You wrote:
> Do any rides use topos? If not, why not?
I have received topo maps for some AERC rides here on the east coast.
There was one ride in particular this spring where you needed your
map or you would NOT have made it home due to trail marker vandalism
and poor marking.
The rides that are essentially FLAT tend not to supply the topo maps.
They will either offer a plain map w/ the route drawn, or no map at
all but WONDERFUL trail markers. (I've been on some rides where
you see the next marker from the current one. Hard to get lost!)
> If yes, how have the riders liked them? (My husband thinks most riders
> don't know how to read a topo)
If folk's don't understand a topo map, they can always ask questions.
One addition at the bottom of the map that I appreciate is a graph of
elevation changes. It really helps put your ride in perspective and
it is obvious to someone even if they can't read the topo. It looks
something like this (I hope):
| /\
| / \ /\ /\
| / \ / \ / \
| / \ / \ / \
| ____/ -/ \ / \ ________/ \____
| \ _/
|_____________________________________________
> I have always taken my own topo of an area on the ride with me, but it's
> much harder to hang on to two open maps flying in the wind...
I use a water proof map case - light cordura nylon exterior that
snaps as a trifold. When opened, the map is visible through a
plastic window. The map case prevents flapping in the wind, & keeps
it from getting soaked and disintegrating. I have these in stock -
$7 each + S/H
We keep US Geological survey maps for some of the bigger rides that
we attend where the crew needs to travel to remote pit stops. (Old
Dominion comes to mind.) Every part of the US has been sectioned
into squares & mapped. They're quite helpful for the crew, but way
too big for the rider to carry. In some cases, we've xeroxed
sections and the crew hands it to the rider as they go thru various
stops. It takes a little organization but it works.
Linda Flemmer
ABF Challenger ("Rocket") & Eternal Point ("Major")
Blue Wolf Ranch Chesapeake, Virginia, USA
"In case of emergency - Fur side up, steel side down!"