How Funky is CA 175 from H101 to Lakeport????

corn griffin · Post by **corn griffin** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 12:25 pm

drivin from concord to lakeport, towin a boat... usually go pope valley/butts canyon into Lowerlake, but that seems to take forever, but the tow aint too bad... thinkin bout takin 101 and cuttin across on 175. looks like a steep grade but not for very long... does anyone else go that way?? is it super funky?? Dr. funkenstein?? rubber ducky??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmNegOg6dOM

201Pro · Post by **201Pro** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 12:38 pm

When I lived in SF, that's the route I always take. I have a F250 SuperDuty Powerstroke and a 18' Skeeter, so I really didn't have problems going up there. It's about 8 miles all in all up and over. It drops you right at Kelseville. Going home in the PM through Napa often is a grind though!

TonyL · Post by **TonyL** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 1:06 pm

I avoided that route,heard it was tight,but also theres a restriction on length of your rig,dont remember now,sumthin like 35' total.Its posted on a small sign coming off 101 to 175.buddies told me they'd seen guys pulled over on that route,suspect for that reason.Anyway,last night tourney there,anctious to get on road home, I followed a buddy with a shorter rig,who always drives it.It was pretty tight,but doable.I have a 01 suburban,with a 20 footer.I'd check my mirrors and see my trailer wheels right on white (outside)line,there was not much ground left after that line!So I quit trying to keep up with buddy,took time ,it was alright.

b2customrods · Post by **b2customrods** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:25 pm

I drive that route every time I go up there. I have a Yulon XL (Suburban) and tow a 21' Boat. I think it is over 35 feet but not by much.

As a retired truck driver who has drivin all over the country in a truck and trailer combo of 70 feet. That route can be a little tight in spots but doable.

Here is a little trick to keep your trailer tires inside the lines. On turns make sure your tow vehicle takes the outside of the turn not the inside like you would do if you wernt towing. Your trailer tires always track to the inside of the tow vehicles track. This way if the tow vehicle never goes over the wight line the trailer wont either.

Since we are on the topic of towing.

I notice one thing that is a bad practice! Not using your side mirrors to watch your trailer tires to insure those tires are in the lane you are in. People tend to drive on one side of the lane or the other but if your towing those tires track wider than your vehicle so they will be over the line.

To TonyL, Smart move! Its not about speed its about getting home or to your destination safe! You should never go so fast that you cant control your trailer within its lane. There are a couple blind turns on the road that you dont know what your going to run into. Remember that your towing more weight and you cant stop in the distance you can when not towing.

Anyone know how much distance it takes for a truck fully loaded at 80,000lbs takes to stop. Look it up. I bet you wont cut that truck off when you find out.

I have always said that if people that tow boats and trailers had to take the same test a truck driver takes most would fail!

Im not saying that truck drivers are the best drivers allot of them need there class A licenses takin away but I have seen allot more people towin boats and trailers that hadnt a clue what they were doing.

TonyL · Post by **TonyL** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:46 pm

I LEARNED SOMETHIN TODAY !

Thanks B2 ! Nice tip , I'll use it from now on.

WackySenko · Post by **WackySenko** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:29 pm

I took my wife that way years ago and she got car sick. Now we 80 to 505 to 5 to 20. I can get to Nice, from Antioch, in 3hours and 15 minutes towing my boat. Of course it takes alittle longer with the wife's potty stops. It is an easy drive.

big_limits · Post by **big_limits** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:55 pm

i just keep on the 101 till i hit the 20. its really like 10 to 15 min longer and the stress level is way down compared to that pos 175

DanIsaac · Post by **DanIsaac** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 6:40 am

WackySenko wrote:I took my wife that way years ago and she got car sick. Now we 80 to 505 to 5 to 20. I can get to Nice, from Antioch, in 3hours and 15 minutes towing my boat. Of course it takes alittle longer with the wife's potty stops. It is an easy drive.

Ditto, much nicer pull especially from Concord. Plus, you get to go right past Limit Out Tackle, just in case!

Dan

Peter Lloyd · Post by **Peter Lloyd** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 5:26 pm

corn griffin wrote:drivin from concord to lakeport, towin a boat... usually go pope valley/butts canyon into Lowerlake, but that seems to take forever, but the tow aint too bad... thinkin bout takin 101 and cuttin across on 175. looks like a steep grade but not for very long... does anyone else go that way?? is it super funky?? Dr. funkenstein?? rubber ducky??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmNegOg6dOM

From Concord, the fastest way to Lakeport is to take 680 to Cordelia. Get on 80 toward SF for about 1 mile and take 12 to Napa and the 29. From there, you can take 29 all the way to Lakeport, or you can cut over to the Silverado Trail and then back on 29 to finish the trip to Lakeport. There isn't a faster way that I've found.

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 1:30 pm

175 is NOT the way to go when towing a boat. I've seen CHP turn guys around and make them go all the way back also. BUT the main reason is not that it isn't doable, but it's the OTHER guy comin the OTHER way that will get you. Twice I got put into the ditch by the IDIOT comin the other way. I'd avoid it like the pleague. Hwy 20 is a much better way.

corn griffin · Post by **corn griffin** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:41 pm

Thanks fellas, appreciate the input

CharleyA · Post by **CharleyA** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 7:22 pm

Here's another tip for the 175.

It's actually safer to only drive it at night so you can see the headlights on a car coming the other way. When you can use the whole road for those tighter turns it makes that drive a piece of cake if you got some torque and trailer brakes. Anything less and its a bit dicey.

185vsfrog · Post by **185vsfrog** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 2:22 pm

Corn, I live on your side and 175 is definitely the wrong way for you. Go HWY 29 through napa if you leave early in the morning. If its later in the day take the silverdao trail. Take it all the way through middletown and it will drop u off at lower lake. Then head west on 29 to lakeport. Total trip for you will be about 3 hrs but way shorter and safer than 175 over Hopland. And FYI Hopland grade is total of 17 miles from 101 to Lakeport and takes over an hour with a boat.

ASD · Post by **ASD** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 2:50 pm

DanIsaac wrote:
WackySenko wrote:I took my wife that way years ago and she got car sick. Now we 80 to 505 to 5 to 20. I can get to Nice, from Antioch, in 3hours and 15 minutes towing my boat. Of course it takes alittle longer with the wife's potty stops. It is an easy drive.
Ditto, much nicer pull especially from Concord. Plus, you get to go right past Limit Out Tackle, just in case!

Dan

I do the 80 to 505 to 16 to 20 it's faster and a nice road to