On Mar 26, 11:02 pm, Ron Wallenfang wrote:
I've been wondering if I should get a GPS system for use on my more or
less annual long rides. I'm mostly interested in finding motels,
restaurants and other facilities and Catholic Churches. Directions
are less of an issue. What kind does anybody use and what are the
pros and cons of them as you see it.

I have a Garmin Etrex vista CX with City Navigator NT North America
and a 2 GB SD card.
I love it. It has a handlebar clip that is secure and easy to take
the unit on and off. It knows every street, hotel, restaurant, etc.
including phone number in the US. It will give turn by turn
instructions how to get there, with consideration of types of roads
(cycling, driving, walking, etc.)
What I like best with mine is that a cycling log is simple: I
ride with it, (while it tells more than my cycling computer), and when
I return home I plug it into my computer and it will draw a map of
where I have been and it has recorded my route, distance, speed,
elevation gain, max speed, time moving and stopped, etc. (I also use
Sport tracks from zonefivesoftware.com, free). It uses AA NIMH
batteries that will last all day without difficulty.
Beside the price the only drawback is if you make a route to
follow it cannot have more than 100 reference points. Mine did begin
to spontaneously turn off after about 10 months and when I called
Garmin they said to send it back and in no time they mailed me a new
unit.
It works great in my car. I even downloaded a free map of Aruba
and used it there. It even acts as an alarm clock and calculator.
This sounds like an advertisement, but I really love it.

Ted.