No matter how well I plan (or don’t plan) a motorcycle trip, I never seem to be able to leave early in the morning, when I would have the coolest weather, and the best conditions for a long shakedown ride. Increasingly, I seem to be fussing around with some new form of technology – this year it’s using the GPS system on my bike and getting it to interface with a mapping software program on my netbook. After loading MapSource (Garmin’s preferred product, but a royal pain in the ass to use), and finally figuring out that it was at least four generations out of date (enough to make it impossible to do many of the things that various web sources indicated were possible), I tried to create a route. It wasn’t easy. The programs are designed to constantly recalculate your route based on a set of preferences – for faster travel, shorter routes, and avoiding interstates, unpaved roads, toll roads, ferries, or seasonal closures, for instance. Because different programs (and GPS devices) use slightly different algorithms, they rarely produce exactly the same route.
A second major problem comes up when you try to shift information from one program to another. This would seem to be something that would be built into most GPS and routing software, but the truth is far more sinister. The few solutions out there have been kluged together, are hard to use, and give results that are only partially satisfactory. In general, although the software and the devices are extremely useful, the learning curve is very steep, and they will not do what you want them to for quite some time (i.e., don’t start messing with this stuff in the final week before leaving for your trip). By the way, the interface and the look of Microsoft’s Streets and Trips is far superior to MapSource. Who would ever have guessed that Microsoft could produce something that worked properly?
The first day’s riding took me from the Twin Cities to Aberdeen, SD. I followed a variety of minor highways, including US 212, going through farming towns and eventually heading up the Minnesota River Valley. I had heard about the incredible migratory bird resource this area is, but seeing it in person was astounding. Gigantic flocks of birds of all sizes and shapes, using the marshes and sloughs of this part of the state. I was impressed! I continued into South Dakota, where the towns are even smaller and farther apart. Lots of farm machinery, and a concentration on cattle. Also an incredible number of signs advocating for the rights of the unborn. South Dakota’s reputation seems well-deserved. (I didn't see anything addressing the social needs of the already-born.)
Aberdeen is a pit – sort of a giant, semi-sordid strip mall. Lots of trucks, from semis to pick-ups. All of the major low-end shopping chains are represented, as are the fast-food joints. I managed to find a decent (barely) Chinese buffet for dinner. The staff seemed genuinely surprised when I asked for chopsticks, and even more so when I was able to use them. Dead tired though I was, I got onto the internet and tried to figure out my route, as well as send emails to various and sundry individuals. Better motels seems to have free wi-fi internet these days! I’m not sure that keeping up with email is a good idea, though.
Are you floating in mid-air in this photograph? I didn't know you could levitate.
ReplyDeleteWhat looks like a shadow under roger is perhaps a small puddle of some sort? Best not to think about it! :-P
ReplyDeleteI wish I was with you... but I would look silly in a sidecar.
ReplyDeleteJust reading your blog is perhaps more interesting than most people's actual vacations.
Stefano