I write about one road. The Field Manual started from a simple rule: if we couldn't verify it, we left it out. For this edition the whole route was driven end to end in April 2026, 23 days from Chicago to Santa Monica, with every motel called on the phone and every coordinate taken on site.
That rule runs this journal too. When a diner closes, I say it closed. When a date for a centennial event isn't confirmed by the people running it, it doesn't go on the calendar. And every article lists its sources at the bottom, so you can check my work.
Route 66 turns 100 on November 11, 2026. I hope these pages help you drive it well, in the centennial year or any year after.
Write to me at traveler@europetrip.us.