Coneystock Day 2

 

Using GPS to navigate; how hard can it be?  Recently, I used the mapping screen to find my way around a new riding area.  Granted, it was small, park but I never got more than semi lost.

There's annual Christmas toy drive in Rhode Island. This year due to the obvious, is a virtual affair.  Two different loops; Bad Santa at 50 miles, and Tiny Tim at 20.  Bad Santa was being promoted as 32% road, 49% gravel, 19% shit.  

Sounds good!

With a pocket full of pizza, wrapped in blaze orange, I crossed the border with some toys for tots.  The Summit General Store was kind enough to be the dropoff depot for toys.

Turn on my Garmin, go to the route, hit start and begin following the big blue on my screen.  

I along the Trestle Trail I run into  a group doing "Tiny Tim", the 20 mile version.  We chat a bit about navigating with gps and it sounds like I'm on the right track.

Keep on following that big blue line.

I guess Jim has routed us along the North / South for the first leg of the loop.

As the trail gets a little rowdier, I'm thinking "he wasn't kidding about shit"  I'm on the Coney LTD with a 34x18, so boulder strewn, bombed out moto trails aren't too much trouble, but a lot of people are doing this on cross and gravel bikes.

At this point it occurs to me I haven't heard or seen any navigational prompts.  There's supposed to be prompts, no?  Where are my prompts?!  I want my prompts!!!

Turns out you actually have to start the "course" you're looking at and not just the Garmin.

Ok, so 5 miles off course.  I've plenty of daylight left, so maybe it'll be a metric in steady of a 50 miler?

Back on course, using both my phone and Garmin to navigate, I'm getting my prompts.

Things are going pretty well, this is actually not too hard to follow.

The course turns down the Quinnabaug Trail in Pachaug State Forest , which has a legal 65 mile motorcycle trail in it.

This is fun, ripping down a moto trail towards what my computer is calling Hell Hollow.  Cross the dirt road, and follow the trail and prompts start shouting "OFF COURSE"!

I go back to the dirt road and turn left up it.  Now it's telling me I'm .7 miles off course.  Go up the other way, again .7 miles off course.  Go back the way I came; off course.  Start back down the trail that I think is right "MAKE A U TURN".

I look at where I am on the dirt road.  I look at the sky.  I look at the clock.  I have under two hours to find the course, and stay on it before dark.  I'm guessing if I can stay on course, I have about 30 miles to go.    

Signs point to unlikely.

I give up on following the course, and use my phone to navigate roads back to the start.

Still 42 miles, and toys for tots.  

Coneystock will continue...