Old US Route 99 - Los Angeles, CA to Calexico, CA - High Speed Driving Video
Hi Folks! Here is Old US Route 99 from Los Angeles to Calexico at the Mexican border. If you know my videos already, I love US Route 99, as well as other old routes. You can find my Ridge Route videos here:
LA to Bakersfield
• Brand New! 4K! Old Rid...
Bakersfield to LA
• Brand New! 4K! The Old...
As you may or may not know, US 99 was a route that stretched from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. For its length through California, it was called, “California’s Main Street” because of its vital importance to both travel and commerce. US 99 traveled through every type of climate and topography that California offers.
Fewer of you may be familiar with the stretch that I have covered here than say, the US 99 from Los Angeles through central and northern California. This section, to me, is just as amazing as the northern sections because it went from urban Los Angeles through the Inland Empire, through Coachella Valley, and then through Imperial Valley. These areas of California are so vastly different that, well, you’ll just have to see for yourself. It’s cool that you’re starting in Imperial Valley because you’ll see little towns and then really wide open spaces that Old US Route 99 made its way through, carrying millions of travelers of old to their destinations. Your parents and grandparents surely took US 99 if they were anywhere in California back then.
As with US 99 in central and northern California, parts of it are buried, but this time, under Interstate 10, rather than Interstate 5. Much of the route exists through most of the Inland Empire, but as we go through San Gorgonio Pass, in a lot of tighter places, Old US Route 99 and already used the very best alignment, so they simply built Interstate 10 over it, during parts of US 99 forever. In this video, I make it clear when we are on the original route, and when we jump onto Interstate 10. But luckily, I’m guessing because of Southern California’s arid climate, the large portions of US 99 and its precursor routes that weren’t buried by Interstate 10 still remain in reasonably good condition, with maybe a few bumps here and there, which you will undoubtedly feel along with me.
Some of the portions of road that I show were not always easy to get to, but I never broke any laws getting to them, so if you are determined to see some of these stretches yourself, you can still find them with the exception of Roberts Road in Banning, which is about to be demolished for a development. I feel very lucky to have filmed on it because it has a long portion of the original concrete slab that comprised most of the route before US 99 was later widened to accommodate more lanes.
Sadly, the Whitewater Bridge shown in this video was permanently damaged by the water runoff from Tropical Storm Hilary in August of 2023. I am very thankful to have shot the footage of this historical bridge while making this video on July 27, 2023, just twenty days before it was damaged beyond repair.
Please pardon the spot that is on my windshield. Just a few months ago, I got a rock kicked up from an eighteen wheeler’s tire in the Grapevine that chipped the windshield. I’m still not quite ready to spend the $750 to replace it.
I hope that you enjoy watching this video. It was my great pleasure finding the route and recording it for all of our collective posterity. The reverse direction of this video is already done. Just search my channel for it if you’d like to watch it. And I want to thank you sincerely for watching these videos. I really enjoy making them, and it’s a kick to know that there are some other people out there who love this stuff too. -Fred Herrman - “Rapid Topography“
High Speed Aspect
*The high speed aspect of this video is simply a post-production effect and is only meant to give the viewer a sense of the topography through which the drive is made. This video is not meant to encourage speeding or racing on public roads and highways. Rapid Topography is extremely opposed to speeding, street racing, and to driving under any the influence of any substance. Please always drive in a safe and prudent manner.
Music:
“Grey” by On Wave
“Free Spirit” by Yotam Ben Horin
“Sunlight” by The Secret Sea
“Erikone” by Dan Zeitune
“I Can Learn To Fly” by Ge Filter Fish
“Righteous Ones” by Gumo
“Much” by Con Davison
“Where I’m Going” by Sunriver
“Higher Than The Rain” by Roni Bar Hadas
“Funny Hunny” by The Polarity
“Renewed Time” by Stephen Keech
“M.A.C.H 3” by Mintz
“Through Their Mind” by Stevie Ross
“Remember” by VESHZA
All Music is licensed through ArtList:
artlist.io
Пікірлер: 45
That was so cool! Brings back a lot of memories with my Dad.
I love old roads. When you are driving sections of old roads, keep your eyes on the shoulder quite often back in the bushes or behind a couple of trees will be found the old original mile marker posts. The coolest ones are a 4x4 wooden post but the later ones will be flat metal. !
Old US 99, in the southern California area, was co-signed with US 60 and US 70. US 99 south split off from US 60/70 in the Indio area. Great video.
