Drew Knowles is a writer, photographer, and veteran of dozens and dozens of road trips throughout the United States. In addition to Route 66 Adventure Handbook, he is the author of Route 66 Quick Reference Encyclopedia, and his writings have also appeared in Route 66 Federation News, Amarillo Globe-News, USA Today, GoNomad.com, and RoadTripAmerica.com. His travel photography has been exhibited in museums and galleries both on and off the Mother Road, including the Texas Route 66 Museum, the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, the Lincoln County Museum of Pioneer History, Old Bedford School museum, Whittington Gallery, Mena Art Gallery, and Ouachita Artists’ Gallery. Knowles is a longtime member of the Society for Commercial Archaeology, and currently serves on the board of directors of Friends of Hot Springs National Park, where he has been a full-time resident for several years.
“Just when you think you know all there is to know about the most famous roadway in America, along comes this expanded edition of Drew Knowles’s phenomenal guidebook with more offbeat attractions, a host of vintage motels and cafés, and a plethora of fascinating historical (and apocryphal) anecdotes. His book makes a great read, whether or not you have ever put your pedal to the metal.”—Newsday “As readers and travelers, we found the Route 66 Adventure Handbook the best of its class. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler of Route 66 or gearing up for your first adventure, this book is a must-have. Drew Knowles doesn’t just guide you along Route 66; he ensures you savor every bit of its storied path.”—RoadTrip America “If you want to tap into a wealth of useful and fascinating Route 66 knowledge, you need to buy this book. . . . Essential for every bona fide Road Warrior.”—Michael Wallis, author of Route 66: The Mother Road “Don’t leave your driveway without it.”—Road & Track “Route 66 Adventure Handbook shows how travelers can still get their kicks on America’s iconic road. . . . Route 66 Adventure Handbook provides a map of what’s left of the road and its charms. . . . Knowles highlights odd facts and off-the-beaten-track attractions.”—New York Daily News “Anyone who wants to turn Route 66 into the next great road trip should bring along Drew Knowles’s extensive and downright fun guide. . . . Quirky side trips are what make Route 66 still popular today and are what set Knowles’s guidebook apart from others.”—The Mercury News “An uncommonly detailed and helpful handbook to guide drivers exploring unmarked stretches of the fabled U.S. Highway 66. . . . It definitely belongs in the library of every Route 66 fan. It also belongs in the glove box when armchair travelers take to the road.”―Mary Kate Tripp, book editor, Amarillo Globe-News “Reading this book is like downing five energy drinks. It's exhilarating, like flooring the pedal someplace between Kingman and Seligman, Arizona. So fast and frequent are the Mother Road highlights, you can hardly keep up with the pace. No wonder the author, Drew Knowles, calls it the 'high-octane' edition. It'll leave you breathless―and ready to drop the top and roll.”―American Road magazine “Drew Knowles has written a Route 66 travel guide for those with a sense of adventure. He makes the reader want to be a detective. The commentary about sights to see along the way is particularly helpful.”―Tom Teague, executive director, Illinois State Historical Society “Drew Knowles has crafted a much-needed addition to the literature of the Mother Road. In the Route 66 Adventure Handbook, he takes us on a complete tour of lesser-known but fascinating icons and attractions, from one end of the great highway to the other. Add to the mix a strong flavor of historical facts and anecdotes, and it becomes a book no 66er should be without.”―Jim Ross, author of Oklahoma Route 66 “If you read and use this guide, there is a very good chance you will change your attitude towards motoring. Rather than simply driving to a location, your trip will become the destination.”―David Knudson, executive director, National Historic Route 66 Federation “There are a few reasons to buy a book: to add to your collection, to read, and/or to use. The Route 66 Adventure Handbook fills all three categories. Whereas a map shows you how to get from one place to another, this book tells you why you want to go from place to place. It is just as important in planning a trip as any map―maybe more so.”―James M. Conkle, executive director, California Route 66 Preservation Foundation “If seeing Cars has gotten you yearning for a journey down America’s highway, then the new expanded edition of Drew Knowles’s Route 66 Adventure Handbook is your perfect guide, detailing the roadside attractions, motels, eateries, and natural wonders that will make your trip one to remember.”―QuickStopEntertainment.com “After I saw Cars, I toyed with the idea of doing a road trip on Route 66, as it was so wonderfully depicted in the movie. Then I realized we don’t have a vehicle that could even get us as far as Barstow. But then, the next best thing arrived on my desk: Route 66 Adventure Handbook, the updated and expanded edition, by Drew Knowles. Organized in an easy-to-read way, the writing is fun and informative. I had no idea, for instance, that Route 66―once the main road going from Chicago to Los Angeles―was replaced by five modern highways.”―Contra Costa Times “The release of the movie Cars has certainly increased interest in Route 66, the classic ‘Mother Road’ pre-Interstate highway that stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles. Though the road no longer officially exists in the U.S. highway lexicon, many of the tourist sights, motels, and roadside diners along the way have been preserved. Knowles’s fifth edition offers insights into offbeat roadside attractions, vintage motels and cafés, natural wonders, and quirky side trips. The book covers a town-by-town description of Route 66 in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, as well as the history of the road and how to find it in places where it might have disappeared. Don’t expect to find the Cars town of Radiator Springs, however. It is a fictional amalgamation of many Route 66 places.”―Salt Lake Tribune