route gadget

[AlanB]

My problem is that sometimes I haven't got the foggiest where I actually went!

Seconded!

[NFKleanne]

My problem is that sometimes I haven't got the foggiest where I actually went!

Seconded!

thirded. sometime I just guess where i was - which is why i have a habit of punching all controls as I pass them!

[mappingmum]

i have a habit of punching all controls as I pass them!

That's not a bad strategy to have for those occassions when you make an "admin" error ie navigate correctly to the control but brain registers the wrong control code and tells the body "wrong control".

[Scott]

Much to my embarrassment I made a massive mistake on a 100m leg at Bigland on Saturday. After wondering around getting completely lost for several minutes I was hugely relieved to see the runner who had started six minutes after me on the same course run straight past, drop into a dip, and bend to punch a control that was hidden from sight from where I was standing.

Obviously I did the only sensible thing and dived straight in after him and punched. It wasn't until after punching that I checked the code - only to find that it was the control that I had just come from five minutes earlier

Still, at least it meant I knew where I was...

[mappingmum]

At risk of degenerating this [very interesting] thread into silly [but humerous] stories. . .
My hubby used to only punch "his" controls until he mp on a course because of an admin error. If he had only punched the control he kept successfully navigating to he would have won his course. After this very annoying experience he changed his strategy to punch everything. Aside - there weren't many people on this particular course and he isn't reading this either

Seriously though [attempt to get thread back on-topic] routegadget is ace - a great coaching aid and I'm really encouraged when I see other people make mistakes because it makes me feel human. In return, I am sure I have made many others feel human.

If you don't know where you went then get a GPS - another great coaching aid.

[Jagge]

And if you really really want to know what you did just get a head cam http://www.youtube.com/user/XCJagge

[ba-ba]

I find it quite interesting to draw my route, then quickroute from my garmin (when allowed) to find where I actually went - a good coaching aid possibly?
The only problem is getting the map into a .jpg format without easy access to a scanner (library full of people on FB, and effort...) or camera (broken and not replaced) - would people be interested in, at some point after the race a .jpg of each course (or even the 'all controls' map) was put online? so people could quickroute without fold lines/stitching together of large maps!
This would create a bit more work for the planner/web manager, but could be put up some time after the event if time is required - it's quite easy to export all courses from Condes. It might take up a bit of space but clubs could link to a flikr/picasa account where courses could be downloaded.

just a thought - might do it for my event!

[AndyO]

And if you really really want to know what you did just get a head cam http://www.youtube.com/user/XCJagge

wow, Jagge, if I used a camera, I'd have to turn the sound off! great viewing though, but the terrain looks really tough underfoot. If that is similar to Jukola 2011, hats off to everyone going!

[AlanB]

Much to my embarrassment I made a massive mistake on a 100m leg at Bigland on Saturday. After wondering around getting completely lost for several minutes I was hugely relieved to see the runner who had started six minutes after me on the same course run straight past, drop into a dip, and bend to punch a control that was hidden from sight from where I was standing.

Obviously I did the only sensible thing and dived straight in after him and punched. It wasn't until after punching that I checked the code - only to find that it was the control that I had just come from five minutes earlier

Still, at least it meant I knew where I was...

I did something similar at last year's SOL3 (north of Dundee) but without the help. Punched one control then set off over a bit of (to me) featureless moor. Couldn't find the next control and then I decided I had gone too far down the hill. Decided then to retreat up the hill to re-locate, just by chance found a control, quickly checked my list - it was on there, obviously I had gone too far.

Anyway, finished the course to complete my first short blue, and was then disqualified for missing out one control - I hadn't found the control I had been looking for; I had re-found the one I had just left!

[andypat]

I'd a vaguely similar embarrassing experience in the Scottish score. I think it was last year - the map was quite narrow lending itself to an up one side and down the other sort of route. On the way back down I nipped up a hill to grab a quick 20 pointer, only recognising the reentrant when I got there - had already punched it on the way up!