I'm posting Didi's Free Ride route here in her words. It is considered by many to be the fastest route, and Didi holds the current record, tied with Bosko. (Looks like I've lost ground on the stats and have several ahead of me now.) Also, anyone can add tips to this thread and make it a thread to help newbies along. If someone wants to post a route they consider faster here, that is fine too.

Note to newbies: I suggest you have fun trying to find all the balloons on your own first, and try making up your own route. You will miss a lot of fun if you just go straight to Didi's route. You will also miss appreciation of just how great this route is!

"Just got 17:13!

"I start at the triangle near upper lake, castle,up the mountain then jump down to the dry lakebed.

"Hints: If you veer around hump rock to the left toward the castle and intentionally ditch into the lake just at the beginning of the fence, you reincarnate a little closer to the castle- a couple seconds there. Another timesaver is to veer to the right immediately before hitting the balloon on the green up the mountain - you reincarnate within a few feet of the balloon. You lose your pet but don't need him anyway before jumping down to the dry lakebed.

"So I jump down to the dry lakebed, hit both jumps down outside the lakebed tunnel, snag the ledgeballoon then down to the balloon by the bridge and ditch into the river to reincarnate on top of the bridge. Pick up a pet on your way to the balloon between the buildings. The pet helps you with the plaza balloon and third one behind the building - shoot straight up the hill to the lighthouse disregarding the road, then back down to the balloon on the lower ledge then on up the cave with the metal ramp. The pet helped cut almost a minute off my time by then between the, lighthouse, ledge balloon and upper green. Continue off dog leap, pick up the two balloons around the inlet, next ruins, then go sharp right up the hill and snag that balloon, immediately back down to the beach. The pet really helps. I did try a straight trajectory from the first beach balloon to the second next to the arch- going straight through the water instead of up on the grass or along the sand/jumps and seemed to pick up some time. I also disregarded all the ramps on the beach and focused on a straight line path instead of veering to use the jumps. Result was 17:13!"

Added on November 12, 2010:
I just reread Didi's route and wanted to let newbies know that the one major change that some of us use and like better is to hit the balloon on the hill by the rocks above the man made tunnel at a different time. We hit it after coming out of the dry lake bed and then turn and go to the one on the S shaped ledge. That means NOT jumping off the cliff outside the dry lake bed, thus losing time, but it also means not having to climb the steep hill after coming out of the man made tunnel. So it's up to you which way you want to go.

Thank you so much for posting this! It's very helpful - almost the route I was following, with some slight differences. My current time is 23:08 so I know I am still missing some shortcuts. I have a few questions in red - would appreciate any response! Thanks, ggg

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"I start at the triangle near upper lake, castle,up the mountain then jump down to the dry lakebed. (OK so this is 3 balloons, and the direction around castle loop is counter-clockwise, right?)

"Hints: If you veer around hump rock to the left toward the castle and intentionally ditch into the lake just at the beginning of the fence, you reincarnate a little closer to the castle- a couple seconds there. Another timesaver is to veer to the right immediately before hitting the balloon on the green up the mountain - you reincarnate within a few feet of the balloon. You lose your pet but don't need him anyway before jumping down to the dry lakebed.

"So I jump down to the dry lakebed, hit both jumps down outside the lakebed tunnel (I don't understand what/where these jumps are), snag the ledge balloon (is this the one on the "S" ledge? Is there a shortcut to it by jumping? Also, after I leave this balloon I always seem to have to go all the way around the fence before I can head for the bridge - is there a plummet I can take to get from the "S ledge balloon" to the bridge?) then down to the balloon by the bridge and ditch into the river to reincarnate on top of the bridge. Pick up a pet on your way to the balloon between the buildings. The pet helps you with the plaza balloon and third one behind the building - shoot straight up the hill to the lighthouse disregarding the road, then back down to the balloon on the lower ledge (This balloon can only be reached by going all the way around almost to the entrance to the metal ramp tunnel and then taking a sharp left up the narrow hill, right?) then on up the cave with the metal ramp. The pet helped cut almost a minute off my time by then between the, lighthouse, ledge balloon and upper green. (My pets never seem to help much. I think I am close enough to the balloon and they run up to it and just stand there and wait for me - and I have already started to turn - then I have to to turn BACK and get the balloon myself. Exactly how close do I need to get to a balloon for the pet to help me? And if its that close, how is really cutting my time down? Does their helpfulness differ depending on which balloon it is?) Continue off dog leap, pick up the two balloons around the inlet, next ruins, then go sharp right up the hill and snag that balloon, immediately back down to the beach. The pet really helps. I did try a straight trajectory from the first beach balloon to the second next to the arch- going straight through the water instead of up on the grass or along the sand/jumps and seemed to pick up some time. I also disregarded all the ramps on the beach and focused on a straight line path instead of veering to use the jumps. Result was 17:13!"

Another question... where is the best place to stop in order to restart on the triangle?

If I stop right at the balloon, I restart down below facing the tunnel in the opposite direction I want to travel, and it seems impossible to turn around there because the road is so narrow.

If I stop at the far end of the triangle (furthest from the balloon) I restart back further - (near what I think you call the hump rock).

Either way, I cant seem to start right on the triangle and I suspect I am wasting time getting to that first balloon.

Any suggestions?

ggg

Sorry, I am really short on time right now, but I can answer some questions before I leave.

Yes, it is three balloons and counterclockwise.

