15-21 Los Angeles Area #5 of 12: I-5 North & The Grapevine

Follows I-5 North from the I-210 Interchange in the San Fernando Valley through the Tehachapi Mountains to just past the I-5/CA-99 Split at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley.

[@DrDoom-wo8hb]

Never get enough of the Grapevine videos. Drove through 15 years ago, and would like to roll through again. I love the steady descent into the SJV. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

[@Freewayjim]

+Jolly Dayz Thank you very much!

[@dvferyance]

Six Flags Magic Mountain was used as Wally World in National Lampoons Vacation.

[@smashtalk9765]

Jim that was an incredible video!!!! I agree with your comment about taking HWY 99 to Sacramento. When I was stationed at Edwards AFB back in 1991-1993, I always took HWY 99 instead of HWY 5 to Sacramento to see my relatives. These video's in California are bringing back great memories. I loved my time when I lived California but I'm glad to live in Fort Worth Tx. Keep on the great work Jim and I look forward to your next video's.

[@Freewayjim]

+Brian Hilpp Thank you very much!

[@snorkupine210]

Words and pictures , even 1080p video, can't describe the beauty of this drive. Ran this in a big truck one sunny Sunday morning. Still remember it.

[@Freewayjim]

+snorkorsys I agree, the video does not do it justice, thanks for watching.

[@djdr.oldiesrichardcrummitt5321]

I've seen other people try to make fast troughs like this, but nothing beats the quality of the ones you make. Good job, whatever you do don't change the formula. Kudos dude.

[@Freewayjim]

+Richard Crummitt Thanks, I really appreciate that.

[@ca2fla]

Thank you, Jim, for an awesome ride. I miss this stretch of highway and the southeastern US has absolutely nothing that can compare with a California mountain freeway. Believe it or not, this is a daily commuter route for several thousand people who live in Bakersfield and work in LA.

[@Freewayjim]

+ca2fla Thanks, yes I've read that people do commute that route, sure beats commuting from 50 miles outside Atlanta, NYC or DC if you have to do that.

[@jmvfrva]

my first ever interstate drive in CA in 1987. always nice to see it again. great job.

[@Freewayjim]

+JMV FRVA Thank you!

[@LAFD42]

Rolling through my old 'hood. Grew up seeing Magic Mountain being built. Thanks for the ride!!

[@Freewayjim]

+LAFD42 Thanks for watching!

[@WeatherSTARIII]

Awesome tour! I've always wanted to visit California in person.

[@PelicanGuy]

Awesome drive indeed. My favorite sections are when the lanes cross over and coming down the grade into the valley. I had the unfortunate endeavor of climbing the Grapevine in a Ford Ranger...damn 4-cylinder vehicles, LOL. That drive on the 5 from the 99 split to Tracy is SO boring.

[@Freewayjim]

+PelicanGuy Thanks!

[@wilderduran8427]

I think this video was gone for a bit, but was recovered recently. Welcome back, 15-21! Thanks for featuring one of my favorite soundtracks from the highway geek himself.

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you, I remixed this with a new soundtract for Video 21-06.

[@GoJoGeoff]

Great ride. Can actually say I've driven this one, but b4 the earthquake damage, back in 1992. My kids loved Magic Mountain :)

[@Freewayjim]

+GoJoMedia Geoff Thanks Geoff!

[@eduardoovalle1380]

fantastic trip, the emotion comes through the veins, a trip weeks ago with family here it is fantastic, thanks for the video greetings.

[@Freewayjim]

+Eduardo Ovalle Thank you for watching!

[@cjs121675]

Nice ride! Always did like I-5 and that- very nice ride! Also love the mountains- California is quite the unique place for highways and all! I love it! Great ride- and a great soundtrack too!

[@Freewayjim]

+cjs121675 Thanks!

[@anbonner17]

My favorite part is passing Lake Pyramid before Gorman, which is still LA county.

