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17 Apr 2008
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Who else loves maps?
With the recent slagging guidebooks are getting in another thread, it came to my notice there seems to be nothing but love for the venerable map.
A friend of mine insists that given enough time (and  ) all really great conversations will eventually involve getting out a map.
I find maps can be really inspirational bits of paper, I can get more fired up looking at the right map than I would at an 'old master'. Old ones, worn at the folds and stained from the road, are my favourite souvenirs.
Do you have a favourite map? Mine is either my battered IGN of Morocco that has made the trip twice now, or an old and now seriously out of date map of glencoe which I covered with sticky back plastic that was meant to go on the outside of my 'O' Grade maths book...
I am aware this thread may mark me out as a cartography geek and am quite prepared to pull it if I get nothing but a slagging! 
Matt
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*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!
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17 Apr 2008
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Great thread...
I love maps too... I used to work a a security guard at Covent Garden, just around the corner was Stanfords.
I spent many happy lunch breaks there, and not much money...
I now collect maps and Atlases...
Old and used are best. My personal favourites are the 1988 Michelin Maps of Africa which I used for my 1st Trans Africa. I also have a nice series from India for the same period.
I have a wall with maps of Africa from the 1500's to present... just lovely. Our visitors often comment on them...
So we are not unique...
Graham
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17 Apr 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Smith
I have a wall with maps of Africa from the 1500's to present... just lovely. Our visitors often comment on them...
Graham
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Sounds nice!
On the wall of my 'study' (box room) I have a map I bought while still at school. On it I have drawn all the routes I've taken on my travels. Flights in one colour, boats another and overland, yet another. The great thing is noting how much the world has changed. This map still has the 'Soviet Union' etc. But I'm happy with that. Eventually, when I'm an old man I can look at all the travels I've done and wonder at how much the world has changed since I started travelling.
Matt
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http://adventure-writing.blogspot.com
http://scotlandnepal.blogspot.com/
*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!
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17 Apr 2008
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Over the last 48 years I have had three longish periods of being a very active (and moderatly successful) car rally navigator - competing mainly throughout the UK.
While competing I was following and calling every inch as we sped on, picking up much additional information which could possibly assist the driver - such as anticipating road surface changes on parish or district boundries. My regret with motorcycling (as much as driving) is that one cannot follow them so closely in 'real time'.
I have kept every map and the intended purpose of any trip to the attic is invariably abandoned when I get to the huge pile of 1 inch and 1:50,000 Ordinance Survey maps. I can, and do, spend endless hours pouring over them.
Sad?
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17 Apr 2008
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Yep,
My ex got frustrated me spending more time with maps then with her. And now I'm in the map making business.
The Michelin 741 for sure is my favourite map. I also like the russian topo maps when printed.
;-)
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17 Apr 2008
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A friend of mine is a distant descendant, and shares the surname, of John Speed, the mapmaker ( John Speed Map Plates). He's also into cartography and the walls of their house are filled with antique maps, organised by region. Most look extremely valuable, so I'd better not say exactly where I live!
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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)
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19 Apr 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robbert
Yep,
My ex got frustrated me spending more time with maps then with her. And now I'm in the map making business.
The Michelin 741 for sure is my favourite map. I also like the russian topo maps when printed.
;-)
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I just Googled to find what the Michelin 741 covered.
Sorry but I just had to know.
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17 Apr 2008
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This thread should be in the navigation forum
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt Cartney
With the recent slagging guidebooks are getting in another thread, it came to my notice there seems to be nothing but love for the venerable map.
I am aware this thread may mark me out as a cartography geek and am quite prepared to pull it if I get nothing but a slagging!
Matt |
Matt,
An excellent thread that does not deserve to be "relegated" to the slagheap of the HU bar: you may be surprised already at the positive answers you have received.
I am one more horder of maps: no idea of how many there are, but I have always tried to get hold of a map of anywhere that I have ever visited. Doesn't matter what scale it is.
It is the only souvenir that I must have from travelling.
I have also picked up things like old atlases from second hand book shops that show the world as it used to be: great stuff for comparing with modern maps of the world (my, how many countries have changed names and, my, how many new countries there are in existance).
ps I also like to understand the flags of countries, but I don't collect them - they always have something to say about the nation.
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19 Apr 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout
I am one more horder of maps: no idea of how many there are, but I have always tried to get hold of a map of anywhere that I have ever visited. Doesn't matter what scale it is.
It is the only souvenir that I must have from travelling.
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Same here, even if it's just a free one from a local tourist information place, youth hostel, etc. I'm not the most experienced traveller by a long shot (never even left Europe) but I've still managed collect a few A4 folders full of the things and many will get re-used on future trips
Recently bought an OS wallmap of Europe which you can use drywipe markers on. It's not the ideal scale but can easily lose an hour just by scrawling potential routes and places to visit all over it. Kind of reassuring to know it's not just me that has a map fetish.
BTW, I do use GPS and Google Earth a lot but I'd never consider setting off without a map and compass. I take the attitude that one compliments the other.
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23 Apr 2008
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Another fan here
Yep, love maps, don't know why. Over the years, I've collected many, mostly OS maps of the UK for walking. I would never throw one out and I'd never draw on one.
I love pouring over maps working out possible routes, looking for interesting features.
On the desk at the moment, I have a map of Germany for a long weekend ride to the Harz mountains and three maps of Scandinavia for a longer trip this summer. Love Stanfords in London, will happily pay full price for a map but buy my books in charity shops.
Also, being a bit of a technophobe, and a tightwad, I think I'll keep to maps rather than GPS for a while longer. I can see where GPS would help out in the desert or conversely navigating an unfamiliar city but it'll never give you the whole picture.
For route planning, looking at the surrounding area, all the different coloured roads and twisty bits, finding villages with quirky names, there's nothing like looking at a map and thinking, 'Hmm, rather than take this route, how about that one?'
Indoors
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23 Apr 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Indoors
For route planning, looking at the surrounding area, all the different coloured roads and twisty bits, finding villages with quirky names, there's nothing like looking at a map and thinking, 'Hmm, rather than take this route, how about that one?'
Indoors
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This very nicely sums up the advantage of maps over GPS!
Matt
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http://adventure-writing.blogspot.com
http://scotlandnepal.blogspot.com/
*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!
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24 Apr 2008
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I love maps. All maps. Particularly those that are printed on almost tear and waterproof paper such as a german outfit whom I can't remember their name. But maps are good. You need them. They're great to spill and wine on, and to get soaked in the rain. They are fun to look at in dimly lit bars in back alleys of places others will never believe you've been. Maps are life. They are beautiful. and they are your best friend.
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Who else loves maps?
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