Rolling down CA Highway-101 this evening the miles flew by as the sun shone softly in the rear-view mirror. Greens, yellows, browns, and blues painted a hazy tableau as we breezed through the fertile plains, rolling hills, steep canyons, and oceanic headlands of central California. Somewhere outside of SLO we began to wonder exactly which direction we were heading. West is that way, Devo said motioning toward the left side of the 'bu.
Our trip was to take us from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, so we were had to be heading at least partially south. It was clear that the wedding had done its damage for my delirious friend as she tried to fathom that west was actually to our right. This prompted the introduction of a compass to the conversation.
Seemingly a simple instrument- compasses can cause confusion and frustration if not used properly. To use a compass productively you must know a few things.
-- The earth has a magnetic field- and the magnetic north pole is where this field is based.
-- The needle of a compass is made of metal which is attracted to this pole.
-- Each Compass has a designated marking for North, East, South and West.
Line up the needle of the compass with the northern marker (usually marked with an orienting arrow), while staying stationary. See what direction you are facing in relation to this marking and bam! You've got yourself a heading.
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