Even as late as the 1950s, the route was one to be respected. My parents would make the LA to Fresno round trip about once a month. When "old" 99 was San Fernando Road leaving the city we would leave Los Angeles around 4 AM and arrive in Clovis close to 10 AM, give or take. One could see remnants of previous accidents as, perhaps due to difficulty in removal, as a great many of the wrecks remained right where they happened. As a youngster that made a helluva impact on me.
Our family made many fun and exciting trips over the ridge route back in the 50 and 60s. This video brings back all of wonderful memories. It was a great time to be alive and living in California. Wish we could turn back the clock...
I wasn’t around that long ago but I do remember going over that road numerous times over the years. My grandparents would drive from LA to the north to visit friends in their ‘50 Buick Riviera. They took 99.
Before they built the 1915 road, to get from socal into the great central valley you had to navigate thru a dozen or more canyons before you found yourself in Grapevine canyon. When you exit the canyon into the valley it was 43 miles to the Kern river. Where the old road crossed the river a rancher had his ranch house there and always came out and greeted travelers on the road and he would invite them to camp in his field across the road from his house. Camp a few days, let their animals graze repair their wagon wash and swim in the river before continuing their journey. By & By this place became well known and people would look forward to stopping there. The rancher? His name was Mr Baker and people loved to stop and camp in Mr Bakers Field. !
I was able to drive most of it in the early 1990s in a 4WD Jeep. After reading the comments below I'm anxious to give it try again. Thanks for the updated info.
I was thru there two weeks ago and the gate was open on both end. Yet my visit last week greeted me with closed gates. There’s no way of knowing for sure whether the gates will be opened or closed. Good luck on your journey, I hope you find open gates. FYI if you do any cycling (dirt bikes, dual sports, mountain bikes, anything with two wheels, the gate issue is taken out of the equation.
Also, if going thru in a 4 wheel drive vehicle, go down Reservoir Hill Road. It will take you under Hwy 5 to the shore of Pyramid Lake! Well worth the detour.
I grew up in Castaic.and went to castaic school as well as my dad.him and my grandfather worked at the castaic garage.working on the old ridge route with there tow trucks.befire mt grandfather passed they opened the gates and took him up there.thanks for the video
Right after ww2 my dad would take us migrant working from Oxnard to highway 99 over the Grapevine on this old road. We did this every summer till 1957😘First in an old Ford one ton truck like in the movie The Grapes of Wrath. Later in GMC flat bed😘
Mom Dad Sis and I used to drive that road to go visit GMA and GMPA in Dads Chevy Pickup. My memories of getting past the hills into Gorman was the highlite.
@GarySandburg The road was repaired some years back. It’s constantly being used by utility and petroleum companies to maintain their lines. Just yesterday, I rode my bike from the Sandburg Inn to Lake Hughes Rd in Castaic without issue.
I grew up in Canyon Country in the 70's and 80's. I was able to navigate the Old Ridge Route from Castaic down to Highway 138 as late as 1993. I believe the Northridge Earthquake in January 1994 wreaked enough havoc on the old road and it was then closed. Another commented that they traveled the road in the early 90's in a Jeep. I did it in a (embarrassed to admit) 1979 4cyl Mustang that ran hot from a leaking head gasket.
I've heard both names used for the old ridge route, as well as Grapevine used for it's I-5 replacement. My grandfather was born in a small town south of Fresno. He moved to L.A. as soon as he got his driver license, but traveled back many times a year with the family. My father had great stories about trips on the Old Ridge Route.
Are any portions of this road still drivable? When I am returning from Palmdale, back near the 5, I have seen the sign ‘Old Ridge Route”; is that a drivable portion of the old 1915 road?
@wayneschenet5340 Yes, that section of the road is drivable. If you’re lucky enough to find the gates open, you can drive the entire route all the way down to Castiac. The road is used frequently by the gas company and SCE to maintain their equipment. Good luck!
Why was the road from LA to Bakersfield abandoned??? NOBODY WANTED to go to BAKERSFIELD!!! If there is a US city that is the festering boil on it's buttocks...it's BAKERSFIELD!!!
@Walkercolt1 The route was replaced by US99 also known as the ridge route alternate in 1933. The new highway had three lanes, one in each direction with a passing lane in the middle known as a suicide lane. By 1970 US99 was replaced by Interstate 5. The reason for having the hwy linking the Central Valley is because the San Joaquin Valley is one of the most fertile land on the planet, Commerce. Thanks for watching and the question
@tidbitsofhistory1712 In the late 1940s- early 1950s the 3 lane road was widen to 4 lanes. By the way I'm proud to have been born and raised in Bakersfield. Mr Bill
@janetlewis7145 Thank you for taking the time to clarify information. Bakersfield has some rich history, everything from boxing to country music. Thank you again!
