How to drive to Headsburg singing and avoid the traffic jams

[davidfetcho]

Healdsburg singing this weekend! Hope to see a lot of folks there.

But since it's a holiday weekend, there's likely to be a lot of traffic on 101N, especially in the section just N of Novato, and through Petaluma. Here are a couple options for avoiding the long and tedious part of the journey, and possibly getting to the singing on time! Plus, you get a relatively traffic-free ride through some beautiful countryside.

Take 101N to Novato. Take the Novato Blvd exit west.

In about 8 miles turn right onto Point Reyes-Petaluma Rd, which becomes Red Hill Rd (you don't have to even notice). The road becomes kind of winding, so slow down and enjoy it.

In about 4 miles, the road becomes Petaluma's D St/D street Extension. (At this point you can just follow D St. into Petaluma, turn left onto Petaluma Blvd., grab a cup of coffee, then follow it N to Old Redwood Hwy. on-ramp to 101N again.)

Honestly, I think it's easier to do that than what follows, but if you want to bypass downtown Petaluma, from the D St. Extension, turn left onto Windsor Dr., continuing straight on Windsor at the traffic circle.

Turn right onto Western Ave., then left onto Cleveland Ln. Here's the next bunch from Google maps:

in 0.5 mi: Turn left onto Bodega Ave; in 0.3 mi: Turn right onto Lohrman Ln; in 0.9 mi: Turn right onto Magnolia Ave; in 0.1 mi: Turn left onto Marshall Ave; in 0.5 mi: Turn right onto Skillman Ln; in 0.5 mi: Turn left onto Petaluma Blvd N; in 1.0 mi: Continue onto Old Redwood Hwy N/Redwood Hwy N; in 0.1 mi: Merge onto US-101 N via the ramp to Eureka.

In either scenario, when you're on Petaluma Blvd. N, you can glance to the right around where the outlet stores are and notice if traffic is moving or not on 101. If it's still jammed, just after Petaluma Blvd turns right onto Old Redwood Hwy, get into the left lane and take Stony Point Road. Follow Stony Point until it intersects with Hwy 116, then turn right toward Cotati. Pick up the 101N on-ramp at Cotati, and things should flow pretty well from there because of the lane additions through Santa Rosa.

One other option—if you can make it on 101 to a few miles south of Petaluma before the traffic clogs (where Olompali State Park is on the left)—is to take the San Antonio Rd. exit. Turn left at the top of the ramp, cross over the freeway and turn right to stay on San Antonio road. This will give you a great view of the 101 parking lot you're avoiding! At the bottom of the hill, immediately after a little bridge, turn left to stay on San Antonio Rd. In a little over a mile, turn right on I St. (It's the first right you can take.) Follow I St. through some nice scenery straight into Petaluma. Turn left onto Petaluma Blvd. and continue as above.

Hope this helps make getting to the singing more pleasurable!