memorising maps/routes

[Dave 123]

I seem to be fine with navigating by the seat of my pants, except when I'm in Cornwall for some reason. Totally disoriented.

 

[summerdays]

I also have the weird trait of recognising a junction when I arrive at it from years ago (holiday locations) and then knowing which way I went.... Equally I have some black hole junctions that I never remember.... I think it's ones that I went wrong and then I can never remember if the way I remember was the correct route or the incorrect one...

 

[gavroche]

I always carry a compass in my car. If gps fails, all you need is a compass or even stars are night.

 

[ColinJ]

I bought a Garmin GPS after I received the route sheet for a 200 km audax ride in Cheshire which averaged near enough one turn per km. There was no way that I was going to remember 200 turns in unfamiliar countryside and I had not enjoyed a previous '200' because I was staring at the route sheet all the time to avoid getting lost.

I programmed the route into the device and navigated perfectly, so I was hooked. I always witness riders getting lost on audax rides and find that about 50% of them refuse to believe me when I tell them that they are going the wrong way. I have been overtaken by the same riders multiple times on the same stretch of road so they were clearly going round in circles!

The only times I have gone astray in the 10 years since buying the GPS have been when I have been distracted by talking to other riders and forgot to look at the screen - the Gramin does not talk to me or beep when I need to turn.

I can usually remember routes once I have done them a few times. I can mentally replay rides on very familiar routes when I get home. It always amazes me what details I can sometimes recall - things like what colour a car overtaking me was, or how many ramblers were walking down a road in front of me, what a poster in front of a village hall said and so on!

 

[raleighnut]

I bought a Garmin GPS after I received the route sheet for a 200 km audax ride in Cheshire which averaged near enough one turn per km. There was no way that I was going to remember 200 turns in unfamiliar countryside and I had not enjoyed a previous '200' because I was staring at the route sheet all the time to avoid getting lost.

I programmed the route into the device and navigated perfectly, so I was hooked. I always witness riders getting lost on audax rides and find that about 50% of them refuse to believe me when I tell them that they are going the wrong way. I have been overtaken by the same riders multiple times on the same stretch of road so they were clearly going round in circles!

The only times I have gone astray in the 10 years since buying the GPS have been when I have been distracted by talking to other riders and forgot to look at the screen - the Gramin does not talk to me or beep when I need to turn.

I can usually remember routes once I have done them a few times. I can mentally replay rides on very familiar routes when I get home. It always amazes me what details I can sometimes recall - things like what colour a car overtaking me was, or how many ramblers were walking down a road in front of me, what a poster in front of a village hall said and so on!

Ah the benefits of being sober these days.

 

[ColinJ]

Ah the benefits of being sober these days.

It does help, though I am forgetting more and more important information as I get older!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Can anyone else here memorise maps? I know everyone's brains work differently but my friends always seem baffled by my ability to always know where I'm going. A quick glance at a map the night before and I'm fine.

I like to record my rides with gps. Currently use strava on my phone and bung my phone in my back pocket. I couldn't imagine anything more distracting than a gps on my handlebars, especially one with the audacity to tell me where to go!

I'm I some sort of freak?

Yes either road or mountains (I climb & hike). My hiking buddy can do the same.

However, and not so critical whilst cycling, it's dangerous to get complacent about such things esp' when the weather closes in and the situation becomes difficult and stressful. We each carry the appropriate map, two compasses and a GPS. You just never know what might happen.

 

[growingvegetables]

Am I some sort of freak?

Nope. I can pretty well do like you. Even to memorising the complicated bits where I will need to whip out the map next day.

Usually works. Except on the TPT between Sheffield and Barnsley, in either direction; that could be a black hole as far as my memory is concerned.

 

[summerdays]

What is bike orienteering.... It sounds vaguely interesting apart from if it was meant to be competitive I'd be so slow on a mountain bike...

 

[Illaveago]

I find that I need to study a map the day before and then work out if I need to be East, West, North or South as familiar names pop up on route. I seem to have a bit of a built in compass but it does rely on clear skies. My wife is the complete opposite but is good at reading a map.

 

[biggs682]

It does help, though I am forgetting more and more important information as I get older!

We all have that problem for sure

 

[Katherine]

Anyone who can look at a map and remember it is very lucky!

I have 2 problems with reading a map when I'm out, knowing which way I'm facing and needing reading glasses. I have got very reliant on group rides, just following the leader. I have learnt some new routes that way but I need to go the same way several times before I remember it. On my own I have got more confident about going a different way and then using Google maps on my phone to get me home. I'll either stop and memorise the next 2 or 3 turns or set it to navigate and listen to the voice in my pocket.

Yesterday, I used a 'ride with gps' for the first time. I decided to pay for the version with sound and it worked really well. I liked the musical prompts at junctions. I was able to enjoy the ride so much better and noticed more details in the surroundings than when I was thinking where I was going. I just need to learn how to plot a route now.

 

[Venod]

I enjoy and can usually memorise routes enough not to get too lost, but it can go wrong.
I set off with a mate from the car park near the Flouch Inn, the plan was to run up Mickleden Edge via Cut Gate Path to Howden Edge then run South(left) on Howden Edge then West (right) down to Howden Resovoir & back via Cut Gate Path, the mist was down and visibility was shocking, we had forgot map & compass (foolish) but the route was easy to remember, we got to Howden Edge turned South (left) ran for a while then descended East down to the resovoir, but it wasn't there !
In the mist we had circled the Cut Gate Path/Howden Edge Path junction and aproached it from the West,we went North (left)thinking we were going South, then North East (right) thinking we were going West, we ended up in Hodron Clough with no idea where we were,in the mist, but luck was on our side we came across a lone walker who had a map and gave us the directions home by following The Little Don River back to Langsett Resovoir.
We were lucky, but its easy to see how it can go wrong.

 

[Illaveago]

Gwen has just come tearing through the cat flap and through the kitchen doing a lovely tailwheel slide, first one way and then the other as she negotiated the S bends from the kitchen to the living room. It was fun to watch.

 

[Illaveago]

I may get lost on here though! Sorry.