[@MegaFred1958]

So beautiful.Brings back a lot a good memories.Thanks for the ride😃

[@Freewayjim]

+Fred Shampine Thanks for watching!

[@rsdaddy141]

That was awesome!! We plan to drive across country next summer and I'm pretty sure we are gonna follow your route!!😀😀😀🎶

[@fabiomarcoseuzebio716]

Your videos are nice even on rainny days. Thank you for sharing !

[@Freewayjim]

+Fábio Marcos Euzébio Thank you for watching!

[@socarboy]

You know I enjoyed this in 2015 and enjoyed it again in 2020 hope your 2020 season is safe 1st, and fun a close 2nd.

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you!

[@tperk]

Epic. I had to drive the Grapevine NB three years ago and promised I'd never do it again. Turns out I've got to take that route again tomorrow.

[@Freewayjim]

Thanks, hope all goes smoothly for you.

[@MrJamesgrate]

That was a splendid drive as usual Jim, and your music editing was superb, it was non-stop, without pause between songs. Great job!

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you James, the drive itself was pretty epic. We also filmed this in the opposite direction after turning around at the end of this video but I have to do anything with the footage.

[@andrelot]

That is a very fast transition from cloudy and misty air to clear skies. I'm used to that on tunnels, not on open-range!

[@kevintennert5290]

This was seriously a lot of fun to watch, the music was just perfect for the ride. That was definitely the longest uphill climb I have ever seen done by car. Great job Jim!!! :)

[@Freewayjim]

+Kevin Tennert Thank you very much!

[@leroyybrown]

Yes epic drive. Amazing change from heavy overcast to cloudless sky. Terrain is awesome, if memory serves me correct CA-138 Palmdale, Lancaster route was where Steven Spielberg's "Duel" was filmed. Will definitely return to LA at some stage to drive I-5 grapevine route.

[@Freewayjim]

+leroyybrown Thanks for watching!

[@jackjustice9452]

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[@daxtonwinston8523]

@Jack Justice Instablaster =)

[@jackjustice9452]

@Daxton Winston I really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and im in the hacking process now. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.

[@jackjustice9452]

@Daxton Winston it worked and I now got access to my account again. I'm so happy! Thanks so much you saved my ass :D

[@EuropeanRoads]

That was awesome! :)

[@Freewayjim]

+European Roads Thank you!

[@gootchie]

Drove this route many a time, back in my California days. Great music, but surprised you didn't play CCR's "Heard It Through The Grapevine". That would have been my first choice. Anyway, great vid, and looks just the way I remember it from twenty years ago.

[@Freewayjim]

+gootchie Thanks, that song is boring as hell to me, not a CCR fan although I get the connection.

[@MKTTransportVideos]

That was just amazing, and fantastic soundtrack too, especially the third track.

[@Freewayjim]

+MKT Transport Video Thank you!

[@Ale92MilanoSpA]

So beautiful road and views mate! Congratulations!

[@Freewayjim]

+Ale92MilanoSpA Thank you!

[@wacodude86]

Another awesome video, thanks for posting and sharing :)

[@Freewayjim]

+TSU Sigma Dude Thank you for watching.

[@beepbeepme50]

Awesome vid! 7:57 lol

[@al-malikbabar7544]

Amazing road ride video... awesome.

[@Freewayjim]

+Al-Malik Babar Thank you!

[@conallstickler8968]

Amazing!

[@xygomorphic44]

Never take a northbound trip through the grapevine on Fridays!

[@brunovallejo8123]

No fucken way traffic is horrible on weekends epcialy on holydays fuck

[@yasmimalves1643]

É A ASSIM ROCK E VELOCIDADE SEMPRE COISAS QUE AMO

[@TheSolarcatcher]

Great ride Jim! Boy did that scenery change quickly!

[@Freewayjim]

+TheSolarcatcher Thanks, yeah it's quite the interesting drive.

[@socarboy]

Another winning ride; hope I do it in person one day. It was like flipping a switch to go from dreary to sunshine. I was really rockin' out to Sammy Hagar through that pass. A nice cap off for my day seeing this.

