Thank YOU!
I like to drive in a NW direction from Phoenix to Kingman on HWY 93, then through Las Vegas on HWY 95, and then turn west and go over Westgard Pass which is how you get to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, then drop down to Big Pine and HWY 395, when I am going to Mammoth Lakes, CA.
Otherwise, I go through Barstow on I-40, once out of AZ, and then put the hammer down and head west to Bakersfield on HWY 58, then turn north on the infamous HWY 99, and make a beeline for Fresno. My end destination is about 45 miles NE of Fresno in the foothills of the Sierras.
Both those routes will take you past my old stomping grounds - lived in Ridgecrest for about 20 years, with lots of camping up and down that side of the mountain. Then lived 13 years in Bakersfield, and got to check out the other side of the mountain. Beautiful and fun times.