"P" Help #9: Maps & GPS

To explain what "P" Help means, if you're a new reader of my travel blog, or to refresh your memory, if you're a previous reader: I'm a retired nurse.  The 5 "P's" were drilled into our heads in nursing school and refreshed periodically in our jobs: "Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance." With these helps, I'm giving you what I know about the different aspects of traveling.  I've ventured many places through the years of my lovely, long life, in or on about every mode of transport except by submarine or spaceship, and, if given the chance, I would go there also!

My GPS is invaluable!!  I will admit to 'get lost' genes.  No matter how hard I try to follow a map or verbal directions to a place - I usually manage to get lost!  Two of my brothers have the same problem and one seemed to be normal.

When buying my first GPS, I was cheap and bought one that could not be updated by computer.  Within several years, it was woefully out-of-date; there were too many places that I couldn't find.  I'm giving this one to a friend so she can try it out on the major roads to see if she'd like to invest in a new one herself.  I taught another friend on it and gave her the part that suctions to your windshield when she needed one.

Now I have a terrific Garmin Nuvi 50, which I just updated via computer this morning.  (I don't get paid by them, it's the only brand of GPS I know, just wanted you to know how pleased I have been with it.)  This is the second time I've updated it.  I'm getting ready for a BIG trip by road soon, taking a month to travel 2,000 miles through southeastern United States.

My daughters have their GPSs through their I-phones. They're great but use up a lot of their power.  I like mine better.

Wonderful as it is, I supplement the GPS with paper maps.  Every time I reach a state's "Welcome Center" for the first time that year, I pick up a free new roadmap of the state.  If I know I'll be staying in a motel, I'll get them to call one in the city I need; beats paying for it on my cell phone or showing up and hope they have room.

For a REALLY BIG road trip, I'll go to AAA and get their maps and guidebooks (the best!) and get them to plan a trip and to print out a very detailed 'triptik.'  Since I have all the states' maps from last year, I won't go to AAA this year (at least for this particular trip).

Also, I print out a 'www.mapquest.com' trip outline.  I find these really helpful, particularly for an overview of the trip.  What I'll do is study this map, write down the major interstate roads, in order, for example,
I-75N  > I-64E > whatever.  Then it will be easier for me to look for this on the GPS and on road signs.  There are so few stoplights on the interstate roads, thankfully, you need to be sharp so you don't have to change lanes in a hurry or backtrack.

It's a whole lot more wonderful if you have along a 'co-pilot,' a family member or friend who can take care of the maps.  But you can go it alone without problems.

My other eight "P" Helps begin with the first on Wednesday, July 31, 2013, "The Five Ps: "P #1": Before you leave, learn about the new place."  See the lists along the right side of this blog for further P Helps.