Trip 6: Los Angeles to Mojave

Sunday, I start my first US 6 trip in a year, all along a section of road that is no longer part of US 6. A previous trip had brought me out to San Fernando Road and the City of San Fernando (an urban enclave, surrounded by Los Angeles), but we didn't go north of San Fernando. This time, I'll start in San Fernando, follow the old road north to its intersection with Sierra Highway, below the I-5/CA 14 interchange. Sierra Highway winds through a couple of canyons east of Santa Clarita to reach the Antelope Valley, then goes in a straight line, following a railroad track, through the towns of Lancaster and Palmdale, before entering the desert and reaching Mojave. I'll stay the night in Palmdale then, the next day continue to Mojave, where I'll turn off and go to Bakersfield and begin the drive home. US 6's old route continues north as CA 14, but I have to cut west.
This is a one-way car rental trip, and the car must be returned on Tuesday by the time I rented it on Sunday. This means a less than leisurely drive across the mountains and up the Salinas Valley.