Exploring Abandoned Highway 99 North of Los Angeles - The Ridge Route Alternate

[@bjchico1970]

Traveled it many times in the early 1940s....and stopped to fill up at the water site....thanks so much for the memories❣

[@SidetrackAdventures]

My pleasure Glad I could bring back the memories!

[@EricT3769]

That’s awesome! Do you happen to know what that rounded rock at the water site he mentioned was? It’s a beautiful area.

[@ewbait]

When were you born?

[@bjchico1970]

@@ewbait born in Southgate, California raised in Bell, California. traveled to Bakersfield with my aunt and uncle, and family trips.

[@kpadalldotablet1009]

@@bjchico1970 Same as my mom and dad (traveling from Ventura to Bakersfield in the 50s-60s.).

[@toddshook1765]

I have talked with some truck drivers in the day and they said it would take 6-8 hours to get from Los Angeles to Bakersfield to pick up produce in the area. Then next day 8 hours back to LA. What a drive.

[@nannerz1994]

That's insane you can get north of the bay for that amount of time now

[@craigjudd965]

AS a kid during the 1960`s i can remember traveling this alignment of the ridgeroute and remember the watering site as well.This was also my first recolection of my first memory of smelling burnt clutches,brake pad linings and cooked motor oil. Awesome videos. Thank you for creating them. Your efforts are appreciated.

[@UMtiger311]

thankful for the groups that preserve these places.. Ridge Route preservation Organization and Historic Highway 99 Association of California

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Yeah, they do great work.

[@mobiltec]

As a native Southern Californian I've driven the 99 and the 5 many times in my life. Going past Pyramid Lake I never thought about the history. We take all this for grant it. Thanks for the great history lesson Steve.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@herminquijano]

@@SidetrackAdventuresseriously ! Thanks ! I great video

[@gregoryclift2439]

Driving on I-5 as a kid my mom told me the old 99 is right over there. Only took 50 years to finally make a visit. Thx for a great video!

[@DovieRuthAuthor]

You’re in my backyard today! My stepdad used to talk about this route. When he was a little boy, it took his family all day to get from Bakersfield to Los Angeles.

[@alfaq654]

It still takes that long, but these days it's because of the traffic!

[@RockwellAIM65]

Well, the issue of 'ease of transit' is the reason why Los Angeles has turned into such a mess. I really miss "quality life" in the L.A. basin and surrounds. It's astounding to see what's happened since the 1950s.

[@kamakaziozzie3038]

It can take all day (~8hrs) to get from Valencia to Bakersfield if there’s a closure because of an accident. I drive that a couple times a week and it’s normally no more than 2-2.5 hrs.

[@poppygoldensun]

​@@alfaq654seriously? I rarely take more than 2.5 hrs to get to L.A. and that's with heavy traffic. And 1.5 hr on most normal days

[@chormiclestan]

@@alfaq654 At times, it sure does! I've waited HOURS, in traffic!

[@teedub1990]

As a socal native, I will never tire of the stark beauty of our local mountains nor learning about the history of Los Angeles. This video captures both. The blue sky was so impressive the day you recorded.

[@lindagrimmett6564]

Living “back east”, I would like to thank you for my weekly dose of history and showing me parts of the country I may never get to visit. I really enjoy your videos!

[@bobmanfre5083]

10:50. My Great-Uncle Theadore Ames was on the original Bridge Crew in 1932. He was 18 years old at the time. Just by chance, he was still working for the same company when they added another lane to it in 1951. He was 37 years old then and a Crew Supervisor.

[@tomservo51]

That's awesome.

[@CameronMcCreary]

Thank you Steve for showing us the old route 99 North of Los Angeles. I remember it from when I lived in Southern, CA in the 1960s.

