Charlie asks, in regard to EJs thanks:
>> Definitely great service from Pat, and thanks for the "how to get to Mather"
>> directions which I used both coming and going. Far superior method to
>> slogging home on 80.
>>
>Pat-
>
>Would you like to share the "How to avoid 205 on the way home" directions,
>too?
>
>Charlie
Well, the smart-ass answer is: Run only on Saturday or, leave the event
early on Sunday, especially in the summer.
But, there is a real answer. As you are rolling south down I5 and planning
on making your move to get over to the right lanes (just as you pass the
merging-on 205 traffic) start looking way ahead (a mile or, so) to see if
traffic is backing up and slowing significantly in the right lanes on I5. It
usually looks worse than it is but, if it is really bad, get back in the
left lanes, pass the 205 turn-off and take the next off-ramp. I don't
remember what the turn-off is called but the off-ramp becomes 11th street.
You stay on 11th for about 10 miles before it merges back onto 205. 11th
street is 55mph for a few miles, then is goes down to slower and slower
speed limits, and a few signals, as you pass through down-town Tracy then
back to 55mph before it merges back to 205. This "detour" adds about a mile
to the trip and takes 8-10 minutes longer than a speed-limit trip on 205.
Even if you actually don't save time, the predictibilty of the surface
street signals is a lot easier to take that the maddening stop-and-go mess
you sometimes get on 205.
Try it sometime to get used to it even if traffic isn't real bad. There's
almost allways, on Sunday afternoon, some stop-and-go on 205, anyway.
Don
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