To use your pet, when you are facing a balloon, even from a distance, ring the A bell (the large round button on your wiimote) WHILE your front tire is pointing at the balloon. He will run toward it and if close enough, he will pop it. If you were not close enough, he will stop and face you. If he does, ring TWICE. The first ring will start him running back to you, and the second will send him at the balloon again (if you are pointing to it.) So you can actually have him pop it while you are still quite a way from it.

End next to the big rock (hill) just uphill from the triangle with the balloon. That will start you facing downhill near the rock and it is just a few seconds to the triangle.

I'll have to go, but will get back to you asap, probably tonight or tomorrow. Or someone else can feel free to pitch in.

Methusalem, you ok? Hope you are well in your old age.

Ok, I'm back. The jumps outside the lakebed tunnel. Hmm. I only know one. If you come from the tunnel straight out to the cliff, right next to the end of the fence you can jump down. Your front wheel needs to be turned slightly left, and you will land facing in the direction of the balloon on the end of the S shaped ledge. I don't use the jump because I prefer to pick up the balloon outside the tunnel and to the left around the mountain, which is also above the man made tunnel by the resort. Then I head toward the bottom edge of the fence and try to navigate through there without coming to a complete stop.

I don't think anyone has found a jump to get down from the S shaped ledge without cycling all the way down around the end of the fence. Sorry.

Yes, the balloon on the lower ledge is near the entrance to the metal ramp tunnel.

Hopefully, these tips help speed you up. Let us know how it goes~! And though things are going slowly here right now, stick around because with fall here a lot of people are going to be returning to indoor exercise and this forum becomes a lot of fun.

Ok, I was finally able to figure out the jump to the S-ledge - that worked for me. I think I agree with you though about the other balloon to the left when exiting Dry Lake Bed tunnel - that balloon is so close, and when I wait until after the Ruins, I have SO much trouble trying to get up that hill - half the time I spin around and fall all the way to the bottom. I am going to try to shift my route and include that balloon before I go to the S-ledge.

So, my record is now down to just around 21 minutes... and boy I am working HARD... I am completely drenched - practically running throughout the entire course. I am just in awe of how anyone can get to 15 minutes, let alone 17. It seems at 15 minutes I am at the top of the Ruins just starting to head down the hill. The beach trek seem to take 3-4 minutes for all 4 beach balloons. I can't understand what I am missing that is wasting so much time on the clock. It can't possibly be a speed issue.

As I mentioned, my pets are practically useless - if I can even get them to follow me. In today's run, I lost my pooch immediately after he popped the first balloon after Dog Leap. I don't know why he left - he must have gone off to chase a rabbit or something...

As I mentioned in another post, today I completed all 20 balloons and no message appeared confirming that I was done. I am SURE that I did not miss any, and I am wondering if one of my plummets possibly reversed the credit on one of the balloons. gggrrrrrr

I used to try to get that balloon by climbing the hill, too- it was a horror story. Jvv could do it, so why couldn't I, I thought. But I changed my route to getting it after the dry lake bed and I like it so much better. Too bad to not use the plummet to that area, but at one time I had gotten really good at going in below the fence. That is, for me, the hardest part of my route (Didi's, basically). I am still working at perfecting it. I am going to try popping the balloon and then braking while turning to the right to head for the fence. Instead of left. It would be a no-brainer to turn right, but that rock is in the way. Still, I am going to work on that. It's got to be easier with some practice. Then I should be able to slide in between the fence and tree with less slowing at that point because I am coming at it from slightly below the fence instead of above it. No sharp angle. Here's hoping.

That is the thing that will help you improve your time- practice and making changes here and there. Some will be bigger changes and some smaller. You are right. Speed is not the issue. It is skill with turns, locations, etc. And I recommend you learn to use that pet!!! There is nothing more important than that to cut time, meaning it is as important as any other skill. Just take a session to practice and practice. Yes, sometimes the pets disappear. Obviously with some of the plummets, but also on occasion because they didn't like the way you took a turn or something like that. It seems so unfair!!! Perhaps stick a biscuit in your pocket for the ride; see if that helps.

Wow, you have really cut your time already!!! Good work. Try getting that balloon on the beach behind the resort by staying to the left along the mountain for a ways after leaving the tunnel. Then it is easier to just nip it off on your way down the hill right on the route instead of having to figure out if it is in front or behind you along the beach, maybe turning around to get it. I may use la jog....'s ocean trick if I've already lost my pet, but it still means some time with heading out into the ocean and then you are facing away from your route to hit the balloon and turning around after. Anyway, it's all fun and a great challenge. You will see your time creep down and it will be exciting as you hit each milestone. Keep it up!

I am working on a my new way to get to the S shaped ledge. After picking off the balloon between the Dry Lake Tunnel and the man made tunnel I just keep going below the two rocks and then up to the bottom of the fence. It seems faster and I am trying to polish the trick. Any one else do that?

I am not sure I understand this. After you exit the Dry Lake Tunnel you turn left and grab the balloon.... then you turn around and stay on the upper level so you can plummet at the end of the fence on the higher level (where Didi plummets without having turned to pick up that balloon)? Or do you point down towards the correct level and go around the fence at the lower level and then just cycle straight onto the S-ledge?

I use that route. Basically you pedal straight down from the dry lake bed tunnel and hit the balloon full speed and angle to the right and pass downhill of the second boulder. You then traverse the slope; passing the downhill side of the first tree that you encounter and then angle uphill a bit to pass between the fence and tree to access the S shaped ledge.

I don't think that there is any advantage time-wise in doing this or doing the alternate "brake and turn"strategy. I just like the speed and rhythm involved in doing it this way.