Getting lost

[Patchouli]

@Peanut I never got lost back where I came from, whether city, country, hiking, places I'd never been before, never got lost. I may have gotten twisty tailed around, but I was good to go and back on track within a couple minutes of realizing an error. If I was with someone else making the error I could get us quickly back on track, if they'd just listen! lol
I moved to TX and get lost mostly in the snarls of highways, cities, etc. It's not really that I get lost as it is that I do not have the same sense of direction here that I had when I lived back east. Back east I didn't rely on clues from the environment so much as a feel of which direction i should be going.
What do you make of that? Do you think some people have an innate ability to not get lost? Or taken out of the element that you know, you may have a hard time finding that inner sense of direction? I'm really curious about others' thoughtful, scientific opinions on this topic.
I was going to tag this on to the end of a post in another thread where you were talking about looking for clues in the environment to help you determine which way you needed to go, but it wasn't a thread about being lost, it was about herbs.
One time when in my early 20s and out in the woods and mountains at night with my brothers, my NH, his brothers and 3 or 4 other guys, we got lost. There was a new moon so it was pitch black, couldn't see a thing. A few ended up in the swampy pond (HAHA -- idiots), arguing. My brothers ended up leading the way out, they'd been there before.
You don't get lost, though, do you?

 

[TMT Tactical]

DW has absolutely no sense of direction. It appears she can get lost within 500 feet of our driveway. Kid You not. The worst argument we have every had was when she tried to "Guide" us from Eugene Oregon to to our home in the Arizona desert. She has officially been terminated as out navigator. All trips will be mapped, and printed out and I will verify we are on course. She is the best thing to ever happen to me but even she admits to have no directional compass.

 

[Amish Heart]

I get lost trying to find my car in a parking lot. Or anyway I used to. Now I make mental markers when I park. Also when I hike. And I carry a compass if hiking, or a human with a good sense of direction with me. It takes me at least three times driving to a new place to do it without directions. And after 6 months, I have to start all over. It was amazing I actually made it when I moved my mom from here to Kansas last year. Her stuff was driven by relatives in a uhaul way ahead of us. I drove mom in my car, just us. I figured if I brought hi carb snacks, she'd sleep most of the way. But noooooo. She talked my ear off. Especially when I got a speeding ticket near Dodge City. Only was lost for 20 minutes once on that trip.

 

[Woody]

I think there are definitely folks who have a much better ‘sense of direction’ than others. Mostly it is due to being observant though.


Some folks start out with an awareness of their surroundings. First thing is to look at the sun and locate NSEW. Then, mountains, valley’s, streams… layout of the land or monuments/points of interest that could be used to locate your position in relation to them. As they explore they are aware of where these are relative to their position. They pretty much have a good idea where they are at all times in relation to them and can use them to get back to a location. If it starts to get dark, they know where to start locating the north Star and draw a position off of that. Or use another constellation and realize it will be moving as time passes.


Other folks do not have a clue. They see trees, bushes, a rock, a bird… Once they get 10 feet into the woods, they are lost.


The first person keeps a running tab, even unconsciously. ‘That mountain is at 10:00 and I am headed NNW.’ To get back to start point, that mountain will be at 4:00 and I will be traveling SSE. I traveled up a hill then down a valley, to get back I need to go back up that valley then down a hill kind of thing.


The other person sees trees… Lots and lots of trees.

 

[dademoss]

Lost? Not often, but I have misplaced my destination a time or two

HMM, drive south till you hit the ohio river then turn left/right

Used my paper map of the "eastern united states" a time or two, or navigated with a "Cracker Barrel" locations map

 

[hiwall]

I don't know how anyone without a compass can find their way in the dark (no stars).
I hike A LOT and never or at least very seldom carry a compass. I have hiked and hunted in many states (in the daylight). I have been in situations where the weather made a big change and could have caused problems. Once in Wyoming I was elk hunting and the cloud cover lowered enough to totally engulf me. It was like a very heavy fog with little visibility. I did have a compass but never used it. I had hunted uphill and so I just turned back downhill. Eventually I came out on the two-track where I was parked. Some things are just common sense. Things are easier in the west when you can see landmarks off in the distance. Not so easy in the east or in heavy timber where visibility is much more limited. I will say that carrying a compass is Always a good idea. But even with a compass you still have to know which way to travel , the compass will only tell you what direction you are traveling.