[@CAMacKenzie]

I was born in 1950. I remember going along this route with my parents, and later with my friends, going to Mt Pinos for snow in the winter and to northern California and Oregon (via San Joaquin Valley) on vacation in the summer. There's another, older Ridge Route that starts at Castaic. You get off I-5 at lake Hughes Road and go east about half a mile to Ridge Route Rd. where you turn left. It's 4 lanes for a short distance, until you get past the housing developments, then it's 2 lanes and paved. A few miles up you pass a heavy gate, if it's open, and it becomes a Forest Service Road and crosses Templin Highway (you can enter it from I-5 there, too), beyond which it's often narrow and quite old, with some sections where the pavement is gone. It ends at Lancaster Road (State Route 138) near the east end of Quail Lake, which can take you west back to I-5 or east to State Route 14. It's been a while since I've driven it, so I'd like to drive it again. At its worst it is not bad enough that you can't take a regular car.

[@andyfletcher3561]

That's a LONG drive. I did it once around 1990. It was in horrible shape...

[@CAMacKenzie]

@@andyfletcher3561 When I drove it, in spite of the condition of the road and the length, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed just being away from everything for most of the day.

[@andyfletcher3561]

@@CAMacKenzie Yes, I enjoyed it as well. The views were spectacular especially where Castaic Lake came into view.

[@manuelarmas4877]

On September 30 1955 James Dean was driving his new Porsche spider on Hwy 99 heading north. That same day, James Dean got a speeding ticket at the bottom of the grapevine by a California patrolmen. Soon after he traveled North Hwy 99 and West Hwy 466 or North on Hwy 99 then West Hwy 166 , North Hwy 33. Stopped at Blackwells corner of Hwy 33 and Hwy 166 spoke to several racers heading up to Salinas speedway ( several racers heading towards Salinas claimed to have seen him driving North on Hwy 33. Hwy 466 would take them West towards Hwy 101 and North to Salinas Ca. James Dean got as far as Cholame Ca. and the rest was history. R.I.P Jimmy

[@dfirth224]

I have read that he was running late because they stopped to eat someplace like Castaic, or Gorman.

[@manuelarmas4877]

Three days after James Dean was killed, October 3 1955 a T.V. Show first aired , Highway Patrol staring Broderick Crawford as ( Dan Mathews). The opening credits is old highway 99.

[@salvadorsepulveda6415]

It was great to see an old road that I know my grandparents, aunts, and uncles would have traveled to the SJV to pick crops. Thank you 🙏

[@TonyBetz-z7h]

Lemoore ca.

[@mikebrady1767]

I taught my cousin how to drive on that highway in 1988 in a 1972 Ford LTD. Back then the road was deteriorated but not as bad as today. It was still open to the dam, not gated off. It still had the highway lane and center lane stripping visible although fading. Also it was still 4 lanes the whole distance as the landslides that narrowed the highway today hadn’t occurred yet. By the way my cousin passed his driving test and got his license.

[@2011joser]

There is a series of books called “That Ribbon of Highway” that cover the history of highway 99. They are small softcover books that have a wealth of historic photos and Information covering the different alignments and cities and towns the highway has passed through. That Ribbon I and II cover California from the Oregon to the Mexico borders. That Ribbon III covers Oregon and Washington. I used That Ribbon II to guide my own exploration of old 99 from Sacramento to Calexico. Thanks for this great coverage of the alternate as I focused on the ridge route in my exploration. The northern start of the ridge route is still accessible at the base of the grapevine grade, between the north and south alignments of interstate 5 there.

[@toomanyjstoomanyrs1705]

99 all the way to calexico????? 😮😮😮😮😮😮😮

[@2011joser]

@@toomanyjstoomanyrs1705 Yes. There are pieces of it left all along the way with different names and numbers.

[@xtbro78]

Wow, never knew that! Now I've got more history to look for when I'm in that area.

[@kurtkellersberger9360]

My dad moved from Utah to Southern California in 1947. He rode his motorcycle up and down CA a lot in the early to late 1950s, so seeing your video has allowed me to see sights my dad would have seen. He passed in 2017 at age 89. Thank you!

[@inqwit1]

Every August, from 1958 through 1972, my family would load up the station wagon and drive to Sequoia National Park. I enjoyed this part of the drive for its beauty and remember all the cars with burlap water bags draped in front of the hoods. It could be a very slow crossing, though, and was delighted with the faster I-5. Thanks for bringing back the memories.

