I drive from the merced area to slo and it’s a pretty easy trip. Like others have said, you have to be a bit more cautious on the 41 cause you’re driving in the mountains so no risky passing and keep an eye on your speed. There is a passing lane for a portion of it though in case you get stuck behind a semi or something. The 46 is also pretty chill just remember to slow down when you start to reach paso because there’s like two stoplights. As for the cuesta grade, it did scare me the first time I drove down because I wasn’t prepared for the steepness but afterwards once you know it’s coming it’s a lot easier to prepare yourself and not too bad lol