Rand McNally Atlas

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Very interesting article on the Rand McNally Atlas and it's history:

https://nypost.com/2018/05/26/why-gps-will-never-make-the-road-atlas-obsolete/

 

[Chalkie]

Well it was a semi-interesting article although there were things that the author claims a GPS can not do that in fact they can. So either the author has never owned a quality GPS or he never learned to actually use it properly. 

 

[sandsys]

1 hour ago, Chalkie said:

Well it was a semi-interesting article although there were things that the author claims a GPS can not do that in fact they can. So either the author has never owned a quality GPS or he never learned to actually use it properly. 

 

x2

Linda

[2gypsies]

We are fans of both - a GPS and a road atlas.  We would never give up the atlas. It gives the whole picture of what's miles ahead or states ahead.  You zoom out with a GPS and you loose detail.

We always planned our route via Delorme's computer mapping. You don't need internet to plan with this program of an extensive route. We didn't drive direct from A to B. We liked to wander the secondary roads and we didn't care if we went out of our way to get somewhere if there was something of interest along the route.

Unfortunately, Delorme is not doing updates anymore but that still doesn't mean you can't use it successfully along with a GPS.

Once our route was planned we transferred it to the GPS which then took us the way WE wanted to go; not the way the GPS thought we should go.

Both are valuable.  We especially love the Benchmark series of atlases which devotes one book for each western state. By doing this the detail is awesome including non-paved roads which we used for Jeeping.  You can also see over a wide area when BLM or forest service lands begin/ends and they put the public parks on the map.

I recall once we were just using a GPS along Hwy 395 in California. It told us to turn and it was a dirt road going up the eastern Sierras. . . not a good idea with the 40' motorhome when there was a good paved road to get us to the same place.

[Chalkie]

50 minutes ago, 2gypsies said:

We are fans of both - a GPS and a road atlas.  We would never give up the atlas. It gives the whole picture of what's miles ahead or states ahead.  You zoom out with a GPS and you loose detail.

I agree! There is a GPS in the pilot position and an atlas in the copilot position. I will look at what the GPS is wanting us to do and toss the question to the copilot for confirmation. 

[whj469]

I also use my Good Sam GPS always but wouldn't be without a road atlas.

[sandsys]

We learned that if you want to collect state maps you need to enter a state along an Interstate Highway where you'll find a visitors' center. Gas stations no longer distribute free maps. I suspect a good atlas would have been easier to store but my Dave really likes maps and that's an enjoyment so easy to fulfill.

Linda

[2gypsies]

Linda, how fast can Dave fold up the Texas map? 

 

[sandsys]

34 minutes ago, 2gypsies said:

Linda, how fast can Dave fold up the Texas map? 

He's good at that, too. He has a good sense of both space and geometry. And because he enjoys looking at maps he can tell when a freeway intersection he hasn't yet seen if likely to be a left exit. He amazes me. In our 53 years together I have only seen him disoriented once--inside the Mall of America. I don't think he'd seen a mall map yet.

Linda

[Kirk W]

I really liked the article and relate to most of what it says. Even today as we travel with a GPS directing, I like to have Pam follow along with the atlas as a check on the directions. We used to get a new copy every year when we were fulltime but now about every other year. I also find them to be useful at home when wanting to orient myself to the locations of places that I read about and while I do use Google Earth for the initial locations, I still like the bigger picture from Rand McNally.

Quote

They also declined to share details on their customer demographics, but if you ask around (as we did), it’s pretty clear that their base leans older.

I hate to accept it, but I happen to be pretty much that guy who has been using one for more than 50 years, mentioned in the opening line. 👴

[Sehc]

I liked the article. I remember looking across a berm at my goal, from a dead end road where I was brought by my Verizon GPS. The tattered, mis-folded road map saved the day and I had my cold beer.