So on Sunday 29th Will and I set out on a training ride to test out Will's Garmin. Despite my protesting, Will bought the only computer that Garmin make that doesn't include maps and therefore makes navigating tricky to say the least.
However after a bit of research and a youtube 'how to' video, we loaded up a 67 mile course taking in some very random lanes in the South Hams. The thinking was that if we can navigate ok on the lanes, then we'll be fine on the main roads on the route.... Well as it turned out we couldn't navigate fine on the lanes. We managed to lose the course within 4 miles on the edge of Aveton Gifford. About 10 miles later we picked it up again, only to lose it within about 2 miles. The route wasn't helped by the fact that Will couldn't remember where he'd plotted!
Anyway we did our best to try and follow it, but kept going off course. the Garmin seemed to have a mind of its own as we'd be cycling along and it would say turn right in 1.1 miles and then all of a sudden it would say we were off course and should have gone left! I'm not unconvinced that there isn't a good handful of user error thrown in there as well!
So after our minty slice stop at Dartington, we thought we were back on safe ground, only to go the wrong way through Harbertonford and Moreleigh and didn't get the course again until 5 mile lane (where again we somehow managed to lose it before Stokenham!)
Lessons Learned? Well firstly, not to let Wil plot the route again. Secondly, make sure we know the route on paper as well and finally, to start saving for a Garmin 705 with 'proper' navigation!
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