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Maps take up space

Old 06-20-21, 02:46 AM
  #1  
TiHabanero
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Maps take up space

How much space does a set of Northern Tier maps take up?
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Old 06-20-21, 04:39 AM
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The AC maps are about 3-3/4" x 8-1/4" when folded. The NT has 11 maps. I just checked a stack of 11 AC maps. How thick the stack is will depend on how well you compress them. If you squeeze them tightly you can get them down to 3/4". My well used maps sitting loosely puff up to 1-1'4" or so.

On the TA we mailed maps home when we were done with them so the pack shrunk as we went. If you really wanted to you could have half of them mailed to you at some point along the way, probably not worth it though.

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Old 06-20-21, 05:27 AM
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11 TransAm maps ...

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Old 06-20-21, 06:02 AM
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I mailed the appropriate maps ahead via General Delivery to a small town PO, along with a new chain and other spares. Every few weeks I mailed something back home, like seasonal clothing I didn't need any more, and included used maps. I used this tactic on various long distance hikes in the previous years. POs are also a good place to get cash back from your debit card.
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Old 06-20-21, 06:17 AM
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I started with the entire set and would mail them home periodically. I didn’t find the entire set took up too much space. If you mail them General Delivery I would choose larger towns. Some of post offices in small towns in places like ND had limited hours. I did a lot of film mailing and receiving.
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Old 06-20-21, 06:21 AM
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I guess I get carried away with maps. 2 years ago we spent 3 months cycling in Europe and I carried almost 3 lbs. of maps!
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Old 06-20-21, 07:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Tandem Tom
I guess I get carried away with maps. 2 years ago we spent 3 months cycling in Europe and I carried almost 3 lbs. of maps!
the horror, the horror.

but yup, that's a lot of maps. I kept my country specific maps of the countries passing through on one of my trips, and had at least one given to me from my riding partner, but I like paper maps although I certainly didn't have 3 pounds worth!

I guess for this fellows situation, the mailing home thing makes sense.

And I still must really like the holding, sharing, and reliability of a paper map, accompanied with electronic stuff for instant checkups.
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Old 06-20-21, 07:33 AM
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Hey tihab, I can't recall, have you ever done long trips?
If so, what did you do last time for maps or whatever, daily mapping , directions etc GPS only, phone, power?
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Old 06-20-21, 10:12 AM
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On my 2016 trip, I had Adventure Cycling send the last two Southern Tier maps to Socorro, NM "General Delivery" once I figured I was going to parallel that route for a while. I still had a set from 2001 but they were undoubtedly out of date in multiple parts.

I have sometimes mailed maps home and sometimes just given them to cyclists I meet going the other direction.
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Old 06-20-21, 10:28 AM
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Originally Posted by mev
I have sometimes mailed maps home and sometimes just given them to cyclists I meet going the other direction.
Heh. I did that back in 2000. I was doing a combination of the Northern Tier, Great Parks North and South and Trans Am from Seattle to Cortez, CO. Met a German woman in Yellowstone who was winging it. Game her one of my TA maps for west of W. Yellowstone.
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