Oh, Canada! Oh, Canada!
Do you realize how many hours I spent making maps for the United States? At one point, I could close my eyes and still see the latent images flashing across my brain. I had nightmares. And I'm man enough to admit it--I cried. Okay, maybe I didn't cry, but at times, I wanted to. What did I get myself into?
I started working on a Canadian version of the map, but gave up in disgust. Not to mention that I didn't have any decent Canadian maps to work off of. I did throw in a map for Mexico--but only because I didn't break the country down into its individual administrative areas. One map! Which is relatively quick and easy, all things considered.
But Canada had all those provinces... Thirteen of them. Not as bad as the United States, but about thirteen more than I wanted to do. So I set the maps aside for another day.
Along came a day, about a month ago, and I picked up the map project once again. Tonight (this morning--it's 3:10am now here in Seattle as I type this), I finally finished Canada. I'm pretty sick of maps once again. =) Not so bad that I'm having nightmares and still seeing maps when I close my eyes, but ugh, map-making isn't the simple project you might think it is. And boy howdy, I tell you, I have a new-found respect for the work Der Mad Stamper put into the LbNA website! I bet the jerk had an easy to do it, though. Can't imagine he wasted as much time on the project as I did. ;o)
I still harbor dreams of supporting the entire world with maps, one country at a time. Perhaps I'll even finish before kick that great bucket in the sky. =) Yeah, not likely, but what can I say? I like to dream big!
Anyhow, for your mapping pleasure, enjoy Canada!
-- Ryan
PS. There are only six boxes of mini pencils left. If you're interested, it's still not to late! But I doubt they'll last much longer. Now or never! =)
8 comments:
Thanks Ryan! I'll be heading to Canada this summer! :-)
--Amyrica
I did not realize that these maps were all created by hand. I have had those "Dream about it" projects! Glad to see you stuck it out, it will be handy if I ever decide to box North of the Border.
I feel your pain oh Green one. In college, I took "Survey of Canada" which involved a great deal of the Earth Sciences and a "few" handwritten maps. I benefited though, where most other students were lacking, from extensive travel across North America as a "Griswold Kid". Yes, traveling in the Buick Estate Wagons or reasonable facsimiles, from coast to coast, seven to eight thousand miles in two weeks each Summer with Mom, Dad, sis and self, I came to know the first name of the guides around Calgary.
Who else here has made the 2 km walk back into Mt. St. Edith Cavell, named for a nurse in WWII? Who here has crawled down into the turquoise blue crevaces on the Columbia Ice Fields? Niagara Falls is in my back yard and I still find it breathtaking as we hike along the Niagara Gorge at the base of the American Falls.
So many experiences, but as I raised my hand in class each time to share something anecdotal, to the chagrin of my classmates and the delight of the professor, those maps came just a bit easier for "Sugarpops".
Exciting news. Thanks for all the work you put into it Ryan. It's most appreciated. :)
Lone R (Ontario, Canada)
I happen to be in Montreal on vacation right now.
And yes, I noticed the difference today. Thank you!
But I will have to go home empty handed. One area was closed for the winter. And when I got to the area of the other boxes, they were under 2 feet of ice and snow.
First time I`ve been in snow in 20 years BTW
Sits N Knits
Thank you Ryan. I especially love that you've included St. Thomas ON on the map. We are usually ignored or just "south of London". Now come on everyone, come and visit us in St. Thomas Ontario!!!!!!!!
Grandma Pam
Big Blue Team
What maps? I want to admire the hard work, but I'm not sure where to find these (it's probably somewhere obvious with a blinking sign)....
Gosh, did you REALLY just call Der Mad Stamper a jerk? I hope it's only because of the exhaustion from map gazing.
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