Comments on: many water bottles, no maps http://www.portlandtoportland.com/many-water-bottles-no-maps/ tips for planning a transcontinental bicycle tour by following along with us via blog and podcast Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:04:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: cyclists http://www.portlandtoportland.com/many-water-bottles-no-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-16 cyclists Sat, 28 Oct 2006 18:28:08 +0000 http://www.portlandtoportland.com/?p=21#comment-16 Denis, You are absolutely right that 70 miles in Michigan isn't necessarily easier that 70 in Montana. It's just that I am very familiar with Michigan, so I know the terrain and there isn't much foreign about it. Montana on the other hand isn't totally foreign to me, but I have only traveled by car there and am pretty sure that Missoula is the only town along the route that I have ever been to. Anyway, it is more of a psychological thing than a reality. I can tell you of some tough Michigan rides a lot shorter than 70 miles. But, I usually knew what lay ahead whichin many cases was more headwinds. As for wireless computers, I was wrongly assuming that the technology was better now than when they first came out. Both of us will have one with us so I hope that we can keep one working at all times. My wired computer intermittently stops when the wires get jiggled the wrong way. I may just see if there is some way to improve that connection and stick with it and take the wireless as a backup. Denis,

You are absolutely right that 70 miles in Michigan isn’t necessarily easier that 70 in Montana. It’s just that I am very familiar with Michigan, so I know the terrain and there isn’t much foreign about it. Montana on the other hand isn’t totally foreign to me, but I have only traveled by car there and am pretty sure that Missoula is the only town along the route that I have ever been to. Anyway, it is more of a psychological thing than a reality.

I can tell you of some tough Michigan rides a lot shorter than 70 miles. But, I usually knew what lay ahead whichin many cases was more headwinds.

As for wireless computers, I was wrongly assuming that the technology was better now than when they first came out. Both of us will have one with us so I hope that we can keep one working at all times. My wired computer intermittently stops when the wires get jiggled the wrong way. I may just see if there is some way to improve that connection and stick with it and take the wireless as a backup.

]]> By: Denis Kertz http://www.portlandtoportland.com/many-water-bottles-no-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Denis Kertz Sat, 28 Oct 2006 01:21:40 +0000 http://www.portlandtoportland.com/?p=21#comment-15 Just a note of caution about a wireless computer. I've had 2 fail on tour, the most recent a VDO C3DS wireless. Wireless is certainly nice without any wires. The primary downside of wireless is first it requires another battery to power the transmitter. It is best if the transmitter and main unit use the same type of battery, such as a CR2032. The bigger issue is that if something goes wrong it may not be easy to determine whether it is the transmitter or the main unit. I just had that problem on my recent tour. I was sure it was the main unit but now I suspect it really was the transmitter. Also, I'm not sure that 70 miles in Michigan is necessarily easier than 70 miles in Montana. It's true that you may have some more challenging hills/mountains in Montana and services will generally be more frequent in Michigan. On the other hand, routing is generally going to be easier in Montana. Usually there aren't a lot of options to get from point A to point B so you often just get on a road and travel a long ways before having to turn off on to another road. Just a note of caution about a wireless computer. I’ve had 2 fail on tour, the most recent a VDO C3DS wireless. Wireless is certainly nice without any wires. The primary downside of wireless is first it requires another battery to power the transmitter. It is best if the transmitter and main unit use the same type of battery, such as a CR2032. The bigger issue is that if something goes wrong it may not be easy to determine whether it is the transmitter or the main unit. I just had that problem on my recent tour. I was sure it was the main unit but now I suspect it really was the transmitter.

Also, I’m not sure that 70 miles in Michigan is necessarily easier than 70 miles in Montana. It’s true that you may have some more challenging hills/mountains in Montana and services will generally be more frequent in Michigan. On the other hand, routing is generally going to be easier in Montana. Usually there aren’t a lot of options to get from point A to point B so you often just get on a road and travel a long ways before having to turn off on to another road.

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