 

[joel]

Went though S.C., Georgia, Florida, back though Georgia no problem.
Got lost when we turned off 21 to old 21(24), ended up on dirt road at the river.
Should have turn left not right, GPS let me down.
Found my way & got home cooked meal from the garden.

 

[SheepDog]

When I sleep I always wake up with my head pointing north. I have an acute sense of magnetic fields, so much so that driving under high power electrical lines gives me a quick buzz.
I have only been lost once - when I was about 6. Since then I have hiked, walked and driven all over the country and never gotten lost.

 

[Cnsper]

My favorite line about getting lost comes from the movie Mountain Man with Carlton Hesston and Brian Keith. The line is from Brian Keith...

Lost! I ain't never been lost. A might confused for a week or two, but I ain't never been lost.

 

[Bacpacker]

Apparently from reading thru these posts many others have similar results to mine. Even when a kid I have never really had any issues with since of direction. I always attributed it to spending so much time outdoors growing up and since. But I also learned early on the 4 cardinal directions, how to track the sun, finding my way has never been a problem. My step dad loved taking us on road trips, we'd turn down a road just to see where it came out at. He always pointed out landmarks. I also learned how to read a compass when in the scouts.
Since growing up and traveling to others area that has all served me well. Hiking has built on that. Whether in the woods, or highways I plan out my routes by map, or on the puter looking for stuff I want to see, or things to acknowledge as a route change. Reading topo maps let you know if you should expect rolling ground, up or down hill. So you've already got a good feel for what your seeing, water as well. I also got into stargazing over the years and have incorporated that into route finding as well.
Funny little story about my lost adventure. LOL We were traveling one thanksgiving to my in-laws in Michigan at the time. Normally we stuck to the interstates, but traffic was heavy this day and I decided to take a highway that cut 50 or so miles off the trip. Within 20 minutes of leaving the highway we hit road construction and a detour. No problem, just follow the signs and get right back on course shortly. well there was only one more sign and no turns. Now mind you this is in southeastern Indiana and Inidana is a pretty flat state. I was so far in the boonies I actually found hills in Indiana. Ended up stopping at a VFW to ask for directions to where we wanted to get to, all we got was a couple folks giving a huge laugh. Oh well, I knew what direction the highway was in relation to where we were so I just took off that way and knowing most roads there were either north/south or east/west. Within 30 minutes I had us back on the highway and moving north. That is about the only time I've felt a little lost.
GPS, I used them at times, but always with a map and compass. I've had more trouble using a GPS than I ever have a map. I seriously doubt I'll ever buy another one.

 

[Patchouli]

I haven't used a compass, no. I don't usually look for or keep landmarks in mind. I don't pay attention to the location of sun, moon, stars.
I have, when back east, an inner sense of direction and that's what I'm talking about. I don't get lost when back in my home area, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, etc.

@SheepDog, that's something else I wanted to hear about, the magnetic sense of direction. I thought the North Pole was the absolute magnetic north point, but no. It's some place in Canada:
https://gisgeography.com/magnetic-north-vs-geographic-true-pole/
Of course most of you that have posted do not get lost, you know orienteering, you make it a point to be knowledgeable about the area, where you're going, etc.

 

[Bacpacker]

IMO the inner sense is something most people naturally develop, maybe even subconsciously. But still there.

 

[Peanut]

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-brain-cells-behind-a-sense-of-direction/

Interesting article...

Some folks are born with a good sense of direction, others, not so much.

I think a good sense of direction can be improved with use, training you might say, just like an athlete improves with training.

I had a good sense of direction as a kid. Years of coon hunting at night in swamps and forests greatly improved it. For many years my job also trained it. I would fly or drive to a strange city and then have to find a hospital, usually at night. If I flew to a place I always tried to book my ticket so I flew in during daylight. If I could see the layout of a city from the air I then had a mental map.

