Get lost!

[DaveyB1981]

I took the road bike out for a ride in the drizzle today having missed out on yesterday's glorious sunshine. I've been using the MTB whenever I've had the chance to ride lately - which tends to be the odd 15 miles here and there. I realised that although the wider tyres and hydraulic disks do make sense in bad weather, I had developed a bit of a phobia to anything but the best weather when it comes to the road bike, owing to an off the last time i rode it in the rain. Anyway, the ride was fantastic, despite the frozen feet. I had gone with my dad and I am a fair bit faster than him when i take the road bike. He insists that I ride on without him, so being in a bit of a hurry, I leave him at the "half way" point and agree to meet him back at his house (where my wife and kids were waiting). Somewhere after this, things went a little wrong and a 30 mile ride turned into 50. Thing is, the ride is fairly local to me, so I should have known better! Really need to brush up on my local geography.

So, in a rambling way, I was wondering how regularly you guys get lost and what is your longest detour?

Dave

 

[david1701]

I got lost today by following the signs ended up to a 6 mile loop before I realised that I had been here before

 

[Hydra]

I still haven't been out on a "proper" ride yet due to a slight fear of getting lost

I suppose I should man up and get out one day...

 

[totallyfixed]

Never, always use Cardmin. [don't ask]

 

[Haitch]

You never get lost. You merely explore alternative routes. And when you've explored them all, you'll never get lost again.

 

[biggs682]

never and if so just tell everbody going scenic route always works

 

[markharry66]

Today I ran out of road signs coming back from Richmond ended up doing a loop of london and its not happening again I have decided to get an iphone. I must have seen the same book shop from four different routes

 

[HLaB]

I never get lost, I just take detours

 

[ThePainInSpain]

Never, always plan properly.

 

[guitarpete247]

Never got lost yet. There have been times when I didn't know where I was. But found my way home so didn't technically get lost.
I have been off exploring the countryside round here as I only move down to Lecestershire 2 years ago. found some lovely little villages and pleasant rides. I'm within the A444, A447, A5 and M42 so don't have any worries .

 

[HLaB]

Never, always plan properly.

A bit OT, the last time I'd got semi lost was in Spain. I worked out a loop in laand from Denia. When I stopped at a tiny carpark/vilage to comfirm I was still on the right path (at Castell de Castells iirc) a car came up to me and started asking for directions; it was my first time there! It happens every time I go to somewhere new but yet when I know a place 100% nobody asks directions

 

[snorri]

So, in a rambling way, I was wondering how regularly you guys get lost and what is your longest detour?

Errrr....when I'm lost, I don't know where I am so don't know the length of the detour.
I haven't been lost within 100 miles of home, but it's not unusual to get lost when on tour. Getting lost provides the opportunity to speak with the locals, and that can lead to interesting conversations and even to lasting friendships. Last summer in Austria I was quite lost and studying a roadside mapboard, which actually confused me further until a group of nudists came on the scene and after a chat they directed me towards my destination. Another year in Germany I asked a cyclist for directions, turned out he was lost too, so we decided to cycle together until we knew where we were. We were still cycling together a week later when we split up in Denmark but kept in touch, and have each visited the other several times in the last ten years.

 

[DTD]

I nearly always get lost. I usually plan routes carefully – still get lost. Luckily I get lost so often I end up getting lost somewhere I've been before and manage to find my way home.

When I did my first sportive t'other weekend, I had already rode the course twice before to make sure I knew the general route – got lost both times. The first time it involved a very hilly extra 10 miles.

Eventually I'll admit defeat and get a GPS, but I think it's best if I get a bit better first.

 

[chillyuk]

I get lost, or explore new areas, regularly and deliberately. I see a lane and wonder where it goes, so, one way to find out, and down it I go. In reality, it isn't often you ride for more than a couple of miles or so without seeing a sign to somewhere to get you back on track.

 

[Jonathing]

As my grandad used to say "I in't never not got where I'm ended up yet." But he was from Norfolk.

The reason I joined a club was to go on longer rides without getting lost, which has almost always worked. I did accidentally double my journey to work last year but once I'd realised my mistake I kept to it as it was a nicer route than the direct one.