A lot of this countries best have come from this “ festering boil” a long list of professional athletes including NFL players Derek Carr , David Carr, JoeyPorter, Frank Gifford, Olympic wrestling medalist Jake Varner, along with a long list of baseball and other players. Rick Mears Indianapolis winner, Roger Mears, NASCAR drivers Casey Mears, Kevin Harvick, to many musicians to count including Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and female country vocalist Bonnie Owens, which all made a unique contribution to country music by making the “ Bakersfield Sound” style of music. One of the original Disney Imagineers, A lot of the food people eat is grown here along with oil, gas and diesel.
And yet $100 billion and no trains yet to connect Merced to Bakersfield for the HSR. Where did California lose its way? Don't answer, it's a rhetorical question.
I like your concept and videos. I think the panning, zooming and images used are good also. The music in background is also great. Very fitting to each scene. My only comment would be to use a different narrator voice. This english guy is annoying. Hes got that nasty abrasive brian cox sounding voice. A more relaxing and soothing narrator voice would work better in my opinion.
Thank you for taking the time to comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the content. I’ve already transitioned to a different narrator on some of my more recent videos.
Even as late as the 1950s, the route was one to be respected. My parents would make the LA to Fresno round trip about once a month. When "old" 99 was San Fernando Road leaving the city we would leave Los Angeles around 4 AM and arrive in Clovis close to 10 AM, give or take. One could see remnants of previous accidents as, perhaps due to difficulty in removal, as a great many of the wrecks remained right where they happened. As a youngster that made a helluva impact on me.
Thank you for sharing
Our family made many fun and exciting trips over the ridge route back in the 50 and 60s. This video brings back all of wonderful memories. It was a great time to be alive and living in California. Wish we could turn back the clock...
Very nice, thank you. Many trips on that stretch of road.
Glad you enjoyed it
I wasn’t around that long ago but I do remember going over that road numerous times over the years. My grandparents would drive from LA to the north to visit friends in their ‘50 Buick Riviera. They took 99.
Yes, the 99 was the death blow to the RR. Thanks for watching
'Everything went fine up up to Grapevine Hill, we was passing cars like they was sitting still'.......
I bet you were in your Hot Rod LINCOLN lol
Before they built the 1915 road, to get from socal into the great central valley you had to navigate thru a dozen or more canyons before you found yourself in Grapevine canyon. When you exit the canyon into the valley it was 43 miles to the Kern river. Where the old road crossed the river a rancher had his ranch house there and always came out and greeted travelers on the road and he would invite them to camp in his field across the
road from his house. Camp a few days, let their animals graze repair their wagon wash
and swim in the river before continuing their journey. By & By this place became well
known and people would look forward to stopping there. The rancher? His name was Mr Baker and people loved to stop and camp in Mr Bakers Field.
!
@ourv9603
Thank you so much for taking the time and sharing some history with our subscribers. 👍
True story that is how Bakersfield got it's name. I know I was born there. Lived there from 1953-1979. Mr Bill
"And now you know, the rest of the story." 😊
@@mxplixic You just quoted one of my favorite broadcasters, the late Paul Harvey. I even used that line in the past. Bill formally from Bakersfield
I was able to drive most of it in the early 1990s in a 4WD Jeep. After reading the comments below I'm anxious to give it try again. Thanks for the updated info.
I was thru there two weeks ago and the gate was open on both end. Yet my visit last week greeted me with closed gates. There’s no way of knowing for sure whether the gates will be opened or closed. Good luck on your journey, I hope you find open gates. FYI if you do any cycling (dirt bikes, dual sports, mountain bikes, anything with two wheels, the gate issue is taken out of the equation.
I drove it from hwy 138 to north of castaic in the 90s in my MG I know there was a big landslide has that been repaired
Very well done video, had not it been for the Automobile there might have been a North California & a South California as separate states
Thanks for the kind words
closed down. Road is wash out years ago.Lots of great times with my son and grandson. I wish the state would fix it, so we drive the it again.
It's open all the way thru as of last week Oct 2022
@@mzinns Thanks a lot. We will take drive up there this weekend.
Correct, I was just thru there this past Monday and the gates on both ends were wide open.
Also, if going thru in a 4 wheel drive vehicle, go down Reservoir Hill Road. It will take you under Hwy 5 to the shore of Pyramid Lake! Well worth the detour.
@@tidbitsofhistory1712 Thanks
great presentation. You tube steered your tidbits of history towards me.
thanks.
Totally jazzed to hear the YT algorithm works. Thanks for viewing my content and commenting…
I grew up in Castaic.and went to castaic school as well as my dad.him and my grandfather worked at the castaic garage.working on the old ridge route with there tow trucks.befire mt grandfather passed they opened the gates and took him up there.thanks for the video
Thank you for sharing history that’s slowly becoming forgotten.
Right after ww2 my dad would take us migrant working from Oxnard to highway 99 over the Grapevine on this old road. We did this every summer till 1957😘First in an old Ford one ton truck like in the movie The Grapes of Wrath. Later in GMC flat bed😘
I was born in Fresno, grew up in Bakersfield. Old timers told us it would take all day to drive to L.A. before the freeway.
If only high speed rail lines were built instead of freeways.
You had to stop at the water stops to cool your car down😅
Mom Dad Sis and I used to drive that road to go visit GMA and GMPA in Dads Chevy Pickup.
