>What I wish ride management would do, which few of them do, it provide a
>USGS topo map with the trail marked on it. Then, if I do get off trail,
>I am not lost, I can always get back to camp.
I agree a *good, detailed* map is essential. I found a copy of the OD map
as I was unpacking. I looked closely at it in light of my little adventure
and with the benefit of calmly sitting in my tackroom:->. There was no way
by that map I would have known I had missed a turn and no way that map
would have gotten me back to anywhere. The map was not detailed enough to
show any of the turns on the trail - it just showed the main routes from
check to check - the ridge I was on was not on that map.
However, when I was waiting for the staff trailer at the third check one of
the OD staff had a topo map and on that map we could see the ridge I had
gotten up on and it was very easy to determine exactly where I had missed
the turn and where I was in relation to the correct trail.
The other issue for trail marking is to *be sure* to pull ribbons from
previous years - it has come to my attention that the reason the trail I
was on was marked even tho I was on the wrong trail is that those ribbons
may have been left over from last year's ride - since this was my first
time on the OD there was no way I could have known I was on last year's
trail.
So maybe some standardization of trail markings - not necessarily detailed
enough to specify colors- rather suggested guidelines for marking turns and
hazards - and more detailed maps would be a good first step.
I would be happy to work with someone (or more) (Wendy was it you that
suggested the standardized markings?) to put together a letter/suggestion
to the AERC competition (is that the right one?) committee regarding this
topic. Email me privately if you are interested....
Tina and the crew
hickst@nichols.com
Huntsville, AL