[@JeffreyHansen]

Ditto. We probably camped near you every year. My dad worked at the Green Sheet and had great vacation time off. We usually stayed in Upper Lodgepole unless we were camping with my uncle - he had a camper. We usually went up 99 at night because it was cooler, and I'll never forget the smell of alfalfa hay when you got near Bakersfield.

[@tomasjones3755]

Same time period for me. We had a cabin near Yosemite Park. Did that trip every summer. My dad also hauled earthmoving equip to Bakersfield, on occasion. As much as I now like old roads, I-5 was a welcome addition.

[@shazbottflamingo550]

​@@JeffreyHansen Yup! We'd leave at 3 am so we'd get up the hill before it got too hot for the '57 Chevy wagon. Blue & white, with fins!

[@dustysdad801]

Lol . Burlap bags, I remember those.

[@mikef3726]

@@JeffreyHansenlol, The Green Sheet! I haven’t heard that in a long time. I’m 57 but I remember my dad always had to have his Green sheet.

[@josephcovino9697]

I, grew up in the San Fernando Valley and I never knew any of that ! Thank you so much for this. Though I just turned 72 and my motorcycle days should be over I have been planning to buy another one, and now I want to plan a "Road trip" along that highway. Maybe I should call my group "OLD BUZZARDS" instead of "Wild Hogs" 😂

[@mikeca98]

Don't hesitate. It is just about prime riding season in the Valley. Definitely could slip through the gates on a bike.

[@MakeCriminalsIllegalAgain]

​@@mikeca98just a few years ago they were open from time to time. Closed permanently now?

[@fumanpoo4725]

No, bro. They're over when you say they're over. Rock on!😊

[@TheIvanMartinez56]

We were born to enjoy life with not just to be around the people we love but doing the things we love the most to. Which is riding. I’m not a rider though I do love to drive in Cali. Never hurts to ride once in a while 😎

[@patriciagodfrey6345]

Thank you SO MUCH for this! I was born and raised in California and my dad was a great believer in Family Road Trips. We hit every backwater, dinkum road, wide spot with a cafe, you can imagine and I distinctly remember our driving down from north to south on the 99 and since moving to what was once near this portion I was going a little nuts (short drive) trying to remember the route. Now I know - It's sleeping with the fishies. So sad, because I remember a beautiful drive. Thank you for all your videos. Good memories of a beautiful state, not in such a hurry to get to the end. It's about the journey people.

[@TeddyRumble]

There is no such thing as "the 99". It's Highway 99. Interstate 5. Interstate 10. Only doofuses from Southern California call freeways, "the" The rest of the world laughs at you.

[@xtbro78]

I do that all the time too. And yes, I was born in California & am an old-timer as well.

[@sherrydee7880]

It took over 6 hours to get from Arleta to Bakersfield by truck. Great memories and so nice to never have to do it over again! In the summer months, that water turn-out was packed with overheating cars and sweaty people. The water was always nasty. But the scenery was memorable. Thanks so much for sharing this.

[@jps3b]

My friend and I were brand new deputy sheriffs assigned to the wayside honor Rancho. Since we both grew up in Norco ca. we rented an apartment in canyon country. My friend was an avid hunter/fisherman. I would go with him and catch some nice trout there at Frenchman’s flats. I haven’t heard that name in 32 years. Thanks for the memories.

[@changchp]

This is the second generation of the highway. The first generation was on east side of I-5, a 2-lane highway. Huell Howser talked about the other part, not this one. And thank you for bringing this newer part up.

[@dfirth224]

When you are driving on I-5 if you use a phone or GPS device you can see the original two lane road going around the hills that in the 1930s they bulldozed a straight line through. The original road still exists because there are people living up there that need it as an access road, and telephone line right of way is there that needs to be serviced from time to time.

[@MakeCriminalsIllegalAgain]

Huell was the best

[@Davivd2]

@@dfirth224 I've driven that road. It's been a few decades, but even back then it was poorly maintained. At the top you can see both lake Pyramid, and Castaic. There is also a foundation for some sort of building that is completely gone. IDK if it was a cafe or a gas station.

