Category: Highways and Byways

Ghost domesWard Charcoal Ovens State Park, NV

Ward Charcoal Ovens sketch by Chandler O'Leary

This hidden gem is one that’s been on my road trip bucket list for many years, and when I drove the Loneliest Road two springs ago, I finally got my chance. These strange stone kilns have been empty for more than a century—but thanks to their sturdy construction and the desert climate, they look like… More

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Twists and turnsGrand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument sketch by Chandler O'Leary

Well, it wasn’t the Loneliest Road, but I certainly had a lonely-road solo drive on the day before I crossed Nevada. I was in southeastern Utah, and I wanted to tick another highway off my road-trip bucket list: State Route 12, which cuts through part of the mostly-wilderness, sprawling, painted-desert expanse of Grand Staircase-Escalante National… More

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The Loneliest RoadHighway 50, Nevada

The Loneliest Road sketch by Chandler O'Leary

If you’re looking for a truly solo road trip experience, look no farther than the Loneliest Road: US Highway 50, where it crosses Nevada. The mostly two-lane road traverses the Great Basin desert, which consists of basin-and-range topography: wide, flat, parched valleys punctuated by parallel mountain ranges. I wasn’t alone for the whole trip; the… More

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Points of lightPigeon Point, CA; Pacific Grove, CA; Tacoma, WA; and Port Townsend, WA

Pigeon Point Lighthouse sketch by Chandler O'Leary

I wish I could remember where, but long ago I read some author’s opinion that lighthouses were mankind’s greatest invention, because they were entirely selfless in nature. That thought has stuck with me all these years, and it pops into my head every time I draw a lighthouse. The memory has occurred to me again… More

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Greetings from the Best Coast

Greetings from the [Quarantined] Coast! Hoping this finds you safe and well, and staying home to help “flatten the curve” of the virus that is suddenly everywhere at once. Here in Washington we’re sheltering in place—and as fate would have it, today I am celebrating (from home) the release date of my newest book! Greetings… More

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Today’s the day!

Book cover and process images from "The Best Coast" book written & illustrated by Chandler O'Leary, published by Sasquatch Books

Today is the “book birthday” of The Best Coast: A Road Trip Atlas! After nearly three years of work and a solid decade of research, I can’t believe this day is here. I am so excited to share this labor of love with you, and I hope you’ll love it, too. With 99 hand-drawn maps,… More

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The Best Coast

"The Best Coast" book by Chandler O'Leary

While I’ve hinted at this several times on social media, and even shown some snippets of my process along the way, mostly I’ve been sitting on my hands lately, trying my best to keep mum while I wait for time to tick by. And now the waiting is almost over, and it’s time for the… More

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Rec-ommendedLos Angeles, CA

Route 66 sketch by Chandler O'Leary

This post is part of an ongoing series called 66 Fridays, which explores the wonders of old Route 66. Click on the preceding “66 Fridays” link to view all posts in the series, or visit the initial overview post here. This beauty has stood proud over Sunset Boulevard since 1924, once advertising a bowling alley… More

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Portland palmsPortland, OR

Palms Motel sketch by Chandler O'Leary

Now, unlike the Wagon Wheel Motel on Route 66, I haven’t stayed here, so can’t vouch for the place as a whole. But its spiffy new paint job and its place on my other favorite historic highway give it a permanent place in my heart, nonetheless.

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Major beefAmarillo, TX

Big Texan sketch by Chandler O'Leary

This post is part of an ongoing series called 66 Fridays, which explores the wonders of old Route 66. Click on the preceding “66 Fridays” link to view all posts in the series, or visit the initial overview post here. The Mother Road has no shortage of good steakhouses, but nothing quite matches the spectacle… More

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