Before GPS was built into every phone and car, getting somewhere new required a very different set of skills. In this episode of really… with Sierra & Michael-Thomas, we take a nostalgic trip back to the days of paper maps, road atlases, and printed MapQuest directions.

We talk about how weather can shape our routines, how people navigated before smartphones, and why traditional navigation skills still matter today. From reading map legends and understanding topography to knowing the difference between latitude and longitude, we explore the tools and knowledge that once helped people find their way.

Along the way we share stories about questionable shortcuts, getting lost, and the anxiety (or freedom) that comes with navigating without GPS. We also play a fun game about navigation terms and discuss how even birds like the Indigo Bunting use celestial navigation.

As technology continues to change the way we travel and communicate, we ask an important question: have we gained convenience at the cost of losing our sense of direction?

Join us for a fun and thoughtful conversation about maps, navigation, technology, and the balance between modern convenience and traditional life skills.

Produced by GrifChap Studio, LLC

Executive Producers: Sierra Chapman & M. Thomas Griffith

Production Assistance: DCB Productions

Editing: Sierra Chapman

Artwork: M. Thomas Griffith

Music: AlexGuz via Pixabay.com

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© 2026 GrifChap Studio, LLC. All rights reserved. really… with Sierra & Michael-Thomas is produced by GrifChap Studio, LLC. The views and opinions expressed by hosts Sierra, Michael-Thomas, and their guests are their own and do not reflect those of their employers, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and Northeast State Community College, respectively.