Roads Less Traveled

I've been using a TomTom ONE XL-S to help with navigation around the US. It has a nifty feature that allows me an option to avoid freeways. When I'm not in a hurry and I want a better feel for an area, I select this option. (Lately I haven't been in much of a hurry!) Often it seems that my TomTom leads me on a wild goose chase as it routes me through residential areas, frontage roads and rural routes. Sometimes it sends me several miles in one direction and suddenly "recalculates" and then directs me to turn around and retrace all or part of the route. I might find it irritating if it didn't lead me to such interesting places.

Unfortunately, my 6,000 lb VW Eurovan is not well designed for taking the steep twisty roads I've found myself on lately. I keep trying to glide through the curves the way I loved to in my sporty VW Jetta GLX or on my BMW R850 motorbike, but instead of hugging the road this van lumbers along with a high center of gravity and hesitant brakes. All my gear in storage bins, cupboards and duffel bags in the back of the van shifts around every time I turn, brake or accelerate.

Though the van is GREAT for camping, it simply isn't any fun on twisty roads!