To route or not to route in GPS

A fair number of GPS receiver owners don’t use routes and find them to be an overrated feature. After all, after you reach your first destination, you can easily select the next location from the waypoint list and be on your way. In addition, if you want to record where you’ve been, just using tracks is much easier. I discuss this in the section, “Making Tracks.” However, here are a couple of situations when you should consider using routes:

• If you’re traveling to the same location on a regular basis (such as a guide leading clients on established trips).
• If you’re planning on sharing a route with other GPS receiver owners. Think of this as being a virtual tour guide. Routes can be downloaded and then uploaded to other GPS receivers.
• If you have a mapping program, you can plan a trip ahead of time and create routes on your computer by simply clicking your mouse where you want to go. When you’re finished, you can upload the route to your GPS receiver.

Using routes is a personal preference. Try creating and using routes to see whether they meet your needs. If they don’t, you can get by with waypoints and tracks.