Detour

I admit I’m directionally challenged. So—a drive to downtown destinations in Portland, Oregon is less than pleasurable, especially without my daughter to help navigate four-way stops for: Unpredictable pedestrians and bicyclists, and converging cars with drivers who wonder whose turn is it anyway because they weren't paying attention. I need an owl.

The purchase and use of a GPS has helped with some of my solo-trip navigation; however, there are several instances when the GPS’ mechanical brain gets confused. Then you know what happens to me! Let me tell you about a recent trip into Portland to visit Powell’s Bookstore, Storables, and Whole Foods. A decision to take an unfamiliar route combined with road construction resulted in detours. I like to think I can “trust” my GPS even though it misses the concept of take most direct route. After several trips around the same blocks, it dawned on me my GPS didn’t know Burnside had changed from a two-way street to a one-way street, which prevented me from turning right—the direction I needed to go.

Eventually spotting visual cues (buildings) and making several more turns resulted in heading in the right direction; then another obstacle appeared. Train. I turned onto a street with a train track and moving train which stopped me in my “tracks”—for 10 minutes.

This delay afforded me time to think about being better prepared/organized for my next downtown Portland adventure. While paused, five thoughts rapidly popped into my brain: Print enlarged Google Map instructions and map; actually look at the map before you go; avoid driving in rush hour traffic; check the Internet for traffic delays, or take a bus or train to save fuel and avoid frustration. After I returned home, I found this website Keep Portland Moving about downtown traffic impacts such as street closures, event-clogging events, long-term projects, and trip tips…to help lesson future trip tangles.

Edited by Two Twins