The journal
Notes from
the long road.
Short, honest guides to the atlas — how it works, which routes to take first, and where the designs come from.
Journal index
Start with a good route.
Postcards from Mississippi: The Blues Trail and Beyond
Mississippi postcards travel the Blues Trail from Tunica to Tupelo, the river towns of Natchez and Vicksburg, and the Gulf Coast at Biloxi.
Best National Park Postcards in the Atlas
Ten national park postcards worth collecting from the atlas — Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Zion, Acadia and more — each with the real park behind the card.
Postcards from Florida: Keys, Coast and Old Florida
Florida postcards run from St. Augustine and the Space Coast to Key West, the Everglades, and the Gulf beaches collectors call old Florida.
Postcard Collecting Terms: From Deltiology to Divided Back
Postcard collector words — deltiology, divided back, view card, linen — explained plainly, so the hobby stops sounding like a secret code.
A First Route Along the Pacific Coast Highway
A suggested first Pacific Coast Highway drive from the atlas — San Francisco to San Diego, past Big Sur and California's beach towns.
Best Lighthouse Postcards in the Atlas
Ten lighthouse postcards worth collecting from the atlas — Split Rock, Cape Lookout, Cape May, and more — each with the real place behind the card.
What to Do With Old Postcards
Found a box of old postcards? Sort them, date them, check their value, and decide: keep, display, store, sell — or send them back out into the world.
Anatomy of a Postcard: Front, Back, and Everything Between
What are the parts of a postcard? A picture side, a divided back for the message and address, a stamp corner, and a postmark — each explained simply.
Scenic Byway Postcards: Roads That Became Souvenirs
What is a scenic byway postcard? Roads like the Blue Ridge Parkway, Going-to-the-Sun Road, and Route 66 have their own cards — filed by the places they cross.
Why Send Postcards? Reasons to Mail One
Postcards still matter: they are personal, cheap to mail, and kept long after a text is forgotten. Here is why sending one is worth the stamp.
Vintage Travel Posters: History, Collecting & Value
Vintage travel posters explained — the golden age of the 1920s, the WPA national-park posters, what drives value, and how new vintage-style art fits in.
How to Display Postcards: Frames, Walls & Albums
How to display postcards so they last — wall collages, frames, magnetic holders, and albums, with the simple rules that keep paper safe from sun and damp.
Lighthouse Postcards: The Coast's Favorite Souvenir
Why lighthouses became postcards' favorite subject — the golden-age connection, the great American towers, and where to find a card of your own lighthouse.
National Park Postcards: Collecting America's Best Idea
National park postcards explained — why parks are the most collected theme, how a park collection works, and where new vintage-style cards fit.
Route 66 Postcards: The Mother Road in Vintage Style
Route 66 postcards — how America's most famous highway became a postcard icon, what collectors keep from the Mother Road, and where vintage-style cards fit.
How to Store & Preserve Postcards
How to keep postcards safe for decades — sleeves, albums, light and humidity rules, and the handling habits that protect paper.
How Much Does It Cost to Mail a Postcard?
What postage costs when you mail a postcard — the US rate change of 2026, why cards travel cheaper than letters, and what it costs from the UK and Australia.
The History of the Postcard: From the First Card to the Golden Age
How the postcard began — the first cards of the 1860s, the penny-postcard boom, the golden age and the divided back, and why the form survives today.
How to Start a Postcard Collection
How to start a postcard collection — the hobby called deltiology, what to collect, where to find cards, and how to keep them safe for years.
Standard Postcard Sizes & Dimensions
Standard postcard sizes explained — the USPS limits that decide postcard postage, the common 4-by-6 and A6 formats, and what to check before you buy or mail.
Postcards from Maine: The Lighthouse Coast in Vintage Style
Postcards from Maine in vintage style — the lighthouse coast, island harbors, and lake-and-mountain interior, every card linked to its place in the atlas.
A First Route Through England
A first route through England's atlas country — the West Country, London and the South, and the North — every stop linked to its place page.
A First Route Over the Kancamagus Highway
A first route over New Hampshire's Kancamagus Highway — Franconia Notch to Conway through the White Mountains, every stop linked to its place page in the atlas.
A First Route Through Hocking Hills
A first route through Ohio's Hocking Hills — the scenic byway, the state park's gorges and waterfalls, and every stop linked to its place page in the atlas.
A First Route Along the Turquoise Trail
A first route along New Mexico's Turquoise Trail — Santa Fe to Albuquerque through the old mining towns, with the desert country around it linked to the atlas.
A First Route Through the Finger Lakes
A first route through the Finger Lakes — New York's glacial lakes, the gorge waterfalls at the southern ends, every stop linked to its place page in the atlas.
How to Send a Postcard
How to send a postcard — choosing the card, addressing the back, stamps and postage, international mail, and the small habits that make sure it arrives.
Are Old Postcards Worth Anything?
An honest answer on whether old postcards are worth anything — the value factors, the collecting name, and how to judge a card without overpaying.
A First Route Through the Scottish Highlands
A first route through the Scottish Highlands — from Inverness and Loch Ness to Skye and Glencoe, every stop linked to its place page in the atlas.
A First Route Through Minnesota's North Shore
A northbound first route along Minnesota's North Shore — Duluth to Grand Portage on Highway 61, every stop linked to its place page in the atlas.
A First Route Through Wales
A north-to-south first route through Wales — from the castles of the north to the beaches of Pembrokeshire, every stop linked to its place page in the atlas.
A First Route Over Beartooth Highway
A first route over Montana's Beartooth Highway — from Red Lodge to the Yellowstone country, every stop linked to its place page in the atlas.
A First Route Along the Causeway Coastal Route
A first route along Northern Ireland's Causeway Coastal Route — from Belfast to Derry, every stop linked to its place page in the atlas.
A First Route Over Going-to-the-Sun Road
A first route over Glacier's Going-to-the-Sun Road — from the lakes to Logan Pass, every stop linked to its place page in the atlas.
Postcards from California
From fog-washed coast to the Coachella Valley and redwood country — a place-based guide to vintage-inspired postcards from California.
Postcards from Australia's Red Centre
Red dust, vast skies, and outback light — a place-based guide to vintage-inspired postcards from Australia's Red Centre.
How to Date a Postcard
A beginner-friendly guide to dating vintage postcards: divided backs, stamp boxes, postmarks, and printing clues — with honest date ranges.
Vintage-Style vs. Vintage Postcards
Genuine vintage, reproduction, or vintage-style? A calm guide to the three kinds of “old” postcards — and how to tell them apart.
What to Write on a Postcard
Practical, place-based advice for what to write on a postcard — messages for friends, family, partners, and Postcrossing, with vintage-style examples.
Send a Piece of Home
A practical Postcrossing guide: how the exchange works, where the ID, address, and stamp go, and how to send a card that feels like home.
How Old Route Retro Works
A calm atlas of vintage-inspired travel postcards, filed by country, state, and place — with every card leading to the store where it is sold.
A First Route Through Alabama
A first Alabama road trip route, north to south: canyons, caves, waterfalls, river towns, and Gulf Coast refuges — every stop linked to its atlas place page.
Finding Your Hometown in the Atlas
How to search the atlas by country, state, or place and follow a design to the store where it is sold.