Ask Shell!

A look inside a fictional world presented by the Shell Oil Company.

Rather than reflecting a specific place or region, Don Bloodgood designed this map to represent the potential circumstances in which a careless automobile driver may find themselves. The image is loosely based on the notion of the American West, with dude ranches, picnic parks, and of course the Shell Station the only locations individually labeled.

A variety of environments, from the mountains to the deserts, are presented, along with their corresponding recreational and leisure activities. What appears to be an idyllic image has a hidden warning – do not neglect the care of your vehicle!

Illustrations of several stranded motorists and broken down cars blend into the map well, but they are identified on the verso with commensurate warnings. For example, the driver traveling the wrong way through a tunnel likely had faulty lights, while the motorist towed in the background could have avoided his plight had he done a better job of checking his oil. A humorous reflection on some of the difficulties encountered by early road warriors.