The Road Less Traveled
I navigated my Lincoln Continental across the United States twice, with the help of my trusted Rand McNally Road Atlas. Back then, the atlas barely listed rest stops and campgrounds. The newer interstates were already populated with the usual brand-name pit stops, such as McDonald’s and Pizza Huts. I quickly discovered older freeways held my interest, prompting me to stop and linger. It turned out my favorite part of driving across the country was all the unlisted roadside attractions: old signs on barns, Art Deco power stations, fields of discarded refrigerators, mom-and-pop diners. Places that are not listed in the now-outdated road atlases or on today’s high-tech navigation gadgets.
My memory of these cross-country road trips inspired me to create these Texas road maps for the Houstonian. To chronicle the day I had to hit the brakes on a full-moon night for an opossum that decided to cross the road. Animals and plants are unique to the landscape and are worthwhile to include on an illustrated map.
The writer, Emily B, plotted a few enjoyable road trips that all originate from Houston and are reflected in my illustrated road maps. She listed pit stops, roadside attractions, bookstores, beaches, and more. I’m glad the magazine opted for an illustrative map approach in this article, which co-mingles with photos. The maps are an evocative starting point for a possible adventure. They hint at places you can linger, enjoy, and find something that resonates on a personal level that can’t be found in a standard travel guide.
Thanks to the Art Director, Todd Urban, who adds his typographical wizardry to the pages and makes everything look spiffy.
Todd added a perfect font to these two Icons. Road Trip Music and Road Trip Texas.
