I've Got A Secret!

 Our recent travels have been enjoyable for
the most part.
  But sometimes it's difficult to travel through
an area you don't know as well as your own
home town!
  We would usually rely on Penelope in
cases like that. That's the name I assigned
to the 'British voice" I set up in my GPS
unit.
  But Penelope spent much of our trip in
the glove compartment. That's because my
wife preferred the more scenic back roads
to the Interstate highways Penelope always
suggests!
  To navigate those secondary roadways the
Mrs. came up with some huge, folded,
colorful sheets of paper with lines drawn
everywhere. I believe she called them
'Maps."
  They do, in fact, allow you to choose
various routes to reach your destination.
   But to do that you've got to match the
number highways on the map with the
numbered signs posted along those
roads.
   There are plenty of signs. But often
they've been placed in spots that are
nearly impossible to see!  In Maine
the numbers on the signs are white
and the background is green. Great
for placement among trees!
   Others have the route number
marked somewhere on the right
hand side of the highway and you
find yourself in the left lane of two
headed in the same direction. You
think you're OK till you make your
turn and then find out your lane is
branching off to some other route.
  No advance warning!
  It's as if the State Highway
Department wants to keep directions
a secret. If so, it's doing a great
job.
  Thanks to a few understanding
motorists and, in some cases, rapid
acceleration, we managed to guide
our car along the back roads we
wanted.
   Penelope is probably having a
good laugh inside that glove
compartment!
   Hope you know where you're
going and that all your NEWS
is good!