When we left in 2003 we hadn’t thought about navigating at all. We bought a used roadmap of Europe on the same flea market where we sold our stuff. Navigating GPS systems generally were a gadget for expensive cars.
However, I (Coen) did have one of the first Garmin handhelds, which I used on my motorcycle trips. These could not hold maps, like today’s devices do.
An Upgrade: the Garmin GPSmap 60CSx
We chucked the yellow Gamin eTreks in a box, not to be seen again until Iran, where we started using it to mark camping spots, retrace our route when necessary, and to find our bearings in major cities when staying a little longer, as it laid a virtual breadcrumb track.
My friend Edwin works for WayPoint – Garmin’s main distributor in the Netherlands – and he was so kind as to provide us with an upgrade: he gave us a GPSmap 60CSx [long since not available anymore: but these are the most recent Garmin handhelds].
This handheld Garmin is still considered by many as the king of the road in GPS land: Rugged, waterproof, doesn’t eat batteries and is perfect for in the woods.
Read More: Recovery Gear for Overlanding
What Do we Use the GPS For?
As our fuel meter isn’t always working [don’t ask me why], our day-to-day use of the GPS is registration of the distance we covered, so I know when to fill up again.
We still use it to mark camping spots as well, and the ability to load the GPS with Open Street Maps [which have greatly improved over the last years] has given our navigation a whole new dimension. Both positive and negative.
Apart from navigation, we use the GPS to find geocaches. This worldwide game has evolved a lot since we found our first cache in Bangkok. What we love best about geocaching is that it brings us to most beautiful and remote places, which we normally probably would have given a wide berth.
Another feature I use is to see what time the sun will set and the phases of the moon. It can be useful knowing that we still have two hours of daylight to find a nice camp spot, while the later helps planning shooting full moons or star trails.
Read More: Accommodation & Camping (with GPS Waypoints)
Improvements for the Future
I’m not going to give you a total review of this popular GPSmap 60CSx
I am driving with prescription sunglasses, so glancing at the Garmin’s screen while driving means having to peek over the top of my sunglasses and moving very close to it. Which, you may understand, can be annoying as well as dangerous.
The best thing of this particular GPS, however, has nothing to do with all the above. It’s the message we’re getting every day when we turn it on. Edwin programmed a thoughtful phrase when he gave us the Garmin:
Edwin, we think of you every day!
Check it out: our Classic Every-Mile-Tells-a-Story T-shirt Collection
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Familie avontuur voor de avontuurlijke Coen en Karin. U bent speciaal en leven een speciale leven, kan God uw dag nog specialer. We missen je, in afwachting van de terugkeer naar een bijzonder avontuur te voeren.
Kusjes en knuffels.
My GPS does not leave any. Breadcrumbs anymore. How do l get it put back on?
Hello Ken, what model GPS are we talking about? Did you google or try the forums? It should be a fairly simple procedure to switch tracking on or off. Is your memory full?