Seeing the big picture - with a map

Do you know how to read a map? How about refolding it? Somewhere along the way when I was growing up, I learned to read a map. My husband was surprised that not only could I read a map, I could refold one too. I never thought my map reading skills would entice a fellow!

There are maps on both my office door and my home office door. We have a special map all highlighted in purple. We’ve documented our journeys right there on the map.

When we plan a trip, my husband consults that map to always include a road we’ve yet to travel. It is exciting to see new places and discover the treasures of Arkansas. Who would have thought that highlighting a map could be so romantic?

That purple map is more than 20 years old now and we are having to transfer our purple lines to a new map to keep up with ArDOT. While we understand Googling for directions and relying on the navigation system in our cars, maps let you see the big picture.

Maps let you see where you are headed and what roads you leave behind. You can see the larger bodies of water that twist and turn through the state. Maps tell you the state’s scenic byways in the state as well as the national scenic byways.

There is an index of cities, towns and communities and all of the counties. There is a mileage chart and a map key.

The map key shows you the interstates, highways, state highways, multi-lane roads, paved roads and local roads. Symbols show you rest areas, national forest campsites and even Amtrak terminal sites, among others.

Google maps, GPS and gas station directions all get us where we are going, but there is just something about a map. The history of map making itself is a tale of men and their dreams. Cartographers documented history, the same as those keeping travel journals. Old maps show us how things have changed over the years, where our Google maps update as often as possible.

We use both. When I am leaving to work in an unfamiliar part of the state, I look at the big picture and see which way I might like to go. Then I will use Google maps to print out a rough agenda.

Before leaving my driveway, I punch in the address of where I am going into my car’s navigation system and my cellphone. And I take a map — in case I enter into an unmapped area. That happens sometimes you know, especially in rural Arkansas.

People like maps, even if they don’t pick one up as often as they did in the past. Last year it was announced that fewer maps would be printed. That sparked a run on maps and we ended up running completely out of maps before the new ones arrived.

That was strange, to be without a map. How about you? Are you without a map?

If so, you can visit the Welcome Center at 3315 Junction City Highway and get your own copy of the map. If you need us to show you how to use a map, we can do that too. You never know when that phone might drop the signal!