-=> Quoting Joe Mackey to Nancy Backus on 06-22-19  08:12 <=-

 > I've been up to the Pond for close to a week

 JM> Hope you had a good time.

Mostly... <G>  This trip was to get my son back into the States and get
his Jeep up and running... Involved lots of driving.... maybe not more
than yours, but I did put 1400 miles on my car in just a week.... 

 >  JM> As I wend my way around the country its a measure of both.
 > What about in that particular case...?

 JM> I wound up where I wanted to be.  

That's the important thing.... 

 > One of these days, I might be driving there... we lived there (in
 > Crawfordsville) for 2 years when I was a little kid... I'd like to see
 > if I could find the house we lived in then...  

 JM> The places I lived in Colorado Springs, CO are gone.
 JM> The two places in the little town of Trinidad, CO are still there.

At least some of it was still there... 

 JM> I was tempted to knock on the door of this one place, which has been
 JM> "restored" to ask to look around, but then thought better of it. 
 JM> Partly because I couldn't remember the landladies name.  
 JM> I imagine I would get a well than warm welcome as a stranger wanting
 JM> to come in and look around someone's house.  

My experience has been that most people are quite willing to let a
former resident, or descendent of a former owner/resident see what it's
become.... they like the connection to the past through a real person,
too...  
 
 > JM> Some states one can drive for miles without any signs at all and
 > JM> go far afield then have to find some connecting road or back track. 
 > That can waste a lot of time... and/or lead to some interesting
 > explorations.... <G>

 JM> The only time I had a unmarked detour was due to an accident and
 JM> that was understandable.  And I saw a lot more of TN than I planning
 JM> on.  

With an accident, one hopes that the cars in front of one know where
they are going, and one can safely follow them.... 

 > That's why I patronize AAA.... Generally I can get a stack of maps
 > before I leave on a trip, from broad coverage to city maps

 JM> The atlas had insets for big cities which was useful.
 JM> In addition when I connected to the net using the free wifi of a
 JM> particular FF place, Apple maps would show not only where I was, but
 JM> how to get to where I wanted to be.  
 JM> A day or so out I would check the net "for things to do in"
 JM> whatever town I was closing in on.  It also gave directions on how to
 JM> get to that place. I would map out my journey a couple of days ahead
 JM> that way. Plus I had a half sheet of paper with notes reading "Rt X
 JM> to Rt Y" which I could glance at when needed. (Have a stack of those).
 JM> Lots of places I would check Apple Maps for more detailed
 JM> information. 

Sounds like it worked out ok for you, then... 

 > I guess I'd noticed that.... but then I tend to use the interstates
 > more than you 
 JM> Interstates are fine if one is in a hurry, which I wasn't.
 JM> On interstates its the same exits, the same FF places, etc.  One has
 JM> no idea where they are.  And if there is some attraction one wants to
 JM> see its miles away (as a rule), whereas on the old road it just off to
 JM> the side. And everyone isn't a speed demon on the older roads.
 JM> One sees more of the country, large and small towns, its a slower
 JM> drive.  I am far more comfortable driving 50 mph than 70 or more.  
 JM> Plus, if you miss your turn you can just make a U turn or some
 JM> business to go back rather than drive 20 miles to the next exit.
 
All (mostly/generally) true....   I'll take interstates when they
actually are the most direct way to get where I need to go, and
especially when it will be a fairly straight shot to a major place, like
on this last trip that started with a trip to the Montreal Airport... I
used the back roads all through the US up to the bridge to cross over
into Canada, and then headed for the 401 that went directly to the
airport... I'd stayed in NYS longer than my original routing,
particularly to avoid a LOT of construction on the interstate on the
section between the bridge I was supposed to have taken and the one I
did take.... 

 >  JM> One place I stopped sold real paper maps and paid for one only to
 >  JM> find where I was going (a few miles away) had them for free.  
 > That was a bummer... Another good reason to have gotten them beforehand
 > at AAA.

 JM> Since I don't own a car I didn't want to join just for some maps. 
 JM>  I was a member one time and was planning a cross country trip
 JM> moving back to CO from WV and wanted the scenic route via GA, etc.  
 JM> The woman at AAA said "but the interstate is much faster"  I told
 JM> her I was in no hurry, I wanted to see things.  It took a while for her
 JM> to comprehend I didn't want interstates.

I've generally had better luck with the trip counselors I get.... I just
tell them up front what sort of roads I prefer... and often I've had
ones that totally agree with me....   And besides, the interstate
isn't necessarily all that much faster, and sometimes takes one further
out of the way so even though one is going faster, one doesn't get there
any sooner....  

 JM> Of course she had to plot everything out rather than draw a
 JM> straight line.  

Not all interstates are the straight line, though.... <G>
 
 >  JM> Joe (in El Dorado, AR)
 > You are certainly getting around...  

 JM> Back home now.
 JM> I would love to do this again someday, seeing places I missed.

Start planning your route now....?   <G>

ttyl       neb

... I invite dissenting opinions. I ignore them, but I do invite them.

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