I'm back! Took me a few days to get back into the forum. Had some very odd IP problems, but we got it worked out and I'm happy to be here.

I'm still lost on the advanced course, even though I stumbled upon a better route yesterday. I have SUCH a bad sense of direction! I have a hard time fixing maps in my head. Remains to be seen if I can find that short route again.

Tried a different route on the Advanced course today and promptly lost a few flags. Ended up taking me 3.9 miles and 15 minutes to find them all.

For some reason I can't get a fix on where the entrance to the mountain is at the top. The part where you cycle down (or in my case up) the metal ramp inside the mountain. I always end up going in from the bottom and having to struggle my way up.

Only two stars today.

I assume you are coming from the swaying bridge.... after the rock just keep right about 90 degrees I think and go straight, keep an eye out for the ramp just before the entrance, there is a slight jump up but it is easy.

Thanks for the tip Jvv. I didn't see your note until after my workout today, but I'll try and keep that in mind for the future.

Today I did the advanced course twice. Second time I got my miles down to 2.388 and got four stars!! Woot!

I rewarded myself by giving the Island View course a first time go. 5.499 miles and two stars. Not too bad for my first time out on it. Took me a while to find the last flag, but I eventually got them all. I'm looking forward to learning the backside of the island and exploring new territory.

Just wondering, I keep seeing hints of a "view" here and there. Is there any way to stop and look around? I try sometimes but I can't really direct my gaze, if you know what I mean. When I was going through the tunnel to the other side of the island I saw there were columns and open space, and I wanted to see what was out there. I ended up plunging down onto the rocks instead. lol.

Not quite sure what you mean. In cycling you can go just about anywhere you want, in free Island cycling you get 30 minutes to ride around, which is where we burst 20 balloons in record times or just pedal our butts off for 30 minutes for most distance challenge. You can stop anywhere and look around a bit but if you point over a cliff if you are too close you will probably go over unless you get real good at cyniques tight turn trick. The island is the same pretty much in free run so what you see there is the same island. In Wii Sports Resort (another game altogether) you can fly overhead for sightseeing and exploring. I haven't figured out how to look down a cliff face though which would be handy for finding death plummets. Hope this helped Pam.

3.8 miles and three stars on Island View today. Woot! I'm finally starting to "learn" the island. It doesn't seem to be taking me as long to find my way around this new level as it has in the past.

Followed up with a short "my routine" and then switched to a stretching DVD. Body is feeling good!

3.5 miles and 3 stars today Island Tour course. My best time yet! But for some reason I couldn't find a pet. I tried going to town first to get pick up a pet but couldn't find one. I did see one on the back side of the island, but for some reason it didnt' stay with me long enough to do any good. Not sure how I scared it off. I think I've got a really good route now. I just need a pet to get to four stars. I'm just SURE there is one in town! Or do pets not show up until part way through the game? Did I mess myself up by going to town first?

Pets are usually in the same locations but you have to learn where and from how far away you can get it. For example when coming into town from The red Iron Bridge there is a pet up on the roof at the corner that I can't see. If ring my bell once as I hit the angled corner on the right side of angle I go on to burst the balloon between the buildings and when I come out of there a pet passes me going in the wrong direction, but it turns around and usually catches up with me before I go up the ramp in the centre of town. There was a posting somewhere that told where all the pets are but it seems different for each level. What I did once was go along the route and ring my bell and listen for response. I areas I heard a pet I explored more. creful though they confuse easily and if you ring too often they go off in all directions. No one said they were smart. It is a skill to know how they react and where to use them. Good luck

Yes, coming from the bridge you have to stay to the right and ring, and then turn into the grassy alley. Or no pet.

So jvv, you go up the ramp in the center of town before the one near the water? Must rearrange my route in that area. Also will try picking off the balloon above the man made tunnel after coming through it, although I hate that climb!

Got up extra early so I could get in a workout before leaving for the day! Hmmm. Sleep/exercise. Which?

Well, I got down to 3.1 miles and three stars on the Island Tour course and just could not get it down any farther! I used the dog and the jumps whereever possible, and I couldn't get up to 4 stars. I even snuck a peek at the map with the number flags. My course was only one flag different. I tried making that change, and it made my distance longer by .3 tenths of a mile. Still only 3 starts. grrr.... Anyone get this level down below 3.1 miles?

I finally decided I really wanted to see the Expert course, so I switched to that today despite not making four starts on Island Tour. I loved getting to see new parts of the island! I was so engrossed in exploring the new paths I was hardly aware of how long I was cycling. I found all 20 flags, but it took me 42 minutes! My legs felt like spaghetti when I was done. 10.5 miles to complete the course, but I was just exploring, not really trying to find the shortest route since I don't know these parts of the island yet or where the flags are.