ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: [endurance]pedometers

Re: [endurance]pedometers

navion@lightspeed.net
Thu, 21 Mar 1996 18:00:31 PST

>An aquaintance of mine, who does search and rescue, is interested in
>locating a pedometer. Anybody have any info/ideas on this? I'm
>co-ordinating a "Saddle Up for St. Judes Trail Ride" and am supposed
>to do a 10 mile ride. The area where I'm going to do it, has some
>great trails and roads, but they only have mileage posted on the trails!!
>How do you folks figure mileage on actual rides?
>
>Thanks,
>Leslie
>------------------------------
I think every ride measures or guesses at mileage there own way. However in
my opinion the only correct way is to measure it with a mountain bike or
motorcycle with a calibrated computer or odometer. If you call your local bike
or motorcycle shops or clubs they usually know several people who would be
happy to ride the course and give you the actual mileage. Pedometers are not
real accurate since you have to estimate your stride length and this changes
with footing, grade and freshness. GPS systems can only give you point to point
and they can miss a lot. Using a little wheel on a topo map can be fairly
accurate to plan your route. They sell the little measuring wheel in
backpacking stores and you just have to trace the route real carefully.

Jim Mitchell
navion@bak2.lightspeed.net
Bakersfield, Calif.