Steve -
He's locked into SF - already has his tickets. I'd had suggested Sacramento because it's usually the best overall cost when you factor airfare plus car rental. Sacramento is a better airport than Oakland or SF in terms of access. I also like Reno, and it works if you can score an airfare deal, but the car rentals are pretty steep.
I just noticed a similiar thread on the WP BB
here. Looks like Doug does the same route I use. Dustrunner has an interesting variation, but it's a bit circuitous for an out-of-towner. If my friend gets lost using that route, it could get ugly.
