Maps, Maps and More Maps

The ‘Maps Page’ update is finally done.. Whew!

I knew the day I posted my first PR map to the Web that it would eventually need corrections. All of that work was done before ever leaving Alaska. It was a ‘best guess’ based on what I could find on the Internet. ‘Boots on the ground’ make all the difference. This new map is not perfect either. It’s as much ‘a work of art’ as it is topographically accurate. It reflects what I know today. At some point it will ‘evolve’ again.

The software and hardware I used to create it has evolved as well. I spend an awful lot of time at the computer.  This map update took a good 40 hours.
I retired my old dual processor G4 Mac (running Adobe’s original Creative Suite) and moved entirely to my 17″ Intel MacBook Pro with CS 4 to do this last round of updates. It’s hooked up to a 2nd display and a small ‘zero raid array’ (used to speed-up Photoshop and FinalCut Express).

A Good Puerto Rican Road Map:

I’ve looked at a lot of maps along the way and the freebee from the PR Dept. of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP) is the best one yet. After downloading, I prepared it as a ‘split’ to print front and back on 13″ x 19″ for laminating.

Download links are on the ‘Maps Page’.

The Library of Congress Resource:

In addition to my own map update and PR road map, I’ve added several unique antique maps I found on the Library of Congress Web site. Most were huge files, some over 200MB! I tweaked them, resampled them, selectively sharpened them and then created the smaller ‘compact’ files on the ‘Maps Page’.

The ‘Maps Page’ will also be the depository of any new maps I make to support stories like the one I did for the Tren Urbano transit system. I will be posting up a custom map of Coamo’s San Blas Half Marathon as an update to that event in early February.

Bottom line… all my site updates are behind me, for now.

Special Note: I’ll be moving this site to a new server over the next few days so if I temporarily disappear, don’t fret.

Now I’ll take a much deserved break before heading off in search of my next story. The Scurvy Dog of Puerto Rico.. ARRG!