The author emphasizes the size of New York City to show that it's actually quite small compared to nature and the ecosystem. The author emphasizes the "colossal" size of New York as an ironic source with the purpose of showing that even the strongest concrete city can be drawn by the power of mother nature itself.
1.hiking
2. putting
3. seeking
4. traveled
5. mapped
6. offered
7. wandering
8. becoming
9. visiting
10. phoning
11. checking
That's all that I can see
