Customer Reviews

The Route 66 Traveler's Guide and Roadside Companion

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

10 years ago, Tom Snyder compiled the first modern guide to driving Route 66. For this third edition, Snyder has thoughtfully separated the driving directions ("Traveler's Guide") from his trove of 66-related anecdotes ("Roadside Companion"), making the book more useful. The guide's most distinctive features are reproductions of period maps from the Automobile Club of Southern California, over which the route of the modern Interstate has been superimposed.

Snyder's book is a fun read and quite helpful for planning a Route 66 drive. But once you're on the road, BY FAR the most useful navigational aid is Bob Moore and Patrick Grauwels' *The Illustrated Guidebook to the Mother Road*, which unlike Snyder's book provides turn-by-turn directions and mileage.

The book itself is interesting, but not "the" guide. It's now somewhat out of date, and no where as easy to follow (or as accurate) as the "EZ66 Guide For Travellers" by Jerry McClanahan. Use that if you really want the nitty-gritty on finding your way around and on Route 66.

However, this book is still an interesting read, and I don't regret buying it, and would recommend it. (though not as a guidebook for your Route 66 trip)

Snyder's Route 66 guide is broken down into two sections; the first is essentially a town by town guide through the from Chicago to Santa Monica pier, and the second is a collection of stories, history, and perhaps a couple of tall tales of the Mother Road and the people along it. There is also a bit of introductory information on planning for the road trip, estimating times, what to take along, and this would be helpful for the first-time roadie.

The directions, as far as they go, are accurate, and the maps (all from the Auto Club of Southern California) are serviceable but small. Snyder's narration of the drive is easy to read, he points out various attractions and areas of interest along the way, and the route is easy to follow. This doesn't mean you won't need any other maps; every roadie would benefit from Bob Moore's set of maps and directions.

Also, Snyder presents the route in its east-west direction only; someone following the route from west to east can do so, but other books will serve far better.

Snyder's Roadside Companion of stories from the road are interesting and well worth reading in your motel before going to sleep before another day on the road.

The ardent roadie will find both information and a lot of love for the Road in Snyder's book, and it is highly recommended.

I am currently on my third copy of this book. I've taken the cross country trip 8 times with Snyder as my guide, and have travelled every documented mile. While it doesn't show you every imaginable mile of every route, this guide takes you on all driveable portions, and to all the places of 66 myth and legend. My only complaint is that the binding is a little cheap, so after a trip there's usually some loose pages about! A definite must-have for anyone contemplating this cross country trip.

This book not only contains maps, but it will give you stories to read in your motel room that are worthwhile to the whole Route 66 experience. Anyone can hop a jet from Chicago to LA, but the folks who make the long drive deserve to learn some facts along the way. I personally have driven along Route 66 several times. I have a website with a database of over 600 points ofinterest along the way. Motels, restaurants, shops, etc. Each time I drive, I always bring this book with me so I can refer to the maps & stories. I rely on GPS to find my way, but I am thankful for Tom Snyder to explain what I'm looking at while I'm driving. I endorse this book on my website. www.route66search.com

Rt. 66 has so many fascinating stories, twists and turns and Tom Snyder doesn't miss a beat. Not only does he clearly document the route itself, but he fills the book with the bits of history, culture and stories of the people that make traveling Rt. 66 the most memorable trip you'll ever take!

Although ideally you should travel route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica. Some of us travel a different route. I found the guide to be informative but difficult to transpose because it is designed to be used if you travel from Chicago to Santa Monica. Traveling in reverse made it difficult althoughit was still very useful.

Tom Snyder's book is another I first came across while browsing in the Little America Gift Shop at Flagstaff. It is "the" book for finding all of the old segments of the road. The only problem is it is continually being outdated. The reprints of the ACSC strips are true "works of art".

We tried using this book on a recent trip on Route 66. Not only does he use outdated maps, with old street names, but has he even tried following this book himself? Most of the time, when we tried to follow his directions, we got completely off-course. One memorable time, he got us on an old, run-down alignment that literally had only one lane! Luckily, we had only one on-coming car to pass (which was accomplished by both cars driving on their respective shoulders!) I think he just phones in the "updates!" The only reason he gets even one star is because there is some interesting history in this book. However, I wonder if any of his historical facts are correct, since he gives so much misinformation otherwise!

The companion I did not find as helpful and did not use it on my trip down route 66. The book that this companion goes with was enough. I found the route 66 map from AAA a better companion with the book and is what I used on my trip.