I live in the San Diego area, too (Santee). All things considered, if I was forced to do that ride, I'd take transportation to the Bay area and ride home.
Besides the headwinds, others have pointed out that N-S puts you on the ocean view side of the highway, with the shoulders often being wider there, compared to the narrower inland side often being cut out of a mountain and subject to storm debris and rocks falling out of the roadcuts.