Originally Posted by
staehpj1
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.
I agree that a GPS is not entirely necessary, especially if you're doing an Adventure Cycling Association route using their maps. However, I'd still take my GPS on such a trip. Why? Well, first of all, those maps are only useful as long as you stay on their little black line. Secondly, I really liked the ability of the GPS to produce a GPX trackpoint file for each day. This can be used later to show a line following where you went on a Google map (an option I have on crazyguyonabike). Finally, I haven't done this myself, but you can apparently download routes from the ACA website, which presumably would give you some kind of route to follow right there on the GPS, and maybe other things like services... sounds cool. With the Energizer lithium batteries, I was getting something like a couple of weeks of all-day riding use out of the eTrex Vista HCx, which is quite acceptable to me. So yeah, it's really a luxury, to be sure - but then every bit of gear that you take along is some kind of tradeoff in terms of cost/weight/simplicity. Now we have it, I'd take it in a heartbeat. I love the feeling of never being lost, no matter how far off route or in the middle of nowhere I am... on the other other hand, perhaps this reduces the sense of adventure somewhat! Sometimes it can be great to get lost... often the best stories happen on tours when things kind of go ballistic.
Neil