+Robespierre Posted August 4, 2004 Share Posted August 4, 2004 I know, in my own family, some people "think maps," and some don't. Even in a strange area, I will usually carry just the cache pages plus one "general map" of the area from mapquest. I do my homework, and the map is just in my head. I may not always take the shortest route, but I'm usually pretty close. So, how about some of you? Are maps internal, or do you get lost fetching the mail? Quote Link to comment
+BuckyD Posted August 4, 2004 Share Posted August 4, 2004 I usually "think maps" after reading a cache page and it drives my fiance batty since he doesn't and needs to know street names and actual distance between turning points! Caching with him around is so very labor intensive as compared to caching alone... Quote Link to comment
+AuntieWeasel Posted August 4, 2004 Share Posted August 4, 2004 I have an absolutely appallingly bad sense of direction. I'm legendary for getting lost. That's what interested me in a GPSr in the first place. So, in a sense, caching is a form of occupational therapy. Unfortunately, I don't have a working printer at home (well, I do, but I didn't use it often, so the cartridge dried out, and I got a look at the price of cartridges and had a snit). I have an overall map of the area I use a lot, a street atlas I don't use very often, I get Mapquest to give me directions to my first stop of the day, and then just wing it. I often hand draw a small map before leaving out, basically showing where the interstates and major routes are, with little stars drawn for the caches I'm considering...just so I have an overview in my head. Somehow, drawing makes it "stick" better, too. And, yes, I'm getting better! Half the problem, I think, is that once I realize I'm lost, I panic...then I really get lost. But I can still get good and lost, particularly in residential subdivisions. Since when did we have all these neighborhoods with streets that dead-end unexpectedly in big roundy-rounds? And why did we build them all within .5 miles of a cache? Quote Link to comment
+tirediron Posted August 4, 2004 Share Posted August 4, 2004 This is the 21st Century.. we don't have to think.. that's what machines are for... Pocket Query to PDA, Import Caches into Fugawi for my topo, and Mapopolis for street-level detail, as well as the appropriate Mapsource loaded into my GPSr... what's paper? Quote Link to comment
+BuckToothMoose Posted August 4, 2004 Share Posted August 4, 2004 I'm with tirediron on this one. I only carry one map with me, and thats a Topo map, and a compass (if I am outside an urban area). Otherwise, I have everything electronically (PocketPC for maps and cache pages). I got tired of trying to organize digitally with multiple applications, and finally wrote my own to do everything I need, and more.... No more scrambling for a specific page.... Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted August 4, 2004 Share Posted August 4, 2004 I have a pretty good sense of direction and can usually figure out my way around even without maps. I guess part of the reason is that I read maps like some people read the newspaper. I just love looking at them...topo maps, trail maps, street maps, political maps, you name it. Yeah, I'm weird... I guess a lot of that stuff is committed to memory because I can usually find my way around whether hiking or driving, without a map, or compass. I know if I keep walking in x direction, I'll eventually hit y trail and if I keep on driving dowhill, I'll eventually hit River Rd. Plop me down in a totally strange area without a map though, I have no idea how I'd fare. Quote Link to comment
+BuckToothMoose Posted August 4, 2004 Share Posted August 4, 2004 Woohooo, it's not just me then . I have topo maps printed for areas I know I'll never visit, they're just way cool to look at. Probably the same reason I collect IFR and VFR charts.... Quote Link to comment
+Robespierre Posted August 5, 2004 Author Share Posted August 5, 2004 A couple of days ago, in a large park with lots of small bodies of water, and twisting paths between them, at high noon, I doubted myself. But when I checked the compass, I was OK, and walked right to the car. Once you start doubting yourself, that compass is nice. Quote Link to comment
Tahosa and Sons Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 My love of maps has led to the creation of several nice caches. If you know the lay of the land you'll be allright, that little arrow can get you in do do. Quote Link to comment
Cracker. Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 (edited) I have a pretty good sense of direction and can usually figure out my way around even without maps. I guess part of the reason is that I read maps like some people read the newspaper. I just love looking at them...topo maps, trail maps, street maps, political maps, you name it. Yeah, I'm weird... I guess a lot of that stuff is committed to memory because I can usually find my way around whether hiking or driving, without a map, or compass. I know if I keep walking in x direction, I'll eventually hit y trail and if I keep on driving dowhill, I'll eventually hit River Rd. Plop me down in a totally strange area without a map though, I have no idea how I'd fare. Ditto! I've always been fascinated by far away places that I read about, or saw on TV when I was still in elementary school.... I used to look them up on maps, and notice how far away from each other, and what direction, and relation to other locations they are... My parents used to have several big, hard-cover world atlases that I would spend hours looking at...We even had a big hard-cover space atlas put out by National Geographic, that explained the Solar system, galaxies, and the universe.....(This was when I was only 9 or 10 yrs old, too!)... Guess I was weird pretty early on... Ever since, I have been able to look at a map, and pretty much memorize roads, directions, and relative bearings between places in a given region....Usually once I drive to or near a place, I'm always good to go, and able to find it again years later... I seem to have a really good sense of direction in the woods, too....Which is good, since I'm not too good at recognizing where I've already been in the woods, sometimes... This is a good thing, since I can easily turn a very short, two-star terrain rating cache, into a several hour long, 4-or-better terrain rating adventure, by always wondering what it looks like on the other side of that hill over there, or around that bend in the creek, or where this gully goes, etc..... I have a few dozen mapping programs on my computer, and have been playing around with all different types of geospatial data.... I think this is a good part of why I am also a bit of a benchmarker, and an amateur local historian....I constantly bore people with information about old historic locations, roads, buildings, etc, and how the locations relate to each other in bearings and distances.... I was even thinking about a career change into GIS, but I dont think I will... Edited August 5, 2004 by Cracker. Quote Link to comment
+carleenp Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 I have a very good sense of direction. I also used to memorize maps for long driving trips. Like Brian though, mostly I just really like maps. I always have. I also have a thing for dictionaries. Quote Link to comment
+The Commissar! Posted August 5, 2004 Share Posted August 5, 2004 I like maps too...I usually get a general idea of the location, drive to the area, and just follow the map on my GPSr to the cache once I get close. If I am going to a wilderness area or the like I always carry a compass and area topo map. But for general around civilization caching I will usually stick to the basics...spare batteries for the Meriplat. Quote Link to comment
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