Having seen how narrow and windy the most direct route was from the Thousand Trails San Benito Preserve campground to our next stop in Bakersfield, we decided to explore an alternative route that involved a little bit of backtracking up to Hollister, but made up for that via the speed of the I-5 freeway, and an easier drive. We enjoy twisty roads in our truck, but not so much with 60 feet of coach and toad.

So we took a drive in our truck along the first part of that route, past the San Luis Reservoir. Which was looking distressingly empty; according to the map, all of the flat plain in these pictures was supposed to be covered with several feet of water:

After reaching I-5, and satisfying ourselves that it was a much easier route, we stopped for gas, and visited a nearby roadside stand selling dried fruit and nuts and such; now we’re well stocked for snacks:

Then we headed back home via Little Panoche Road, Firebaugh, CA:

The route: