trailtromper:  You have a good dog.  Mine was with me, and I think she just thought we were out for a fun romp in the snow.  Plus, she's trained to run at my side or behind me, so even if she knew the way, she wouldn't have told me.

Marley will respond to the command "show me".  I have found it handy when caught out after dark and having trouble following the trail.  She will trot a few yards ahead and lead me back to the car.  I was kind of surprised that worked since she leaned the command when at home and she wants something.  When told "show me" at home she will lead me to what she wants, empty food bowl that needs filling, water bowl that is low, or a door she wants opened.  It was a happy surprise that it worked when I want to go somewhere and need her to lead me.  She is a very intuitive dog when it comes to figuring out what I want.

BTW, I am a firm believer that my dogs train me more than I train them.  What little skill I do have at dog training was taught to me by my previous dog Cookie.  I think in her later years Cookie and I could read each other's minds.

Tromper - I have, on many occasions, looked at my pooch and said "wanna go home?" and both times he found me back to either the house or the car using a much more direct route than I would have come up with on my own.  LOL.

Leaving shortly for a 16-mile night trail run.

QOTD:  Not yet... but I'm sure it'll happen at some point.

I am still so tired and can't figure out why.  anyways did not fet up this am so I am at least going to do 3 on TM tonight.

QOTD:  While running never really lost, just didn't know where I was at the time.  Hiking I got lost in Joshua Tree in the dark.  Evertything looks like a trail in the desert in the dark.  Was only lost for 2 hours but I was younger and more easily scared.  The next day I woke up with a rash all over my body I attibuted to nervous sweat that must of been full of nasty toxins.

TT:  My dog also often picks the right way.

This was a good QOTD with some interesting responses. I am glad tjrun mentioned getting a little confused during an event. I have witnessed many folks get off course in trail events. Lost on a marked course with 200 other people. Cranking along with your mind kinda going brain dead or you are just following the person in front of you. Happens.

There is no dishonor in getting confused out there. Sometimes doesn't take a whole lot and it doesn't matter how good your sense of direction is. And like was said, sometimes because of our abilities we will push the envelope at times.

I was pheasant hunting a piece of property about 20 minutes from my house and have hunted that land for years. One day I was out there and a heavy fog quickly settled in and visibility was down to about 30ft in front of me. Why would I need a compass out there as I knew it like my backyard yet there I was slightly confused and it took a little while to work my way out.

The main thing is to be at peace out there and know you will get confused at some point. Don't freak out. I was backpacking with the Sta-Puf marshmallow man once out in the mountains. He decided he had enough wilderness and wanted to do the big push out, it was way over his ability but whatever, I can go all day. So after a long day working our way out we came to a junction of several trails. Game trails, unofficial pack animal trails, etc. Very confusing and nothing made sense with the map. This guy went into complete panic mode despite the fact that we had food and shelter on our back and there was a nice spot to camp that we could backtrack to. It was quite comical for me but it illustrated how some people lose all sense of reason and judgement under duress. Luckily for my eagle scout friend(honest) I took control of things and it is never been talked about again over the years. Of course I've never done any wilderness adventure with him again either.

So the big question with probably no right answer-- You tell someone where you are going and when you might be returning but how rigid is it or do you even want it.  We wander and at times you just feel like seeing where that trail goes. At what point does someone look for you. Are you irresponsible if you just like to explore a little and get back very late at times. That's kinda my M.O.  And usually where I wander there is no cell service. Luckily my wife understands me but on the other hand you are one slip on a wet rock from trouble at any time so how long do you want to lay there before they come looking? Just food for thought I guess or thinking out loud.

So the big question with probably no right answer-- You tell someone where you are going and when you might be returning but how rigid is it or do you even want it.  We wander and at times you just feel like seeing where that trail goes. At what point does someone look for you. Are you irresponsible if you just like to explore a little and get back very late at times. That's kinda my M.O.  And usually where I wander there is no cell service. Luckily my wife understands me but on the other hand you are one slip on a wet rock from trouble at any time so how long do you want to lay there before they come looking? Just food for thought I guess or thinking out loud.

NH here is my take on it.  Day trips solo I'm pretty confident that I search party will find me if injured .  I won't be going far from my parking area.  I can expect rescue.  Probably at a higher risk on the highway to and from. I am trying harder to leave a map of my route.

Extended trips Multi day Solo, back country.  Face it, if I break a leg on day 1 of a 5 day trip, no one is going to miss me.  Any rescue effort is going to be a body recovery.  These trips out of Cell phone coverage are usually a group trip where I might leave camp solo but there are folks there who would know where to look for me.  I've never been in a designated wilderness and not seen anyone else though.

Truth be known, in the end,  I'd love to cash in Legends of the Fall style...But not for a few years yet...

for me personally, I always let my wife know the general area that I'll be in for solo long trail runs. I try and give her names of trailhead, and prominent landmarks that I'll be around. I also give her two times. The first time is my "expected to be back" time, the second is my "call Search and rescue" time.

the other thing that becomes hard is when I notice something new on the trails, and I feel like exploring right then and there, even though I know it would put me past my time limit. I have to exercise a little self control, and remind myself that the canyons and mountains aren't going to move, and I can check it out another time.

It goes back to the "plan your run, run your plan".

I have contempated making a map with areas that I run circled or marked on them for my DW so when I say I am running at "so and so place" she at least has a map to show someone who can help in the event I don't come home.  She doesn't know where most the places I run are when I tell her.  Maybe also helpful would be a written description of the parking spots and trails including directions I run.  There are a few that -uh - hmmm- take my cell service away.  I thought about this the other day even prior to today's QOTD.  Maybe time to do so.