but WHERE in massachusetts?!

The biggest problem with this state is the paucity, and in some places complete absence, of anything resembling a road sign. Things are getting better in Lexington and Arlington where I spend most of my time, but I just had occassion to visit Newton and let me tell you, I got lost as anything coming back through Watertown and Belmont.

Picture the scene: you're on a major thoroughfare, and as you come around a curve you see the road head of you spits into two equally sized branches, with nary a sign to be seen. Which way do you go?! You have a second and a half left to decide! And now it's too late. So did you pick the right way? Well, one positive of the situation may be that, without signs, you may never know. But while that might be good for your ego, you can see that it's less than useful for navigational purposes.

And so on and so forth. With no street signs to be seen written directions are useless, and maps only marginally more helpful (mostly when augmented with a compass). But I suppose it's all in good sport. Now you must excuse me, I'm off to study a road atlas.