Cycling in Brisbane Australia
Bris-city
Hi
Well I made it to the City from Springfield Lakes :). But got lost twice, once at Darra and again at Sinnamon. I got to Darra train station and lost the bike path and at Sinnamon I just turned too soon. I know where I went wrong at Sinnamon, but not Darra. My phone states I did 43km, phew. I cheated on the way back and took the train from the city to Wacol and cycled home. One bit at a time :)
Comment
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Comment by Raymond on September 11, 2011 at 9:28pm -
I'm sure we can all relate to how confusing those minimally-signed detour "turnoffs" are - my first attempt to get to Forest Lake from the city had me at the correction centre (but only outside!) and then Wacol station where I finally conceded I probably missed an "obvious" turn (ie: where the other cyclists always seem to go, but for some reason I never follow).
Next time (or perhaps the time after that) you'll work out how to avoid detouring to Darra Station and put that energy towards an easy 50km+. :)
Did you carry any detailed maps or any further GPS functions on your phone? I used to only use the Brisbane City Council's overview map on the road with the aim of enjoying the thrill of getting lost, but eventually realised that the small map was next to useless and I can still get lost with more detailed directions...
I now carry a couple of detailed maps for the areas I'm exploring (old versions available at the Transport Information Centre and new ones on the website; both are surprisingly good - I edit the old ones by cross-referencing the updated online versions). I also log my trips with a Holux M-1000C GPS Logger (from DealExtreme) - I don't have another GPS or smartphone so I can't find out exactly how lost I am in real-time but it's pretty useful for recalling trips once I get back to my computer. The advantage of a logger-only GPS device compared to a smartphone or dedicated unit is a lower cost and longer battery life. Main disadvantage to keep in mind however is that setting it up might be a little tricky given that some software might be a little temperamental (although there are a few good pieces of free-to-install software such as BT747, Google Earth and gpsprune - it all just needs a little configuring).
But however one does it, it's a very good feeling to be able to learn so many streets as a bonus to enjoying the moving sights - much more stimulating than a walk or jog in a limited radius!
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