[bouncybouncy]

hubby & i are fairly new to the area...we are ready and willing to venture on more epic rides but i fear our directional skills are lacking. is there any clinics to teach skills on map reading, gps mastering, general "You Are Here!" confidence builders? we have managed to find our car after every ride...but the route to it was not always easy

 

[2morrow]

I know the Rei's in my area offer these types of clinics. Also the local adventure racing group/team had a very low key "race" where they taught you how to read the maps etc. I would suggest looking up something similar to see when they are having a clinic or find some others that are good with a map and get lost with them.

 

[Maida7]

I've been here for a bit over 2 years. At first the trail system was mysterous and confusing. I bought some guide books and rode useing the detailed directions. This was really helpfull cause it gets you out on the more popular routes, and keeps you from getting lost. Soon I got a feel for what trails went where and how to link one ride to the next. That's when I picked up the Trails Illustrated Pisah Map. If you don't have this map it is a must buy. Generaly the Pisgah ranger district trails are very well marked. With the map and the trail markings and my rough knowelge, I now put together my own routes and rarely fear I'm going to get lost. I ride alone most of the time so getting lost would really suck. I still stop at many intersections to check my map. I'm sure with a bit more experience I will just know my way. But I have a pretty good sense of direction.

So do you have any guide books? Do you own the map? What rides have you done? What do you consider an epic? What are you looking to achive?

 

[bouncybouncy]

***own a very old guide book from the 90's...after watching BentCreek the last few weeks i am figuring it is safe to say my book is a little outdated

***have the Pisgah map you speak of....and one for Dupont as well...aiming to get the new one Linville Gorge/Mount Mitchell

***have done all of Bent Creek, learning Dupont (feel comfy aimlessly cruising thru this forest), ridden Pisgah but always with a group, wanting to go back to Heartbreak but afraid of the wrong turn, and Kitzuma...

an after work ride is usually 10-15 miles (prefering the longer routes) but we would like to venture out for more 30-50 mile rides without having to report to a marriage counselor when we finally find our way out of the woods. I have a good sense of direction but hubby is a little directionally challenged but he thinks he recognizes every log and rock! (and he will admit that openly...i am not trying to be mean!!!!) we do have a gps but usually run off and forget that when we are with a group so to retrace our routes is not an option right now :madman: ooops!!!

i know with time we will know the trail system better but the weather is so nice and we are just itchin' to see it all...and i would also like to have better comprehension of map reading as to maybe get into adventure racing?!?! we saw bits of the PMBAR and got itch to catch the racing bug...

 

[Maida7]

Have you ridden the trails outta Trace Ridge trail head near Mills River Campground? Since you aleady know bent creek you can combine bent creek with the Trace Ridge area trails to make an epic ride.

Check out Mtn goat epic's website. It has a few epic rides with detailed instructions. One is in Dupont. So if you know dupont that would be another to epic ride you could do. The good thing about Dupont is that if you do take a wrong turn most trails are short and you can get back on track easy.

I suggest you force yourself to try new routes for you shorter 10 -15 mile rides. Stop going to bent creek all the time and try rides from the other trailheads. You will soon see that one area touches another and you can link things together. My last year in ashevile I rode bent creek 3 or 4 times and spent all of my time near the ranger station, mills river, the fish hatchery, and the horse stables.

And when in a group ride keep checking your map so you can remember where you have been and how you got there and what worked and what did not.

 

[litespeedchick]

You too, huh? Not only is my husband directionally challenged, he DOESN'T know it. He can't call the trail names either, and will get mad at ME when I don't immediately recognize what he means by "that other trail..you know" . Like I'm deliberately being dense.

I don't really have much to suggest that Maida hasn't already:

We started w/ the Jim Parham book.
Then rode with a group for years who taught us *most* of the trails.
Now we search out new variations and combinations using the indestructible Trails map. That can be dangerous, though if you don't understand topo lines. Some trails are ridden a particular direction(or not ridden at all) for a reason!

A "stop and wait at all turns unless previously discussed" rule will stave off divorce.