In the modern world, road maps have become passe as the use of GPS has guided every movement in our lives. For those of us who love maps, that is a sad and unfortunate development.
When traveling, GPS addicts merely enter their destination on their phone or on their dashboard and follow the directions that they receive; the landscape and alternative routes are of little concern. They are focused on efficiency and a broader perspective of the territory through which they move is beyond their level of interest.
Some of us cherish the opportunity to understand the topography and hydrology of the landscape. We want to know what rivers we cross and where they are flowing. We want to know the elevation of the mountains we encounter and what watersheds are separated by the passes that we cross. Detailed maps offer such information and help us to understand the interconnection of ecosystems through which we travel. Unfortunately, in this GPS era, they are increasingly difficult to find.
