The ability to read a map is one of the many skills we have mostly lost in the battle with modern technology. Nowadays, most people have difficulty orienting themselves with basic East-West directions on a sunny day.

My daydreams of mountains always bring me back to my sixth birthday. It also happens to be my first memory of adventure. The plan was for my sister (age 8) and me to fly by ourselves from St. Louis to Palm Springs to visit our grandparents. The plane ride itself was an otherworldly experience.