News
2007
July 10, 2007 -
Hitting the Road...
It’s that time of the year where I load up the van, the kids, their toys, pillows, closet of clothes, more shoes than we need, a year’s worth of food, and the kitchen sink. All this for the big trek to visit my brother in Gaylord, Michigan.
This is our sixth year, and I’d have to say the trip gets easier every time. (Of course it gets easier, since I was pregnant with twins the first year, and I had two six month old babies the second year.) Last year, thinking we were due for an energy-burn stop, my daughter Addy said, “Let’s just get there Mama.” So much for enjoying the drive!
Driving straight through would be a good ten hours of behind-the-wheel time, so I split the trip into two parts. First we stop at my parent’s house in Eagle River, Wisconsin. And every year I ask my Dad, “Where do I get on Highway 2?” He gives me an “are you my daughter?” look, sighs and pulls out his maps. This year will be a different story. I took notes last year and have marked all the wayside rest areas, potential swimming spots and any interesting roadside attractions. I’m so proud of myself! You see, I have this one teeny, tiny fault. Some of you are painfully aware of my nonexistent sense of direction. On one memorable work adventure, the Regional Director for the Department of Natural Resources had to send a rescue team into the north woods of Minnesota to look for me. (Would I lie about something that embarrassing?) Now in my defense, shouldn’t the people I was with have practiced the buddy-system when they decided to head back and leave me behind? And it’s not just the woods that throw me for a loop; the big city can be just as confusing. I’ve been to Metro Center on the Washington, DC Metro line a million times, but I have never found the correct exit when I have to rely on my own wayfinding skills.
There are several techniques for byway leaders and managers to accommodate tourists with different skill levels of wayfinding. The Resource Center has developed a number of new resources to help you understand how people make travel decisions and how to ensure that your visitor has a fun, safe time exploring your byway and all the great resources along the route. Go to Topics, click on Visitor Experience and check it out! Click here for a direct route.
Also, we had a session at the National Scenic Byways Conference in Baltimore that specifically addressed wayshowing. Click here for the presentation. And if you’d like to talk to one of our expert staff members, you can contact Curt Pianalto or Dennis Adams. They have spent a great deal of time learning about the elements of a good wayshowing plan and would be delighted to talk to interested byways. Or you can always start or join a discussion forum. Just post your questions and watch for tips and ideas from your peers in the byway community.
So keep your eyes on the road. Or at least on our website. In the coming months, we will be sharing more information about our ground breaking work on wayshowing and wayfinding on the website, in Vistas and in our work with individual byways.
Time for me to hit the road! I have to pack the van, round up those kids and start making tracks.
So, um, which way to Michigan?
Michelle Johnson
Director