Saturday brought beautiful weather to New Town, IN, perfect for heading to a farm auction. If you’ve never been to an auction you are truly missing out. But this isn’t about the auction itself, it’s about using our stupid navigation system to get there.
I (probably should) take some of the responsibility in the resulting clusterf*ck. First of all, I waited until we were in the car to ask Tate if he knew where we were going. HUGE mistake. I know from prior experience that we should have the route secured prior to departure. Secondly, when he said that we’d just use the navigation system to tell us how to get there, I didn’t immediately say, “ah hell no. We need to look at a real MAP.” HEE-YUGE mistake. When the navigation system seemed to be sending us on a route I wouldn’t have thought of myself, I didn’t immediately stop the insanity right then and there.
**head explodes**
Let me back up just a bit to explain my extreme irritation with our navigation system. It works splendidly if you merely want to go somewhere using our nation’s interstate system. When used for in town navigation, though, it tends to choose odd routes and sometimes it gets confused and tells you you’re driving off road even when you know for damn sure that you are INDEED driving on a road. It has also told me to make a u-turn to get back on the correct route, right after it’s told me to turn, like I’m the idiot, or something.
These “quirks” don’t deter Tate from his LOVE of the navigation system, though. To him, the navigation system is infallible.
Here’s what the route to the auction looked liked…
What should have taken 15 minutes or so, took about 45 minutes.
What should have been a fun family outing, instead is probably going to lead to years of therapy and anti-anxiety meds.
What should have been a leisurely drive, filled with talk of the tractors and combines we’d get to see, was instead filled with angry accusations and heavy sighs. “Well if SOMEONE would have looked at a map BEFORE we left, we wouldn’t be in this position!” “You have NO sense of direction!!!” ***HEAVY. SIGH.***
After about 20 minutes of following the navigation system, Tate and I both realized that the route it had chosen was definitely the LONG, LONG way. But since we didn’t know where we were and didn’t have one of those old school PAPER maps with us, we still had to follow the route. That damn navigation system had us by the balls.
We easily self-navigated our way home and agreed that in the future we’d FINALLY learn from our mistakes and look at a real, bona fide paper map before leaving the house. Also, we decided to go ahead and start a “future therapy” fund, just in case.
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Our older car’s navigation does that. I always have to check my routed beforehand. Which totally defeats the purpose! I think the cd-rom needs to be updated.
Our newer one rocks. Gets us there almost everytime. But I haven’t tried to get to a farm. Next on my list! How’d Carson enjoy it, once you were there?
Mama DB’s last blog post..My girl
By Mama DB on 04.07.08 11:13 am | Permalink
“route” even.
Mama DB’s last blog post..My girl
By Mama DB on 04.07.08 11:14 am | Permalink
Cute story, hope you can find one of thoe county by county maps of Indiana soon. My high school boyfriend had one and we’d find all kinds of back roads for fun times. I occassionally see the IL ones at chain bookstores.
Before B and I had kids we’d use our old skool GPS to try to go places “as the crow flies” and see all kinds of rural scenery. It was usually a fun adventure - but you have to set out knowing it’s going to take you extra extra time to arrive.
Rayne of Terror’s last blog post..Further sadness from Mr. Henry,
By Rayne of Terror on 04.07.08 11:16 am | Permalink
Heavy sighs - ha!
I’m glad you made it to (and from) the auction, though. They ARE fun, and the weather yesterday no doubt made it all the more enjoyable.
So glad you’re loving “New Town”. I love it too!
Mandy’s last blog post..Haiku Friday - Cheese it ~ the cops!!
By Mandy on 04.07.08 11:17 am | Permalink
We use the good ol’ navigation system of Google Maps, rushed handwriting and random strangers on street corners.
Maria’s last blog post..Rape is wrong. Right?
By Maria on 04.07.08 11:20 am | Permalink
Oh MY Gosh! It sounds like you broke through. Like you indirectly, and sort of, by getting your husband to admit that it was the long way and not the best method to use to get there GOT HIM TO KIND OF SORT OF ASK FOR DIRECTIONS.
KEEP BELIEVING
Angie’s last blog post..Took a Break
By Angie on 04.07.08 11:50 am | Permalink
So what you are saying is that I am actually doing my husband a favor by denying him that precious GPS system he keeps crying that he needs. Unless he’s looking for a beat down when the thing is wrong, he’s better off without it.
Although, I do have a habit of getting lost in Middle of Nowhere, IN when we visit his grandparents. I swear the wind picks up there house and moves it from time to time. What would a GPS do with that?
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By Burgh Baby's Mom on 04.07.08 11:50 am | Permalink
See, My favorite husband wanted to buy me a GPS. Apparently he’s tired of my inability to read a map. I told him hell no, I’d rather just call him so he can talk me out of it. He’s got some nav system in his brain. Me I always thing I’m facing North. Good luck, I not gonna be any help!
