On road maps, the green dots along U. S. 101 between San Francisco and Seattle mark the route as one of America’s scenic byways.

But as the wine country north of San Francisco fades into your rearview mirror, you’ll quickly realize the dots on the map don’t do this journey justice.

From Northern California’s Avenue of the Giants, a 32-mile stretch of &uot;old 101&uot; winding through groves of 1,600-year-old redwoods, to Oregon’s panoramic shores and Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, U.S. 101 brings you face-to-face with the awesome beauty and adventure of America’s Pacific Northwest.

The road joins the ocean at Eureka, Calif. and unfurls northward, hugging the 325-mile coastline of Oregon. Along the coast, the weather is invariably foggy and cool, with daytime highs in the low sixties in June. But you’ll find sunshine and warmer temperatures at higher elevations just a few miles inland.

Jet-boat rides up the Rogue River from Gold Beach, Ore., are a great way to experience the contrasting climate. You’ll likely see ospreys, bald eagles, black-tail deer and black bears on the 80-mile round trip.

The Oregon coastline changes from intermittent beaches and huge dunes in the south to steeper, forested cliffs to the north. Huge rock formations protrude from the bays and coves. Seals, sea lions and gray whales can be spotted from the many turn-outs and overlooks along the way.

U.S. 101 is linked at several points through Oregon and Washington by elegant concrete bridges. Adorned with art deco stylings and Egyptian obelisks, the bridges were built by WPA crews during the 1930’s.

In Washington, the road winds around oyster bays and lumber ports before diving into the lush, old-growth rain forests and waterfalls surrounding Lake Quinalt in the southwest corner of Olympic National Park.

Circling the park on the northern side of the peninsula, U.S. 101 treats you to the tranquility of Lake Crescent. A brilliant blue expanse running some eight miles long and 650 feet deep, the lake is nestled beneath fir-covered alpine slopes.

Near Port Angeles, spectacular views of glaciated peaks and colorfully-flowered mountain meadows at Hurricane Ridge leave no doubt why President Teddy Roosevelt declared most of the region a nature preserve a century ago.

Magnificent scenery aside, it’s always the people who best define the spirit of American travel. A Hoh Indian waitress in Washington, upon learning her guests were from Mississippi, summed it all up.

&uot;I’ve never been there, but I’d love to see it sometime,&uot; she said.