bbeckham

I have a Garmin III plus which is about 5 years old. I love it. We use it hiking and hunting. Can even download way points to a computer. You can estimate how much the government is varying the accuracy by comparing previously saved way points to current known location. We relocate spots in the woods this way.   We have the road map CD's for the entire US and the Topo CD's. Thus can download to the GPS detailed street level (gravel roads included) to the Garmin.

When traveling, I interface it with one of our laptops and find the cigarette lighter cord which provides power to the GPS and communicates with the laptops (Mac & PC) invaluable. On the computer, I use Delorme Street Atlas to plan our trips. I save the itinerary, attach the GPS and track us at street level while traveling.

I recently added Good Sam's Club Trailer Life CD (by Rand McNally) to our laptops and am still evaluating it. Like the fact that it has all the camp sites and RV parks on the CD which are in the TL Directory. Allows for trip planning or quickly finding a spot to stop when we get off schedule while enroute. Am hoping it will download road construction detail as advertised - but haven't gotten that far. Maybe someone else can give info in that area.

I wouldn't be without a GPS and agree that a compass also needs to go along when on foot.