[at-l] Katahdin, GPS and "spirited discussions"

[nightwalker.at at gmail.com]

From: Jim and_or Ginny Owen <spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com>

You must be jaded, Frank.  
----------------------------------
Maybe just a little. Where I live, there are mountains on three sides, all the way to the horizon. I'll look at a ridgeline that's maybe 25 or so miles long, and my main thought is "I'll bet I could walk that thing with this GPS."

To say that you and I feel different about GPS receivers would be an understatement. Ideally, with  USGS 7.5 quad, a compass, declination info and a pencil, I could get anywhere. I'd just rather use those big, expensive satellites up there.

 In the Garmin (Etrex Vista Hcx), I've got loaded the 50k quads of the whole Eastern seaboard and the South, and road maps from Fla to Nova Scotia, as far West as the Mississippi.

Yup. I could drop it into a creek or something, but you could lose a map or break a compass. I'm not saying GPS is for everyone, I'm just saying that's how I roll. :-)

And it's funny. What a lot of folks call arguing, you and I call a spirited adversarial discussion. I'd love to discuss politics with you and Grey Owl over pints sometime. If that wouldn't be a hoot, I'm not sure what would be. Maybe T. Klide, too. He's a rare breed (a logical Republican).

I'm in a good mood and enjoying it. Y'all call it stirring if you want. Stand back or join in, just be civil.

:-)
FrankenPooperScooper