I wouldn't have thought it...
 16 years
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We have been on only but a few trips with our Christmas-time purchased GPSr. On occasion we've had what I would say are not the best of directions... Others too on this forum have reported similar experiences, hence why numerous posts are quick to point out that one must be sure to "not leave your brain at home" while on your journey.
So here we were on a return trip home and deciding to make a quick trip into Kisatchie National Forest near Alexandria, Louisiana. A quick phone call with the forest Ranger indicated a couple of stops that would be of interest. Having not programmed "Chrissy" for this, she became a bit outdone when things were not going her way.. At one point, we were in the middle of the forest traveling on dirt road and made another turn onto another dirt road. Crissy became so insistent that she screamed out 4 "RECALCULATING's" in a row, a slight pause, then 4 more "recalculating's" followed by another short pause then 4 more "recalculatings".. at this point I turned her off.
We arrived at our last point of interest (.. It was a wonderful picnic and camping location with a nearby clear water stream for cooling down....wonder if there is a POI file with this location).
Having seen what we wanted to see, it was time to head home. The Ranger had advised to go back the way we came in. Knowing the terrible conditions of the 12 miles of washboard gravel roads we came in on, we decided to turn Crissy back on to see what she had in mind for the return home. Hopefully she had a better plan. And, and to our surprise she did! The roads were still gravel, but they were not nearly as bad as those on the way into the forest. More importantly, the connect point with Interstate 49 was about 15 miles closer to home than our original exit point.
So in all fairness, we need to chalk one up for Crissy. Gravel roads and all she knew what where we needed to go.. (but I'm still keeping my brain turned on nonetheless...)
Randy, I am glad to hear
Randy,
I am glad to hear that you had a good trip;)
Miss POI
Another story from today's NPS Morning Report
We have been on only but a few trips with our Christmas-time purchased GPSr. On occasion we've had what I would say are not the best of directions... Others too on this forum have reported similar experiences, hence why numerous posts are quick to point out that one must be sure to "not leave your brain at home" while on your journey.
Here's a story from the National Park Service Morning Report of June 9:
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (AZ,UT)
Couple Rescued After Four Days Stranded In Backcountry
Park dispatch received a call routed through 911 from Kane County dispatch on May 31st regarding people stranded in the backcountry and needing medical attention. A Pennsylvania couple in their 60s had rented a two-wheel drive sedan and were vacationing in the Glen Canyon area. They planned to drive from Big Water to Escalante, both small towns in southern Utah, via a rugged four-wheel drive road. They later reported that the GPS unit in their vehicle advised that they could travel this route. About 45 miles from Big Water, though, the vehicle broke down after the oil pan was ripped out and the engine seized. The couple had several bottles of water and soda with them, but no food nor other means of survival. After being stranded for four days with daytime temperatures in the high 80s, they were able to flag down a visitor on a dirt bike who called 911 on his cell phone. Classic Lifeguard launched two helicopters from Page to fly the couple out. They were extremely dehydrated and were kept at the hospital overnight for observation. The couple never stopped at any of the various visitor centers to ask for information, nor did they did turn back when they came upon signs on this backcountry road which said that the road was impassable. If they hadn’t encountered the person on the dirt bike, it’s likely that they would have perished. Rangers are increasingly dealing with visitors who rely on navigation systems which may provide misleading information, often with tragic results. While navigation systems such as GPS units can be fine tools, nothing can replace up-to-date information from informed personnel as well as using common sense when out in remote areas. [Submitted by Eric Scott, Acting District Ranger]
And to reconfirm the need "not to leave your brain at home," I've talked with current staffers at Sunset Crater Volcano NM in Flagstaff and they report oftentimes seeing bug-eyed visitors arrive at the monument's Visitor Center, having taken a few very rough dirt Forest Roads as directed by their GPS rather than the paved entryway.
PS--The graphic associated with my postings here on the POI Factory is of the head of the Kana'a kachina, the resident Hopi kachina of Sunset Crater Volcano, youngest of the volcanoes in Arizona.
EXCELLENT POINTS!
Craig, excellent points!!! And one that was rightly made!!!
(So for backup on "using the brain comment", and to not imply we had put our lives into the GPSr... we also had paper maps showing the roads in the forest. Plus, there were several vehicles coming from the direction on the way out, which is always a good sign. Once out of the Kisatchie, we began to notice homes and other non-national forest establishments, indicating a good routing choice.)
Randy C530, Nuvi 52