[@tedkerr2230]

That was awesome! As a person who lives in Northern California and travels up and down Hwy 99 I love hearing history of this road. The music you use with your commentary is like a fine wine paired to an excellent meal. Which ,of course, leaves the viewer well satisfied. Ya hit another homer, Steve! Well done!

[@Walt-w4f]

Thank you for your videos. You are very thorough and every place you go been watching you for a long time. Thank you.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thank you.

[@dallasguy3306]

I really enjoy your channel. Even as a Texan, I know a bit about Mr. Mulholland and his part in bringing precious water to Southern California. It's unbelievable that the lake is more than 350 feet deep. Gold, silver and water made the state the economic powerhouse it is today. Beautiful state. -- new sub

[@TeddyRumble]

California sucks. Democrat politicians have made it a One Party state and ruined it. Southern California? OMG, you can have it. I loathe it.

[@deborahreneelewis7280]

Thank you for the memories. My Dad worked in construction 1950’s through the 1970s and he took that road many times. I was driven and drove that road many times. I remember how sad my Dad and I were when they started building Interstate 5. I still refer to the I-5 through there as the Ridge Route. That pass will always be the Ridge Route to me.

[@timneely946]

Thanks for the memories Steve! My grandfather operated a grader during the construction of the original Ridge Route. After it opened, he and his buddy drove a truck delivering produce from the central valley to LA in the early 20s. There’s an old movie about that called “They Drive by Night” starring George Raft. Pretty interesting. In the early 50s, my folks and I moved from the farm where I was born on the west side of Fresno and wound up in a suburb of LA. Every summer we would take 99 up to visit my mom’s relatives and stayed at my other grandfather’s farm, taking occasional trips to Sequoia and Yosemite and fishing on Millerton and Bass Lakes as well as floating down the Kings River. Going over the Ridge Route during the hot summer in the back seat of the family car with no AC was quite memorable. One of the highlights of the trip was when we would first see the central valley when we reached the other side of the mountains. It meant that we would soon be stopping at an Orange Julius or A&W roadside stand north of Bakersfield. The Ridge Route was a big part of my family’s history. Thanks again for sharing your well done video.

[@fshtank]

I’m a CA Native living in AZ Now. The number of times I drove back up North from OC is innumerable. And this road has always intrigued me! Thanks for the video and the info! I love this! And THAT is how Pyramid lake gets its name! Incredible history!

[@brianshaw373]

Excellent video. Haven’t been on the old Ridge Route since the 1980’s. Learned a lot more and enjoyed seeing it again. Thanks!

[@DavidMartinez-cq3hx]

As someone who's family has been in what's now the American West(my dad's family is a founding family of New Mexico in 1598) but also a longtime California family(my dad's branch came to California during the Civil War in the 1860's to Ventura) I find all your videos very interesting! Keep up the awesome work, especially the videos of New Mexico and California.

[@ken2tou]

I recall riding over it all the way to Sacramento from Hollywood in 1962. I was 11. We had freeway to near Santa Clarita, then two lanes to Bakersfield north. It was night, so I don’t recall much from the mountains; however I do remember the restaurant with a WW2 aircraft crashed into the roof. Thanks for the memories! 👍🏼

[@alfaq654]

I love your videos, Steve. Even when make me feel a little sad and nostalgic. You're a modern Huell Howser. Never stop making these videos.

[@Jerrrbear]

This is such a beautifully made video! Thank you for presenting the rich history and the and the breathtaking landscape.

[@stevep5736]

Awesome video Steve !! Thanks for taking us along!!

[@alf9638]

Hey Sidetrack/Steve, I really enjoy your content. California has a fascinating history and the highways and byways tell a great part of this amazing story. Thanks for all the brilliant tours.

[@jamesrossiter6586]

Always enjoy your videos, information, and “Dad jokes”. Keep up the good work!

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thanks. I plan on it.