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By Marye~ on 04.07.08 12:04 pm | Permalink
What a rousing endorsement for my hubbies idea to get one of these. I’ll think I’ll direct him right to this post next time he asks
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By Sadie on 04.07.08 12:05 pm | Permalink
I have the same problem with one of our navi systems (the one in the Honda is great, it’s the Toyota one that hates me) and it drives me INSANE. You should NEED to consult a paper map when you have a navi system, isn’t that the whole point? Argh!
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By Shelly on 04.07.08 12:43 pm | Permalink
I should send this to my husband. Last summer the gps in his car took us on a roundabout that ended up back on the same road we were on. I KNEW it was going to do this, and TOLD HIM… but he shrugged and turned off and said “who knows, maybe it IS shorter.”
Nope.
I made fun of him for it, “do you do everything your little car tells you to do?” “yes.”
jen’s last blog post..it starts with kitchen gadgetry and who knows where it ends.
By jen on 04.07.08 1:21 pm | Permalink
I write random sribbles of info from Google maps on my hands, but it wears off if I start to get turned around (hopelessly lost) and start to sweat. In that case, your GPS would be better
By (the other) Maggie on 04.07.08 1:44 pm | Permalink
I write random sribbles of info from Google maps on my hands, but it wears off if I start to get turned around (hopelessly lost) and start to sweat. In that case, your GPS would be better
(the other) Maggie’s last blog post..Weekly Winners Sunday 4/6/08
By (the other) Maggie on 04.07.08 1:47 pm | Permalink
hmmm, I’ve wanted a GPS to combat my problem with NO sense of direction, but now I’m rethinking that…
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By Devan on 04.07.08 1:49 pm | Permalink
At least you made it! I will sadly have to say that I am with Tate on this, and I LOVE my navigation system. But that might be partially due to the fact that I haven’t been rerouted all over the earth trying to get somewhere…yet.
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By Maggie on 04.07.08 2:00 pm | Permalink
Oh hell. Next time, pull over, smash the GPS unit and just find the nearest tav and/or McDonalds and call it a day.
MamaGeek’s last blog post..Plan. Interrupted.
By MamaGeek on 04.07.08 2:13 pm | Permalink
ROFL Snort. Sorry but that was just too damn funny. I hope you recover soon.
Alicia P’s last blog post..Without your health you have nothing.
By Alicia P on 04.07.08 2:44 pm | Permalink
When we first got a GPS my husband would enter the address of EVERYTHING. His mother’s house. The grocery store.
Thankfully the novelty wore off and now we use it only when we actually don’t know where we’re going.
amy’s last blog post..He’s a Yellow Duckie
By amy on 04.07.08 2:59 pm | Permalink
I’m sorry you have such trouble with it…I absolutely love our GPS. It really helps in Europe where I can’t always read the signs, and where roads aren’t always labeled. And I’ve never gotten lost using it…and I always get lost.
the dragonfly’s last blog post..deployed
By the dragonfly on 04.07.08 3:30 pm | Permalink
You definitely need to name your GPS unit so that you can cuss and rant about it in the future, it makes it much more fun that way. :o)
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By Rhea on 04.07.08 4:44 pm | Permalink
“Re-calculating”….lol we use the nuvi 360, like it better than the built in nav system…some are more user friendly than others…and they all take practice..having a map is more fun on road trips though….
By C'tina on 04.07.08 6:04 pm | Permalink
Sounds like you need to store said archaic map in the glove box. Ahh, men and their toys.
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By Siobhan on 04.07.08 6:36 pm | Permalink
My husband doesnt know right and left very well, so even with the navigation system, we’re usually lost. Good times.
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By Carrie on 04.07.08 6:45 pm | Permalink
We don’t have a navigation system, but I know for a fact you get all tangled in a web trying to use one in my neighborhood.
Denise’s last blog post..Open Enrollment Final Saga
By Denise on 04.07.08 7:29 pm | Permalink
This is why I’ll never buy one of those new-fangled thingamagiggies.
andi’s last blog post..Retail therapy is suddenly less therapeutic
By andi on 04.07.08 9:49 pm | Permalink
My husband is an auctioneer. Also, I have the worst luck with navigation systems.
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By Amanda on 04.07.08 10:00 pm | Permalink
that is hilarious! I had to show my husband because I was lauging so hard.
tommie’s last blog post..Manic and Muffin Monday…..tropical nut
By tommie on 04.07.08 10:51 pm | Permalink
I have lived this exact experience so many times. Our GPS is (un)affectionately known as Beeatch.
I think GPS systems were invented by relationships counsellors trying to drum up work.
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By dani on 04.07.08 11:57 pm | Permalink
That reminds me of that episode of The Office where the GPS tells Michael to turn right and there’s a lake right there, but since the GPS told him to, he does it and drives through a fence and into the lake. So funny.
But not what happened to you. That’s not funny AT. ALL.
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By AMomTwoBoys on 04.08.08 10:08 am | Permalink
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