re: "I would ride by myself, but I have the internal radar of a house plant."

I have a GPS (global positioning system) that I can use on my mountain bike. It is excellent for avoiding getting lost in the backcountry where every trail junction can look alike. It will even tell you exactly where you are in the dark. The one I have is a Garmin eTrex, which weighs about 4 ounces. I got a handlebar mount for it from www.cycoactive.com which is way better (much more shock-absorbing) than the handlebar mount that Garmin sells.

If you are trying to get from point A to point B, especially on a trail or logging road that you have never been on before, you can set up your route in advance on the unit and you will be able to tell if you are staying on-course. Or, if you are just out exploring new trails, you can back-track your track log and easily return to your starting point. I use my GPS several times a week either hiking or biking. Much less worry with it.