Sunday, April 29, 2012

RonnieAdventure #0002 - Gateway Loop, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Clark Co., Nevada

Perusing around the internet I found a hike (Gateway Canyon Loop) that seemed interesting and the article listed Waypoints for various locations on the hike. This seemed like a great place to test my new knowledge about the GPS unit.

Gateway Canyon Loop Trail
Arriving at the trailhead I demonstrated my technical knowledge by entering a Waypoint and then checking the coordinates from my unit against the Waypoint data that I printed from the internet. We were somewhat close; but this was a big parking lot, so I would expect some deviation. The trail was easy to follow and when we reached the saddle I set a Waypoint, checked my data against the internet information, and found that I was right on for location and only about 30 feet different for altitude. Close enough! Chalk the altitude difference off to changes in the barometric pressure.

Trail in the bottom of wash

After descending into a dry wash we found that there was no established trail, so we did a lot of boulder hopping with a number of Class 3 climbs before exiting the canyon and finding our way back to the car. We were definitely glad that we did this loop hike in a clockwise direction, as it would have been difficult to find the trail going up the canyon. Arriving home I checked the data from my unit and found a lot of strange lines. Back to REI!

 Finding my favorite Sales Associate I explained the problem and he asked to see my unit. The first question he asked was, “Why did you start your hike in Colorado?” I responded that we didn’t start in Colorado and I hadn’t been to Colorado in several months. He then showed me the map on the GPS screen and sure enough, the trail line started in Colorado. The Sales Associate then exclaimed, “Waite a minute! Your first Tracks Way Point is the Garmin headquarters in Colorado! Didn’t you clear your Trip Computer and the existing Garmin Headquarters’ Tracks before starting the hike?” Trip Computer! I have a Trip Computer? “Look!” the Sales Associate said, “If you are going to make a Route out of your Tracks, you have to clear the Trip Computer and get rid of the Garmin Headquarters Tracks’ Waypoint. Great! Now he tells me. Okay, before the next RonnieAdventure I’ll clear the Trip Computer and get rid of the Garmin Headquarters Tracks’ Waypoint. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask him how to get clear the trip computer and get rid of the Garmin Headquarters Tracks’ Waypoint, but I think I can figure it out. 

This kind of reminds me of a story that Elmer told me about the time when he thought that he might purchase a computer for his office. As I understand it, Elmer went down to the local computer store and the conversation went something like this:

Clerk: “Hi! Can I help you?”

Elmer: “Oh I hope so! I want to purchase a computer that I can use in my office.”

Clerk: “Mac?”

Elmer: “No! My name is Elmer.”

Clerk: “I mean your computer!”

Elmer: “I don’t own a computer. I want to buy one.”

Clerk: “Mac?”

Elmer: “No! I told you my name is Elmer.”

Clerk: “What about Windows?”

Elmer: “Why? When I have a computer in my office will it get stuffy?”

Clerk: “No! I mean do you want a computer with Windows?”

Elmer: “I don’t know! What will I see with Windows?”

Clerk: “Wallpaper!”

Elmer: “Never mind the Wallpaper! I just need a computer!”

Clerk: “Do you want software?”

Elmer: “Software for what?”

Clerk: “Software for Windows.”

Elmer: “No! I just need to write letters. What do you have?”

Clerk: “Office.”

Elmer: “Yes! For my office! Can you recommend anything?”

Clerk: “I just did!”

Elmer: “You just did what?”

Clerk: “Recommend something.”

Elmer: “You recommended something?”

Clerk: “Yes!”

Elmer: “For my office?”

Clerk: “Yes!”

Elmer: “What did you recommend?”

Clerk: “Office!”

Elmer: “Yes! For my office!”

Clerk: “I recommended Office for Windows.”

Elmer:” I already have an office with windows.”

Clerk: “Tell me again what you are going to use your computer for.”

Elmer: “To write letters. What do I need to write letters?”

Clerk: “Word.”

Elmer: “What word?”

Clerk: “Word in Office.”

Elmer: “The only word in office is office.”

Clerk: “No! The Word in Office for Windows!”

Elmer: “Which word in office for windows?”

Clerk: “The Word you get when you click the blue `W.’”

Elmer: “Forget the blue `W.’ Do you have anything I can use to track my money?”

Clerk: “Money.”

Elmer: “That’s right! Money! I don’t have much, but I would like to tack it. What do you have?”

Clerk: ”Money.”

Elmer: “I need money to track my money?”
Clerk: “It will come bundled with your computer.”

Elmer: “What’s bundled with my computer?”

Clerk: “Money.”

Elmer: “Money comes with my computer?”

Clerk: “Yes! At no extra charge!”

Elmer: “I get money with my computer? How much?”

Clerk: “One copy.”

Elmer: “Isn’t it illegal to copy money?”

Clerk: “Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.”

Elmer: “They can give you a license to copy money?”

Clerk: “Why not? They own it!”

Elmer: “Tell me, once I get my computer running, how do I stop it?”

Clerk: “Click on the `Start’ button.”

Elmer left the building.

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