I wouldn’t take the 99, if you have to stop and go to the bathroom you’ll be raped and murdered. Plus, it’s mostly vineyards and truck depots over there, and the road conditions are much crappier/bumpier/full of tire shredding debris compared to the interstate.
395: Way out of the way, all sorts of interesting stuff along the way, especially if you can stop and explore. While the actual Owens Valley can be something of a wasteland itself, you’re between the towering Sierra Nevada and White Mountain ranges. Hot Spring, Cinder Cones, Mt Whitney, Mono Lake, Devil’s Postpile, back entrance to Yosemite. Lorini is out at Mammoth right now.
395 is a very scenic drive, and one that I enjoy very very much, but I wouldn’t go that route through Nevada/California in the middle of August. If your car dies, you die. That’s a lot of rural lonesome miles, in some pretty extreme areas. It can be really nice though if you’re prepared.
If you take the 395 I’d cut across Oregon to get there, through Kalamath and meet up with it in Northern California, near Susanville. Bring a ton of food and water though, because ‘remote’ and ‘desolate’ means exactly what it is supposed to.
I’ve done it 3 or 4 times and it is absolutely horrible from the time you pass the mountains out of LA until you hit Oregon. The central valley is the most empty boring place I’ve been in my life. If you have to drive this way, bring someone you can talk to and lots of cds or music to or something.
My parents break up the trip the same way you do. I’ve done it as both a straight shot and broken up, and breaking it up makes it more bearable.
