It is long time that the GPS (global positioning system) became part of our lives. Initially it was used for military purposes (PPS), then it was made available to everybody a much less precise and reliable version (SPS) and then the two systems were equalized in 2000. This network (24 satellites at least, now 31) from which the data are recorded, is owned by American and is run by the military authorities that could one day at their own discretion, decide to block access to the system or reduce the accuracy. After this brief historical introduction, we'll get to the point crossing on the fingers ...
The GPS is now used for civilian purposes in many fields, from navigation to road guidance. Lately the development of devices signal receivers has become so lightweight and compact that it can be installed on a bicycle without burdening weight and volume on the pedaller. The strong deployment of such devices in recent years has found a very fertile ground among the MTBiker because the satellite signal can help especially in the absence of references (as in the woods or on trails blocks). Here i'll try to summarize briefly the usefulness and potential (at least those that I have known, i'm certainly not an expert in the field, but only a amateur) of GPS devices for mountain bike practice, giving some tips and some useful reference on the Web to find information and downloadable tracks to enjoy the beauties of mountain biking without swear at each wrong or skipped crossroad.

To each bikers that we can define so, has certainly happened sooner or later to be in the middle of a forest, on a dirt road or on a fun single track and face a unexpected and unknown crossroads. What to do? Which way to proceed in the right direction and to complete the route in advance without having to do kilometers and kilometers of asphalt or without wander for hours in the undergrowth? Once you launched the coin ... head right, cross left. Often went well and we continued on dirt fun game that we had had recommended, but sometimes we took the wrong path and we found it, if it went well, on a overtrafficated state road or, if it went bad, after a  steep  and long drop  in the middle of vegetation with the path that disperses among ferns few meters in front of us. Now the risk can be reduced to a minimum (if not eliminate, because you never know ...) using a Global Positioning System (GPS) to read the territory and make sure you choose the correct path without losing hours to request information or go backward a wrong path. Also taking advantage of the net and its infinite capacity to produce information at no cost, you can find different routes to vary you excursions every weekend. But it is clear that we must not abuse this tool (how many have heard stories of people who blindly trusting a gps has fall with the car in a lake, upon a wall, stuck on a stairway ...): GPS should not take away the taste of exploring typical of MTB, should not change the landscape (we should enjoy what is around us, we shouldn't control the GPS every 5 seconds!) And even our mind (if we get on the MTB is to immerse in nature and seek some adventure, not to sit in a chair watching a movie). After this premise you wonder ... so what the devil is this GPS for? The GPS device is useful for planning an exit (know journey times, length, detours, shortcuts, points of rest, skiing and distances), in case of emergency (assess any shortcuts if you are tired, you have physical or mechanical problems or it's getting dark) and it helps to know where are the streets in a new or little known territory.

We enter now in detail. The GPS Navigator is the tool that allows us to see the path (track) and information relating to it during our trip. On it you can upload tracks downloaded from the internet and then follow them during the trip or save a path that you know and then share it with others in different sites. The tracks to be loaded on the device are files, usually ending in GPX (in case of need to convert files to your GPS device GPSvisualizer site is very convenient - it's free), which contained information relating to the path while the points of interest are stored in files with the WPT extension (waypoints are the placeholder created to indicate a particular point, such as a fork, a hut, a source etc. ...). To view the path we must use our PC software. Usually when you buy the browser comes on a CD which is a software base with which to read and store files. Other software for editing of GPS tracks can be purchased separately (here the free demo CompeGPS Land) or downloaded for free on the network (Easy GPS). Within the software usually can develop a liking our route map and display and gradients. Always using the software you can upload / download tracks on our navigator.
Once loaded the track on our browser, there remain only starting. When we arrived at the place of departure, and switch the device once it has received signals from the satellites will appear on the screen the track with a serial number that will identify the direction in which the path will follow and a triangle indicating our position . Zoom in and out to see greater or lesser detail depending on need.

If you want to download or share traces of paths for mountain biking, in the section MTB itineraries (description is in italian only) are some routes in Trentino Alto Adige with its links to download the files. Personally I find it very well developed the site Every trail on which there are thousands of tracks. Other sites with a good database of GPS trails for mountain bikes are Giscover and Turbolince (the last one in italian).