Lost

[Dayvo]

Not the TV programme, but yours truly!

Choosing to avoid the 30-min ride parallel to the motorway, I set off at 6.15 this morning on my MTB for a 20-minute ride to work (new job, environment, country etc.) through the forest. There was a heavy fog and large patches of ice and snow.
Not seeing my turn, I rode deeper and deeper into the large forest riding along the remains of cross-country skiing path and became completely lost. There was no sun to gauge direction, no sound, no signs, no people, no buildings, no nothing! Except one lost cyclist.
It was the first time in my life (that I can remember) that I had NO idea where I was, or which way to go. I phoned my workmate, who just laughed.
I retraced my tracks as best as possible, but thick forest looks the same everywhere, and from every angle. I eventually rolled up at work at 8.40, totally bolloxed!
Has anyone else been really lost before (and not just unsure of where they were without being able to get assistance from anyone)?

 

[Noodley]

Did you find a cottage made of sweeties deep deep in the forest?

 

[Noodley]

Oh yeh, almost forgot - pillock!

 

[Dayvo]

Oh yeh, almost forgot - pillock!

You don't need to remind me!

 

[tdr1nka]

Heeheehee, sounds quite fun!
Sure you didn't just forget you were on your way to work?

 

[yenrod]

Sort of;

Twice, 1stly 2004 - got well lost over on the other side of winter hill turned into an 80ml'er all on breakfast alone.

2ndly - went in to north cheshire zig zagged my way back a to be 2hr went into a 4hr and I was 'on' (last twenty miles done on the big ring - just riding it not flooring it) on that ride even though I was totally lost big time.

I was surprised that i did get lost as I usually dont - it was the type of ride I should have done on a Sunday instead of a summers evening in FAILING LIGHT !!!

All I had was, for those in the NW (of England) was listeing to Century FM with some Irish bloke whom I found quite comforting but even thoug I had a mobile I didnt want to use it as it would f been a waste really as no one could have got me unless of a real emergency.

And yes, it was dark by the time I got in but it was mild so its felt great and very very different..still, I played it cool when I got in. (wink) as life was different then. Though it felt good to 'get everything out' - things went just right inthe face of adversity on that ride...'make your character them sort of rides !

 

[fossyant]

Must be worrying when you are in a new country and don't know where anywhere is........

 

[Dayvo]

Must be worrying when you are in a new country and don't know where anywhere is........

. . . especially when you start wondering how far south in the country bears are to be found!

 

[mr Mag00]

1985 Dartmoor ten Tors, the worst weather they had for years. over half the teams evacuated on the saturday.
we started our 45 trek at 6am in fog and rain and it continued..... we missed our bearings... we met a squaddy who had come down from a tor to his landy and couldnt find his way back. so now there are 7 of us. in this situation the advice is to hit a bearing and keep walking on it. after many hours we hunkered down ina 3 man tent to sit out the storm after time, i remember not how long we pulled down our tent ripped the fly sheet so now we are down to 1 tent if needs be, and kept walking. after about 11 hours we hit a main road soon to be met by landies all over the road they took our team name and radioed us in we had been missing for about 12.5 hours. back to Okehampton base and crash out! in the days before gortex we had soaking kit which by now was v v heavy. sunday morning we awoke to clear blue skies....Oh Dartmoor! but i love it there, returned the next year or 2 and completed the 45 mile trek, in almost record time!!!

 

[Dayvo]

1985 Dartmoor ten Tors, the worst weather they had for years. over half the teams evacuated on the saturday.
we started our 45 trek at 6am in fog and rain and it continued..... we missed our bearings... we met a squaddy who had come down from a tor to his landy and couldnt find his way back. so now there are 7 of us. in this situation the advice is to hit a bearing and keep walking on it. after many hours we hunkered down ina 3 man tent to sit out the storm after time, i remember not how long we pulled down our tent ripped the fly sheet so now we are down to 1 tent if needs be, and kept walking. after about 11 hours we hit a main road soon to be met by landies all over the road they took our team name and radioed us in we had been missing for about 12.5 hours. back to Okehampton base and crash out! in the days before gortex we had soaking kit which by now was v v heavy. sunday morning we awoke to clear blue skies....Oh Dartmoor! but i love it there, returned the next year or 2 and completed the 45 mile trek, in almost record time!!!

Hmmm! No comparison, really!

 

[yenrod]

1985 Dartmoor ten Tors, the worst weather they had for years. over half the teams evacuated on the saturday.
we started our 45 trek at 6am in fog and rain and it continued..... we missed our bearings... we met a squaddy who had come down from a tor to his landy and couldnt find his way back. so now there are 7 of us. in this situation the advice is to hit a bearing and keep walking on it. after many hours we hunkered down ina 3 man tent to sit out the storm after time, i remember not how long we pulled down our tent ripped the fly sheet so now we are down to 1 tent if needs be, and kept walking. after about 11 hours we hit a main road soon to be met by landies all over the road they took our team name and radioed us in we had been missing for about 12.5 hours. back to Okehampton base and crash out! in the days before gortex we had soaking kit which by now was v v heavy. sunday morning we awoke to clear blue skies....Oh Dartmoor! but i love it there, returned the next year or 2 and completed the 45 mile trek, in almost record time!!!

Good story...

I looked up Okehampton / Dartmoor on Google Maps and Ive never seen it !

It looks absolutely massive !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All respect.

 

[Keith Oates]

Some years ago when I first arrived in Shanghai I got lost late at night going home from the bar. Then I couldn't speak any Chinese and didn't know the name of the street where I was living. Found it in the end but more by luck than good judgement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[buggi]

i climbed a really big hill once with some work colleagues. they decided to climb to the 2nd "peak" and i decided to come down on my own. reached a fork in the path i didn't remember and didn't have a clue which path to take! i went left and for the next 20 was panic striken coz i didn't recognise anything, until i eventually came upon my mate at the bottom phew!