We have AAA mostly because I used to drive a lot of “vintage” vehicles on long road trips to car shows, etc., and because (even though I have a tow dolly and I’m well-equipped for side-of-the-road repairs) I’m not always here for the family to call for dead batteries, flat tires, etc.
But–call me old-school–I enjoy paper maps and I find them much more useful and informative than Google Maps or Waze (both of which I also use). Members can go into a AAA location in almost any major cities and pick up printed regional, state, and local maps; there is no cost for members.
State or region-specific “Tour Books” tell-all about local points of interest. And Debra at the Scottsdale McDowell Road location makes it a point to inventory a nice selection of publications from the State of Arizona, most of which are free anyway, but it’s one-stop shopping if you just go to AAA.
If you plan a little ahead (which I do, occasionally), you can order publications online at
https://az.aaa.com/travel/maps
But, “bicycle roadside assistance?” Yes! I’m not going to do any cross-country cycling in the near future; or probably ever. However, this caught my eye when I was skimming the AAA.com website this morning. And I do enough cycling that it’s good to know that,
AAA will transport you and your disabled bike to a safe location as quickly and comfortably as possible, towing up to 200 miles, depending on your Membership’s level of coverage. You don’t even need to sign up separately: Bicycle Roadside Assistance is included in your AAA Membership.
Here’s my hard-copy score for today. Again, the two state publications are free, if you can find them. The Tour Book and the Public Lands Campgrounds map are free to AAA members.