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Huge, smooth, grippy concrete runway. Somewhat abrasive, hard on tires.
A WONDERFUL air museum, including all the most interesting planes from WWII
through the SR-71 blackbird.
Directions:
Castle is in Atwater, a small pleasant town a few miles north of Merced.
From the North or Central Bay Area:
- Take I-580 West;
- At Tracy, continue on I-205 towards Stockton;
- I-205 merges into I-5 North at its end -- take I-5 North;
- Exit at California Hwy 120 -- East;
- At The US-99 intersection, take US-99 South toward Merced;
- Go to Atwater;
- Exit at Buhach Rd. Turn left (North) on Buhach;
- Buhach enters Castle after about a mile or so, across the railroad
tracks;
- There is probably no guard; go straight in and follow the cones on the
road to the site. There are two or more possible sites for the autocross.
You can also take 99 north from Merced.
Roughly 2 - 2.5 hours from the south or east bay -- take 152 east or one of
the other eastbound roads north of 152.
Jerry Mouton's Backroads route from the South Bay
- South on 101
- East on 152
- North on CA 33 to Santa Nella (exit is BEFORE I-5)
- East on Henry Miller Rd (See instructions for zig, below)
- North at stop sign = CA 165
- East on CA 140
- East on Buhach Rd. (there is a sign)
- Buhach Rd. becomes the Castle Entrance
- Follow the cones to the event site
If you take 152E anyway, it's certainly the shortest way to Castle from the
freeway. It's a series of straight, well-paved, lightly traveled,all-rural (no
towns) roads on which it is possible to go as fast as is safe. It is also
scenic, passing through wildlife areas andstate parks. (offset somewhat by the
aroma of the cattle feed lots :-) Takes me about 2 1/2 hours from Palo Alto.
One hitch: Henry Miller Rd. has a trick in it.
From 152, take hwy 33 to Santa Nella; just as you get into Santa Nella, Henry
Miller Rd. is a right turn -- goes over I5 and just goes straight. A few miles
in, it takes a bend right at a RR track. You have to know to zig left
immediately across the track and get back on Miller, which keeps going straight
-- it just doesn't cross the tracks in a reasonable way.
If you miss it, the road that bent right (Ingomar Grade) goes back to 152
right before hwy ca 165, so you can turn left on 165 and you're back on track.
You just wasted 10 minutes, that's all.
On Henry Miller, CA 165 is the first stop sign after the zig.
Lodging:
Applegate Inn ("The Train Motel")
1501 Sycamore Ave.
Atwater 95301
Telephone: (209) 357 0202
The tracks are located just behind, and you can pretend to be at the Mulsanne
Straight about 2:30 AM. Not too bad, really. This is where the
"pool party" is usually held.
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