Traded In Two, Bought One New

[dhgeyer]

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

No big deal to get it to work - just one button to push and take it with you. The Google maps online tracking is live and updated as often as every 15 min or can be set to longer intervals. Check out Spot's website.

Thanks mrlmd1. I checked out the website. Then I ran it by Sue. She said words to the effect of "Why would I need that? You call me every night and tell me where you are.". I don't think she's interested, but thank you for the suggestion. Sometimes I call her more than once during the day. Sometimes I even have her find me the best deal on a motel near where I think I'm going to land, and make me a reservation.

[mrlmd1]

Sounds like you got the best of all worlds, keep it that way.
And nobody "needs" any of these things, including our bikes - we want them, so we get them if we can, and we justify it by "needing" it.

[alanmcorcoran]

dh, do you have a an iphone or other smartphone? I used mine (iphone) on my mini tour to locate and book a cheap hotel via a hotels.com app. As you probably know, hotels often will have extra low pricing on last minute bookings. In my case the place I stayed (which was no Four Seasons, but clean and quiet and free breakfast) had a special low price for booking through hotels.com. Then again, this probably comes under things you already know.

mrlmd - One possible benefit to the tracking thingie is - my wife really doesn't care that much where I am at any given point, but she does worry that I might be dead somewhere (by the side of the road or otherwise), especially when she hasn't heard from me in a while. THe tracking thing - assuming it was moving - would give the odds I was still of this mortal plane a boost. I'm not sure, but I thought that Google or somebody offered something like this to regular cellphone carriers.

[alanmcorcoran]

Originally Posted by Easy Rider

Obviously I know nothing about you except the picture you paint on here.......which is open to all sorts of mis-interpretation.

As mentioned before, no big deal. I guess the "left-coast" thing (along with "Cali", "The OC", "Frisco", "La-La-land", "Fruits and nuts" and so on ad nauseum) is one of of those trigger words that annoys me. California is a big place (and probably has just as much farmland percentage wise as IL) and there are all kinds of people here.

Again, it's no big deal and probably an overreation on my part.

[bonehead]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

As mentioned before, no big deal. I guess the "left-coast" thing (along with "Cali", "The OC", "Frisco", "La-La-land", "Fruits and nuts" and so on ad nauseum) is one of of those trigger words that annoys me. California is a big place (and probably has just as much farmland percentage wise as IL) and there are all kinds of people here.

Again, it's no big deal and probably an overreation on my part.

Just like when people visit TX, they're wondering where our horses and six-guns are. :??:

[burkbuilds]

When I was a kid growing up in Tennessee, a new family moved in from New Jersey at the end of our street. My friend Greg and I met the kids at the bus stop the next school day and one of them actually said to us, "We thought everybody in Tennessee lived on a farm and went barefoot all the time."

[mrlmd1]

AC, and dhg and everyone else - the Spot has a button to push if you need help, or immediate help - calling an emergency center with your GPS coordinates to notify people on a prearranged list. Very useful if something happens to you and you have to contact someone or the cell doesn't work. At least they know exactly where to find you, or they know where you are if it's on and the device is not moving making a track as it gives your last position. I'm not pushing or selling them, it just seems like a good idea for someone on a long trip so others can be aware of your whereabouts and you can summon help if you need it (Like if you ride off the road).

[dhgeyer]

Alan,

I have a Blackberry and a Garmin GPS unit. Either will locate motels near any specified location. But neither is as easy as a wife at a computer. I can call her about 3:00 or 4:00 with a town and an ETA. I'll stop and call her back an hour or so later and it's done. As long as she doesn't mind doing it, I'll take it. She's very good at it. Most times I just happen to see something promising on the road, and that works too.

Another possibility, which I've never explored but I may this trip is the BMWMOA (BMW Motorcycle Owners of America) Anonymous Book. Every member gets one. When you sign up for membership, they ask you if you are willing to be listed in the book, and what services you can/will provide for fellow members on the road. Options run the whole range from having a truck to pick up a dead bike, a place and tools to work on it, bedroll space, a spare room, just meet for coffee and chat, and so on and so forth. They call it the Anonymous Book because everyone is listed grouped by location, with a phone number but no name or address. It could be a resource for places to stay for free, meet interesting people, and talk bikes till all hours. As I say, I've never tried it, but it could add a fun dimension to the trip if it's any good.

mrlmd1,

I'll run it by her again with that new info. When I'm on a tour, I seldom end up in the back of beyond, and help would be passing by within a reasonable time if I needed it. If she's interested, I'll do it.

By the way, I don't mean to be mysterious - my name is Dave. I just use dhgeyer for everything computer related.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by burkbuilds

"We thought everybody in Tennessee lived on a farm and went barefoot all the time."

No, that's Alabama. :hide:

:oops:

[alanmcorcoran]

I think there was a Yamaha club that I was automatically enrolled in when I bought the Strat but I never really looked into the program. Probably expired when I renewed my registration. That BMW anonymous thing is a pretty cool idea. One of the bigwigs at my big client in Chicago has a BMW1200 (R? not sure what model if there's more than one.) It was his third bike and he educated me a bit on its strengths. He has done some group and solo tours.

I have AAA with MC coverage but I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't work that well in other states or in the boonies.