No comments about Thomas Guide 2009 San Diego County, California: Street Guide (San Diego County Including Portions of Imperial County Street Guide and Directory).

1 comments about Wallpaper City Guide: Chicago (Wallpaper City Guides (Phaidon Press)).

1. I ordered two volumes from the "wallpaper" series. They both were old, out of date and had poor quality printing (poor pictures and the binding was falling apart already). Overall, it was not helpful, and I wouldn't recommend the series.

5 comments about Great American Motorcycle Tours.

1. The foreword of the book is written by Peter Fonda. I personally fail to make the connection why the endorsement of a Hollywood actor who happened to shoot a motorcycling movie should prove the value of a touring guide. But as I tried out some of the journeys, I started to see how the whole experience, which these suggested trips cater to, is concentrated around the image of motorcycling rather than the actual experience of riding. I wasted a couple of weekends diligently following directions through Pennsylvania and up the Hudson. The book led me through numerous towns and it reserved a lot of pages for information on all the things, which you could do to avoid riding your bike - you could find listings on every thrift store, restaurant, rafting company, and even bicycle tour! available on your way. Another interesting (and related) point was the fact that the author estimated coverage of about 50 miles per day i.e. if the suggested trip was 200 miles total, you were supposed to need 4 to 5 days to cover the distance. While very concentrated on all the entertainment that could be bought along the trip, the book was not especially concerned with the quality of the selected riding. Gorgeous scenic ways were followed by long stretches of banal suburban motifs and while stuck in the stop-and-go traffic I was wondering what part of the motorcycling experience I was supposed to be exercising at the time.
   This is my rendering of the qualities, which the reader needs to possess in order to enjoy the recommendations in the book: 1. Your name must be Peter Fonda 2. You must be independently wealthy since you can't both hold a job and go to all these 4-5 days trips. 3. You must be versatile in the outdoors' activities to take full advantage of all the fun that awaits you out there. 4. You need friends who would like to hear about stuff like " When I flew in that helicopter over the Grand Canyon...", and "Here is a picture of me next to an Amish farmer..." 5. You only need basic riding skills and moderate motorcycling enthusiasm.
   My advice is - get a map, look for the small roads, use your common sense, and explore. Good luck out there, maybe we'll meet on the road.
   {This review refers to an out-of-print edition.}



2. This is a fantastic book! I wanted to take a cross-country tour and this was the only book I found that covered more than one region. Second, the humor is prevalent but it never gets in the way of describing some killer back roads and great historic towns I might have missed. Third, I never felt the lodgings he recommended were that expensive because A) I am a solo rider so the rates are lower for me anyway, and B) if I don't want to stay at a place he lists, I have the option of finding a chain hotel. That's another thing -- at the end of each chapter he lists campgrounds and state parks (for even cheaper camping). Finally, the reason I like this book and would strongly recommend it is for its great references. There are listings for state tourism boards where I can get free detailed maps, a listing of motorcycle shops within a few miles of each place he visits, and websites for motorcycle corporations, rentals, and tours. This is a solid, essential, and ultimately extremely valuable source of information for ALL riders. Buy it.
   {This review refers to an out-of-print edition.}



3. The foreword of the book is written by Peter Fonda. I personally fail to make the connection why the endorsement of a Hollywood actor who happened to shoot a motorcycling movie should prove the value of a touring guide. But as I tried out some of the journeys, I started to see how the whole experience, which these suggested trips cater to, is concentrated around the image of motorcycling rather than the actual experience of riding. I wasted a couple of weekends diligently following directions through Pennsylvania and up the Hudson. The book led me through numerous towns and it reserved a lot of pages for information on all the things, which you could do to avoid riding your bike - you could find listings on every thrift store, restaurant, rafting company, and even bicycle tour! available on your way. Another interesting (and related) point was the fact that the author estimated coverage of about 50 miles per day i.e. if the suggested trip was 200 miles total, you were supposed to need 4 to 5 days to cover the distance. While very concentrated on all the entertainment that could be bought along the trip, the book was not especially concerned with the quality of the selected riding. Gorgeous scenic ways were followed by long stretches of banal suburban motifs and while stuck in the stop-and-go traffic I was wondering what part of the motorcycling experience I was supposed to be exercising at the time.
   This is my rendering of the qualities, which the reader needs to possess in order to enjoy the recommendations in the book: 1. Your name must be Peter Fonda 2. You must be independently wealthy since you can't both hold a job and go to all these 4-5 days trips. 3. You must be versatile in the outdoors' activities to take full advantage of all the fun that awaits you out there. 4. You need friends who would like to hear about stuff like " When I flew in that helicopter over the Grand Canyon...", and "Here is a picture of me next to an Amish farmer..." 5. You only need basic riding skills and moderate motorcycling enthusiasm.
   My advice is - get a map, look for the small roads, use your common sense, and explore. Good luck out there, maybe we'll meet on the road.
   {This review refers to an out-of-print edition.}



