Gadgets

We are awash in a sea of rechargeable devices. They connect us, capture sights and sounds, entertain us, answer our questions, and show us the way.  I plan to take these with me:

• iPhone:  The Swiss Army knife of pocket gadgets - phone, camera, video, music, Google. It just works.  I ride with it mounted inside the windshield and paired to a Bluetooth headset in my helmet.
• iPad: I think an iPad will make an interesting travel companion. There are apps for weather radar; GPS map, directions, and tracker; and streaming news / music. I have mounted the iPad to the bike and taken it for a test ride.  The GPS app was designed for the tiny iPhone display, the app works even better for motorcycling on the large and bright iPad display. 
• Bluetooth headset / bike-to-bike intercom. Mounts in the helmet and allows us to talk bike-to-bike up to about 1/3 mile.  Pairs to iPad and iPhone for turn-by-turn directions, phone calls, and Siri. Charger.
• SLR camera: Marty and I will be covering visually awesome terrain, witnessing a solar eclipse, and meeting my first grandchild.  Two lenses, tripod, charger, USB cord, storage cards.  
• Laptop computer: Technology is my livelihood. I build systems that companies use to measure and forecast their performance. At my current client, we recently created a capability that is simply unheard of in our world. Cutting edge stuff. My part of this work is largely completed, but the rest of the development team is completing work that uses my components. As the architect, I feel a commitment to the client and team. So the laptop and charger go with us ... just in case.  Fingers crossed, I hope I never turn it on.

The iPad and iPhone will recharge on the bike.  The others demand a 110 volt outlet for about 2 hours to recharge.  Most campsites now have a recharging area.