Finding Out Something New Every Day

Today I had business to do first in Webster Groves (a suburb about 12 miles to the east of me) and then Valley Park (a city which is basically to the south of my house). The fastest, most efficient route to get to Webster is the Interstate, but as I was organizing my day after breakfast I wondered if I could justify making a detour to go to an international food store in Kirkwood (halfway between my house and Webster Groves, but several miles from the highway).

I used Mapquest to plan out a route, and was pleasantly surprised to find out I could be almost as productive by taking surface streets to get from my house to Kirkwood and Webster, then getting on the highway to head to Valley Park before I made it back home.  However, I've lived in this area for 30 years and thought I knew the best way to get to Kirkwood.  Today Mapquest gave me a route to get there that I've never used before that ended up being even better.

Instead of heading east for 15 minutes than turning and heading northeast (which involves a lot of neighborhood driving, and a lot of stop signs) Mapquest told me to turn north at a street ten minutes from my house, stay on  that street for five minutes, then turn right on a third street.  In addition to fewer turns, this course involved fewer stop signs.

Sounded like a good idea to me.

Going in a big circle

Five years ago today: Walk With Me