a question of style

[Debord]

I am just wondering what everyone's style of navigation is. Do you plug in the coordinates and listen to turn by turn navigation? Do you use use the “go to” compass and intuition? Or maybe get out some old fashioned paper maps and study them?

 

Or maybe there is something else?

[knowschad]

I am just wondering what everyone's style of navigation is. Do you plug in the coordinates and listen to turn by turn navigation? Do you use use the "go to" compass and intuition? Or maybe get out some old fashioned paper maps and study them?

Or maybe there is something else?

Sounds like you're using a Nuvi for geocaching. I use a Nuvi for getting me to the parking spot (hopefully!) and for holding the cache page and logs, but I use a handheld on compass mode for getting me to the actual cache. Is that what you're asking?

[+The Ravens]

Nuvi.

[knowschad]

Nuvi.

Uh, Nuvi to you, too. Have a good day. Were you trying to say something?

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

"Style" is what toots your whistle.

 

If you like a FRED* talking to you and telling you what to do, go for it!

 

Personally, we have found that 'navigators' seem to want you to go around the block just to get next door! Best part of that is... there are many that do just that because it told them to! (shakes head, slowly)

 

Those "old fashioned" maps may come in handy someday, don't burn 'em just yet.

 

In truth, we do both, just for the halibut. Oftentimes, finding it easier to let the GPSr give us the "crow's flight" direction and we somehow manage to find our way .

 

IMO integrated use of both "styles" is the way to go.

[+Max and 99]

We use a combination of Nuvi and common sense, since as the previous posted mentioned, oftentimes the Nuvi wants to take us in a crazy direction just to get somewhere around the corner. We often have the Nuvi on the dashboard and the handhelds in our hands, at least when we get closer to the cache location.

[+WRASTRO]

No turn by turn for us. Just the trusty 76cs with a free map of Washington roads and a sense of adventure.

[+ngrrfan]

On long expeditions, and we're talking about 200+ miles, my partner and I use a combination of GPSrs.

 

One is the Garmin GPS II+ hooked to the laptop that has a mapping program running. This can give us a broad view of where in general we are heading and possible routes to take.

 

The she has one of our eTrex Ventures and is giving me more precise directions as we near GZ.

 

Finally, we carry a DeLorme Atlas so we can get a REAL big view of things if needed. Most times though we have our trips planned out enough that looking at a map or atlas really isn't needed.

[vagabond]

Jet pack the only way to go

[+SweetPea&Crew]

We use a nuvi 350t to cache, and it gives us excellent turn-by-turn directions in transit to the cache. Once we put it in "off road/pedestrian" mode, we find it remarkably accurate, and a decent gpsr to use on hikes as well as on highways. The nuvi has its drawbacks, though: the unit must be recharged using a car charger (not ideal for long hikes), and we sometimes miss a cache or two when we go from one to the next. To solve the latter, we've recently added a garmin gps18 with nroute so that we can get a "bigger picture" of all the caches in a particular vicinity. To solve the former, we're saving up for either a 60csx or maybe one of the Oregon or Colorado handhelds.

We respect that every cacher has a preference for gpsr units.

Happy caching!

[+edscott]

I am just wondering what everyone's style of navigation is. Do you plug in the coordinates and listen to turn by turn navigation? Do you use use the “go to” compass and intuition? Or maybe get out some old fashioned paper maps and study them?

 

Or maybe there is something else?

 

You do know the nuvi has an off-road mode? Once you have parked if you want to use it to get to the vicinity of the cache, just switch modes and continue on foot.

[+Mini-Geek]

I generaly use google maps to get as far as I can on road, then I use my GPS and just "follow the arrow" with a bit of common sense!

Edited February 15, 2010 by Mini-Geek

[Clan Riffster]

Since most of the caches I seek are well away from roads, I use turn by turn to get to the parking area and the compass from there.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Since most of the caches I seek are well away from roads, I use turn by turn to get to the parking area and the compass from there.

 

You probably travel further away from roads than I do but to me, geocaching doesn't really start until I leave my vehicle. I have to wonder how much the proliferation of auto navigation GPS units has contributed to the game becoming more of game of "park and grab" from a game of "park and hike"?