[pct-l] Navigation Problems

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning,

I experienced the same phenomena in RSA and Australia whenever I set foot
outside of a city.  Sun position is an overlay of unconscious and reliable
security suddenly turned backwards.  It’s really disquieting to have to stop
and think about where the sun is – or should be.

With that, feel for the plight our many PCT guest hikers from Australia and
New Zealand who must hike substantially north for about 5 months with the
sun uncharacteristically at their backs when it "should be" in their face.

Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 8:06 PM, Carl Siechert <carlito at gmail.com> wrote:

> Same thing happened to me while hiking in South Africa many years ago. I
> knew from looking at the map in advance that we'd be hiking west. But I
> felt
> disoriented the whole time; something just felt wrong. Then I realized it
> was because the sun was on my right side.
>
> For travel, my two essentials include flashlight as well as compass. In
> town, I figure I can get along without the other eight!
>
> On Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 12:41 AM, Brick Robbins <brick at brickrobbins.com
> >wrote:
>
> > Not PCT, but I got really lost today using some of the navigation
> > tricks I rely on while hiking.
> >
> > I exited the subway in Buenos Aires and headed south towards the low
> > winter midday sun. Things didn't look right, and I started getting
> > really confused.
> >
> > That is when I remembered, that in the southern hemisphere, the low
> > winter midday sun would be in the north. Then I got even more confused
> > and disoriented. So I stopped, got out my compass and map, and figured
> > out where I was.  Urban navigation at its best.
> >
> > And yes, I'm serious, I keep a compass in my bag to orient myself when
> > I come out of the subway stations at night. Old habits die hard.
> >
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