I tried using GPS once but it was wrong and I found guesswork was more effective. As a spin-off though, it inspired me to create my own more accurate GPS using a goldfish with a magnet embedded in it, a large, sealed globe full of saline solution and a series of polaroid images of the area through which I’m travelling.
Remarkably, fish have an extraordinary natural sense of direction and can often discern a route simply by looking at images of prominent landmarks and rock formations, for example.
Adding the magnet to the fish – alignment is important here – means that it can also act as a primitive but highly accurate compass. I’ve also experimented with giving the fish a pen and paper to write down a grid bearing and act as a simple trip computer, but this ended badly, possibly because the fish I chose to use may have been dyslexic.
Anyway, the good news is that I anticipate putting this system into production in the near future. It’s simple, idiot proof and robust enough to use on a bike – in an accident the globe will simply roll away safely.
I wouldn’t, however, advise using a digital GPS on a bike under any circumstances. They are simply not accurate enough. As a back-up, I always carry a spare fish in a plastic bag as recommended by Icelandic Mountain Rescue Confederation.
Hope that helps.