I'm going on a trip soon, and one thing that I've learned over the years is that GPS is only helpful about 75% of the time. If only I'd had more resources at my disposal during my most recent trip, I might've been able to head off the GPS telling me that crossing the George Washington Bridge was a handy-dandy idea. It was not a handy-dandy idea. (Better than swimming, I suppose.)
If only there were some way to have all the possible routes and sub-routes right at my fingertips so I could make split-second decisions about alternate routes.
Hmmmmm. If only. Like on something I could hold and look at. Maybe something on paper.
I am chatting with my sister, as I will be one of her co-pilots on our upcoming trip, which is almost exactly where our last trip took us. She and I both agreed that we probably should've mapped out the alternate routes a little better. As we are talking on the phone (she is in Maine and I am in Massachusetts), we both wonder if anyone at all makes maps anymore. [I will be transparent and admit that we discuss this while printing out multiple Google Map options to our destination.]
"I think I've seen them at Barnes and Noble," I say, then add, "and I know I had to stop and look at one at a Dunkin Donuts once coming home from the boonies when my GPS crapped out. But that was years ago."
If only we could find a way to get all the maps that we might need and not have to leave the house nor spend a penny.
I smack my forehead while we are talking. "I've got AAA. Do you have AAA?"
"I have AAA!" she says.
"We'll probably need Connecticut," I say. We both check off the MA-CT map. "And New England, too." No idea why since we will only be in Connecticut and Massachusetts for New England states. But now I'm excited. "And the Eastern seaboard and the Northeast and New Jersey and New York!"
Before I know it, we've both checked off a bunch of maps, and we both order them. We go from having two wayward and somewhat unreliable competing GPS programs for our last adventure, to good old-fashioned map reading and sudden possible lane changes.
I'm already super-excited about the alternate route we already have planned, but now we have options for cut-throughs and scenic vistas. Oh, sure, I'll keep the Waze going so we know when my sister needs to apply lip gloss in case the cops pull her over and she can look her best for the mug shot. Or so that I know when a roadkill is coming up and I can practice keeping my lunch down.
This is going to be epic!
But, to be honest, most of our road trips are.