[@brucekirkpatrick3653]

Now I do remember traveling this road at night from the back seat as maybe a 4 or 5 year old. Never could place the memories, but now they're locked in. Lovely!

[@brads.3674]

I've driven by here hundreds of times (on the 5) but never stopped to see what was here. Thanks Steve.

[@Daniel-fd3wp]

@brads Isn’t it funny we see these roads and never decide to go explore. 🤷‍♂️

[@chormiclestan]

Thank you for the video on this road. I drove the south end a few times, just for the drive, was pretty steep down to the end. And then I've also driven the Smokey Bear side North to the end a few times. My grandfather told me stories from his childhood days, about the Old Ridge Route. And how when people drove across "The Ridge", since cars fuel tanks were on the firewall, and the carbs were gravity fed back then. Drivers would end up backing their cars up some of the switch backs, to keep fuel flowing. I just wish I had listened to more of those old stories!

[@Fuxerz]

Love this channel, Steve. Gives me a minute of peace thru your travels.

[@Daniel-fd3wp]

I definitely enjoy the music in the background it puts me at ease for a while in this stressful world. Great Videos Steve. 👍

[@jeffshoket5155]

In my youth, just before the nature conservancy removed all the Condors from the area, I spent a week walking the length of Piru creek all the way to Piru Lake just down from Pyramid Lake, there and back… it’s another world in there. Several of my friends and I slept in a enormous dished out boulder in the creek and saw stars that are not visible in town! A beautiful and sacred wild place to visit. Thank you for your video and sharing your knowledge of a road less traveled!

[@MaryJohnston-i2s]

Loved this .Also a native Califonian this is close to my neck of the woods.Appreciate you making the long walk to the end.We recently drove to Frenchmans Flat.Thats as far as we could go by car.I was wanting to walk that road but I'm too old now. Thanks for always opening up new horizons for us.GOD bless you and be safe.

[@mpista7182]

I traveled this road many times with my father when I was a little boy. People would hang canvass bags filled with water on the front car bumpers to keep their engines cool and to fill radiators. I wonder what archeologists of the future will think of the stone bathtub in the middle of nowhere. Thank you for showing this !

[@karlklein2966]

I remember those canvas bags! Farm workers used them for drinking water.

[@mpista7182]

@@karlklein2966 In worked in the fields "knocking apricots" on weekends with my dear friend Fransisco, who wisely taught me never to drink really cold water while working. What you say is totally plausible.

[@candusmartinez6188]

Love your adventures.❤

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thanks!

[@kenster865]

Me too!! (y)

[@David-Drums]

At 13:21 , the area mentioned about looking like the mountains pushed up at an angle. If you look at that area from I-5 that is the sinking Titanic. It looks like a giant ship going down. It’ll be right after you pass the pyramid lake going south bound.

[@bumpedhishead636]

One of my early memories is riding in the back of my father's '59 Buick Electra 225 with the windows down (no A/C) going over the Ridge Route from our home in the San Joaquin Valley to visit relatives that lived in Orange County & San Diego. It seemed to take forever!

[@gerryakamaya]

Wow - I’ve remember this road as a child in the 50’s. Brings back lots of memories.

[@edwardlulofs444]

Looks like a great place to bicycle in the spring. Thanks. I love the scenery.

[@pcatful]

Although raised in SoCal, I left in the 70's. Coming back to live in NorCal in the 90's I missed a lot of this history. So I never knew what Pyramid Lake was about, whenever I happened to drive the 5 (mostly on the way to the desert). You never disappoint, Steve!

[@stevenkaskus6173]

Thanks Steve for the tour, I'm very familiar with driving interstate 5 and looking down seeing Pyramid lake, I'm surprised I didn't know about the old hwy 99 route and the Pyramid Rock for which the lake is now named. MY Mom was very fond of going on drives and exploring places like this, in fact when you said look at the way the mountain raises up at a angle is exactly what My Mom use to say and explain why, I find myself doing the same thing now. Thanks for the memories.

[@mistervacation23]

When when I was in california in 1976, hwy 99 was open. I traveled 101 route 1, route 5 as well as 99.