[@Freewayjim]

+socarboy Thank you, you would LOVE this drive, both directions are great. Come out west once and it will forever change your perspective on the east, that's for sure.

[@acfhs-xu4ck]

Epic video

[@Freewayjim]

+acfhs2010 Thanks.

[@CrystalClearWith8BE]

No wonder how wide I-5 is between the Wheeler Ridge Interchange and the Newhall Pass Interchange. 8 lanes? That's impressive to manage traffic.

[@CheeseMasterSports]

One word to describe this: AWESOMENESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Freewayjim takes on the grapevine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That pass definitely deserves hard rock, I've been wanting to use that Sammy Hagar, If I use it, it will probably be Houston at Rush Hour. AWESOME Video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was Awesome!!! Can't wait to see what's next!

[@Freewayjim]

+Nash wayz Thank you! the next road is very cool as well, I think you'll like it.

[@CheeseMasterSports]

+Freewayjim Your Welcome!! That was Awesome! Can't wait to see!!

[@kaffeice7]

Ahh Cali.. :) if i could just visit it ,and die right after .. cool vid dude and killer music !! Rock baby!

[@Freewayjim]

+kimi kimster Thanks, hope you get there, it really is "all that".

[@justinhundley2456]

+Freeayjim I liked the music and the video. Have a blessed day.

[@Freewayjim]

+Justin Hundley Thank you very much Justin!

[@ladytrucker6768]

Nope, no need to wonder anymore.. I have been over this road so many times,,even got caught a few times on the Grapevine in the snow..thanks to Freewayjim, can still ride across it down closer to the ground, & more than 35 MPH....lol

[@Freewayjim]

+ladytrucker67 LOL, Thank you!

[@ganaraminukshuk0]

You know, I was literally travelling down this route a few days ago (among other roads, such as I-10) and wondered if you'd actually recorded those routes. I needn't wonder any more.

[@Freewayjim]

+Ganaram Inukshuk I also filmed this southbound but will save that video for a rainy day so to speak.

[@carlahead2945]

Thank you so much again for another great ride and especially through the Grapevine and I-5! A trucker friend of mine is originally from that area and he has been up both and down the grapevine. He had to do 35 mph and gear down on both sides. What’s the highest elevation of mountains in CA? Have you driven thorough Sacramento? A good friend of mine and her family lives in Sacramento. Hopefully I’ll someday be able to visit them. Do you happen to know where Anderson CA is? I have dear friends who live there-I believe its in northern CA. Keep up the great ride! Have you ridden through Donner Pass? If not,I’d love to see you do a ride along there.

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you, never heard of Anderson, CA....I do have a video if I-80 West though the Sierras from 2013. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ep3HlKKjbNaNga8

[@surferdude642]

Mt Whitney at 14,500 ft is the highest point in California and the contiguous United States. It's located near Death Valley, which interestingly has the lowest point at 282 ft below sea level. The city of Anderson is located in Northern California off of I 5 near Redding.

[@bovineman61]

Kind of like your Cabbage pass video. I do think Cabbage makes Grapevine look tame. If you like steep passes you owe it to yourself to do Whitebird pass in the Idaho panhandle. IMHO the more breathtaking scenery than Cabbage or Grapevine. Check it out sometime.

[@williampavichevich306]

Great Video and Thanks for the adventure. I always thought the Cut off for the I-99 and I-5 was before the Grapevine. So I take it, I-5 heads West from the last part of your video? I've heard that I-99 you Stop in more Towns despite it taking Longer. Personally, if I was going to SAN Francisco I'd take the 101 or 1. But if I were going to Fresno I'd take 99. If I were going to Sacramento I'd take I-5

[@jkgeorges216]

Thank you, actually, I-5 heads north by north-west where this video ends, check it on a map. I've never driven either route but I've been told CA-99 is the better drive and yes, you get Fresno and Bakersfield whereas on I-5 you get nothing until you get to I-580. I've driven both 101 and 1, US-101 is a reat drive and CA-1 is beautiful but slow.