My memories of getting past the hills into Gorman was the highlite.
That arch was at the Tumble Inn and it’s not the original. I saw it being rebuilt while frequently riding my ATV up there.
Closed now but back when I drove it many times.
I have been on it many (over 200) times Quail and deer hunting. Now its
@GarySandburg The road was repaired some years back. It’s constantly being used by utility and petroleum companies to maintain their lines. Just yesterday, I rode my bike from the Sandburg Inn to Lake Hughes Rd in Castaic without issue.
@@tidbitsofhistory1712 Thanks for the infor. L will plan a trip this fall.
Nice production.
Glad you like it!
Would be nice if they repaved this road and added some turn-outs for taking pictures. It’s a nice scenic route.
solid gold for those who love socal.
I grew up in Canyon Country in the 70's and 80's. I was able to navigate the Old Ridge Route from Castaic down to Highway 138 as late as 1993. I believe the Northridge Earthquake in January 1994 wreaked enough havoc on the old road and it was then closed.
Another commented that they traveled the road in the early 90's in a Jeep. I did it in a (embarrassed to admit) 1979 4cyl Mustang that ran hot from a leaking head gasket.
It's great on a bicycle.
I rode it last year on my motorcycle
Were there water stations along the Ridge Route? I remember driving the old 99 and people made frequent stops to put water in their cars.
@socalsocal88 yes, there were multiple concrete water troughs along the route.
The way things are going lately, CA will reopen this route for FASTRAK users (toll road)!
Manual labor with picks? Cool story bro.
Also the "Grape vine".
It was probably bad enough to drive in the summer time when the weather was good back in 1915.
Some of the photos were of the Grapevine. Weren't it and the Ridge Route separate animals?
Technically the ridge route started at Castaic and ended just north of Fort Tejon on a section (ridge route) known as Deadman's turn.
I've heard both names used for the old ridge route, as well as Grapevine used for it's I-5 replacement. My grandfather was born in a small town south of Fresno. He moved to L.A. as soon as he got his driver license, but traveled back many times a year with the family. My father had great stories about trips on the Old Ridge Route.
Ridge Route and Grapevine are used interchangeably. I have used both terms through out most of my 71 years. Mr Bill
.
Don't need that background music it's distracting
Are any portions of this road still drivable? When I am returning from Palmdale, back near the 5, I have seen the sign ‘Old Ridge Route”; is that a drivable portion of the old 1915 road?
@wayneschenet5340 Yes, that section of the road is drivable. If you’re lucky enough to find the gates open, you can drive the entire route all the way down to Castiac. The road is used frequently by the gas company and SCE to maintain their equipment. Good luck!
Thay don't make them like thay use too.
Why was the road from LA to Bakersfield abandoned??? NOBODY WANTED to go to BAKERSFIELD!!! If there is a US city that is the festering boil on it's buttocks...it's BAKERSFIELD!!!
@Walkercolt1 The route was replaced by US99 also known as the ridge route alternate in 1933. The new highway had three lanes, one in each direction with a passing lane in the middle known as a suicide lane. By 1970 US99 was replaced by Interstate 5. The reason for having the hwy linking the Central Valley is because the San Joaquin Valley is one of the most fertile land on the planet, Commerce.
Thanks for watching and the question
@tidbitsofhistory1712 In the late 1940s- early 1950s the 3 lane road was widen to 4 lanes. By the way I'm proud to have been born and raised in Bakersfield. Mr Bill
@janetlewis7145
Thank you for taking the time to clarify information. Bakersfield has some rich history, everything from boxing to country music. Thank you again!
A lot of this countries best have come from this “ festering boil” a long list of professional athletes including NFL players Derek Carr , David Carr, JoeyPorter, Frank Gifford, Olympic wrestling medalist Jake Varner, along with a long list of baseball and other players. Rick Mears Indianapolis winner, Roger Mears, NASCAR drivers Casey Mears, Kevin Harvick, to many musicians to count including Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and female country vocalist Bonnie Owens, which all made a unique contribution to country music by making the “ Bakersfield Sound” style of music. One of the original Disney Imagineers, A lot of the food people eat is grown here along with oil, gas and diesel.
ELARY TRK DRIVERS. HAD. BIG. BIG. BALLS😊😊😊😊
Uh! Had to drive the grapevine between LA AND SF many many times. It is SO boring!! 😩😴
That road still exists.
It is not I-5.
It was and still is the grapevine.
Compared to it I-5 is a joke!
And yet $100 billion and no trains yet to connect Merced to Bakersfield for the HSR. Where did California lose its way? Don't answer, it's a rhetorical question.
You had me until the rhetorical part
The city of San Francisco has 73 staircases across
the city.
!
I like your concept and videos. I think the panning, zooming and images used are good also. The music in background is also great. Very fitting to each scene.
My only comment would be to use a different narrator voice. This english guy is annoying. Hes got that nasty abrasive brian cox sounding voice. A more relaxing and soothing narrator voice would work better in my opinion.
Thank you for taking the time to comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the content. I’ve already transitioned to a different narrator on some of my more recent videos.