Getting Lost

[MontyVeda]

Always. I do plan routes and sometimes i'll print off a map, but i always miss a turning somewhere along the way. It's hard to get too lost though. The Irish Sea stops me on one side. The Pennines on the other. Then there's the M6, the canal and west coast mainline all giving me handy pointers.

 

[gavroche]

One trick is to use the sun so you always know your cardinal points. It will point you in the right direction.

 

[Goggs]

I find that my TomTom in the car doesn't really like being in France, for whatever reason. In Scotland it was fine, same in Spain but southern France seems to cause it some real problems. Which is a shame because some of the road junctions around here are totally crazy.

 

[Starchivore]

I remember when I was about 13 or 14 I did a sportive with my Dad, I think my second ever. We were warned that the route was a bit confusing at a key point but I’m not great with directions and just thought I’d follow my Dad.

However the first part of the route was flat and people were really barrelling along. I, being a light climber type (I wouldn’t call myself “fast” on the flat now but back then I really really wasn’t and was only interested in going uphill), lost a bit of ground.

Being separated from the group, I missed the tricky bit in the middle. They looped back and I saw them briefly- at this point I should have crossed the road to them and got back in tow- but my sense of pride and fairness compelled me to continue and not to cut off any of the route.

Well, I thought I was on the right lines but I was not. I got onto a duel carriageway for a while and hit a pothole and lost my back light. (This was an evening ride by the way.) I eventually found my way back to somewhere I knew after several hours and was well pleased to see a nearby town on a road sign (Skipton I think).

I was really whacked by now, nothing to eat or drink for a while. I remembered I should ring home to let them know I was on my way back (I wasn’t carrying my phone). At the first house I knocked at and asked politely if I could use the phone, the man gave me a very suspicious look and then said “no, sorry”, and shut the door. I thought this a bit unkind- I was there in my gear and with my bike, and looking pretty far from a dangerous robber but I suppose some people just don’t like to lend a hand.

The next house let me use their phone and offered me water and a bar to eat so that was a much better result. It was getting late and Mum said she had sent a friend out in their car to look for me at this point!

I set off again and came over Howarth moor at just before 1am, which was quite an interesting experience, quite nice. Having no rear light wasn’t ideal but there was almost no one around, and I got off the road when I saw a car coming. Got back very tired but quite happy and Dad was looking suitably sheepish as he’d been well-chastised by mum about the incident.

A fairly minor story but it’s one of those things you remember with a fond nostalgia.

 

[Milkfloat]

I make maps for a living, but don't count it as a good ride unless I have been 'freestyling' at least a couple of times. Sticking to a well planned route is a little too boring for me.

 

[cyberknight]

Eating cake instead of going out generally works .

 

[Pat "5mph"]

One trick is to use the sun so you always know your cardinal points. It will point you in the right direction.

Sun? Here?
Joking aside, I'm terrible at directions, and terrified of getting lost, not so much for being lost lol, but for fear of finding myself on a bike approaching a 4 lane roundabout with no escape!
Thank goodness for the Garmin and for Street view.

 

[John342]

My favourite phrase isn't I am lost. But I am geographically disorientated. Always found it sounds better haha.

 

[ColinJ]

I make maps for a living, but don't count it as a good ride unless I have been 'freestyling' at least a couple of times. Sticking to a well planned route is a little too boring for me.

The secret is to plan interesting routes!

 

[biggs682]

Ok, how many people have gone exploring down new routes only to find themselves lost. I know you can just turn back and go the way you came but has anyone also tried to avoid doing this.?;

you never got lost you are just taking the scenic route

 

[Cuchilo]

Getting lost is half the fun I've found some great pubs that way.

Thats called getting shitfaced

 

[raleighnut]

Thats called getting shitfaced

I must admit it does help if I've got a tent with me.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Only time I recall getting disoriented, was when I fell ill quite suddenly on the bike (very suddenly like within a couple of miles) missed a junction came up on a t-junction and all I could think was turn right, but it didn't look right, turned out to be the A1 just north of Doncaster however it wasn't till I was approaching the A1(M) part I realised where I was, so had to recalculate a route home from there, even then I didn't take the shortest route due to taking a few wrong turns, finally got home after a further 20 miles or so, distance from the original wrong turn was about 6 or 7 miles, spent the next three days in bed I was that ill. I does show however what hidden strengths we can posse.

 

[Booyaa]

Loads of times. Much better than mapping routes out and knowing exactly where you are going to go and what you are going to see. That to me would be incredibly dull.

 

[Lee_M]

It is all very well exploring leafy flattish country lanes, but round here I could end up going down a 10% hill, which goes round a corner and becomes 15%, and then round the next corner becomes 20%, and then I hit the mud-covered broken cobbles ... I don't find those kind of surprises very ride-enhancing!

I'm with you on this. when I moved to North Wales I was very glad to have my gps, although I still accidentally ended up on a couple of 20% climbs!