Yesterday, I had to go from my work in Friendship to Oakland. It is a route I have never taken before and I found the way I wanted to go. I did my best to memorize the directions and did a pretty good job of it, but I did have written directions that I shoved inside my biking glove for reference at stop signs. lights.
I was just wondering how others use directions when following a new route?
I guess these days, I try to do what you did. But, instead of carrying written directions, I'd refer to my phone/maps for any clarifications, detours, etc.
Once I have the general feel of a route (especially a fairly short one like the one you were seeking), I guess I just sort of wing it. With a destination address written down someplace, of course.
Sometimes people attach a binder clip on their handlebars to hold directions, and put the directions inside a plastic bag. But I generally use my phone if I don't know where I'm going. On randonneurs the only technique that works for me is GPS on my handlebars. O/w I get totally lost in these twisty hilly poorly-signed roads.
I try to memorize them, but I also keep a printout folded up in a plastic bag in my pocket. But that kind of sucks, especially in the dark, so I'm curious about what other people do.
Looking at the intersections ahead of time in google street view helps a little, but turn by turn directions witten down is standard. +1 for binder clip with rubber band to the handlebars.
+1 for binder clip (recently threw one on my handlebars, so much easier than pulling cue sheets out of pockets or other places repeatedly while also trying to deal with traffic). And then iPhone mounted on handlebars serves as a backup plan if I deviate from the written directions. (I am seriously considering buying the fancy Garmin computer with the turn-by-turn stuff... If I start riding brevets and stuff next year I think I'm going to need that additional navigational help. Jonawebb, do you have the Edge 800? I think I asked about this on the board before but it was buried in some random thread and I can't remember)
One of these could be kind of cool, made for football plays, googgle "quarterback wristband".
I write them in my planner, which I then stuff into my handlebar-mounted coffee-cup holder
Waterproof document pouch on a neck lanyard works pretty well (except when it slips free at high speeds and starts fluttering around behind your neck).
I've not used a GPS or suchlike device; for brevets, I usually try to virtually ride the route a few days in advance, using Bikely or RideWithGPS to transcribe from the cue sheet; as a bonus, I can often catch errors in the cues.
Yeah, I've got the Edge 800. Paid a pretty penny, too. But it was the only way I was every going to finish a randonneur on time in Western PA.
The last Populaire I rode on, the only other rider, Ruth Cunningham, did the whole thing with a broken GPS. So she didn't even have distance traveled. I don't know how she did that; I never could.
i get lost & keep riding until it looks familiar again.
I usually do virtual tour on RideWithGPS before and then I have printed cue sheet in back pocket. I was thinking about waterproof lanyard but never get it. And in case I get lost I use my cellphone -- it has maps.
Usually cue sheets or I'll just wing it.
I was at REI yesterday and noticed a ton of e-gadget touch-screen-friendly waterproof pouches in the Kayaking section, ranging from ~$9 - ~$30+, Many by Seattle Sports. Maybe the $9 touchscreen bag could be binder clipped to a handlebar bag?
They also had a fancy handlebar mounted map holder designed to fold to a 1/4 sheet.
I kind of like this DIY version, though:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=4262
