For LEL 2013 I prepared gps routes for each stage between controls. I used N1, N2, S1, S2 etc to signify Northbound, Southbound. Leaving Edinburgh I selected S1 and all was fine. I got to through Traquair and Eskdalemuir without really thinking about it. I blame lack of sleep. When I left Brampton I thought "Ok I've done S1, S2 and S3 so now I must be on S4 and duly set the unit". "Your start point is 60 miles away". Much cursing ensued and I almost gave up. I then thought hang on, so long as I don't try to ride in the dark I can just follow the breadcrumb track back south. I did this but was cursing all the way. It also resulted in me taking a very long detour on the way in to Barnard Castle. At each control, I tried again with the route just adding one to the number, each time my start point was roughly 60 miles away. "I'll get
@arallsopp to have a look at it when I get to Market Rasen" I thought but he was sleeping. Nevermind I've got loads of time in the bag it'll be ok and it means I'll get more sleep cos I can't go anywhere in the dark.
When I was approaching Kirton I suddenly remembered a conversation I'd had with myself two weeks earlier: "When you get to Edinburgh, remember this. IT'S IMPORTANT. Southbound S1 takes you to Brampton not Traquair, S2 will then become Brampton to Barnard Castle and so on". A quick bit of arithmetic led me to working out I was now on S6 although I'd given up trying at around Thirsk. Entered S6 into the unit and sure enough a beep and an instruction that the next left was in 1,5 miles. If my feet hadn't been clipped into the pedals and burning like hell (another story) I would have kicked myself.!!