4. I recently purchased Gary's book in the Spring of '02 for my trips to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Sturgis. It provided an excellent primer for stopping points of interest and quality local eateries. I wasn't hung up on his allowing four days to cover 200 miles, however, I looked at is a buffet in which you can pick and choose the events of interest to you. His advice on packing warmer clothing in the dead of Summer for the elevation changes was dead on. Some may call it 'common sense', but if you see reported temperatures in Asheville at 90 degrees, you may not realize you'll need a jacket and light gloves by the time you hit Mt. Mitchell. I appreciated his advice and considered it money well spent.



5. Now in an updated and expanded second edition, Great American Motorcycle Tours by Gary McKechnie offers the reader a wide variety of suggested motorcycle tours ideal for vacationers and cyclists looking for history, excitement, and the joy of the open road. Different tours appeal to different tastes, such an Amish Country Run stretching from New Hope to Intercourse, Pennsylvania, or a Wild West Run from Livingston, Montana to Jackson, Wyoming. Each individual tour has numerous historic stops, and any attraction can be easily looked up in the index for "user friendly" cross-referencing. Overall, Great American Motorcycle Tours is an enjoyable, practical, and very highly recommended guide.

5 comments about PassPorter Walt Disney World 2007: The Unique Travel Guide, Planner, Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake! (Passporter Walt Disney World).

1. The best guide i ever bought! Very detailed and well organized. Wonderful layout. Made my Disney planning very easy.. Can't imagine looking through another guide.



2. The PassPorter came very highly recommended, and it would be a great book if I hadn't done any homework first for our trip to Disney. But the information covered here can be found on websites and discussion boards dedicated to Disney. The pockets in back are nice, but not worth the cost of the whole book. Reviews were fine, but again, the info can be found many other places. I got a lot more out of the Unofficial Guide, personally.



3. book ordered never arrived !!!! got refund but not the point would not ahve ordered book if I had not wanted it. very disappointing it was for a gift.



4. I first purchased the PassPorter in 1998 and update it and use it every time we go to Disney. It is filled with plans, maps and iteneraries that save you time and money. They give you ideas to have fun throughout the parks, shops and resorts and they keep thier publications up to date for any changes that are taking place in the parks. In addition, you can sign on to the website to print out updates since the books printing. For any first time Disney traveler or veterans alike, the PassPorter is a great tool in planning and organizing your trip, as well as a great way to keep your momentos, receipts and jot down your favorite things.



5. I like this book because it breaks everything down for you. For example, if you want to know how many pools each resort has, you can find it with a quick glance. Even Hot Tubs, which I was having a heck of a time finding though the Disney site? Also how far away each resort is from each park and the time it takes to get there. This book answers a lot of questions I had and then some. This book helps match what our needs and wants are more quickly. I also highly recommend [...] The forums are awesome!

5 comments about A Paddler's Guide to Everglades National Park.

1. As an experienced Everglades paddler who has logged over 400 miles in the Everglades backcountry, I can't say enough about this book. Johnny Molloy has provided a level of detail that is truly extraordinary, and his descriptions of the trails and campsites are dead on the money. The maps alone make this book worth having. This book should find a permanent place of your list of indispensable equipment for planning and conducting an Everglades backcountry expedition.



2. I found this book extremely helpful; even having paddled the 'Glades twice already. This book will allow me to take "The road less travelled," on this, my third trip thru the 'Glades. I would highly recommend this to anyone planning to paddle the Wilderness Waterway, or parts thereof.



3. We used this book to plan a trip to the glades. The info inside and maps helped a lot. WE still needed a good chart but the maps made it easier to nav. The info on camp sites and routes were pretty accurate.



