Originally Posted by
eschlwc
wow. this already turned into an incredibly helpful thread.
for those of you that use a smarphone (w/ or w/o a gps) while riding unfamiliar territory, are you using google maps (and its bicycling routes), or are you using another online map resource? are the above map resources you've posted used only for planning or also while riding? one thing i've realized with my phome is the gps really sucks battery life, so unless it's absolutely necessary, i have to leave the gps turned off.
You know what? Often I find intuition is the best bike navigator there is. Only a handful of times I could of used one (like 3 times) but most often than not I don't need it. I think it'd take some of the adventure out of it. Besides, if I eff up I learn not to go that way next time and if the route i chose is horrible (it seldom is), I get to ride more and back track my path. Once when I was sixty miles into it, tired, and rolling through some sizeable hills I was wishing I knew the exact way to go. As it was, it forced me down into a park I never would have gone to and met some really nice people that gave me directions.
In other words, it may be cool to have but I don't think I need it. Then again I've lived over 40 years around the whole greater Seattle area, have worked all over, and have a rough idea of what I'm getting into.
Whatever's best for you.