[@GramsMusick158]

I remember traveling that road several times as a kid in family road trips. I also remember that rock wall and the radiator water. It was a welcomed stop.

[@camryenthusiast]

It's a neat coincidence that you posted this... I've been researching the Ridge Route and other parts of Kern County history lately, and this informed me greatly on the subject. Thanks for posting this video, keep up the excellent work as usual!

[@secretbassrigs]

Absolutely invaluable service you are providing us with. 👍🇺🇸

[@rhianGT]

Fascinating, my mother lives near Lebec in PMC. I have traveled past this many, many times. This was super cool to discover 24 year later. Thank you.

[@keithcrampton1438]

I AM ENJOYING WATCHING YOUR SHOWS STEVE BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF SAN FERNANDO VALLEY!

[@anitapaulsen3282]

This was so cool. I have taken the I-5 past pyramid lake hundreds of times and didn't know that about 99. I thought the pyramid name came from the pyramid shaped staggered cut we see from the freeway. Now I know the real answer. Thank you for this interesting and informative video.

[@stevewhalen6973]

Indeed a quite beautiful scenic highway with a very evolving diverse history❤

[@woody95124]

Very interesting video..Lot a people are still fascinated on the Ridge route..Especially the original route..I like ur stuff bud..Good job

[@kencook4956]

Traveled on it as a very young kid. Great job on the video, enjoyed it a lot. Kudos to the Ridge Route preservation Organization and Historic Highway 99 Association of California.

[@nicksower6064]

Now this was a very, very awesome documentary! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@MarlaBlair-ys2zu]

The research and/or conversations with officials you have done to collect facts and local lore for your videos is admirable. Also, thanks for the low-key background music that isn't overwhelming or too loud. Enjoying the armchair travel to places we'll never get to.

[@Aux1Dub]

You’re thankful for the preservation groups and we’re thankful for you. Great vid again

[@jerrywallace7366]

Thanks!

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Thank you for all the support. Always appreciated.

[@shuttlepilot_]

My father used all the old names, including “The Ridge Route” for the rest of his life. Born in 1934 and passed in ‘05. He worked earthmoving construction all over Southern California.

[@ryanm4013]

I have driven that area all my life and knew NOTHING about this highway. Thank you once again Steve!!

[@stephengoodman2424]

Your videos are wonderful! Places I would have gone to explore when I lived out there. Escaped LA in 2000, so thanks to you I don't have to go back.

[@TeddyRumble]

You were indeed lucky. I cannot stand Southern California. Something evil lives there. I hate it.

[@prmayner]

I can remember my step dad talking about him and his dad taking the Ridge Route back in the 30's from Colton, Calif to Bakersfield and being an all day trip. I remember taking the same trip back in the 60's, only a couple hrs. Thanks for the memories.

[@kenbearsley8322]

Thank you for another piece of American history Steve. Am so loving the tours from here in New Zealand

[@peterkniffin-yn2ob]

Thank you. As always, informative, entertaining, picturesque, respectful.

[@JamesMcGillis]

Even in the 1950s, the Ridge Route you explored was part of my family experience. The swooping turns were a major test for automobile suspensions of the day. Many sets of brakes failed on the downgrades.

[@genxjaws1191]

Grew up there in the '70s. My friends and I used to love driving that road.

[@toymaster5464]

Thanks Steve for yet another informative and interesting historical facts about California!

[@stevedolan5065]

My parents drove me over that road many times back in the day…thanks for sharing this with us old folks 😎👍🏻

[@jetsons101]

What a great way to spend a break, great watch in everyway --- back to work...........

[@daveberry4582]

Continually amazed and impressed with the places you take us to. Thank you so much and keep up the great work

[@pipercraig5060]

My grandmother was born in San Fernando in 1902: Our family freight business used to take loads up the Old Road to Bakersfield (had to back the trucks up the worst part of the grade). On the part that you hiked... on the east side of the highway is an area of Chumash petroglyphs. It's fenced off as a historical site, but one can still see them. (Be careful hiking over to them as I've encountered more than one rattler there).

