I have been trying to stay a bit to the left and arch around to stay on the grass as soon as possible. I still need some practise but have been quite busy the last few days, have company for the week so wii time is harder to squeeze in. I think pet use there is maybe yes or now, doesn't seem very reliable where a bump or ledge is involved.
This will just give you some time to catch up with me.

I head down to the sand when i reach the openings of the tunnel above - about at the third open slot or so - I try to veer gently tothe right as I'm going down so as not to have too hard a turn on the sand and then I'm able to go at the ball head on. I've started to go back up to grass Like jvv suggests - that feels good.

I got down to 19:24 on my last run, geting the drop onto the s ledge just right; but before that I still made some errors. I have steadiness problems behind the castle and lose a lot of momentum there. After I get that ball I seem to wobble and lose speed and it takes time to make it up. Occasionally I miss the dry lake bed jump and end up back on the high grass plateau I also took a bad route out of the starting circle to go up to the lighthouse and lost some time there - I find its best to head straight out left and then go up rather than going upwards and through the huts area. I need to perfect kitty use at the two balls after dogs leap. So all in all If I get all those imperfections right I reckon I could drop maybe 30 seconds, bringing me into the late 18s. I'll be sweating buckets mind you

I've also found that I'm getting the speed lines more and more now, but I don't why. Do you think its just becoming more natural to me?

The other thing I do is Kescah's route getting the ball by the man made tunnel after the s ledge one and then heading to the red bridge. I've managed to do the tunnel ball after coming out of the tunnel succesfully on a couple of occasions but its not guaranteed so i don't like taking the risk.

So supposing i get into the late 18s, how on earth do I then get close to jvv??? 2 1/2 mins, that's madness. Great fun trying, but i get so nervous beofre I start out

Hey JVV, I haven't read through all the threads but wanted to mention that in town I am having fits with the pet. Had a record breaking run going and get to town and the cat/dog is no where. At that point I just gave up on speed and toured around town near the building with the blue roof, etc. all the usual locations and never did find the cat. Very frustrating.

I'll try the water jump in the tunnel with the ramp but I'm going in the wrong direction. Are you still doing the run similar to mine or something different. I can't get better than 16:34 Arghhh!

DiDi233, I posted earlier in a thread that I was having the same thing happen. I ws sure I called at the right time but the pet didn't appear. He always shows up after I pop the balloon between the buildings and turn the corner, sometimes a little later on the way up to the courtyard. I think what "might" happen is that when I ring the bell the pet isn't looking my way (I can't see it) and therefore doesn't answer. Most times round the island he is there though. I agree that when you are having a real good run it sucks to lose the edge. One time I was almost 10 seconds ahead of my best time to the top of Red Iron Bridge (26 min) and lost it all. I am getting so aware of the times and route that through out the run I can tell if I have a chance of beating my time or not. I usulally keep going anyway but then I start to play around with other possible jumps or shortcuts. It is hard to measure distances sometimes because you need the speed to be kept up and often I find that what i think will be the best way (usually easiest) isn't necessarily so. Going up the mountain is agood example. I may have to bring a rolled up newspaper to town for my kittie
I am still using your route but I always get the balloon outside and after the dry lake bed after I go through the man made tunnel. It is tricky sometimes but always less time needed. If I have a real good run I can be there and done with 17 minutes left which gets me finished by 16:30 easy but I want to break below 16 now. I still think it is possible but will take a perfect run or some other modification. I am always looking

Keep it up, 1dayfit, I'm sure your time will come down as you perfect those problem areas. It's funny; as I perfect this or that problem, I start to feel that I could do better in another area, and I find that to be a problem, now, when I never thought it was before. In other words, I am becoming more perfectionistic, but as I do, my time goes down, so it is a good thing (as long as it does not become an anxiety disorder!) Though we are back in the dust somewhere, we will probably get closer to these guys as we learn to micromanage the pets and turns and routes. I went for all this time not worrying about improving my run at that balloon behind the resort, and now it has become one of the new things to overcome. I realize that it had me very frustrated, but only now am I actually working to improve it. Why? Probably because I feel more skilled than I did before and so realize I can conquer with enough practice.

What's this water... tunnel with ramp? Metal spiral ramp? No water there. Huh?

Spot on, kescah. Thanks for the motivation.

BTW, when you enter the tunnel with the metal spiralling ramp from the sandpit dive into the stream on the right as soon as you can, you will reincarnate a bit further up at the start of the actual metal ramp - maybe a second or two gained there.

Cheers

I did that 1dayfit but you also lose your pet, which can cut off more time in the field above, so really no advantage I found.

Hey! I don't even have a pet at that point - where are you getting her from?

1dayfit, using my route after I ride into town from the red steel bridge I pick up a pet at the corner that is angled heading for the balloon between the buildings. Ring for the pet just as you hit the angled curb before the balloon. The pet is on the rooftops and will join you after you pop the balloon and head towards the courtyard in the middle of the town. You should hear her meow when you ring for her. That pet stays with me for the rest of the run as long as I don't do anything foolish or she tries to trick me

Terrific, thank you jvv. Is this the pet some people have had difficulty finding in earlier posts? I'll try and find her later today!