When Getting Lost Was Normal

Remember when getting lost was just part of going somewhere?

Before GPS, Google Maps, and that reassuring little voice saying “recalculating,” finding your way meant road maps, handwritten directions, highway signs—and occasionally stopping at a gas station to ask somebody who actually knew the area.

In this episode of That Old(er) Guy Show, Jeff Blair looks back at the days of folding maps that never folded back correctly, directions based on landmarks that hadn't existed for 20 years, family vacations where Dad drove and Mom navigated, and the arrival of MapQuest and eventually GPS.

Technology has made traveling easier, safer, and far more convenient. But has following turn-by-turn directions also changed the way we experience the trip?

There was a time when taking a wrong turn might lead to a little restaurant, an interesting town, a scenic road—or simply a family story that would be told for years.

Maybe getting lost wasn't always such a bad thing.

So grab your imaginary road map, ignore the person in the passenger seat saying, “I told you that was the turn,” and join us for “When Getting Lost Was Normal.”

Because sometimes the wrong road takes you someplace worth remembering.

That Old(er) Guy Show — Real Talk. Real Stories. The Way I See It.

Getting older is mandatory. Acting your age is entirely optional.