[AnotherUnixGeek]

Number one is avoid the 405 at all costs especially during rush hour. You might as well have breakfast lunch and dinner in your car.

I used to take the 101 and the 405 from the valley down to Santa Monica for work - about an hour drive, unless it rained. If it rained, about 2.5 hours. Or take Topanga Canyon to the PCH - same amount of time when dry, but a lot more scenic and Topanga Canyon is fun to drive during the rare events when there's no traffic. In rain, forget it.

[max americana]

“Or take Topanga Canyon to the PCH - same amount of time when dry,”

Yeah, i do take that route sometimes. I dont like living in a blue city but we do have nice freeways to look at sometimes.