Customer Reviews

California-Nevada Roads Less Traveled: A Discovery Guide to Places Less Crowded

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I got this book mainly to see about the areas up where I live in the San Bernardino Mountains in California. I have two major complaints. 1. The so-called "tours" that you would be hard-pressed to spend a day doing each one, much less a week like the authors claim; if you really tried, you might be able to stretch them out to two days if you stayed overnight somewhere. 2. Obviously, the authors have not bothered to visit their own "tours" on a regular basis to make sure they are still relevant and valid, and not obsolete. For example, in Crestline, California, they list The Cliffhanger as a good place to eat and that you must stop there. Well I have news for the authors: this establishment has been out of business for years and years and has been constantly so and up for sale even and is totally vacant; and had been for years and years when the book was last published also. So unless they want to buy it for muchas dinero and remodel and restock it and turn it back into a fully-functional restaurant and business again (or you do), it is not a good place to eat, because it is still totally empty, and it is known as a cultural landmark up here to the locals. :P Basically, the whole book is laden with information like this. So even if that is the way it was back in the 1970's, the authors need to update their book and do a complete rewrite which means retraveling all of the routes and taking notes of the changes, and writing new stuff also to make the tours more complete. This could be a very good book with lots of value and merit, but it has to be kept current and also to have more options and stops in the "tours" than just a handful of "attractions". The authors seem like really nice people, they just have to be more earnest if they are going to write a traveling book for ~others~, otherwise their readers might just really end up chasing ghost dogs. 2/10

This is a guide to 21 road trips in California and 4 in Nevada. I've now taken a number of the backroads described in this book. There are some excellent suggestions for getting away from the interstates and finding the true character of these two states. The Martin's have a folksy style that I enjoyed. They didn't include much info about the scenery in between but mainly rundowns of the main cities along the way and places to eat and sleep. They really keep to the basics here. For example the section on "The Silver Trail" from Las Vegas to Virginia city is only 14 pages for a trip covering 443 miles. This book is a good starting point to get ideas for road excursions, but if you're going to spend any length of time on one of these trips I'd recommend getting further material before setting out.

Okay, my headline is a bit harsh, but I expect a little more from a travel guide of this region. This book is a little campy and its fair to say that travelers over a certain age group will revel in its tales of highway adventure. I'm of a tougher crowd and think the book fell short in its attempt to convey the true glory of coastal California and the desert byways. I read the book feeling like my dad was with me on a trip, driving us to places to see, but not experience. Two and a half stars would be most fair.
Review every book you read- authors deserve your opinions, not just elitist critics.

I never thought a book could have so much information about how to get around to different places. The authors know what they are talking. They have researched all information that is in the book and now I can travel and see that I have been missing. Thank you for a great book.

This is an invaluable guide for tourists (and even some natives) who rarely venture beyond the familiar and sometimes very busy tourist traps and destinations. I myself am familiar with areas such as Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties, the backcountry behind San Diego including Julian and the Borrego desert, and the Central Valley from Sacramento to Bakersfield, and have spent some enjoyable times in these places. Don and Betty Martin have obviously visited these areas often amd done their research.