How to get to Mark and Karen's Place:

Directions depend on where you are coming from:

West from Nevada

OK, so I'm not actually going to give directions for this. Look, Sonora Pass isn't even open between November and May. You're much better off either going north and coming across the Sierras on I-80 from Reno, in which case you can use the North directions, or going south and coming across below the Sierras on I-10 from Las Vegas, in which case you can use the South directions.

South from Sacramento

  1. Get on I-5 going south
  2. Take I-5 past Stockton to Manteca, and look for the Hwy 120 exit going east on 120
  3. Continue with directions from I-5 and Hwy 120

North from Los Angeles

  1. Take I-5 North to Bakersfield
  2. Just before Bakersfield there's a fork where Hwy 99 splits off from I-5; take the Hwy 99 fork and continue north through Bakersfield
  3. Continue past Fresno to Merced
  4. One of the downtown Merced exits is for Route 59, also known as J-59; exit Hwy 99 here and get on J-59 going north
  5. This involves a couple of turns until you get out of Merced, so watch the signs carefully to make sure you're still on 59
  6. Take J-59 through Snelling; on the far side of Snelling watch for a left turn to continue on J-59
  7. J-59 ends at Hwy 108, between Oakdale and Jamestown, about 10 miles from Jamestown; turn right onto Hwy 108 East and continue through Jamestown
  8. Continue with directions From Sonora

East from the Bay Area to I-5:

  1. Take I-580 East, passing I-680, Pleasanton, Livermore, and crossing Altamont Pass. From Castro Valley this is about 30 miles.
  2. Several miles after Altamont Pass I-580 exits to the right, heading south towards Fresno. By continuing straight you'll be on I-205, heading towards Tracy and Manteca.
  3. Continue on I-205 past Tracy until I-205 merges into I-5 going north.
  4. Take I-5 north for two exits to State Highway 120.

From I-5 and Hwy 120 to Sonora:

  1. Follow 120 East. After 6 miles you'll briefly merge onto Highway 99 going north, come to a traffic light, and make a right turn. This keeps you on 120 going East.
  2. You'll pass through the towns of Escalon and Oakdale. In Oakdale 120 will merge with Hwy 108; where they merge you'll make a left turn at a major traffic light in downtown Oakdale, continuing on the merged 120/108.
  3. About 30 miles East of Oakdale Hwy 120 splits off and heads to Yosemite. You want to stay on 108. You do not want to continue on 120.
  4. Hwy 108 will take you through Jamestown, and then to Sonora. In Sonora you want to stay on the bypass around downtown Sonora. It may be helpful to refer to a map.
  5. Continue with directions From Sonora

From Sonora:

  1. Coming in towards Sonora, you'll be on Highway 108 going east. Pass the downtown exit to Sonora (Highway 49/Stockton Road) and continue east on 108. This stretch is known locally as the East Sonora Bypass. You'll pass a Walmart on your left, and an exit for Mono Way (the old Highway 108); continue East on the 108 Bypass to the Hess Road exit.
  2. Coming down the exit ramp, you'll turn left at Hess, proceed about two hundred yards to a T intersection, and turn right at the light here onto Phoenix Lake Road.
  3. Take Phoenix Lake Road all the way to the end; this is just over 6 miles from the light at Hess and Phoenix Lake Road. (see map).
  4. The hardest part, and where everybody gets lost, is doing the right thing at the end of Phoenix Lake Road. You'll know you are near the end when you reach a hairpin turn bending left marked with a big yellow "15 MPH" sign. This is the only "15 MPH" turn on Phoenix Lake Road, and it's your most important landmark. Phoenix Lake Road ends about a mile after this.
  5. Just before the end of Phoenix Lake Road there's an intersection where Longeway Road comes in on the right. It's easy to see this as a Y intersection (see map), and easy to mistakenly bear right onto Longeway. Don't! Stay to the left here, continuing on Phoenix Lake Road.
  6. About 150 feet after Longeway, Phoenix Lake Road ends at another Y intersection ( see map). You'll recognize this because Belleview Elementary School is in the crook of the Y. Continuing left (can also seem like going straight) would put you on Big Hill Road. Don't go this way! Instead, bear to the right on Kewin Mill Road.
  7. Continue on Kewin Mill Road for two miles until you reach Mount Elizabeth Drive, which intersects on the right. This is just after you see a brown wooden sign on the left that says "Welcome to Cedar Ridge" and just before you see the Cedar Ridge Fire Station on your left. If you see the fire station, you've just barely gone too far.
  8. Turn right onto Mount Elizabeth Drive and follow it to the end of the pavement. It winds around a bit, and several side roads intersect on the left, but stay on Mount Elizabeth.
  9. At cul de sac where the pavement ends, there is a gravel road continuation of Mount Elizabeth Drive. Continue on the gravel road. You'll go 4/10 of a mile, and our house is the second house on the right on the gravel road section. The house number is 17545.

If you get lost, the phone number is (209)586-7448.