Bad decision on yesterdays ride
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 7
From: Daytona, Fla.
Life's an adventure, glad you had a good one!
Several years before GPS the wife & I left Gatlinburg on an FXR. Followin' a paper map I figured to wander over to I-40 & wind my way back towards Maggie Valley. Somewhere before I-40 I saw a twisty road with a sign that said "pavement ends 11 miles". Well, 11 miles of twisty might be worth ridin', so off we go. Would have been a good idea to stop when I ran out of blacktop, but the unpaved road looked pretty good soooo...... Really should have stopped at the sign that said "End Secondary Maintenance". The whole thing degenerated into what could at best be called a "hunting trail". We crossed two mountains, but found one of the prettiest farm settings I've ever seen in the valley between 'em. Finally found pavement again in Maggie Valley. Never did get near I-40. Total damage..one fork seal.......<shrug> The memory.........Priceless!
Several years before GPS the wife & I left Gatlinburg on an FXR. Followin' a paper map I figured to wander over to I-40 & wind my way back towards Maggie Valley. Somewhere before I-40 I saw a twisty road with a sign that said "pavement ends 11 miles". Well, 11 miles of twisty might be worth ridin', so off we go. Would have been a good idea to stop when I ran out of blacktop, but the unpaved road looked pretty good soooo...... Really should have stopped at the sign that said "End Secondary Maintenance". The whole thing degenerated into what could at best be called a "hunting trail". We crossed two mountains, but found one of the prettiest farm settings I've ever seen in the valley between 'em. Finally found pavement again in Maggie Valley. Never did get near I-40. Total damage..one fork seal.......<shrug> The memory.........Priceless!
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,749
Likes: 16
From: sand mountain Alabama
When I first got my first GPS several years ago I used the feature closest route. It was summer and I was checking it out to see what it did. I ended up going through a cow pasture where the road sent through it. It had a gate at each end with a sign saying lease close gates. I went trough it and closed the gates. I laughed all the way home. Could not believe my county still had dirt roads. I haven't used that feature since.
I am glad to hear it turned out well for you.
I am glad to hear it turned out well for you.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 69
From: Near Myrtle Beach, SC
Glad you made it OK. That would have really pisssed me off.
Damn GPS units are fairly good in metro areas, but don't trust the damn things out in the country. Those guys that digitize the maps for the gps companies don't know a drivable path from a hole in the ground. Any visible path they can see on aerial photography gets put in the gps map layer. So always be very wary of using the gps out in the country. Many times the roads it wants you to use are cow paths.
Damn GPS units are fairly good in metro areas, but don't trust the damn things out in the country. Those guys that digitize the maps for the gps companies don't know a drivable path from a hole in the ground. Any visible path they can see on aerial photography gets put in the gps map layer. So always be very wary of using the gps out in the country. Many times the roads it wants you to use are cow paths.
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Thread Starter
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Banned
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 11,232
Likes: 16
From: Socialist Republic of the USA
Glad you made it OK. That would have really pisssed me off.
Damn GPS units are fairly good in metro areas, but don't trust the damn things out in the country. Those guys that digitize the maps for the gps companies don't know a drivable path from a hole in the ground. Any visible path they can see on aerial photography gets put in the gps map layer. So always be very wary of using the gps out in the country. Many times the roads it wants you to use are cow paths.
Damn GPS units are fairly good in metro areas, but don't trust the damn things out in the country. Those guys that digitize the maps for the gps companies don't know a drivable path from a hole in the ground. Any visible path they can see on aerial photography gets put in the gps map layer. So always be very wary of using the gps out in the country. Many times the roads it wants you to use are cow paths.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 716
Likes: 10
From: Shreveport,La
Sounds like something I would do........LOL. Went off road one time in Utah for 34 miles of dirt and sand with a patch of mud here and there. 3 hours!! Seat was ok, but my shorts were in pretty sad shape.