4. This book was extremely helpful to plan a trip in the everglades and then was also helpful when changes were necessary last minute due to weather. It is an invaluable tool for anyone interested. It's informative, well written and yet "small and light" enough to take when space and weight are factors. Highly recommended to all.



5. My boyfriend and I went and paddled the Wilderness Waterway through the Everglades National Park in February 2008 using this guidebook, a compass and the appropriate nautical charts. We had never been to Florida before, nor had we ever undertaken such a long canoe trip. The experience was exhilarating. Route finding through the mangrove forest was very challenging, but by stopping, rereading Johnny Malloy's route descriptions as we progressed, and trusting the compass, we never did make a wrong turn. Without this guide, I'm not sure that would have been true.
   
   I was disappointed to be advised by people we met along the paddle that the "Nightmare Route" would not be passable after the most recent hurricanes of 2005 because of fallen trees and the fact that the ranger service does not maintain the route. After reading this guide, which was published in 2000, I had been totally sold on the idea of paddling the "Quintessential Everglades Route." I don't know if it is actually not passable, but we decided not to take the chance. Anyone interested should pursue more updated information. The North Harney River Route, however, was passable and satisfied some of that desire to paddle the route less taken.
   
   If you don't know what no-see-ums are, investigate protecting yourself from them before you go. Yikes!

4 comments about Frommer's New York State (Frommer's Complete).

1. I found this book lacking in good ideas and it seemed to be written by somebody with a strange view of what is interesting and what is not. The writing is boring - maybe the author was trying to meet a deadline. I would skip this book.



2. My husband and I have recently semi-retired, and have spent considerable time traveling throughout the Finger Lakes as well as some other areas in New York State. We found the information contained in this guidebook to be well researched, concise, infomative and accurate. It is easy to find specific interests in the book, and we would highly recommend it to anyone interested in touring NYS.



3. We recently purchased the Frommer's NYS 3rd edition Travel Guide and it is wonderful. Packed with great info on best places to visit. We were especially excited about the info we got about the FingerLakes Canandaigua area and the review's about the Bed & Breakfast's in the area.
   The Chalet of Canandaigua, apparently a NEW B&B in the area seems an awesome place to stay based on the descriptive 3 star review! The book is great to use,the What's New Section which leads you to the detail area section was a great way to guide your decision on where to stay, what to do when you get there!!!
   I would highly reccommend getting this book to help plan a vacation or simply a quick getaway whether your from another country, another state or a NYS resident!



4. I was looking for a book to consider taking a trip to the Adirondacks. There are not many with just that topic. In the past I have used Frommer's travel books happily. I knew this would have good information. It was more than I wanted, covering the whole state which would require a lot of info on NYC, but it was worth my while to purchase.

No comments about The Woman Who Ate Chinatown: A San Francisco Odyssey.

1 comments about Fodor's Disneyland and Southern California with Kids, 9th Edition (Special-Interest Titles).

1. We're in the process of planning our first trip with the kids to Disneyland and this book has been extremely helpful! It has tips and hints that we would never have known or figured out on our own. It has everything in it we will need to make the most of our trip and how to do it the most efficient and lease expensive way. I wish I had more time to keep reading because I don't want to put it down. I've got a lot more to read before we go, and I will definitely take it with me on our trip! I would highly recommend this book to the amateur and experienced Disneyland-er!

4 comments about Guide to Sea Kayaking Central & Northern California.

1. Roger and Jan's book gives seakayakers invaluable information regarding some of the most beautiful paddling areas on the west coast. The maps included with the easily understood text allow the reader to easily visualize the targeted area. This guidebook will be of interest to paddlers of all skill levels since most of the featured paddles also include intermediate and advanced level alternative routes. The sidebars scattered throughout the book impart interesting information about the area. This book is a must have for those interested in exploring the coast of California.



2. Outstanding, useful guide to the coastal areas - greatly appreciate the tips on local conditions and access.



3. Outstanding, useful guide to the coastal areas - greatly appreciate the tips on local conditions and access.



4. If you like to paddle on the Calif coast, this is the book for you. My wife and I have paddled (we thought) most of the coast, this book brought us to places that we could only dream of. They way its laid out, you can plan for a part/full or overnight trip. Tips on where to go, what you might see, camping, lodging, ect are great. If you paddle the Calif coast, you will be happy to have this book.

No comments about Great Smoky Mountains National Park Trail Map.