IF YOU ARE DRIVING TO BURNING MAN SOON from san francisco, i've just driven on the 80 to truckee and back TODAY, along with a few places in between. i'm pleased to report that there's not as much construction on the eastbound lanes of I-80 as i can remember from previous years. there's a few spots where the three or four lanes are down to two lanes between fairfield and sacramento and there's some serious work going on from cisco grove to truckee...caltrans might be doing this work at night, so be prepared for some serious delays. also, keep in mind that caltrans has narrowed the lanes over the donner pass quite a bit in some spots. i've driven from truckee to verdi a few times this summer and haven't seen any construction on that section of the 80 during those trips.

westbound is another story. there's some form of construction going on pretty much all the way from truckee to colfax...and be warned that if you're driving back to the city at night, the westbound lanes of I-80 are being SHUT DOWN and traffic re routed onto california highway 174 between gold run and colfax. in addition to this potential labor day mega-clusterfuck, the traffic is being funneled into one lane between i think vacaville and fairfield...i might be wrong on the locations, but i know i'm right on the single lane.

remember, if you get bogged down on the 80, you can always use donner pass road to bypass at least ten miles of what is usually a big choke point on the interstate. you'll have to get back on near soda springs, but keep in mind that drivers can take california highway 20 to grass valley, then california highway 49 back to the interstate from there. there's also a network two lane roads that parallel the interstate from alta all the way into colfax.

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO CUT OUT ABOUT TWENTY MILES OR MORE OF BUMPER-TO-BUMPER INTERSTATE CLUSTERFUCK ON LABOR DAY WEEKEND

westbound, take the ALTA exit from interstate 80, where you will find yourself on ALTA/DONNYNOOK ROAD. follow this road until it becomes RIDGE ROAD, then TURN RIGHT on to LINCOLN ROAD, which you will follow until it becomes GOLD RUN SCHOOL ROAD, where you will turn LEFT and cross the railroad tracks. you'll know this because it's a "t" intersection and there's a railroad grade crossing to your LEFT. then, you will turn RIGHT on to GOLD RUN ROAD until you reach the point where you can get back on the freeway. (please note that LINCOLN ROAD is a narrow ass windy twisty road, but it's better than moving at less than ten miles an hour on the interstate)

DON'T GET BACK ON THE FREEWAY! cross the interstate and bear right on what is MAGRA ROAD, which you will follow for a number of miles until it reaches ROLLINS LAKE ROAD which is the official detour for the I-80 construction clusterfuck. follow ROLLINS LAKE ROAD until it intersects with CA 174 (which comes in from the right) and follow CA 174 until you reach colfax, where you will have no choice but to get back on interstate 80 for the remainder of your journey home.

google earth "ALTA, CA" or have a look at a detailed map of california to confirm my directions. i've been doing it all summer...i did it today, as a matter of fact.

have fun, be safe, and drive with your lights on ALL the time!