I don't understand either. I'm from New York, and I wouldn't say it any other way. "I took 101 to 110," sounds extremely awkward to me.
"How do you get there?"
"Take 10."
"Take 10 what?"
I've been seeing this meme a lot more lately. For some reason, it seems to be in fashion to make fun of people from [Southern?] California in this way at the moment.
If it's a main interstate, then I'll call it "I-[x]".
So I drive on I-5 or I-90.
If it's a spur, then I just use the number. From Redmond, I would get on 405 to go to Bellevue. When I drive from Sunnyvale to Palo Alto, it is usually fastest to take 101 unless it's rush hour.
I'm from southern NY, and where I grew up, you would refer to state highway 110 as "110" or "Route 110". Interstate 495 is "495" or "the L.I.E." Named roads like the Northern State Parkway or the Thruway get the definite article, but numbered roads either get the type of road mentioned, or nothing at all: "I 87" or just "87"
This is the same where I now live in New England, as well. "495", "128", "Route 3", "Route 1", "The Mass Pike"
"How do you get there?"
"Take 10."
"Take 10 what?"
I've been seeing this meme a lot more lately. For some reason, it seems to be in fashion to make fun of people from [Southern?] California in this way at the moment.