Kitchen Dick Road

Between Sequim and Port Angeles US Route 101 intersects one of the most weirdly named roads in the country; Kitchen Dick Road.

The origins of the "Kitchen Dick" part of Kitchen Dick Road are unknown. However, give that Kitchen Dick Road happens to intersect Woodcock Road north of US 101 it would seem likely the naming is intentional. Kitchen Dick Road is a north/south road approximately 3 miles in length which ends at the Dungeness County Park. A Google Street View image of Kitchen Dick Road and Woodcock Road can be found here:

Kitchen Dick and Woodcock

I first spotted Kitchen Dick Road while visiting Olympic National Park in 2015. I vaguely recalled it being present in 2018 when I noticed it on my GPS. Apparently the junction of Kitchen Dick Road and Woodcock Road is popular not only for photos but for theft as well. A Kitchen Dick Road sign appeared on eBay earlier this year but had a high sale price nearing $200 dollars.

Update 5/27/18: I was provided some links to the Sequim area from; 1940, 1970 and 1995 by NE2 of AAroads which provide insight about where naming of Kitchen Dick Road likely came from.

On this 1940 map there is a plot of land owned by a "W. Dick" on what is now Kitchen Dick Road. Incidentally there is also a land owner by the name of "Sam Woodcock" along what is now Woodcock Road.

1940 Sequim Historical Map

In 1970 Kitchen Dick Road is shown as "Dick Lane." There is also a small plot of land at Dick Lane and US 101 owned by "D.B. Kitchen."

1970 Sequim Historical Map

In 1995 Kitchen Dick road was known as "Bill Dick Road."

1995 Sequim Historical Map

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US Route 199

I was planning on driving US Route 199 for the third time this weekend. However "external factors" have pushed my visit to US Route 199 back for the time being. While I can't do a driving log for US Route 199 at the moment I can still write about it's history.

This blog will be slightly different from the usual flair for Gribblenation. Generally I have a stockpile of my own road photos from which to draw from. In the case of US Route 199 I was far more focused on hiking photos during my first two visits in 2014 and 2016 than the actual highway. At some point I will add a series of modern driving log photos but for the time being I will draw from numerous other sources to illustrate US Route 199.

Part 1; the History of US Route 199

Present US Route 199 is a 80.05 mile highway which connects US Route 101 in Crescent City of Del Norte, California northeast to Interstate 5 in Grants Pass of Josephine County, Oregon. US Route 199 is one of the original US Routes and …

The Tioga Pass Road

Last Summer the Tioga Pass Road over the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Yosemite National Park opened late due to the heavy snow pack from the previous winter. Approaching the start of July the Park Service finally had cleared the road to Tioga Pass. That being the case I headed up shortly after the 4th of July holiday during a lull in the tourist season.

The Tioga Pass Road runs from the Big Oak Flat Road at Crane Flat east to US Route 395 ("US 395"). The Tioga Pass Road is largely within the boundary of Yosemite National Park but is maintained by Caltrans as California State Route 120 ("CA 120") east of the Tioga Pass entry station to US 395. The National Park Service maintained portion of the Tioga Pass Road serve as a implied connection between the two segments of CA 120. The Tioga Pass Road is the highway mountain pass in California reaching Tioga Pass at 9,945 feet above sea level.

Part 1; the history of the Tioga Pass Road

Tioga Pass first obtained notewort…

Trans-Sierra Highways; California State Route 108 over Sonora Pass

In the fall of 2016 and late summer of 2020 I took a series of drives over mountain passes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Both traps culminated by way of crossing over the Sierra Nevada Mountains westbound by way of the 9,624 foot Sonora Pass on California State Route 108.
California State Route 108 ("CA 108") is a 99 mile east/west State Highway which originates at US Route 395 in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. CA 108 crosses the crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains by way of the 9,624 foot Sonora Pass and terminates at CA 99 co-signed with CA 132 in downtown Modesto. CA 108 has a 21 mile unconstructed segment which would extend it to Interstate 5 near Crow's Landing if completed.
Part 1; the history of Sonora Pass and California State Route 108Much of the early history of Sonora Pass is described by way of two informational plaques at the actual Pass. The first documented crossing of Sonora Pass was in October of 1841 by way of a course slightly due nor…

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