Trail Trouble

Today's run started a little off-key. After I had parked my car, I turned on my running GPS, and I discovered that the battery was so low that it turned off as soon as I acknowledge the message. Fine, I thought: this will force me to pay extra attention to what my body is telling me.
I had planned to run 2-1/2 miles on forbidden drive before following the yellow trail out as far as it would take me. At the parking lot, though, I took a fresh look at the map of the Wissahickon Valley. Here, for the first time, I saw the trails clearly marked on a map. The orange trail, I learned, extended roughly the entire length of Forbidden Drive, running parallel to it on the opposite side of the creek. The yellow trail, meanwhile, ran all the way from Main Street in Manayunk to Bell's Mill Road. With this new information, I began to consider revising my plans.
Instead of running out 2-1/2 miles towards Lincoln Drive, turning around, and then getting on the yellow trail, I ran all the way to Lincoln Drive. Having consulted one more map that was posted along the way, I decided that I'd run up to Rittenhouse Town and then catch the orange trail on the way back.
The problem was, it wasn't immediately clear to me where I could get on the orange trail. If I'd made the effort to study the map more carefully, I probably would have figured it out. As it happened, I decided to turn back the way I had come and to get to the orange trail from one of the side trails that I learned would lead to it.
The side trail did not welcome running: rocks and roots pervaded its narrow path, which dropped off steeply toward the river. I walked much of it until I reached the orange trail. Then the run became somewhat easier, at least temporary. I followed the trail until I reached a parking lot, whereupon I became confused. Where was I to get back on the orange trail? There were no signs, nor were there colored markings on the trees. I took a wild guess, and, after a little while, found myself on the white trail.
While the trail seemed easy, I had become discouraged. Usually I rely on the heart monitor function of my GPS to let me know how much effort I'm putting forth, but at this point, I was rather dispirited and therefore started walking, not really sure if my hard breathing were a result of normal exertion--as was most likely--or if I were really pushing myself too hard.
I followed the path to where a large cement pipe formed a bridge over rocky road running perpendicular to it. Suspecting that the road led back to Forbidden Drive, I crossed the bridge and made my way down the steep embankment to the road. Sure enough, I soon found myself on familiar ground: I was about a mile from Valley Green. I resumed my run and returned to my starting point.
So today's run did not go well. I did, however, check when I got home to see where I could get one of the maps of the Wissahickon that was posted by the parking lot. Perhaps more familiarity with the routes will prevent me from having some of the problems I had today.