Occasionally I like to go to Google earth. Those satellite views are amazing. It does take some time to adjust to seeing things in that way. The old " birds eye view " that we always hear about. It is really something and can be surprising. I know by " flying over " the area where I grew up that I don't know the area any where near as good as I thought I did. It is true I haven't lived there in over thirty five years, but still. Of course, we didn't have Goggle earth then either. The relationship of one location to another is surprising in some instances. Geographic features appear differently.
I have " flown over " where I live in Greensboro. I got the same result. Very surprising the features I discovered. Driving, I am quite familiar with the direction and relative location of the other towns and major highways. If you look at it from above it is quite a bit different . It is a good thing I am not a pilot, I would be lost for sure. Wrong way Corrigan wouldn't have anything on me. For those of you that may not be familiar with him, he became famous for flying in the wrong direction and winding up in Ireland.
I did write one other time about how small a world I did live in growing up. There was a small circle where I knew the area really well and an ever expanding circle where things got a little confusing. I am a creature of habit. I tend to drive the same roads to get where I am going. I did that back then and I do it today. Seldom do I deviate from my beaten path. My memory for roads and where they will go is not so good. I have to travel that road several times before I get it. Even then, I must continue to use that route fairly frequently or I will forget. I'm afraid I would not have made much of an explorer.
I think forming a map in your head, whether it be ground based or aerial, is something that is inherent to certain people. I am not one of them. Thankfully, I am a man so I don't need to ask for directions, but I can't explain to others how to get there. I do admire those that have that ability. I think my problem lies in that I always get lost in the details, the big picture seems to elude me somehow. Probably the same function required to solve that darn Rubiks cube, easier to just move the stickers. If I took a globe of the earth and had stickers for the continents I think I could come close to getting it right. If I did the same for Caroline County ( where I live ), only with the towns, the results would be hilarious I'm sure of that. I'd get the closet ones alright, but more than twenty miles out and I'd be confused for sure.
I do think this ability to know your location can be learned and cultivated. Back in the old days when exploring the west and all that you pretty much had best know. You had to keep that information in your head too. It has been said that the old mountain men developed such an expansive memory of the land and its' features that they never got lost. Well, at least the ones that came back weren't lost. I do think it is a matter of paying attention. If I had to ride a horse or walk wherever I went I'm betting I would remember. . If you are flying, at altitude, the ground below does appear to move slowly so that theory would work for that as well. I guess that is my problem, I travel too low and too fast. Whether driving or flying I just can't file the information fast enough. I think it is to be expected though. I am a product of the times. When there are signs everywhere you really don't need to remember, just read. And now we can put a map of the world on our smart phones. I don't know, what about when we travel in space ? I mean how are we going to know how to get back ? I don't think we have left the sight of earth yet, except when we orbit the moon, but you know what I mean. If there is no landmarks, then what ? Umm, guess you have to be able to see the big picture.
I have " flown over " where I live in Greensboro. I got the same result. Very surprising the features I discovered. Driving, I am quite familiar with the direction and relative location of the other towns and major highways. If you look at it from above it is quite a bit different . It is a good thing I am not a pilot, I would be lost for sure. Wrong way Corrigan wouldn't have anything on me. For those of you that may not be familiar with him, he became famous for flying in the wrong direction and winding up in Ireland.
I did write one other time about how small a world I did live in growing up. There was a small circle where I knew the area really well and an ever expanding circle where things got a little confusing. I am a creature of habit. I tend to drive the same roads to get where I am going. I did that back then and I do it today. Seldom do I deviate from my beaten path. My memory for roads and where they will go is not so good. I have to travel that road several times before I get it. Even then, I must continue to use that route fairly frequently or I will forget. I'm afraid I would not have made much of an explorer.
I think forming a map in your head, whether it be ground based or aerial, is something that is inherent to certain people. I am not one of them. Thankfully, I am a man so I don't need to ask for directions, but I can't explain to others how to get there. I do admire those that have that ability. I think my problem lies in that I always get lost in the details, the big picture seems to elude me somehow. Probably the same function required to solve that darn Rubiks cube, easier to just move the stickers. If I took a globe of the earth and had stickers for the continents I think I could come close to getting it right. If I did the same for Caroline County ( where I live ), only with the towns, the results would be hilarious I'm sure of that. I'd get the closet ones alright, but more than twenty miles out and I'd be confused for sure.
I do think this ability to know your location can be learned and cultivated. Back in the old days when exploring the west and all that you pretty much had best know. You had to keep that information in your head too. It has been said that the old mountain men developed such an expansive memory of the land and its' features that they never got lost. Well, at least the ones that came back weren't lost. I do think it is a matter of paying attention. If I had to ride a horse or walk wherever I went I'm betting I would remember. . If you are flying, at altitude, the ground below does appear to move slowly so that theory would work for that as well. I guess that is my problem, I travel too low and too fast. Whether driving or flying I just can't file the information fast enough. I think it is to be expected though. I am a product of the times. When there are signs everywhere you really don't need to remember, just read. And now we can put a map of the world on our smart phones. I don't know, what about when we travel in space ? I mean how are we going to know how to get back ? I don't think we have left the sight of earth yet, except when we orbit the moon, but you know what I mean. If there is no landmarks, then what ? Umm, guess you have to be able to see the big picture.
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