Ridecamp: Re: [RC] GPS, Cell Phones & Sandstorms

On Tue, 9 Jul 2002 11:50:19 -0400, "Howard Bramhall" <hwb67@xxxxxxx>
wrote:

>Trails should be well marked.  That is part of the Ride Manager's 
>responsibility.  To not do so makes the ride an unfair advantage 
>for locals who already know the trails.  ...

Of course.  However, if I was managing a ride today, in addition to
the traditional markings I would put in each ride packet a list of
waypoints along the trail, so those who wish to use a GPS could
program them in.  I expect we will soon see more rides doing this.

>Can't we just level the playing field by keeping things simple and 
>quit acting like we're all Sheiks from UAE?  

Just because the Sheiks do it does not make it bad.

>Cell phones, for emergency use only, and no GPS and no laptops.  
>Everyone gets a map and you have the option of bringing along a compass.  

A compass!  Hell, man did American Indians have a compass?  Whaddaya
trying to do, ruin the purity of the outdoor experience?

>Leave the electronic stuff back at camp, please.

This is following a common pattern:  some new innovation comes along,
a few people begin to use it, and some others want to ban it.  In
time, as more people use it, it becomes accepted.  IOW, what people
were using when we started feels "natural" and new things that come
along feel "unnatural," for a while.

Given the choice between keeping things simple and adding more rules,
I prefer to keep things free.  Let those who wish to use a GPS or
radios to their crews, or heart monitors, or Easyboots, or Biothane
tack, do so ... and let those who do not, do as they wish too.
Biothane, a GPS or a radio isn't going to make a rider more successful
if he doesn't have what it takes (and has a horse who has what it
takes).  All of these aids are nice, but they do not subsitute for
good genes, good conditioning and smart riding.

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@xxxxxxxx
http://www.rnbw.com


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