[@maryharrison5883]

My dad would have liked watching this. He grew up in Long Beach but met my mom in the San Francisco Bay area, where I grew up. I live in SoCal now, not that far from Hwy 5 and 126.

[@wavebuff]

Very interesting! Thanks for taking us along!!

[@howardb.6205]

This is a very small portion of that road. Sandberg (weather station) is about the halfway point between Gorman and Castaic. You can see the big triangle arrow on any map image pointing right to Sandberg (super cool)

[@rockadoodoo]

Thanks for pointing out so many little details, such as the old road stripe on the concrete peeking through the later asphalt overlay, and the history of things I hold dear. I wish I lived in the thirties when we lived closer to the earth. Now it's hard to do anything without being on a mindless interstate. Still, it's great to be alive. I love your videos.

[@rogertemple7193]

This is going to be another great video exploring abandoned highway 99 in California near Los Angeles have a nice week and thank you. 🇺🇲🛣️🛣️🇺🇲

[@SidetrackAdventures]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@sfbfriend]

Although too young to remember I'm sure I traveled that route on our families way to Elk Grove where my grandparents lived, only memories I have is after we descended the grapevine to continue on 99, I do have some fleeting memories of 99 lined by eucalyptus trees in the valley and stopping at a restaurant called Uncle John, I think! My dad drove at night mostly then, so us kiddies slept. Thanks Steve it did stir up some old memories.

[@Jeff-fx1zy]

When "Hot Rod Lincoln" went up Grapevine Hill, I-5 wasn't even imagined yet.

[@OregonOutbackRanch5629]

Thank you for the information and the travel adventure. Of the 60 years I spent in SoCal and the many travels I have made on 34 different motorcycles. Covering many Roads and highways in many of the counties , from San Diego to Santa Barbara, Los Angeles to San Bernardino, thru Riverside and Orange Counties of Southern California. I have never traveled this road. All the times passing Pyramid lake on the 5 fwy. Never knowing where the name came from. I am glad you gave me the opportunity to see what my Mom and Dad would have seen traveling to our relatives in Bakersfield in those early years. Also, your voice is a Perfect Narrators voice. I enjoy you videos very much. Thanks again for a spectacular Journey.

[@pedrofernandez8729]

Get yourself a folding e bike, it will make your explorations a lot easier and more productive. Their price has gone down a lot. Maybe you can even get a company to send you one for testing and reviewing.

[@paulevans6403]

Another e-bike snob. Wish you guys would just let it go and let Steve walk slowly, point out all the sites and do his own thing.

[@rudycase4016]

Im from WA but visit the LA area occasionally. I love your content on the history of the area. It makes the area relatable and interesting. It’s good to see more than just the bad news reports. Thank you for your great contributions.

[@randygravel2057]

I found the dumpster interesting

[@EricT3769]

😂

[@donalddodson7365]

@randygravel2057 I wondered who pays for the dumpster & emptying? Hardly think there is much traffic up there.

[@dfirth224]

There maybe people living up there on the side roads. Maybe why road is still open.

[@dsmith1438]

Thank you for doing these videos. You are teaching us a lot about the state and exploring those places that I wish I could have when I was younger. Your Videos made me feel like I'm there with you at times.

[@ralphburnette]

This stretch of road was featured in Psycho. It’s the highway that Marion was driving on when she got pulled over by the cop.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

I didn't't even realize that. I should have checked to see what was filmed there. It would make a great filming location these days.

[@gus473]

​@@SidetrackAdventuresFunny you mentioned that, because I was wondering if some of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World" might have been filmed out there! Always enjoy my lunches with you on Sidetrack Adventures!

[@Daniel-fd3wp]

@Ralph if that’s for real that’s pretty kool. Did not know that. That’s a great Move . The School House from the Movie Birds in Bodega Bay I’ve been there twice. It’s funny it’s not close to the bay. 😂

[@DavidAnomalous]

Well done, Steve. We can count on you to follow through with interesting research, historic photos, great humor, and even walking the undrivable routes! I'm left smiling at a picture in my mind of an older fish showing younger ones the historic highway, much as I have on other portions of the Pacific Highway in Oregon and Washington. Thanks, Steve!

