Getting Lost...

[Murphy Slaw]

When I was a young man, myself and a friend and our wives were roaming around Arizona. We were young and didn't have much money.

Or a map.

We got lost, and after several hours came to an old hotel/motel place in the mountains with a large swimming pool that was unkept and had green water. There was a natural type bridge thing there too, as I recall. We slept in our vehicles because we were nearly broke, and eventually found our way out, and managed to eat enough to not die, and life went on.

But we never forgot finding "Hotel California" in the middle of nowhere. We still talk about it 45 years later.

With today's modern gizmos and gadgets, I wonder if entire generations are missing out on the great adventure and sensation of actually being "lost"?

 

[rgallant]

I would say yes, but less because you get "lost", although your story is great, but all the gadgets lead to point-to-point driving. If you are driving from memory or paper maps , you make wrong turns and you go slower. The end result is you see more, and are likely to take that "short cut" and discover things you would have missed.

I should note though I am a journey not a destination guy, I often do not get to where I plan on a trip, too many side trails, photo opts, fish jumping etc.

 

[OTH Overland]

I second the journey not the destination for the best experience. If we are not hosting a trip with others, almost all of our adventures start with no destination in mind, most with just a general direction and unfortunately a time deadline to return back to the grind. Some of our very favorite locations and experiences would have never happened if we were following a pre-planned route or some schedule. its the random seat of the pants decision to go left or right at any given intersection that gives us the feeling of exploring rather than simply travelling. Not that maps and electronic navigation gizmos don't have their place, Just prefer not to follow them most of the time.

 

[smritte]

You just described my youth when it came to vehicle travel. My buddy and I would head out to the desert or mountains on Friday night and find a spot to camp. The next day would be just pick a direction and explore then camp somewhere else. Sunday would bring "trying to get home". We always made it back even though it may have been real late.
Many years later, I was in the desert with my Jeep club. It was about 1am and we couldn't figure out where camp was. I was just following the "old guys" because they had the experience. We had stopped to argue about which way to go and where everyone thought we were. I went into my Jeep and pulled out a GPS I had borrowed from a friend. GPS was very new and all I had figured out was how to turn it on and mark camp. I turned it on and pointed. That was is camp and its about a mile.
I was "asked" not to bring it again because it took the fun out of getting lost.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

I think what I mean, is the "sensation" of actually BEING lost. There was no cell phone, gps, or anything to save you in those days.

If you were really lost, you had to figure it out, or you could die.

And it was exciting.

Some people will now never know that sensation.

 

[WI Farm Boy]

I know exactly what you mean when your talking about the good old days of no cell phones or gps, it was paper maps and a good sense of direction that got you “un lost”. I made a lot of memories with friends that we still talk about today.

 

[DintDobbs]

@Murphy Slaw Can relate, however given the heavy reliance on anxiety/ADD medications and other such things in the current generation, attempting such outings could be far more hazardous for them than it was for us.

Being about impossible to find a paper map these days, I plan my route on Google Maps and write a list of instructions (turn left onto Hwy 58, turn right onto Catfish Lake Road) and just rip from there.

I bring my phone 'cause my job needs me at times, but other than that, granola bars and water can keep me alive for a week. I don't require any medications or regularly visit any doctors or other such, but most people my age do.

You don't want to be lost away from society with somebody who's freaking out from anxiety and withdrawal symptoms. And you really don't want them to be lost alone. These young'uns play a different game from the one we grew up with.

 

[Longshot270]

Getting lost is a relative term nowadays. I’ve helped people that were lost on a flowing river. There’s up stream and down stream, not sure how you get lost in two dimensions but they were stressing out about not knowing where they were. I’m assuming they thought they passed their end point vehicle.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

given the heavy reliance on anxiety/ADD medications and other such things in the current generation, attempting such outings could be far more hazardous for them than it was for us.

That's pretty sad, actually.

 

[Shakes355]

As someone who's never owned a gps outside of their cellphone, I think it's worth mentioning that cell service isn't guaranteed across a lot of the country. Still pretty easy to get lost regardless of age.

 

[DintDobbs]

@Murphy Slaw True, but that's the reality of the matter. Every generation faces its trials, and the young'uns today usually have prescriptions, dependencies, or addictions, or worse, all of the above.

Driving is not dangerous, but it is risky. It is far more risky when your senses are inhibited and your connection to (or comprehension of) the world around you is limited. Not only does this endanger themselves, but it also endangers other drivers on the road and trails. It's like being drunk, but constantly. You can't even talk to some of them. They're already lost even when they know where they are.

Sadly, it is because of these conditions that self-driving vehicles are gaining ground. It will be safer to be at the mercy of computers and sensors than it will be to let them drive.

But we can still enjoy our sport/hobby/lifestyle. The way I see it, it's like how previous generations looked at cars, toys, television, video games... Everybody has always wanted to share the old ways with the new generation. In some ways we can, and in some ways we can't.