@rapidtopography1334
11 ай бұрын
Hi LaneFrank, yeah, I was reading how those routes were co-signed from about Dillon Rd though to where the 60 splits off now, if I recall correctly, and that the 70 was never a sole route in CA, always co-signed with something else. Every once in a while I'll see some old video showing those highways in like the 1950's, and I wish so much that I could have seen them in their heyday. The roads looked so unworn, if you know what I mean. Like a car would come down them every few minutes maybe if the road were lucky. Oh well, I was born too late! Thank you for watching the video, and I really appreciate your comments. -Fred : )
If only my family perceived my road-geeking in the way these videos are presented...
@rapidtopography1334
9 ай бұрын
I'm such a road geek, JBawden! I just can't help it! Thank you for watching it. Fred : )
I had to watch 😊 made the trek from LA to Calexico many times as a kid in the 70’s to visit my beloved grandparents. This video made my heart swell with burst with memories (all warm and fuzzy). Ty friend 👍🏼
@rapidtopography1334
8 ай бұрын
Oh, that's awesome, WhoSaidCate! I am so glad to hear that the video brought back good memories of your grandparents. There were no better trips than going to grandma and grandpa's house as a kid. Thank you for watching the video. Fred : )
You are the bomb! I absolutely enjoyed the road trip, I wish I could've gone along. Born and raised in Los Angeles, but had a chance to enjoy a road trip like this. You did that 😊
@rapidtopography1334
27 күн бұрын
Oh how great that you enjoyed it so much, Noelle. I really did too. I love working on road shooting projects like that one. My time is limited though, so I can't always be working on one. Well, it will be out there waiting for you anytime you decide to do it. Thank you kindly for watching the video. I really appreciate it. -Fred : )
Great video. I enjoyed the information along the way and learning all about the old 99 alignment. Your comment about the rickety old cars driving on those roads cracked me up. I drive one of those old cars (1929 Ford Model A Roadster) and that is what got me off the freeways and on the secondary roads. There is a fascinating world just beyond the freeways. Salton Sea is a fascinating place.
@rapidtopography1334
11 ай бұрын
Thank you, Duane! That's cool that you have a '29 Ford. Wow, in six years, it will be 100 years old! I lived in Burbank for 21 years, so I'd see Jay Leno driving around in old cars a lot. One time, he was at a service station at night when I pulled up, and he had his head down over the engine with a screw driver tinkering with something, and I asked him if the car had broken down. He said, no, and that he was just fiddling with something to make it run slightly differently. People LOVE their old cars! Glad you do too. Thank you for the compliments and for watching the video. -Fred : )
Amazing !! Being a baby boomer (1950) love this. I reflected on before freeways it would 5 hrs to drive from Corona to San Diego then TJ
@rapidtopography1334
9 ай бұрын
In a way, it's really not that long ago. The fact that a lot of people recall these roads is pretty cool. Thank you for watching, MrOnecan. -Fred : )
Heck of a drive, young man. A reminder of many things. How isolated and undeveloped some of these places were even up to the 60s. I really didn't know how popular Salton Sea was. No one ever actually sold me on it a a place to go and my impression was that it was slightly better but bordering on downright dangerous like Walker Lake up here. Still an interesting drive and I hope your tires survived.😁
@rapidtopography1334
11 ай бұрын
Thank you, Mark. Yeah, I was constantly imagining these old cars making their way through these extremely large, desolate swaths of geography, hoping that they wouldn't break down. Thank you for the compliments and for watching the video. -Fred : )
@Dkrpan59
3 ай бұрын
I wasn’t young I was 68
Wow! Cool drive, recognize most of those streets in downtown L.A., having worked for LADWP and retired from there in 2012. They can keep the insane traffic though! Great video!
@rapidtopography1334
11 ай бұрын
Thank you, MM! It was great fun to make. -Fred : )
@MM_in_Havasu
11 ай бұрын
@@rapidtopography1334keep up the great work, these videos are fun to watch!
