How to Spell Adventure? - Purple Lizard Maps

Q&A with Award-winning Mapmaker Mike Hermann

A map in hand, and studying it, speaks to the very essence of adventure. Contour lines. Sites. Getting from point A to point B. Blue lines. Numbers. Trail names. Camping locations. Running a finger across the paper, map sprawled out on the table, the tent floor, a slab of rock.

Mountain biker and award-winning mapmaker Mike Hermann founded, owns and operates Purple Lizard Maps. Hands down, they are some of the best maps available anywhere/anytime/all time. If you are map enthusiast, you should check out his maps, even if they don’t cover where you live. They are beautiful. What’s more, finding the little purple lizards on the maps is like going on a mind-trip adventure before getting out the door.

Based in State College, PA and primarily focused on the Mid-Atlantic region, Purple Lizard Maps are what you want/need for adventuring in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia (including Shenandoah National Park), and there’s a map for Puerto Rico that is available in English and Spanish. He also has lizard socks, beanies, bags, stickers, etc.

Purple Lizard Maps is based in PA, home to endless gravel

To get to know a little more about Mike/Purple Lizard, here’s some very insightful Q&A:

1. Any quick insights on what to look for when buying a map?

A good map should hit you like a good bicycle: you know it when you see it!  When a bike catches your eye it does so on a primal level - you're like, whoa, what is that? That is beautiful!  When you open up a good map your mind should be alive with possibilities as it unlocks a new landscape for you to explore. If you don't feel that, put it back on the rack. There are a lot of very poorly designed and dull maps out there. Purple Lizard Maps are highly curated and designed by people who play outdoors, and we go to the places we map, so they represent the perspective of mountain bikers and hikers. 

2. Maps/adventure go hand-in-hand. What are a few of your favorite locations?

I'm partial to the Appalachian mountains, I think the topography and terrain is just spectacular for bicycling, hiking and overall exploration. It's the perfect scale - most climbs can be done in about 30-40 minutes so we have an endless rollercoaster of climbs and descents throughout the mountains and valleys. I've lived and played all over the West, the desert and the Rockies, and they all have their charms - but the East is where it's at for me.

3. Specific to mountain biking ... favorite East Coast trails?

Pennsylvania has so many spectacular trails, but many are ridgetop technical and that is an acquired skill to ride well. I grew up riding the rocks, and the thick ferns, tall pines and mountain streams all come together to give the rider such a beautiful experience on every sensory level. Rothrock State Forest in Central PA has two IMBA Epic routes, which reinforces how fantastic the trail system is there. 

4. Post-ride beer? Any recommendations for PA breweries?

Head to whatever microbrewery is closest to the trailhead and I'm sure the locals will treat you right.

5. Anything else to say ... say what you want!

Break away from following the blue dot and just riding what somebody else tells you to ride. I love pulling out a sweet map at an intersection and looking at all the options - taking the proverbial road less travelled is usually the one you'll remember years later. It's really all about building that memory bank of stories to tell around the campfire, dining room table and bar room gathering - those are what we hope Purple Lizard Maps really serve to create.

Maps and gear and such are here: https://www.purplelizard.com/ Note: Purple Lizard Maps is a 1% for the Planet business.

How do you get the discount for Purple Lizard Maps? First, discounts are offered by the business owners and they make them available to paid subscribers. Why? Offering discounts to everyone who follows Paseando MTB might mean that for a small business, there’d be a lot of discounts/money that they are providing. It’s about margins, y’all. It’s also about not getting a free lunch, so to speak.

Want discounts? You need a paid subscription and the lowest price that you can get for a Substack/Paseando MTB subscription is $10.20/year. Use this link to get it:

https://mtbeer.substack.com/0fd4133e

Next up, the paywall. Behind it, is how to get the Purple Lizard Maps discount.