Northwestern Wisconsin Camping, Fishing, Trail Riding, and other fun stuff. Just bring bail money!

New 2024 trail maps from Langlade

 

A little back story.
My 15yr old with autism didn't speak until age 5. Wasn't potty trained until 6.
We weren't sure he'd ever speak as many with autism are non-verbal. He still likes matchbox cars and legos.
He can speak(almost never stops now). He can read. He has no filter and doesn't know how to lie.
(For example, we were in a store and he tells me quite loudly, "That's a big one". When I looked down the isle there were 2 large women with not so impressed looks on their faces.)

Later Saturday I took him for a drive by the dog park and waste treatment plant. He saw a dirt path on the way and asked to check it out.
So we did.
It wrapped around aways and stopped around the interstate where there was a "Warning, No Trespassing" sign by the D.O.T.
Like I said, He can read now.
"No Trespassing, you can't go there"!
The sign was for going across the fence.
The path had some bumps and ruts. I ripped around a bit and he actually had fun. (Not typically his thing) He asked if he could come for a drive next time.
Yes, but you have to wake up earlier.

Then we get home and he snitches on me to mom for Trespassing. lol
Me? I asked. He's the one that told me to drive down there.

 

I like literally every detail about this story

 

When I finish mowing lawn, I turn the throttle down to let him drive it from the house to the shed and back it into it's spot.

Get into a wide path, like the pics above and maybe I let him take wheel of the mgm ac? (4Lo in Smode and I do the shifting?) Ya. I'd let him.

He isn't quite ready to mow lawn but if you tossed the title of a Disney movie at him he could tell you what year it was made.
Or tell me what I was doing on Sept. 16th 2018.

 

That put a smile on my face.

 

When you're dealing with autism you need to be careful with your words and things you do. Repetition and routine are a staple and any break in them can cause extreme meltdowns.
Words get repeated, Events are not forgotten. Do something once and he'll remember next year on THAT day what we did and expect the same.
Long story short, ever since I took him riding he wants to "Go on an adventure" every Saturday now.

Ordered the stuff for the differential breather reroute.
Looks like I have more "adventures" ahead. Onward and Upward.

 

Excellent!

 

Thank you for the education on autism. I learned this a few years ago.The way you described it is spot on. One of the machine operators at work has autism and trying to explain to him to do something different than what he was originally taught can be difficult. The difficult thing is that his dad also works there. His dad treats him like shit, and when he does the son basically shuts down for the evening.

 

Think of it as this. We have a flight or fight mechanism. Those with autism are stuck in flight mode.
Shutting down sounds about right.
It doesn't pay to treat him like shit because he doesn't understand the emotions of happy or angry. You have to be direct. I bet sometimes in public it may appear I'm being rude to my son, when really it's being straight forward.

He does alright in public though not everyone does alright around him.
Finding things to do with him or as a family is difficult. Preferably outside and away from others. lol
We do bike riding, snowshoeing, fishing.........
and now I have a new trail riding buddy!

 

That tracks.

sounds like you're doing it right

 

More dads should be like you.

 

Supported

 

Being somewhat new to OnX and especially GAIA, I'm guessing the free versions aren't showing me crap?

Hey @Thatbassguy, if you get a chance can you send me a screenshot of where you saw those roads by Augusta?
All I really see is just west of CTY H that Hamilton Falls path.

Which app is better if I'm going to upgrade?

 

I don't recall seeing anything by Augusta, specifically. But, looking at Google maps, I can see what looks like some 2-tracks N/W of CF near Coons Fork campground. I can't tell if they're legal roads or not, though.

It seems like GAIA is the most popular. I haven't used it much, but I might start now the Avenza seems to have gotten more difficult to use.

 

With the free versions it's difficult to tell. Most times it's a goose chase just to find one blocked off snowmobile trail after another.
There's a lot of ATV trails out there and Idk how to tell what are legal for vehicles. If there's no posted signs, I assume, game on.
I was under the impression premium versions of these apps give or show rated trails? So you aren't guessing so much.

 

You definitely get more information with the upgraded versions. But, they're not always 100% accurate.

 

Unless you're a subscriber to GAIA, the map is just the basic. Subscription gets you a bunch of additional maps: MVUM, USFS maps, satellite maps, etc.

 

Can tell it's basic when known trails to me don't show up.
I'll upgrade, eventually.
While everyone's having fun at Wyalusing, my son and I are going to do more exploring in the Lake Eau Claire/Coon Fork area.
Plenty of uncharted ground (to me) to get into something.
*He's got that itch.

 

Elite Version On X Offroad . shows a hiking trail near by . Not for truck