I cannot disagree more with the narrow-minded review of Jim Shaver. He obviously doesn't understand the demands the author faced to write a book that covers the entire nation. While Shaver complains about short runs that take several days, McKechnie states in the introduction that we should use his book "as a guide, not the Gospel." In fact, he encourages readers to make their own discoveries. As far as I can tell, his timelines were designed to accommodate several days in one area, and he even suggests sidetrips after each run to offer riders additional time for exploration. With a little creativity, Shaver may have seen he could combine two trips to make one long run. Likewise, his criticism of room rates is also addressed in the introduction: McKechnie says that depending on the tone and tempo of the area, he'd just as soon suggest an ordinary motel or elegant resort. I own a copy of the book and what I've seen is that McKechnie is breaking the links
with chains. Whether it's restaurants, hotels, or stores, he never suggests patronizing the businesses that are homogenizing America. I think all riders should take a closer look at this book. For the author to have traveled the entire nation and point out hundreds of great backroads discoveries, complaints about room rates are ridiculous. In fact, if Shaver had checked further, he'd have noticed at the close of each chapter, the author lists contacts for state parks and campground associations as well. Shaver can stay in a chain hotel if he's watching his wallet. As for me, I'm perfectly content to have McKechnie as my tour guide.
