Gone fishin' (...hiking, actually)

[Tom Mann]

Headed south last weekend, meeting up with some friends and heading north next weekend. Should be around during the week.

The only camera I brought was the one in my iPhone cuz it also has all my topo maps, GPS, and serves as an emergency communications device -- what a great invention!

Tom M

 

[Zeealex]

hiking... with a GPS?? GPS is for noobs man! use a paper map next time! XD no trust me, using a paper map is hilariously good fun!

lovely photo, and best wishes for your next hike with a GPS.

 

[IamSam]

The Appalachian Trail is on my bucket list........I'm jealous. Have a great time!

 

[Paul MR]

Here is one of the signs I came across on a walk...

 

[Steve]

I hiked a small portion of it near the Delaware water gap.

 

[Steve]

Looks like Yoda made that sign Paul.

 

[Tom Mann]

hiking... with a GPS?? GPS is for noobs man! use a paper map next time! XD no trust me, using a paper map is hilariously good fun! Lovely photo, and best wishes for your next hike with a GPS.

Thanks, Zeealex! Yup, I cut my teeth navigating by paper maps since the mid 1950's, and, when I was younger and used to lead backpacks and day hikes for a hiking club, used to teach people how to triangulate your position by drawing lines (on a paper map) back from easily identifyable mountain peaks on the horizon.

However .... I'm getting old and lazy (but impatient), so I always have a compass with me for backup, but I have fallen head over heels in love with the speed and certainty of a GPS, at least, when it is working, LOL. I always advocate that people learn traditional methods before they start relying on a GPS -- they are up the proverbial creek without a paddle if their electronix die and they can't fall back on basics.

My favorite story is when I was hiking with a buddy who had served in the US Special Forces and we were bragging to each other how good we were at navigating while on foot. We were in an area where the maps hadn't been updated for years, and the trail that we were following petered out to nothing. We suspected that we had gotten off the main trail. This was before GPS, so we separately triangulated our position from sightings and then compared our results: Our two estimates of our location argeed to within about 200 feet, so we then were certain that the problem was with the map being old, not us getting off track.

Anyway, the bottom line is that I completely agree with you that one should ALWAYS know how to use a map and compass.



Tom

 

[Tom Mann]

Steve, Sam - the truth be told, I don't especially like walking on the AT. Some times, there are so many other people around, you feel like you might as well be taking a walk in a city park. The main attraction of it to me right now is that my wife's nephew, as well as a family friend, both with little hiking / backpacking experience have become seriously interested in doing the AT, so this give me the impetus I need to get off my duff and get back doing some of the things I used to really like to do, as well as getting some much needed exercise while I still can, LOL.

T

 

[Eggy]

@Tom Mann,

Have fun Tom and enjoy the hike.
Just in case, don't forget to download the latest app for your IPhone.

 

[Tom Mann]

Eggy - I did just like you showed in your photo, and put my knife right next to my phone.

I waited for ages, but absolutely nothing happened.

But as soon as I walked away for a minute, I heard this loud chomping sound, and by the time I looked back, this is what I saw ...



My knife is now inside the phone! Who would have thunk?

I still can't figure out how to cut things with it now that it's inside my phone, tho.





T

 

[Eggy]

@Tom Mann,

Funny, the app works fine with my phone. imp:

Try again, tap the icon on the screen and just like a 'Transformer' thing the knife will unfold.



Remember, that thing can save your life!