“A map does not just chart, it unlocks and formulates meaning; it forms bridges between here and there, between disparate ideas that we did not know were previously connected.” from “The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet” by Reif Larsen
Ever since I was a little girl I loved maps. My dad was a long distance truck driver and he always had a map in the cab of his truck. When I went with him during my school vacations, I was always looking at the map. He would say, hey T, where are we going?
Maps take you to far away places. Places of nature and the great beyond.
Once I was older, it became rafting maps I would look at. River, rapids, the Kennebec & Penobscots & Gauley rivers, and even the Grand Canyon.
Once I began hiking the Appalachian trail, I could not get enough of maps. State maps, and each section were laid out on the table to explore which section to do. Sometimes the more involved I get with a map and going to these far away places, I become less connected with the crazy and hectic world. It is for me it is a stress reliever. Planning for me is an obsession and that’s where the maps come in.
Most people I know own a GPS, and I do too, but I would rather have a hand held map than a GPS any day. We use maps as works of art (I bet I have at least 10 maps framed in my house), scientific data and visual metaphors. Maps take us to imaginary places and help us find our way
So why are maps important.:
Maps help us to know where we are going, it gives us direction in areas that are foreign to us.
Maps can tell us how far we are from the nearest road, city, state line, or trail crossing.
Maps can point out certain landmarks and other features that you might not have know of.
Maps help you orient yourself if you become lost.
Carry a map of the section you are hiking.
Different ways to get maps
- Internet – Print from a website for the trail or place you want to go
- ATC maps, printed and online
- The AT guide, printed and online
- State Maps-Detailed state maps
Make sure even if you do not have an obsession of maps like i do, make sure you have a map when hiking, driving across the country or going to new places.