And today it was the Zumo. A couple of weeks ago my back-up GPS on the bike, a Nuvi 765T had the connector to cradle connection fail. So the bike is down to wearing only the Zumo. Today, after lunch and at the start of a group ride through back roads, my Zumo 550 showed me a map screen with a blinking question mark (indicating it did not know where it was) and the message "Acquiring satellites" for  over an hour. I ended up heading to the next destination (hand made ice cream) using major secondary roads WHEN SUDDENLY my wife chimed in with detail directions using her iPhone. It was a little clunky but worked well enough- she directed me to the next turn over the intercom while viewing Google maps and the on- board GPS receiver.

After arriving at the destination, it miraculously healed, found out where it was and ended the trip 'cause we were there.

Vehicle navigation GPSs are wonderful things but they are not reliable if you are really counting on them to get somewhere, especially 'right now'. And that is why I always carry two with me when traveling locally and three on long distance rides.

If only someone made a GPS with KiPass....

Brian

If mine breaks, I buy a map.   

What is this 'map' thing you speak of?

What is this 'map' thing you speak of?

it's one of those failsafe paper geological reference information sheets that is looked at / studied with a fresh cup of coffee & a yellow highlighter late in the evening and/or early in the a.m. before a ride starts!

What is this 'map' thing you speak of?

Must be something like a « key » obviously an antiquity 

What is this 'map' thing you speak of?

Must be something like a « key » obviously an antiquity 

 
That's pretty good Sly. Is it OK if I use that?

And today it was the Zumo. A couple of weeks ago my back-up GPS on the bike, a Nuvi 765T had the connector to cradle connection fail. So the bike is down to wearing only the Zumo. Today, after lunch and at the start of a group ride through back roads, my Zumo 550 showed me a map screen with a blinking question mark (indicating it did not know where it was) and the message "Acquiring satellites" for  over an hour. I ended up heading to the next destination (hand made ice cream) using major secondary roads WHEN SUDDENLY my wife chimed in with detail directions using her iPhone. It was a little clunky but worked well enough- she directed me to the next turn over the intercom while viewing Google maps and the on- board GPS receiver.

After arriving at the destination, it miraculously healed, found out where it was and ended the trip 'cause we were there.

Vehicle navigation GPSs are wonderful things but they are not reliable if you are really counting on them to get somewhere, especially 'right now'. And that is why I always carry two with me when traveling locally and three on long distance rides.

If only someone made a GPS with KiPass....

Brian

My condolences on the loss of your electronics, Brian.

You seem to have left out the most important part of the story though. The ice cream, how was it?   

it's one of those failsafe paper geological reference information sheets that is looked at / studied with a fresh cup of coffee & a yellow highlighter late in the evening and/or early in the a.m. before a ride starts!

Can I use this map thingie even if I...shudder...don't drink coffee? Will it also work with iced tea, or am I just gonna have to stay home?

Can I use this map thingie even if I...shudder...don't drink coffee? Will it also work with iced tea, or am I just gonna have to stay home?

As long as it's not sweet tea, you're safe to carry on.

I like sweet southern tea.  Like hot English tea (sweet of course) as well.

I like sweet southern tea.  Like hot English tea (sweet of course) as well.

I don't like sweet southern tea. I'm more of a northern tea drinker myself.

All is well. I'll be able to ride again this year. I DO NOT take my tea with sugar. If I did I might as well be drinking pop. I don't drink pop.           

All is well. I'll be able to ride again this year. I DO NOT take my tea with sugar. If I did I might as well be drinking pop. I don't drink pop.         

You may not drink it but thanks for using the proper term. Pop.   

We call them drinks down here...  Tea without sugar....

You need to do a hardware boot when that happens on a Zumo.
It is not the same as turning it off and on.
Hold the 3 corner buttons down for 5 seconds. Top left, bottom left and bottom right
Also go online and make sure your Zumo has the lastest updates.
Sometimes the pins get corroded or in my case the pads are worn out. I had to buy  special silver paint (pen) and re-coat the pads.
The cause of worn out pads on my Zumo is due to my C10  which vibrates the crap out of anything mounted to the handlebars.
Yours are probably just oxidized.

This stuff works pretty good for cleaning pins and such....

http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-Cable-Deoxit-Contact-Cleaner/dp/B00006LVEU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399221668&sr=8-1&keywords=contact+cleaners

http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Electrosolve-Residue-Contact/dp/B008UH3Q8S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399221765&sr=8-1&keywords=contact+cleaners+mg

The ice cream was excellent. Local place, makes their own. It is a little on the hard side (easy boys!) and quite dense, not like most major brands at all with their high air content. And I had a flavor that until recently was very local only- coffee ice cream in a hot fudge sundae. Almost couldn't finish it (just had lunch and ate too much there too) but tenacity is trait of mine. 

The GPS thingy is a bit too bad and has me somewhat befuddled. I have seriously considered buyng another Zumo 550 (to add to the one I already have) but they command a lot of money used and I am really wary of how long Garmin will support them. The new Garmin motorcycle GPS's do not have any buttons and that, combined with [less bright] screens (really, what is up with that?) is pushing me away, especially since they cost between $650 and $800. BMW sells what amounts to a Garmin with a sub- plate that has four buttons on the left, looks pretty good but is $900 and that just ain't gonna' happen. So that brings us to a tablet or small notebook that is sunlight readable. That is looking more and more like the way to go; a Windows based, sunlight readable tablet that will serve as an MP3 player, Bluetooth with a cell phone and work as both a GPS and a TRUE route planner using Streets and Trips with a GPS receiver. Still expensive, and not waterproof but that is addressable and at least it is a flexible solution.

Sigh....

Brian

My condolences on the loss of your electronics, Brian.

You seem to have left out the most important part of the story though. The ice cream, how was it?   

This stuff works pretty good for cleaning pins and such....

http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-Cable-Deoxit-Contact-Cleaner/dp/B00006LVEU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399221668&sr=8-1&keywords=contact+cleaners

http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Electrosolve-Residue-Contact/dp/B008UH3Q8S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399221765&sr=8-1&keywords=contact+cleaners+mg

Caig DeOxIt really is the best. This lil bottle will last just about forever.

http://www.amazon.com/CAIG-DeOxIT-Liquid-Needle-Applicator/dp/B0000YH6F8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_indust_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=1QH9Q1A48NT5P9784FX1