First of all I don't care if you want to use paper maps or not...that's not the issue. You are concerned about scaring people off with the cost of "electronics" & you are the one that is exagerating the prices! The real issue, is you saying there is a need for a $3000 computer, $1000 GPS, & whatever ungodly priced mapping program. It's just not true or what is being used.
I'm telling you the truth.....There is NO NEED to have a high end laptop, the $300 netbooks work fine. Tell me what a $3000 machine will do, that the $300 won't, when it comes to running any of the popular mapping programs???
Lee, there are GPS's that do cost a lot of money. Butt they have other features too.....weather, bluetooth, MP3 players. Some of the MOST popular GPS's amoung the top LD riders are the 26xx & 27xx series of GPS's. I remember one of them saying if his house was on fire & he had time to grab one GPS, it would be his 2610 not his Zumo.
I use a Streetpilot III that I bought for around a $100.00. It's advantage is when zoomed out, it maintains detail of hiways.....the newer more expensive loose the detail. I also use a 2720 that I bought used for $112.00. It has up to date maps, came with Mapsource mapping program. Both of them have trip computers which give average driving speed, overall speed, eta at destinations. All useful tools
I use two mapping programs...Mapsource & Streets & Trips. As mentioned Mapsource was free with the GPS, S&T can be bought online or locally for less than $40.00 (you can use a test version of 2010 for 60 days free)
And I'm not going to feel sorry for you because you're raising a family. My Sons are 40 & 36 years old. There were plenty of things I didn't do or could afford when they were at home.
When gas was $.75 a gallon I had to sell my motorcycle because I couldn't afford it!
Sleddog
Posted on Apr 9, 2010, 5:34 PM from IP address 97.186.146.76