The Ride is More Fun than the Destination

I came across this pretty cool blog by a guy named Jesper in Europe. In his blog, he tells us about a Garmin GPS device made just for motorcycles, the Zumo. At first I thought this thing was pretty cool.

Not only does it do the standard GPS stuff, but you can also use to play XM radio or MP3’s, get real time traffic data, and download your trip into Google earth to share with friends all over the world. There are a host of features on this thing. You know me, I love gadgets.

I immediately starting thinking up all of the excuses to give my wife so I could have one. They aren’t cheap, that’s for sure. They start at $1000!

But the more I got to thinking about it, the more I started questioning myself as to whether or not I really wanted one. Just like Jesper said in his blog, getting lost is half the fun! How many out of the way places have you found that were cool when you were lost.

Some of my favorite spots have been the ones I just found when out riding. And besides, isn’t this whole riding thing more fun when you’re taking the road less traveled? Part of the fun of going somewhere is the cool stuff you’ll see, smell, and hear when you’re out riding in places that are unfamiliar.

Biker Dick, Corndog, and I are planning our trip to Sturgis for next year. We’re going to ride the nearly 1900 miles one way to party for about four or five days to turn around and ride the nearly 1900 miles back. When we get there, we’re going to camp out. We’re going to get up with the sun and go to sleep when we’re tired. We’ll ride some while we’re there, too, but the ride there is something I’m really looking forward to.

We haven’t quite decided on a route. We can take the freeway almost the whole way there, we can mix it up with some back roads, or we can just take back roads all the way there. I’m not really sure what we’re going to do, but I will be a little disappointed if we don’t at least travel some of the back roads.

Now, this little gadget my Garmin can come in pretty handy. Let’s say that we would like to go this little barbeque place in Kentucky that we saw on Feasting on Asphalt. We’d have to get off I-24 once we’re in Kentucky and go some hundred or so miles out of the way to find this little place. No biggie.

But now, let’s say we’re lost. I turn on my Garmin Zumo and off we go, right back on track. How fun is that? No interacting with the locals to try to find this place, no haggling over a map, nothing but follow the dot.

Not me. Give me a map, a compass, and a full tank of gas, and I’ll be happy. I think I’ll pas on the Garmin this time.

 

For a ride like that I agree with you.If I had a deadline to keep or something of that nature it may come in pretty handy.Guess it all depends on the individual and each ride.

 

I like the idea of never getting lost.Have been in some strange places I would not ever want to be in again in this lifetime or the next.But each to his own I say.

 

Haha! I've learned never to turn down any street named Martin Luther King Blvd the hard way! I know what you mean. But will a GPS keep you from ending up in the same situation?

 

I too have ended up lost in some not so great places. One time I was in Philadelphia, PA visiting family and ended up on Arimingo Avenue and man was that one hell of a wrong turn. I will never do that again. On ever corner was a crack dealer and a crack whore, what a place that was!

 

Very interesting post you have here.Sounds like a winner to me and about getting lost in strange places,Done that myself.I guess if you follwed the thing you wouldn't end up like that would you?I would have to think about it some more if I like the idea or not.

 

Never been in anything that I could not easily get out of so will have to side with the main man here, will not be investing in this little gadget any time in near future.

 

This gadget sounds really, really cool. I honestly think that it must be a first of its kind type of thing because I've never heard of it before but now that I've heard of it I want one too LOL Too bad I don't have $1,000 just lying around.

 

I like the idea of not having to stop and ask for directions. I think it would come in handy if you are lost but if you don't have a specific destination then it's not necessary.

 

A friend of mine has one and he swears by it. He says that without he has no sense of direction and he is one of those stubborn males that hates asking for directions. If you ask me it takes the excitement out of the ride.