Google Lattitude

thegodplato

Just thought I'd share this little software app for you other cyclists. My boss at work put me onto it ( he uses it for checking on his daughters!! ).
We have used successfully done Lands End to John O Groats in 8 days ( 920miles ) and in the first two days had issues with my Garmin 800 running out of battery and my phone screen not working due to me getting too warm ( we think ). Because we had our wives following us via the Google Lattitude app, we were able to be rescued on the first 2 days. I'm not sure what we would have done otherwise in the middle of nowhere.

Its worth looking into just in case of emergency.

You can read our adventure here - www.cyclemadness.blogspot.co.uk

Bar Shaker

thegodplato wrote:

Because we had our wives following us via the Google Lattitude app, we were able to be rescued on the first 2 days. I'm not sure what we would have done otherwise in the middle of nowhere.

Its worth looking into just in case of emergency.

If your Garmin 800 was running out of battery, how did your phone using its GPS chip still have power?

What I would have done is keep the phone turned off, so it had full battery, turn it on and look at Google Maps if I had a data connection or the compass app if I didn't, note the road name or Lat Long, then call a friend.

The iPhone app "stalk/find my friends" works in the same way as Google Lattitude.

slowbike

Personally I'd've taken my portable power pack - charges an iPhone from flat more than twice and doesn't weigh much. I'm thinking about using it to power the video cam for a long ride in the summer ...

Garmin should've lasted quite some time - perhaps the brightness was up on the screen - that drains the battery quick.

thegodplato

We'd been riding for around 12 hours when the Garmin died which, as far as I know is about right - have now remembered to turn it off everytime we stopped for food, etc. And Google Lattitude doesn't use the GPS so there was no added drain on the mobile. We just couldn't use it as the screen wasn't working ( Samsung Galaxy ) when it got hot.

goonz

Congrats on the journey, sounds like a right adventure.