Awesome Video. I like taking my Motorcycle out and doing old routes around SoCal. Cheers from San Diego
@rapidtopography1334
9 ай бұрын
Yeah, I would imagine that a motorcycle is perfect, especially for those sections that are less maintained, such as Old US 80 from San Diego to Yuma. Thank you for watching, AnchorsAweigh! -Fred : )
Another great video, Fred. Really enjoyed the old concrete ribbon where you could find it. Music selection was fun and energetic as always. I like that you’ve been adding elapsed mileage and time to some of your videos. Have you ever considered whether you could do a small inset map to show your progress as you move from one city to another? Only thing is, I imagine it’d be a lot of extra work. Thanks, Bob
@rapidtopography1334
11 ай бұрын
Hi Bob! Thank you for that idea. I'll think about it. That's a great idea. And thank you for watching the video. I'm really glad that you enjoyed it! -Fred : )
wow thats a long way to go just for one purpose i hope you did a few things and even went to mexico
@rapidtopography1334
Ай бұрын
Yeah, Kevin, I did have some other things to do along the way. Also, I shot the video in segments, so I didn't do it all at once. Thank you for watching it! -Fred : )
How do you find these alignments? I would love to drive some in nor cal. have found a few just out of luck
@rapidtopography1334
11 ай бұрын
Hi 07BSptC. When I have wanted to drive an old route, I generally have found the alignments by reading as much as I can on the Internet. I'm sure you have done that too. What I have found is that some routes have a lot written on them, and others don't. Sometimes I have gone to books too (as with the Ridge Route). You should definitely do it. Every time I've been through norther California (as in way north such as around Lake Shasta), I have been very curious about the old roads up there. But I am just not up there enough to make a project of it. I would love to see what you find if you do it. Anyways, so long answer, short, I cobble together as much as I can, and then also using satellite maps, you can often make out old alignments that make sense for whatever road you are focusing on. So it's all of that together that often gives me the best picture of how things might have been. Oh, and lastly, sometimes local historical museums, or museums online, will have access to maps and books that are readily available on, say, Amazon.com. Thank you for watching my video, and again, please, if you do some of your own, please send me the links. I'd love to see them. -Fred : )
@07BSPtC
10 ай бұрын
@@rapidtopography1334 yes. By me old historic 40 is pretty easy. Lots of signs and such. Found one section out of luck. I drive it all the time but only noticed the signs when I was in an Uber recently.
Whitewater bridge unfortunately collapsed
@rapidtopography1334
6 ай бұрын
OMG! Did it really? From Tropical Storm Hilary? I am so sad to hear this. And I am thankful that I shot the video this past summer then. Thank you for telling me this. I did not know, Snakeisekans. -Fred
im really inretested in this trip. Calexico is my birthplace. we always took the main route to Calexico. so im trying to plan this trip out...are the named streets in video the actual turns we take? are all street turns named?
@robertfeeley9738
9 ай бұрын
Went to Calexico High class of 67
@alvarezjacqueline1266
9 ай бұрын
@@robertfeeley9738 born Calexico in 66' moved to Mexicali then moved to echo park in L.A. now in the San Gabriel valley.
@rapidtopography1334
9 ай бұрын
Hi Jacqueline. Yes, I think I put all of the roads and turns that I made on the video. The only thing is that I went on some side roads that are the former US Route 99, and some of them are in bad shape. But most are okay. Those that were in bad shape were between about Banning and Cabazon, so it's probably easier to take Interstate 10 during those stretches. There are also other areas where I've dissolved onto Old US Route 99 that are now side roads. Some of those aren't done with a simple exit, but rather, one has to "get around" to them. But otherwise, if you follow the video, it should be mostly readable. If you have any specific questions about areas/roads, just refer to the time code on the KZread video when asking me the question, just so that I can shoot right over to where you are asking about. Enjoy your trip. Fred : )
@alvarezjacqueline1266
9 ай бұрын
@@rapidtopography1334 this is so great. thank you. I cant wait.
My
@rapidtopography1334
7 ай бұрын
Thank you for watching the video, Ray. Fred : )
How come only couple wind turbines are working
@rapidtopography1334
3 ай бұрын
That is something I always wonder too. The wind can be blowing pretty hard, and only some fraction of the turbines are turning. I don't know why that is.
@Dkrpan59
3 ай бұрын
@@rapidtopography1334 thought maybe the other broken
California did not provide a alternative for bicyclists they would and could ride on the interstate
@rapidtopography1334
3 ай бұрын
That is true. I agree.
@Dkrpan59
3 ай бұрын
@@rapidtopography1334 I rode my bicycle from alpine to phoenix able ride on the shoulder of course on 8
@rapidtopography1334
3 ай бұрын
Yeah, there are so many areas that are only accessible as pass through via an interstate, especially though mountainous and desert areas. I'm not sure why the route-makers didn't think of ways to better incorporate bicycle riders, especially when most states try to promote ridership for green purposes. It's really something they should retro-fit where they can if possible. Thanks for making that point. And thank you for watching the video. Fred : )