The Road Less...Driven

I should trust technology more.

I know many people say they trust technology too much, and that's probably true for me as well, but this morning as I traveled with some of my family along I-90 heading to Seattle, Washington, my phone's GPS said we needed to exit because cars were backing up ahead. The phone calculated an alternate route that would save us time.

We got off the road and began driving through some of the most amazing scenery I've ever seen. About a mile into our five-mile detour, the calm, tempting voice of SIRI told us to turn around.

And for a moment, I almost did.

I don't have a lot of experience with GPS systems. We hardly ever leave our own state and I'm pretty familiar with my own state. Plus, in Utah you just look up--once you find the mountains and/or the lake, you know where you are. But go to someplace new while driving through literal canyons of trees, I'm as lost as a new politician.

The warning came again and again. "Make a U-turn and head to _____" (insert name of road I'm not familiar with). And I considered doing just that, but then I said to myself, "Self--the GPS directed you here. It must have known the road was open and didn't need us to turn around." So we stayed the alternate course.

We ended up pushing on and we drove on the most amazing side road. My son snapped some pictures and took a video, but it hardly does it justice. The drive just got better and better.

Eventually, we got back onto westbound I-90 and made it into town. I need to remember where that exit is and drive it next time we're in town.z On my own, I might not find it. Of course, I could just let my GPS find it.