As an adult only once did I have difficulty in a city and that was temporary. I flew across 11 time zones to Paris France. My body clock was out of wack. The sun was going down when it was supposed to be coming up and vice versa. This flipped my sense of east/west and by default north/south. It took 2 weeks for my body clock to adjust. Afterwards I could navigate the city with ease.

 

[TMT Tactical]

I have had trouble in only one city and that was Louisville Ky. Do to the fact the river runs around three sides and I just never got orientated properly. The winters might have something to do with it too.

 

[Caribou]

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-brain-cells-behind-a-sense-of-direction/

Some folks are born with a good sense of direction, others, not so much.

I guess that explains why some don't seem to be able to find their way out of Detroit or Chicago, etc.

 

[Patchouli]

I'd better go back home so my entorhinal cortex can get strong again, so as to put off Alzheimer's, if'ns' that's my next destination.

 

[Peanut]

I have had trouble in only one city and that was Louisville Ky. the fact the river runs around three sides

Cities with a curving river are the toughest. Or even worse more than one river like Pittsburgh. I'm still not sure of myself in New Orleans. Lake Pontchartrain curves by the city. The mississippi river curves through the middle of it... Its a mess. A city with a straight river isn't a problem for me.

 

[Patchouli]

But, guys, why is that a city with a river will mess it up for you?
What about out in the wild? Does a river mess it up there too?

 

[Peanut]

But, guys, why is that a city with a river will mess it up for you?
What about out in the wild? Does a river mess it up there too?

City street layout is simple. Streets run east and west. Avenues run north and south. Cities with a curving river end up with streets running east/west north/south and everything in between, same for avenues. Such a river greatly complicates navigation in a city as well as bridge placement.

In the wild... irrelevant... in a city one is looking for street address for business, restaurants etc.

 

[TMT Tactical]

I have never gotten disoriented except in Louisville KY. Every other city , forest, desert or mountain range I have been able to stay oriented. Maybe their magnetic waves are out of focus, don't know, don't care, don't plan to go back there.

 

[Patchouli]

City street layout is simple. Streets run east and west. Avenues run north and south. Cities with a curving river end up with streets running east/west north/south and everything in between. Such a river greatly complicates navigation in a city as well as bridge placement.

In the wild... irrelevant...

My cities weren't always laid out on a grid so it doesn't really apply to me, LOL. I've never noticed or read/knew that avenues run north and south and streets run east and west.
And there isn't necessarily a river, stream, or railroad in my areas, cities, or wildlands either, some of the main roads do not run straight either, or they go off at angles. Again, that wouldn't really apply to me.

 

[Weedygarden]

I do believe that we are either born with a good sense of direction, or not.

I know a few women who can get lost easily. They will never go someplace new unless or until someone else has driven them there before. One woman can get lost less than a mile from home, on a street she travels frequently.

I worked with a woman for whom getting lost seemed to be a way of getting attention. She talked about an entrance ramp from one road to another and that you could get on and circle there indefinitely. I have never figured out where that is, but supposedly I have gone through that intersection 100s of times. I believe it was BS, but again, a way of getting attention.

Where I grew up in South Dakota, all roads were pretty much north and south, east and west, perpendicular. I remember going to Rapid City one summer and getting very confused about directions because roads there do not necessarily all run n-s, e-w. It was driving on curved roads in the Black Hills that really threw my sense of direction, then. I have been to Rapid City and the Black Hills many times since, and haven't had that problem since. It may have been lack of experience as a child, and repetition as an adult.

 

[kd4ulw]

I have never gotten disoriented except in Louisville KY. Every other city , forest, desert or mountain range I have been able to stay oriented. Maybe their magnetic waves are out of focus, don't know, don't care, don't plan to go back there.

If you find yourself in Louisville again and lost just give me a call and I’ll come get you!

 

[TMT Tactical]

If you find yourself in Louisville again and lost just give me a call and I’ll come get you!

You got a deal. Not shy about getting help if lost. That place drove my crazy for about 3 years. Thanks for the offer.

