Riding with GPS on was something that I thought I would never do. I do carry a portable GPS device that I use frequently. It was in my bag and I would use it to find out were I was and possible how to get out of a confusing area. Most maps do not have the detail we want. But a GPS seems to know all. Were does this road go and does it come out some were. That is what I used it for. Well last weekend I was about to lead a group of riders over a road I had only been over once before. It seemed to me that there were several intersections with options that I did not remember. I looked at the route on streets and trips of what I thought was the route. It seemed like a lot of turns to remember. So I thought that this may be the time to try riding with my GPS. With my low cost GPS I am unable to set way points. You simply tell it were you want to go. It will plan the best route. But once you start riding it will reset to the roads you are on. So it is always keeping you on course to your destination. I tried it out on some local back roads to a programed destination. One of the first things I noticed was I could now see the road ahead of me. It showed all the corners that were ahead and I could not yet see. This could be good? The next thing I noticed was that I could see all of the surrounding roads and were they seemed to go. I turned up one. The GPS mapped a new route. So no matter were you go it will find a way to the destination. In addition I could see several roads that patrolled the one I was on. Some of these road look very nice. I had ridden this area many times but never considered some of the intersections. But now I could see many I need to try. So now I am saying wow what have I been missing. But is this a negative factor? Knowing to much about the road ahead? I don't know. Part of me says don't do it. The other part says wow what a tool. There will defiantly be more GPS runs in the future. Set a destination. Ride left or right and see were we go. Sounds like fun to me. |
