Garmin and Me

Our Suzuki came with a GPS unit built-in on the top of the dash. You press the button and the unit pops up and open. It is, of course, our best friend. We started using GPS units a few years ago when we were working with Mennonite Disaster Service in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. We ended up going to Home Depots and Lowes in all the various suburbs of New Orleans. One store would be out of something and would send us to another. We learned to call ahead to see where we could get drywall, door knobs, appliances, etc. Because of all the traveling we had to do, many of the volunteers starting using GPS units.

We have a collection of GPS units. We have a large 4x5 inch unit in Auntie Violet that we use when traveling. We also have the unit we had in the Jeep that we used before we traded it for the Suzuki.We have also given units to each of our daughters' families.

The Garmin unit in the Suzuki has been nagging at us for the past couple of weeks when we turn it on. It seemed to think that it wanted to have its maps upgraded. We have noticed that it is not always accurate especially in areas that have been recently platted or changed. So today Forry brought the unit into the house and I set about upgrading it.

First of all I had to find the appropriate set of cables. I have a bit of a stash of them. Fortunately, a few years ago I started putting them in Ziplock bags and writing the appropriate name on them. I found what I thought was the right bag, but the  small end of the Garmin cord did not fit into the unit. Then tucked behind all the bags, I found the right cord, not in a bag just a cord with a piece of paper and rubber band around it.

Then I had to get on-line to Garmin.com to get the update. And of course, I couldn't come up with the password -- it wasn't on my cheat cards. So I had to go through all the rigamarole involved in getting a new one. I finally got everything set up, paid the charge for the new maps, and started the update. Then I got the notice that it would take 2-3 hours to download!

Definitely was time for a nap. When I got up, it said it still had 57 minutes...

Finally, it was finished! Now when we go to look for the sheep bridge tomorrow, we'll have all new maps!

It was HOT today! There was a few minutes when the thermometer -- which is in the shade -- read 90 degrees. Very, very nice, indeed.