[@MichaelGreen-vn7dr]

Hi Steve, Michael here from OffRoadExperience, that bit of road you're standing on in opening bit, I remember we when my family, dad driving a company Rover 2000TC on that bit of road when the new piece above (now 5) with the traffic was being built. I remember the big green TEREX Tractors up there. The other bit of road, another version of Hwy-99, if you get the the lake going WB and look WEST across the lake, you'll see an old road on the Mtn side, I recall driving on that too. Im 66 now, so easy to date these bits to mid 60s. I recall opening day for "Golden State Freeway" through San Fernando Valley, went down it on the Sat in Uncle Bobs Franzen Nash GP car, and hours later with a guy named Carroll Shelby in the first COBRA! Deadmans curve interests me. You should be careful some of the places you go in that car of yours. See my site and you'll know why I say

[@trackrash]

I love taking my dirt bike from Hungry Valley OHV / Gorman to the north side of Piru Creek, then up to Alamo Mountain and Hines Peak, so much beauty to see there!!! Thanks for sharing this!

[@rickyt11]

Wow, this brings back memories. As a kid traveling with my parents to visit my grandparents that lived in Fresno. My dad would say we are going up hill, in that 1949 Packard. And down hill. Weee. 😂 And the first time I saw snow. We had a flat tire. A nice young man stopped to help. My dad and mom was so thankful. Thanks for sharing. ✨🙏🏽✨

[@xtbro78]

Funny, me too. My grandparents lived on a little dirt farm near Fresno. What a road trip that seemed from San Diego up there to visit. The heater in our old car didn't work & we all had blankets to wrap up in.

[@rickyt11]

@ I tell my family and friends how nice California was back then. I think that was my best time as a kid. How fun the Old Road was.

[@im1sinfulman]

WOW, THANK YOU FOR THE REFRESHING MEMORIES, YES I REMEMBER THE HIGHWAY, HIGHWAY 99, I OFTEN THOUGHT ABOUT THAT ROAD, WHEN I TRAVEL TO THE NORTH STATE OF CALIFORNIA.WE STILL CALL IT THE GRAPE VINE, BECAUSE THE UES TO HAVE GRAPE VINES ON THE BAKERSFIELD SIDE IF THE TRIP...

[@stanstenson8168]

Padres are looking good, Steve.

[@SidetrackAdventures]

I've learned to try and not get my hopes up too much, but yesterday was great.

[@stanstenson8168]

@@SidetrackAdventures Yes it was.

[@Daniel-fd3wp]

Yes I’m waiting for tonight’s game Joe Musgrove is pitching. Go Padres greetings from Imperial Beach.

[@stanstenson8168]

@@Daniel-fd3wp PADRES WIN! Now go beat the dodgers, again.

[@adriaanboogaard8571]

I've got 30 years working for a ulilty company. I took an interest in the old phone pole stub with the fiber optic phone box, or as we call it hand hold. The old polls that a land marks are going away and replaced by underground. It improves the view, and with power line's it reduces fire danger. Both are great, but it's a bit of history lost. Even the abandoned poles mark old roads and railroad grades. They eventually rott away. Same right of way different infrastructure. The railways, even when they pull the tracks out, make $ off leasing the R.O.W. out for utilities. One old subway I can't remember the City never opened but the tunnel was repurposed with a water main through it. I saw it on KZbin. Keep up the great work. :)

[@birdman5223]

2nd😀 Go Padres⚾️

[@SidetrackAdventures]

What a game yesterday.

[@ChannelWright]

Thanks! This was a great presentation of the history surrounding this old route. Great work, very enjoyable!

[@General_Confusion]

The Grizzly Bear was called Norman, Norman choked to death on a Frenchman, no one named a road after him.

[@randym9147]

Steve, I just love your videos. Like tonight, I needed to allow my mind to relax, I almost fell asleep to your relaxing narration, wonderful background music and beautiful scenery. It fixed me right up! Thanks.