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Step counting turned me into a route pro

I learned to match my stride to map features. Ditch the gadgets and learn this basic skill.

3 comments

3 Comments

How do you train yourself to see map stuff and link it to your steps? I always use my phone for how far I go, but your post makes me want to try the old way. It seems like you make a mental tape measure from your normal walk. Can you say more about how you first found your step length on different paths? I worry that without gadgets, I might get lost or guess wrong on how far things are. But learning this could make me pay more attention around me and not need tech so much.

elizabeth_gonzalez3mo ago

Have you tried linking steps to landmarks instead of just counting them? I focus on visible things like a parked car or a fence post from the map. That builds a better mental picture and stops you from getting lost.

the_jenny3mo ago

My buddy Mark got into this last year when his phone died on a hike. He started by counting his steps between two big trees on his regular trail, then checked the map later to see the real distance. After a while, he could guess how far things were just by looking at the map and remembering his step count on similar ground. He says it made him notice small details like rocks and streams he always missed before. Now he hardly uses his GPS unless the weather is really bad.