[Discussion] Touring with GPS or Touring the good old fashion way?

[lao uncle]

Me prefer the old fashion way of maps + compass. Gets the brain thinking n functioning. If lost direction or unsure, break the ice by asking the locals of that foreign country. In worse case senario, join the F@#K-R-WE tribe.

 

I use a combination of both map and gps. Map for ease of planning and gps for me to get there. Even if you do not have any map for the region at least you know where you are and which direction you are heading if you are lost with a gps.

 

Only problem if you run out of juice for the battery eating gadget.

 

Another thing is if you are lost late in the night, I dont think there anyone for you to ask. You cannot see far, got no landmark to check out and you are very tired from the long ride.

 

Gps is the thing to go, just like record>>tape>>cassett>>cd>>mp3>>??

Yes, sometimes people still use mp3 and at the same time use cd. Just like some of us uses gps and also uses maps. I believe more and more bikers are using gps when they travel up north, especially the lead man.

 

Yes you can go and join the F@#K-R-WE tribe if you are lost, but if you run low on fuel then you will join the pushing tribe too.

[Asap]

Not bad huh... lao uncle also know how to use gps.

Juz kidding bro. Peace aite!

 

Ya i wouldn't agree wif u less. Technology is there why not make use of it. At a price of coz. Eventually, to each its own la. Juz ride safe, enjoy n keep the riding spirit goin on n on.

[slime]

As above. Personally i prefer touring the good old fashion way with maps, road signs and a positive mentality, not to mention the adventures.

 

hi.

 

1)basic sense of direction is needed. to know where is ur destination.

2)basic road map (paper map) reading skill, a must.

 

im using GPS for my RTW trip. Garmin 60csx. i down load a good world map from smellybikers.com. even with basic map in my gps, it does not tell me to turn left or right. even it does, it may not be correct. my gps gave me extra confidence on navigation, making sure im not travelling round and round in a town. it is also for data collection, saving waypoints like hotel and petrol station... if im lost, i can track back and find the way point.

 

u may buy a simple Garmin Etrex to start off first which cost less than s$200.00. if u are comfortable, then buy a good one like garmin60cs s$620.00 and install a touretech holder on ur bike S$200++ from Mtechnik.

 

have fun touring!

[mi5trooper]

use 1 word then point finger.

 

for eg:

 

shout "changmai" then point finger to a few direction and with a "i am lose" face expression. Then they will point finger at 1 direction and say a lot of word with we don't understand.

 

but nevermind. at leave we got the direction correct. hehe....

 

(i know it sound silly. but hey, that is good memory to keep. it happen to me many time a few years agol)

 

just like to ask.... but if we don know their lang.. how we talk to them ??

 

myself have this problem........... i don't know how to speak malay or thai...

 

other than learn it what even can i do ??

[slime]

use 1 word then point finger.

 

for eg:

 

shout "changmai" then point finger to a few direction and with a "i am lose" face expression. Then they will point finger at 1 direction and say a lot of word with we don't understand.

 

but nevermind. at leave we got the direction correct. hehe....

 

(i know it sound silly. but hey, that is good memory to keep. it happen to me many time a few years agol)

 

Hello mi5trooper!

i like that! i use it all the time and it works when im lost! it doesn't work in India. when they reply me pointing to the east, i would say thank you, ride 3 meters to the east and then u-turn to the west and i would find the destination. it works the opposite in India!!!

[scoobydoo]

both choices provides different feel to the trip...

 

GPS gives you convenience, accuracy (provided you've got the map) and saves time for a point-to-point journey. it saved my day when i was totally clueless about my whereabouts and helped locate the nearest gas station when tank was running low somewhere inside the woods of Kangaroo Valley (Australia)

 

hardcopy maps on the other hand gives you the fun and excitement of testing our navigation skills over unknown land, looking around for landmarks and asking around when lost... that's part of my campervan adventure in NZ

 

its best when you can have both

[mutant_sheep]

i know myself as a mordern idiot. so i live with my GPS, i hv 3 of them! PDA, PDA phone & PNA. (am i crazy?)

what i do before travel is i will plot my route with mapsource then pump it into my GPS (it use garmin mobile XT ofcourse.)

before GPS was invented how i travel? i use my mouth & my balls & no maps. hahahah.

[Mark C.]

well, i don't see why reject modern technology? if we are able to make full use of it why not?

And now the price of a GPS is quite affordable.

[GuiNNeSS]

GPS literaly saved my butt on my return trip from Thailand.

 

At Sg Buloh, was doing my usual pre-ride check when I noticed my tyre crumbling away, revealing the innards. Close to panick, I did a GPS POI search for bikeshops and located one at Shah Alam, about 15km away.

 

No way I would have found the bike shop based on the maps I had. With the GPS guiding, went straight to the workshop.

[selphie]

GPS! Saves time and maximises trip coverage.