That is completely opposite my experience, but I didn't use the AC maps for the PCH. I wonder if the difference is personal preference or the difference between the routes. I took the AC maps on the TA and carried a GPS for part of the TA. The AC maps were so easy to follow and so complete that I sent the GPS home after about a week. I might carry the GPS if I were doing a non AC route, but didn't see any need on the TA. In 10+ weeks we were never lost once, except in one place where we lost the addenda and a road had been removed. The GPS database would have not been current enough to show the change either and if we had and paid attention to the addenda we would have been fine. As it was we looked for a road that no longer existed for a while before we took an alternate route after talking to some local folks.

For the portion of the PCH that I have done I used the KIrkendall and Spring book and liked it quite well. Again I didn't see any need for the GPS. I have used the gps extensively and really liked it in other settings including hiking, running, kayaking, and sailing. I never go running without my wrist GPS, but that is just to collect data.

It looked like I would need to upload route information quite a few times on a coast to coast trip as the number of waypoints is a fixed and quite limiting number. I read somewhere that it was possible to beat that by converting them to personal POI's or track points or something. Has any one had success with loading a whole long trip like a coast to coast trip. Carrying a laptop or having to find computers along the way that will let me install GPS software is not an option I care for.