider driving the desert (up to Bishop or so) in the early morning or evening. You have 6-8 hours of hot as hell to get through.

  • Get your vehicle in shape for the desert heat. Tires, oil, belts, fluids, hoses. Bring a bottle of antifreeze/coolant, along with some gallons of water, just in case. Make sure your AAA card is current. A cheap tire repair kit isn’t a bad idea.

  • There are several routes with more or less elevation gain, distance, sights, and stops. (Mileage estimates below run San Diego to Black Rock City)

    “Astroturf Highway”: I-5 to Sacramento to I-80. ~750 miles. High point: Donner Summit on I-80, 7,239 ft.

    “American Dream”: 395 to Reno to I-80. ~675 miles. High point: Conway Summit on US-395 between Lee Vining and Bridgeport, 8,143 ft — the highest point on all of US-395.

    “Spooky Desert”: 395 to Bishop to Hawthorne to Fallon (~660 miles — leaves 395 at Bishop and skips Conway Summit; high point is Montgomery Pass on US-6, 7,167 ft), or 395 to Bridgeport to Yerington to Fernley (~645 miles — stays on 395 through Bridgeport, so it still crosses Conway Summit at 8,143 ft), or various other cutoffs. Avoids Reno.

    “Extraterrestrial Highway”: I-15 to Las Vegas, then US-93 North to Crystal Springs, then State Route 375 West to the “Little A’Le’Inn” in Rachel, then US-95 to Fernley. ~880 miles. High point: near Tonopah, roughly 6,250 ft.

    “Over the Top”: 101 or Highway 1 up the coast to Seattle, then Spokane, Boise, Winnemucca. Then you can throw caution and tires to the hot dusty wind and take the unpredictable but suspension- and tire-destroying Jungo Road to Gerlach. PLEASE don’t do this. For the record: North of 2,200 miles, crossing several mountain ranges — Siskiyou Summit on I-5 alone is 4,310 ft, and that’s the easy part.

    There’s more information about these routes online.

  • The more times you’ve been, the more routes you find. Remember that the journey is the reward, and a safe journey is worth slowing down, stopping regularly, napping, switching drivers, seeing the sights, and not just racing there and back.

  • There are many places to stop along the way — food, stores, sights, amusements, hot springs, three-star spas, dispersed camping. Stop and take pictures. Eat in local cafes instead of fast food - bakeries and barbecue. Visit historical sites along the way like Manzanar or Bodie.

  • If you suspect you’ll need it, find a way to sleep in the car or next to it. I like to bring a small tent and have a pad and a sleeping bag accessible, and find a campground or dispersed camping (using the TheDyrt app) near Mammoth.

  • Or book a hotel now — Grand Sierra Reno if you wish, or anywhere along 395 or your chosen route. Fernley is the closest if you need some zzzzs and a shower ASAP — which you do.

  • Make sure your bikes are WELL LOCKED to your vehicle. Other gear too, but bikes are the attractive theft target.

  • Cell coverage is spotty to nonexistent on long stretches of 395, US-95, and especially the Extraterrestrial Highway. Download offline maps before you go, and tell someone your route and rough ETA so they know where to start looking if you go dark for a while. That said, depending on how obscure your route is, other Burners and friendly folk will probably be passing by regularly if you need help, and auto repair and tire shops exist along the way.

  • Exit lines are variable, depending on date, time, conditions, events, and reasons. It’s a great idea to plan to stay somewhere not far — Fernley, Reno, Tahoe, etc. — but make sure your booking is flexible/cancelable. You’re returning on Labor Day weekend, so lots of places are booked.

Your mileage will certainly vary — probably by an order of magnitude.

Some points of interest: https://maps.app.goo.gl/mch2KYKM9D6iu2nG6