How I know where I am

Thanks to the folks at AeroAstroSens you will know where I am because of the satellite tracking system that I will use. AeroAstro collects a signal sent from a sending unit on the top of my tool kit on the back of the bike and translates that signal into an image on a map. There is a link on this page to the AeroAstro page where the map is displayed. The AeroAstroSens device is used for tracking freight containers and vehicles, and I figure if it can keep track of a single motorcycle in the vast space of the United States, it can keep track of anything. Kim Irving and Pia Miranda of AeroAstro have been instrumental in setting up the tracking system for this trip. Pia was involved in the Prudhoe Bay trip. Tony Bachta of AeroAstro provided the technical support to get the tracker back in operation after a two year hibernation following the Alaska trip.

Now, back to the title of this entry. How do I know where I am? The photo is a cockpit view of my new Garmin Zumo GPS designed for motorcycle application by being easy to read and constructed so the buttons can be operated with gloves on my hands. The first screen that appears when the GPS is activated warns that you can die if you try to enter destination data into the system while riding. In fact, you can't get to a screen in the system until you agree that you won't try to ride and type at the same time. I promise.

So,this should all work out well. You'll know where I am thanks to AeroAstroSens and I'll know where I am thanks to my GPS. The first time I rode a motorcycle across the country (more than 20 years ago) I cut the pages out of an atlas for the states I planned to visit, and kept the page for the day in a freezer bag on the gas tank. The system work relatively well except the map couldn't be read while I was moving, and if I went to a state I hadn't clipped before the trip (which happened because of weather), I didn't have a map. Technology should eliminate those problems.

Now if I can get the rest of my final exams graded and the grades posted, I'll be ready to roll.