The Map

I've been thinking about the map. Part of me wants to use it as another distraction from the main story line. The trouble with that is I don't have any reason for it, or any location. It would mean building another side trek. Mines have been covered, goblin lairs, dungeons and tunnels... I'm not sure what might be interesting without feeling repetitive. It's starting to feel like the time has come to start advancing the main story toward the dragon. Of course, the party is still well downriver from the lair, and there will be plenty of encounter opportunities along the way.
Frankly, that itself is daunting. There is still a long way to go, but there should be a strong connecting theme as that story develops. From this point, the journey moves back into more civilized territory. I suppose that is a good thing. There is a chance to put off the dragon story until they actually reach the town. That area is threatened and more insistent on action. The farms and small settlements between here and there are more concerned with banditry and lawlessness.
The map fits better as something connected with the dragon lair. The significance of it is beyond the players' ken until they get past Aron's Bowl and begin the trip through the fens into the dragon's sphere of influence. I think a nice side trek after the town to some magical tower would be best. That can reveal the meaning of the map.
That means the trip from Faring Ford to Aron's Bowl is a separate set of adventure opportunities that are still preludes to the main dragon line. There can be another one or two flybys along the way. That will heighten the danger and sense of urgency. It also gives a couple of opportunities to assess the capabilities of the dragon in order to better prepare for a final confrontations. We can explore some of its strengths and weaknesses, highlight its ability to fly, breathe, cause fear... I like that.
The next question, though, gets back to more pertinent concerns. This section of river. We're here, we're crossing this part of the country, this is what matters. This is what I'm blank on. It might be interesting to explore more political aspects of adventuring, like the bandits and guardsmen. It isn't new, but maybe there's a chance to introduce some fun elements and alliances to spice things up.
I wonder if some geography changes might help. I'm thinking of creating a small lake around the drop from Aron's Bowl to the plain below. There could be two distinct geographical areas as well, Upper and Lower Aron, one home to small farms and a growing population, the other more barren and hardscrabble. Upper Aron is the old settlement, the original congregation of miners and explorers. The Upper Valley is full of hot springs and sulfur pools, the cold of the north beaten back by the thermal heat. The valley has become baked and desert-like with the growing power of the volcano and dragon.
The Lower Valley is more suitable to agriculture, and has begun to expand with small farms. These supply much of the food needs of the entire Bowl. It also has started to draw the attention of the wild denizens of the mountains and the wild men of the mountains and mines.