Originally Posted by
J.Higgins
Be flexible. Definitely. NOTHING I do ever comes out like it did when planning it in my head. Nothing!
Many have said they don't use paper maps, but I don't think it would be wise to leave them on my initial trip. My plan is to map a challenging trail that other people would like to ride when I'm done. Where I'm headed its a bjillion acres of wooded BFE nothingness. Nothing but trees and water (pronounced watta up heah). So a wrong turn could easily cost me the progress made in a day. I'm not afraid of failure at all, but I do work with a sense of urgency and purpose, and I must be precise. Can't help it. So using my paper maps will be necessary for this grouchy old throwback. My old business partner is still bugging me to come out of retirement. If he's successful, meaning if he lobs enough money at me, I might not be taking this trip at all.
Here in the west we have vast area of nothingness but they aren’t covered in trees (nor have that much water). I’ve been to areas of where it can be a 30 mile drive to find a cell phone signal. But, that said, I do have most of my map in my head and can figure out the rest on the fly. The rest can be filled in by saving segments of Google maps on my phone.
Question to you, Stu: What GPS should I get now? I have a Wahoo Element, which is satisfactory for normal riding, but its map features kinda suck. Should I just break down and buy a nice handheld GPS?
Honestly, I can’t say. I don’t use the GPS for navigation.