[@anbonner17]

Taking the I-5 you can hit the SW part of Bakersfield and Sacramento. Both the 99 and the 5, will allow you to see agricultural small towns.

[@semineil]

Another great video...Your musical tastes are exquisite. Not that I'm doubting you, but why would 99 be better to take to Sacramento than I-5? Conventional wisdom would say to take 5 to avoid the large towns, Bakersfield & Fresno.

[@Freewayjim]

+Mike Hunt Thank you, I've not driven either route but a few native Californians have told me 99 is the better ride, more interesting at the very least.

[@patrickthorn653]

Lmfao. I wish I noticed the word North. I kept waiting to see LA

[@adrianoalves8948]

Bom jim!!!!

[@secordman]

The southbound lanes crossover, something you don't see!

[@Freewayjim]

There's a stretch like that on I-85 between Charlotte and Greensboro NC, but it's not as spectacular as this.

[@MultiBlueblanket]

Will you continue the ride to at least Bakersfield or will you turn around and return to the L.A area?

[@Freewayjim]

+Multiblue Blanket At the end of the video it states that CA-2 in LA is the next video, we turned around and the next exit and went back to LA.

[@MultiBlueblanket]

Freewayjim Why couldn't you film the trip SB? Did you use a different route back to LA?

[@Freewayjim]

+Multiblue Blanket Where did I say I couldn't film southbound? I did film it, the lighting is not as good as this video but I do have it and will save that footage for a rainy day when i have nothing else to work with. No sense in putting it on right after this IMO.

[@sauwahfung9176]

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[@jvargas6034]

Why Do The Northbound And Southbound Sides Of The Interstate 5 Switch Sides For A Several Miles And Does It Look Awkward

[@Freewayjim]

That probably was due to some engineering issues, there are a couple other places like that in the US.

[@BeckettSong]

U.S. 99 must've been downgraded to CA state route 99. It travels through Bakersfield. BTW, there's a restaurant in Cincinnati called "Bakersfield" which serves California style Mex food.

[@Freewayjim]

+Steven Baldi Yes it was completely decommissioned by 1968.

[@anbonner17]

That's neat to know Steven. If I ever visit Cincinnati, I'll have to patronize it.

[@helenjackman8984]

The most absolutely necessary boring drive in either direction, detest it. Perfect video of it however.

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you! My son and I loved it in both directions! You've obviously never driven in the rural south and east, thta's boring.

[@adlou323]

I don't think Alaska has any freeways because it has so much snow

[@ericn4664]

Im scared of the grapevine it goes over the San Andreas Fault and a earthquake can strike anytime

[@CheeseMasterSports]

First Commenter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@tmghui888]

Great video. Why do you have to spend so much time in LA and not come to the SF Bay Area? The much cooler area.

[@Freewayjim]

+Tat Hui It's just how the trip was planned, if you watched earlier videos you'll see that I came out west through I-10 and I-8, I went to the SF Bay area, videos will start in November. Plus there are several videos of the bay area up from 2013. Personally I enjoy driving in Southern California more than the Bay area although I do like the bay area very much.

[@tmghui888]

+Freewayjim I think u might know, we Bay Area people generally hate LA. Lol!

[@anbonner17]

I was about to say ”don't hate That Hui” but you beat me to the punch!

[@jg2790]

take a trip to montana

[@Freewayjim]

+Joseph G Not high on my list, sorry.

[@jg2790]

+Freewayjim Damn what about alaska

[@Freewayjim]

+Joseph G No interest in Alaska...I live in Atlanta, those are not easy places to get to for me...I would like to see Oregon & Washington someday, as for Montana, other than to say "I've been there" and I would not mind seeing it once, it just does not hold a lot of interest to me.

[@helenjackman8984]

You are going to get a speeding ticket. I was lucky, I got a warning due to I believe because I had four boys two girls, two dogs and a pet rat aboard.