:poke: :ded: :bigass: :camera:
Actually someone wrote a column on Forbes magazine focusing on neighbors not caring about your latest travel stories.
Obviously, not a roadgeek, much less a geographer.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanlookjr/2019/05/23/why-no-one-cares-about-your-travels/?utm_source=FACEBOOK&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie%2F&fbclid=IwAR0PT9kHbfT75odHcB3gR7NirdRmpbnR_1ySmTfYYy3igVsLCkGoarXXY6I#3e8f442e616f
Most people I know on a family or friend level couple care less about my travel stuff. That's why forums and Facebook pages exist, they generally target a specific audience. All my family and friends ever want to talk about is a list of the following things:
- Family
- Work
- Politics
Generally find all of the above to be boring to talk about so it more or less washes out. I would largely attribute that to the fact that I have spent the majority of my life engaged in copious amounts of travel. It probably also help my cause relating to people that I have moved to different states frequently. Most people I've found generally settle into a certain facet of familiarity in their life and generally don't break the mold. So to that end it ought to be obvious when someone doesn't care that you "hiked Angel's Landing" or "drove Pikes Peak to the top."
Sometimes sports comes up which is a water cooler level conversation usually I don't mind engaging. Then again most people I interact with nowadays don't even follow the same teams as I do (Detroit opposed Californian teams).
I'll say this though I've found travel and history related topics a great way to skirt out of general conversations you don't want to engage in. For example; a lot of people in the Fresno Area like to talk about building dams and water rights. I'll usually bring up stuff like the history of Tulare Lake, the Big Creek Project and Highways that developed around them. Usually most people kind of get crossed eyed and bring up something else or say they have to go do something.
My twin brother often rolls his eyes when I mention road stuff. He know knows what a gantry is at least! Only two or three friends seems to have an interest in the roads as much as I do.
Not many of my friends or family members have an interest in roads. I just wow them with my knowledge and built in GPS. Guess it's why I'm always the DD on road trips (that and I don't really drink).