While at Chicago Travel & Adventure Show, I almost met author Theresa Goodrich. The crowd around her booth was large, but I was able to chat with her husband to coordinate the next-best thing, a Talking Travel interview.

Goodrich is a Chicago-area writer, author and creator of The Local Tourist platform. Her interest in travel started as a youth when traveling with her artist father and family. After a bit of a detour, she became an internet publisher as a local tourist in Chicago.

I first became aware of Goodrich through her book Living Landmarks of Chicago, which featured 50 landmarks of my hometown. I often referred to it when I wanted to be a local tourist. I would pick an area and use Living Landmarks of Chicago to guide my self-tour.

A 31-day trip to the Pacific Ocean with her husband became the subject of Goodrich’s first book and thus started the Two Lane Gems series. Another trip in 2018 was featured in her second book in that series. A third book is on the way, too.

Her roadtrip book series is enjoyable whether or not you plan to travel. It’s a mix of information, trivia and history with a bit of her humor. Readers take each trip vicariously through Goodrich. If you actually do take one of the trips, it’s even better.

Goodrich discussed her passion for travel and for helping develop that interest in others. As I witnessed at Chicago Adventure & Leisure Show, she is happy to give advice, answer questions or even just chat with interested travelers.

Talking Travel is an interview series on Global Traveler. Subscribe to the GT YouTube channel to be notified of all future interviews and other travel-related videos.

— John Wroblewski, online writer