Having recently moved from a major city to a rural area, I thought I would no longer need a satellite navigation system for my car, but I was sadly mistaken. The complete lack of road signs in the rural part of West Virginia which I moved to was unnerving. The lack of marked roads once you got off an interstate was not the worst part, however. The worst part was that may of the one lane roads made it impossible to turn around if you realized you made a wrong turn. A person could literally drive for miles without seeing a driveway to turn around in.

I’ve also learned something important. In rural areas of the nation, many roads are being renamed to make it easier for emergency personnel to find addresses. Instead of using rural routes and box numbers, everyone is getting street address, so update your maps for your navigation system.

It’s no fun being lost in the country. While everyone is so friendly and helpful with directions, the directions will likely include turning at a certain tree, or turning after the house that burnt down years ago. Life in the country is great, but bring a satellite navigation system if you want to get anywhere. It’s as hard to find your way around as it is in a city.