Google Maps is an internet staple. It holds together the very fabric papers of the Internet. We all use it. Well, I do anyway. And, I’ll use it more now that it has what Google is calling, “terrain view”. Just visit google.com/maps and click the “terrain” button at the top right of the map. You’ll be treated to a visual delight. The colors are magnificent, the speed is unbelievable, and it even visually feels like paper. Well done, Google! Take a gander:

Couldn’t resist checking out Mt. Katahdin.. Good times. Now go put it to use!

A few months ago I wrote about Andrew Skurka’s quest to be the first to thru-hike the Great Western Loop. Two days ago, Saturday November 3rd, Skurka finished his hike. Not only was his journey a personal one of self-discovery and pushing his limits, but he sought to bring attention to the reality that is Global Warming.

“The reality is that change has already taken place that has potentially catastrophic consequences. There was a drastic difference in the size of the glaciers on my map and the size of glaciers right in front of me. The snowmelt is shocking,” said Skurka. “With record high heats and record low precipitation along the trail, I felt a foreshadowing of what is to come in our climate.”

I applaud Skurka for his accomplishment, and look forward to (surely) another awesome trek in the future.