Orientation tips for Viet Nam needed

[Mr Magoo]

I ride 'Nam about once a year and spent most of my time lost. I'm good on the 495 side of the Powerlines and certainly the rocks under the lines. I enter from rt 16 staying right of the power lines taking indescriminate rights and lefts for about 2 hours until I came upon a double track with orange blocks painted on trees that comes out to the railroad grade near rt 85. Who marked this and where does it run from and to? Also there are blue and white ribbons and pink ribbon trails. Is this part of any organized loop? I found myself going in circles several times. All tips are appreciated.

[BEAUster]

i have never heard where you are talking about. that must be way out in god knows where

[knucklebuste]

Imagine a riding area, not with the crappy MDC maps, but a real simple map and actual markers on trees. Imagine that. Like a wooden sign that says (IDIOT_LOOP) in Green then on that trail, green arrows on trees ever so often. Imagine it if you can. Seems nobody likes a concept like that. I'll gladly help out at nam with this sort of thing, but I don't have a clue of the area.
Knuck

[Tim]

http://www.bikerag.com/images/MAPS/MA/ma_vietnam_map_by_numbers.jpg

[Mr Magoo]

Thank You for the useable map. I wiil have to take further notes on this because I know there are more trails than this. Its a great spot to begin with. Beauster and Knucklebuster, I have not idea what you guys are trying to say. Why waste post space?

[knucklebuste]

Dud, relax. Theres plenty of space, ok? ;D
All I was saying is this. At the trailhead, put a sign
Blue Trail = easy
Red Trail = technical
yadda yadda yadda

and then at intersections put arrows. Blue trail, this way, yadda yadda yadda.

Maps suck. Well for me anyhow. I can't read a map to save my life. I'm a frickn dum dum.
knuck

Your idea sounds good Knucka but lets say some kids change the directions of the arrows. Then we will be lost out there for ever!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[grayghostss]

8)Maps AND intersection markers...or signs. I think the labor for the task could be mustered.

[johnbryanpeters]

8)Maps AND intersection markers...or signs. I think the labor for the task could be mustered.

Or just get out there and ride it repeatedly until you learn it...

J

[grayghostss]

:DI hear ya'-I've enjoy just getting lost sometimes. I support a non-obtrusive marking system for those that find themselves walking-with an injury AND a broken machine. Trust me, it sucks walking for half an hour only to find that your going the wrong way and have to walk back-with your broken machine!

[massmtnbikn]

One of the best orientation tips there is about Nam is to listen for the 495 traffic noise, then gage which direction you need to go in. Worse case scenerio, you are only a trip down the powerlines away from getting back to your car.

Getting lost @ Nam is the best! Bomb around until you end up somewhere. Sometimes its a short ride, sometimes you barely make it back to your car in one piece.

I rode somewhere before (I forget where) where they used location markers rather than trail markers. So say if you started at location 'A1' and got lost and found 'P23', you could figure out which direction you need to go in. I liked it.

[BrianK]

I really like that idea ^^^
There are simply too many trails to mark them all at Vietnam without it becoming confusing. If could make a grid with A1 - Z26 (or whatever), that would let you know exactly where in 'nam you were. And it'd be real easy to remember "there was some awesome slick rock near D12". You would need a handheld GPS to accurately label locations on the grid though.

-BrianK

[massmtnbikn]

Its definetely better, but it would take the other parties (conservation commision, etc) with the other 400+ acres to follow the same marking system.

How many times have you been at a trail intersection and can't remember if 'banana' trail goes back or not?

Location markers are simple, direct, and un-obtrusive. There is nothing to remember and no trail maps to create.

[knucklebuste]

;D

Grid - Word

Knuck

[grayghostss]

Yeah, the grid idea is good and SIMPLE. No arrows or such to maintain-and if some markers were missing, it wouldn't affect too much.