I use the State Gazetter map book along with USGS topo maps and the
little park maps also. My problem with park map is that many are out
of date or not clear with just a general idea where a trail should be.
There are a few trails in Deer Creek that are being changed by park
workers who find it easier to change a route rather than replace a foot
bridge or two making me hold off on giving the clues to boxes I put
there earlier this month.

I laminate the park maps between layers of clear Contact paper with a
couple of my topos dating back to the mid 1970's. I've found an unused
roll of this contact paper at a thrift store recently, I'm not sure if
this stuff is still made. I fold the maps in military fashion so I
don't have to unfold it very much to continue past the folds.

-----Original Message-----
From: Sara
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sat, 29 Apr 2006 12:41:58 -0000
Subject: [LbNA] North American Road Atlas

David & I have been searching for a good U.S. road atlas that clearly
shows State Parks. We have been working with state by state paper
foldy-type maps and they are just getting destroyed! We have been
looking for a few days in Barnes n' Noble, Borders & online, but all
the books we see mark state parks as VERY light green (barely visable)
or not at all. Does anyone have an atlas that is geared toward hikers
and those who enjoy state parks? We are in need of suggestions.

Sara n' David *HappilyEverAfter*







Yahoo! Groups Links

The national parks service (www.nps.gov) website is good--you can
search by park name or near whatever city, etc. Most of the park
sites have maps, too. I also found this really addictive site called
topozone (www.topozone.com). It is a seamless topographic map of the
U.S. I know some of the maps are sort of old (maybe ten years?), but
the topography of most places hasn't changed too much. Hope either of
these are of some use.

I understand your search for a road atlas, but I might also suggest getting
the laminated folding state maps to use. They are a little more expensive
than paper maps, but well worth the difference.

I have one I normally keep in my LB notebook and I've taken a dry erase
marker and outlined the counties (they were already there, I just emphasized
the boundaries), then I marked the number of boxes in each county that I
haven't yet gotten. If I'm planning an outing, it's amenable to seeing
where concentrations are. It's easy to change as boxes are added or as I
work an area. I black in a county I've already worked and if I'm going to a
given area, I erase the markings and enlarge the map of the area on my
printer and put the enlarged map in a sheet protector and on into my
notebook. I then remark it after I've finished the trip.

Unfortunately, I've misplaced my regular LB notebook, so I had to make a new
one for an outing yesterday and I didn't have my map. I didn't realize how
much I rely on it.
--
Barefoot Lucy
"It's not about footwear, it's about philosophy"


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

At 08:41 AM 4/29/2006, you wrote:
>David & I have been searching for a good U.S. road atlas that clearly
>shows State Parks. We have been working with state by state paper
>foldy-type maps and they are just getting destroyed! We have been
>looking for a few days in Barnes n' Noble, Borders & online, but all
>the books we see mark state parks as VERY light green (barely visable)
>or not at all. Does anyone have an atlas that is geared toward hikers
>and those who enjoy state parks? We are in need of suggestions.

Try the DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteers. Amazon has them for 12.97 (much
less than the 19.95 list price):
http://tinyurl.com/nec4l
I've seen them at Wal-Mart and other stores, too.

Clueless & I were out Saturday with Mark & Sue, and at one point we
went to our respective cars to grab maps to plan the next leg of our
journey, and I chuckled when we both came back with CT Gazetteers,
each dogeared and with post it notes and bookmarks. For large states,
they don't have as much detail as they do for smaller states, but
they have just enough info to help you navigate in either case.

SD





#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#
Silent Doug, P63 F1280 X179 E27
http://www.letterboxing.info
Get a Clue - Go Letterboxing!

At 09:17 AM 4/29/2006, you wrote:
> I laminate the park maps between layers of clear Contact paper with a
>couple of my topos dating back to the mid 1970's. I've found an unused
>roll of this contact paper at a thrift store recently, I'm not sure if
>this stuff is still made. I fold the maps in military fashion so I
>don't have to unfold it very much to continue past the folds.

Has anyone ever used Aquaseal to protect a map? Does it work well?
http://www.aquaseal.com/map-seal.html

SD

#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#
Silent Doug, P63 F1280 X179 E27
http://www.letterboxing.info
Get a Clue - Go Letterboxing!

Sounds easier than various lamination methods including contact
paper. Looks like you are 'painting' the paper with this product and
folding would be easier but many local state park maps are only about
the size of a placemat.

Accuracy is still the question with maps since they often change
trail routes this time of year to go around obstacles such as washed
out foot bridges they don't wish to replace. Deer creek had that issue
with bridges rotting away and large tracts in Zaleski State forest are
cut for timber frequently. I was scoping out a couple remote favorite
places Saturday and found one barren of trees and the other under
Beaver ponds. Ohio, like many other states mulled over the idea of
charging folks to park at places we've financed already and reap the
money from timber sales from 'public' lands.

The latter being the rant of the day.


-----Original Message-----
From: Silent Doug
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Mon, 1 May 2006 15:34:36 -0400
Subject: Re: [LbNA] North American Road Atlas

At 09:17 AM 4/29/2006, you wrote:
> I laminate the park maps between layers of clear Contact paper
with a
>couple of my topos dating back to the mid 1970's. I've found an unused
>roll of this contact paper at a thrift store recently, I'm not sure if
>this stuff is still made. I fold the maps in military fashion so I
>don't have to unfold it very much to continue past the folds.

Has anyone ever used Aquaseal to protect a map? Does it work well?
http://www.aquaseal.com/map-seal.html

SD

#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#
Silent Doug, P63 F1280 X179 E27
http://www.letterboxing.info
Get a Clue - Go Letterboxing!




Yahoo! Groups Links

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Silent Doug
wrote:

Hi Doug

Prior to many river suppliers selling waterproof maps there was only
Aqua Seal or similar products. I was too cheap to purchase the stuff
and coated many of my non-water proof maps with varnish. That worked
for a while but I do not recommend it. I would think the clear
contact paper might be better than Aqua Seal. You might contact
North West River supplies in Moscow, Idaho, or some other river
supplier for info.

Don
>
> Has anyone ever used Aquaseal to protect a map? Does it work well?
> http://www.aquaseal.com/map-seal.html
>
> SD
>
> #-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#
> Silent Doug, P63 F1280 X179 E27
> http://www.letterboxing.info
> Get a Clue - Go Letterboxing!
>

Delorme has a great selection here in their headquarters in Freeport
Maine. I could look into it the next time I am up there.

-Conrad

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Sara" wrote:
>
> David & I have been searching for a good U.S. road atlas that
clearly
> shows State Parks. We have been working with state by state paper
> foldy-type maps and they are just getting destroyed! We have been
> looking for a few days in Barnes n' Noble, Borders & online, but all
> the books we see mark state parks as VERY light green (barely
visable)
> or not at all. Does anyone have an atlas that is geared toward
hikers
> and those who enjoy state parks? We are in need of suggestions.
>
> Sara n' David *HappilyEverAfter*
>