 

[Peanut]

A funny moment just south of Louisville, ironically on Derby weekend (off topic) ... I was being transferred from Lockport NY to San Mateo CA.

I had to take a U-Haul trailer of furnishings to my parent’s house in AL that the movers didn’t take to CA.

You’ve all moved… bad day, exhausting… 600-mile drive… I get to Louisville. I can’t find a hotel, it was Derby weekend (I didn’t know). I found a room south of town about 9pm. The restaurant had closed.

I sat down at the bar and asked for chips, anything to eat, explained I was starved. I happened to be sitting beside the cook who had just got off work. He graciously offered to make me a ham sandwich, I was so grateful! He was a kind man!

There happened to be a really drunk guy in the bar (go figure). He was harassing everyone and I was a new face (in no mood for this).

He slapped me on the back and asked if I was in town for the Derby…

Me – NO!

Him – I am!

Him – I’m a horse breeder!

Me – Does your wife know?

The bar died laughing… the cook next to me blew beer out of his nose.

The drunk wanted to fight, police were called… he was taken away in cuffs… He probably missed the derby…

Since this was Derby weekend… popped into my mind!

 

[TMT Tactical]

@Peanut : that was priceless. Grateful the cook took pity on you and just absolutely love your response to the horse breeder. OUTSTANDING. I knew your sense of humor was as warped as mine.

 

[The Lazy L]

...Some folks are born with a good sense of direction, others, not so much....

Could be. Or is it because they weren't trained? My in-laws have a habit of saying, "I can't do that." But they really don't know if they can or not because they have never tried.

Guess I was around 10 years of age when I got lost in the neighbors corn field. That's when I understood how people could get lost in a woods or jungle, can't see the sun. I remembered the rows of corn were planted north to south. So if I followed the rows I'd either pop out of the field by the road close by or the woods 3/4 of a mile away. I found the road.

Country I can see the sun and landmarks. Overcast days I have a general "feel" for direction. Like other Posters, put me on a twisting winding road or in a city will tall buildings out comes the smart phone.

Came out of a Chicago subway confused. Missed the main exit or followed the wrong group of the the masses. I'm at street level but at the wrong street. GPS said I had "arrived at your destination." GPS was lying. Daughter had lived in Chicago for a few years so I called her. "Dad you want to go east." "Which way is east?" "Towards Lake Michigan!" "Well if I could see the lake I wouldn't have needed to call you!" I ended up asking a startled pedestrian.

In-laws love to sit in the back seat and give you directions. Their directions are guesses based on hope and they have zero sense (wasn't trained or wasn't born with the gift?) of direction. On one trip I had to tell the SIL that I appreciate her trying to help but with the high speed multi-lane traffic her her "Help" was very distracting so I suggested she'd keep her mouth shut.

On the other hand my mother has been cursed. No amount of training or help aids will help her cope for her lack of direction. For 20 years we have lived 15 miles from her. She has NEVER have been been able to find our house on the first try. We have tried GPS and her car's Navstar, she doesn't trust their reliability. Final solution was to sell her car but let her keep her expired Driver's license.

 

[The Innkeeper]

I have never been lost but I have been confused about my whereabouts for extended periods of time.

 

[Weedygarden]

Something came up for me after reading through the posts.
Ever ask someone where something is, and they have no clue about giving directions? Or when asked for details, that is like a form of torture?

One time I was considering refinancing my mortgage to a lower rate. I had an appointment with a mortgage company that was somewhere I had never been before. All I got was an address. When I got there, I realize where the building is, but there is more to it than just driving to the location. There was no on street parking that I could see and trying to figure out where to park was not easy. When I asked the woman where they were located, she could have given me a little more than a street address. What a dipstick! Now, if I am asking about a location, I also ask about parking and other logistics, because I realize that some of the people who are there haven't even considered it. This is certainly not true for everyone, but I will never forget the woman who didn't.

 

[Terri9630]

We've found 3 of our houses by getting lost. Never did see the house we were looking for when we found this one and we thought we were lost when we found the mountain place.