Getting lost can be a lot of fun. I admit that I have a good sense of direction, but I still get lost a lot. That's because I get around a lot.

I've been lost in Portland, Oregon, Maine, and Indiana. I've been lost in Hawaii, New England and Virginia.

New Orleans is a great place to get lost. In the first place, it's easy to do, but you see some really interesting places.

The Florida Keys would be a good place to be lost, but it's nearly impossible. You can only go two directions. If you could manage to lose yourself there, you would see some picture post card scenes, but you can do as well without getting lost, so why bother?

One of the best places to get lost is the North Shore above Boston. It doesn't matter where you end up, it will be a traveler's dream.

Sometimes, believe it or not, you don't want to get lost. I managed to do it in Newport News recently after having driven 600 miles. It was getting dark and the traffic was horrible. No fun at all.

People who succeed at not getting lost are the ones who pay attention. They notice where the sun is at different times of the day, so they have a rough idea of compass direction. They make note of signs along the highway. Even billboard give some useful information.

Long straight coastlines such as the Atlantic coast of Florida make it easy to avoid getting lost. I used to ride around in the country on the inland side of Fort Pierce and when it was time to go back to town late in the day, I just put the sun to my back and headed for the coast. Sometimes I would end up on the north side of town and sometimes the south side, but I knew every inch of the highway that runs parallel to the coast, so I knew the direction to town.

Maps are a big help. It astounds me sometimes how many people don't know how to read a map. I keep several in the door pocket of the car and truck. One good landmark, and I can unlose myself. I study a map of an unfamiliar area before I go there. It's a big help.

Learn to ask directions. People are always asking the folks at gas stations and convenience stores for directions. They get pretty good at it, so I recommend stopping there first. A fire station is also a good choice. It's their business to be able to get anywhere fast, so they know the area like the back of their hand.

The most obvious thing is to watch the signs that were put there to keep you from getting lost. They are best on or near the interstate system, but very good all over the US. Other countries have good signs as well, but they may take some getting used to.

One method of finding the interstate highway is to turn on a CB radio. Those truckers talk a lot and if they are getting louder, you are getting closer. Ten miles from the interstate, you might hear nothing. That means you are royally lost.

But when you get lost, enjoy it. You will see things you might never have seen, and meet people you might never have met. You might want to get lost on purpose.
Howard