Road Guides, Rt 66 Western States and Pacific Coast Highway

[RoadDog]

My wife and I are planning on the Grand Excursion for our retirement after 33 years of teaching. It will be this fall.

We will drive all of Rt 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica and then north on the Pacific Coast Highway and then back home on US 12.

We'd be interested in recommendations on individual US 66 state guides from Texas to California. Also, anything on the Pacific Coast Highway or US 12.

Have the floods done much damage to the Coast Highway?

Keeping on Down that Two Lane Highway. --RoadDog

[PSU 98]

The National Historic Route 66 Federation (www.national66.com) publishes a magazine with your membership and offers several books on and guides to the route. Many of these are also available at the larger chain bookstores (Borders, Barnes & Noble, etc.). A quick Google search will turn up a TON of sites dedicated to Route 66, many with state-by-state guides and maps online.

[AZBuck]

I'm constantly amazed at the wealth of information available here. I'm still finding hidden niches on this website. Check into these:

Route 66

Not exactly US-12, but close

Pacific Coast Highway and/or CA-1

AZBuck

[Mark Sedenquist]

We will drive all of Rt 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica and then north on the Pacific Coast Highway and then back home on US 12.

RoadDog, sounds like a perfect cap to 33 years of teaching! As far as Route 66 information goes, Guy Randall has created a really useful online virtual tour of Route 66 -- much of the mapping and photos were captured in an extended tour that he and Jim Conkle undertook during a 66-day trip in 2003. Several of the RTA contributors joined them for a couple of key segments as well.

Have the floods done much damage to the Coast Highway?

I am not aware of any lasting damage to the road. I will check with some of our members who live along the route. I have driven sections of US-12 over the years, but never the entire distance. That sounds very cool!

Mark

[RoadDog]

I wasn't aware that Nick Freeth had a book on the Pacific Coast Highway. It was his book on Rt 66 that got me interested in roads in the first place.

I was keeping score at a wrestling meet at school back in 2002. The other team was late. I had time to kill and went into the office where some people had a book display. I took Freeth's book and started reading it. The rest, as they say, was history, is history.

I already ordered it and will use it on the trip. All those beautiful photographs will mean less pictures I'll have to take.

Keep on Down that Coastal Road. --RoadDog

[Mark Sedenquist]

I already ordered it and will use it on the trip.

If you like Nick's approach to road documentation, I think you will enjoy Tim Steil's book on US-61. Even if you never get to travel on the highway -- it is a fun read!

And, of course, for insider tips there is none better than Paige Penland's Coast Highway guide...

Mark