‘The Gray Area’ out west of Cincinnati is an unrelenting ghost in the machine: a destination begging to be found. If it’s the sort of place that has a real name, that name is entirely unknown. ‘The Gray Area’ moniker was borne out of discussion boards, branching (like many) from those dedicated to mapping so-called Gray Roads. Whether the two are actually linked is largely unknown. Also unknown: ‘The Gray Area’s’ purpose, whether it has a purpose at all, whether it represents a human intelligence at work, how to reliably access the directions to it, and whether or not anyone has ever reached it. Very little has been learned about ‘The Gray Area’ despite occasional spikes in public interest. It’s tempting to see each year’s newly confirmed coordinates as progress but the fact is this: without some hint at the destination, the whittling-down amounts to nothing.
That’s the most important unknown regarding ‘The Gray Area.’ For all that’s clear about its general location, nothing is known about its size. Directions to ‘The Gray Area’ appear seemingly at random, insinuating themselves into GPS systems and apps in the place of, say, that Mexican restaurant you looked up or your mother’s new home. This is the most studied aspect of ‘The Gray Area.’ It’s known, for instance, that the overall map and the directions will diverge so that the original destination seems to remain in place, even though the instructions for how to reach it will have been altered to those leading to ‘The Gray Area.’ This is commonly held as proof that ‘The Gray Area’s’ interference is designed to purposefully mislead a driver. A device’s internal clock will slow to obfuscate time spent on the road. A map may suggest the ETA is 20 minutes for a much longer amount of time and, if ‘The Gray Area’s’ instructions are being displayed on a phone or in a car’s console, the system clock will slow to ‘confirm’ the map’s altered display. This is not the case across devices- if the directions are displayed on a phone, the car’s internal clock will remain correct (as will watches, public clocks, and sundials). The time difference is the earliest indicator of ‘The Gray Area’s’ interference and the likeliest to be caught.
The second likeliest indication is ‘the turn toward nature.’ Maps are generally altered as little as possible- they favor highways and interstates, then the busier thoroughfares of nearby neighborhoods. ‘The Gray Area’ seems to be located in (or through) a forest and at a certain point that fact becomes impossible to hide. The road narrows, becomes unnamed, and turns to dirt. The maps will suggest this is a shortcut but it’s a difficult pill to swallow for most. Many drivers will pause to double-check the route, which usually dispels the interference. The directions will re-adjust and the device will act as though a low signal caused the glitch. It’s unknown how often this happens given that uninitiated drivers will be frustrated, but not so inconvenienced as to write a detailed account.
The only physical indications of ‘The Gray Area’ are signs placed at and around confirmed ‘turns toward nature.’ These warnings represent a private safety campaign and use the phrase ‘Where are you going?’ to trigger suspicion in drivers that would otherwise live and die by the instructions of their navigation device. A website, where travelers are encouraged to log their experiences, is included at the bottom of the sign. Much of the information in this entry is based on the data collated there.
Though the ‘The Gray Area’ may be entirely innocuous, the means by which it communicates its existence is undoubtedly manipulative. This author is more than happy to join the safety campaign and recommends that every traveler make a mantra of their slogan. If you haven’t thought about it in a while, ask yourself:
Where are you going?
– an excerpt, Autumn by the Wayside
