That Ribbon of Highway III: Highway 99 Through the Pacific Northwest (That Ribbon of Highway)

Rating:
Summary: Get your kicks on Route ... 99?
Review: Route 66 has all the glamour -- songs, movies, web sites galore. It's an icon of American car culture. Its sister, U.S. Highway 99, on the other hand, doesn't get no respect. But as this volume shows, 99 is more than just 66 upside-down.

This book, the third in the "That Ribbon of Highway" series, follows Highway 99 from the Oregon-California border north to the Canada line (the first two books take it through California). In some places, 99 is a significant urban thoroughfare. In others, its track is almost forgotten. But along the way, Jill Livingston and Kathryn Golden Maloof reveal the often surprising wealth of history, engineering, culture, and nostalgia that line the route. An appendix knits old 99 together from one end to the other, with directions and local highlights for anyone adventurous enough to make the drive. They make the trip sound worthwhile.

Living as I do a half-block from Highway 99, it was hard to think of the road as being as interesting as it apparently is. But now I even have a little affection for the old thing. This book is a great one to keep handy in the glove compartment. Who needs to head off down Route 66 when we have our own transportation and cultural milestone right here?