Apparently we don't have a dedicated CA 96 thread. Put something together for CA 96 and the last two covered bridges in the state highway system:
https://www.gribblenation.org/2023/01/the-last-covered-bridges-of-california.html?m=1
Another great route to drive on.
One thing I find interesting about CA-96 is it's the only state route with a gap that has seen a renumbering, as a tacit admission the gap will never be addressed. It was supposed to begin in Klamath and end in Hornbrook, but the short western segment was eventually renumbered as CA-169. And yet none of the other routes with gaps that realistically will never be addressed (CA-178, CA-190, etc.) have never seen one half renumbered. Makes me wonder why this happened, when CA-169 just inherited the gap instead.
^^^
I think they renumbered it because they wanted to 96 to connect to a significant through route. I don't see any analogous thing one could do with routes 190 or 168 on either side of the mountains.