For the last three plus years, I have enjoyed a GPS navigation system in my car. It was invaluable when I drove across the continent, both US and Canada, six times. And although I derived great comfort in being able to ‘see’ where I was going, the system was far from perfect.

Most back country roads were simply not visible and I was often nervous about driving on streets within large communities marked as ‘unverified areas’ … were these places ‘safe’? The most irritating aspect was dealing with the unknown; construction, road closures and community events.

This past March when I was driving through South Lake Tahoe, California I inadvertently ended up in a parade celebrating the US Olympic Women’s ski team … so I faced the audience, smiled, waved and hoped no one noticed the Canadian license plates.

Then there was the time in Washington State when the roads had recently been so overhauled nothing matched anything on the map and I had to stop and ask a trucker for directions. The worst one was due to construction … driving underneath the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, Michigan I wondered how the heck I was going to get up there.

Now that I am back in Ontario for a while, I have obtained a more fuel-efficient vehicle and have also made the decision to give up the GPS. At first this was a little difficult, the feeling was similar to giving up my cell phone when I lived in the mountains with no cell service. I missed relying on technology for immediate (although imperfect) answers.

But giving up the GPS did help me re-gain a few old skills. Now I have to do more planning the night before, I diligently check the weather and community boards, I also look at the position of the sun in the sky, and have remembered that a smile goes a long way when asking for help.

One of the best parts of giving up the GPS has been my increase in geographical curiosity and a sense of adventure. I find myself driving down roads that look interesting just for the sake of exploration. Not knowing where I am exactly every moment of the day is freeing.

I think giving up the GPS has returned my passion for maps and I am once again okay with getting lost. The lack of a navigation system has encouraged me to use less technology, carry a compass and to just reach out to people more for roadside assistance.

I must admit that I do miss the voice gently reminding to … stay left at the fork … stay left at the fork … and now when driving, I talk to myself even more than ever! So what do you prefer …. maps or GPS or both?

Dedicated to my directionally challenged son. Happy Birthday Luke! Best wishes for another year of finding your own way.