Being able to read a map will certainly help you get so much more out of your driving. The ability to read maps was once an indispensable skill that everyone learned as students. However a growing reliance on GPS, satellite navigation and smart phones mean that modern drivers are sedated by software.
They’ve given up the power to find their way around using maps thanks to all those, mistakes made, wrong turns and the pointless pollution they created.
Today, any driver with the slightest inkling can, with the simple push of a button, drive directly to their destination with the help of in-car intelligence that read directions aloud.
It’s like being led on a leash. This does not count as pioneering spirit. Pioneering spirit is about the quality of the journey, not necessarily in getting to a destination.
The bravest souls relied upon their expert map-reading, not to mention map-folding skills. These true pioneers knew how to make map-reading look easy, while the rest of the country wondered how they did it.
If you would rather be one of the true pioneering spirits, we can share simple tricks to map-reading and map-folding.
Map-Reading
• Locate the map’s key that explains what all the dashes, lines, dots, and other symbols mean. There is also usually a compass printed somewhere on the map to orient you in the correct direction. It basically helps you figure out what streets run north-south, and east-west.
• Remember the sun rises in the East, and sets in the West. You’ll need to pay attention to this periodically as you drive so you can tell which direction you’re traveling in relation to the map.
• Turn the map, if it helps, to match your direction of travel on a particular street. It can be easier to see where you need to go next, and when or where you should make your next turn.
Map-Folding
• Study the creases in the map to figure out how to refold it.
• Creases with the same indent direction signify that the map is folded that way first, such as folding it in half.
• Some maps are folded in an accordion style.
• Practice is the only thing that can make you a veteran map-folder.
Whether you are planning to hit the road to Vegas or hopelessly lost in the middle of nowhere, a traditional paper roadmap could come to your rescue. Embrace that road warrior skill and you might be quite astonished at how well the little paper map functions! Cheers to the true pioneering spirit!
You might also enjoy reading:
Paper Maps Are A Thing Of The Past But We Want To Inspire You To Use One
Gadgets: The Best Part Of Your Ride
5 Apps You Need To Have On Any Road Trip