I"m totally with you, HiTech. I have a dive compass, and my when I acually had the opportunity to go diving, my buddy and I would take alot of pride in our capability to find our way underwater using only our compases. In my last dive in the Sea of Cortez, the lady I was diving with wanted to surface to check our position,but knew I'd be disappointed if she hosed up a good navigational dive.
The reason I'm upgrading my nav. system is because motorcycling to me is a spectator sport. I take my journeys through backroads for the purpose of taking in the sights along the way. I rarely travel in areas that I know very well ( what would be the fun in that?) I've always just used an old atlas to find my way,but now I'm beginning to realize I'm missing out on alot of sight-seeing simply because the map doesn't show the detail that, say google maps shows. While planning an new ride a few nights ago, I was looking at routes through the Tennessee/Alabama border, in an area that I rode a couple years ago. Google allows you to choose different views of the map you're looking at. Looking at the "topo" version, I found lots of small roads that parallel ridges that weren't shown on my atlas. I really want to go check them out, because that area remindes me of the Blue Ridge Mountain range I ride in Western North Carolina from time to time. So anyway, combining new technology (GPS) with old technolog (Maps) will minimize the time I spend riding back and forth in the back country, trying to find my destination.
Up till now, I haven't used any of the technology that takes the place of thinking and planning. Seems to me that technology can just make one stupid if used in that way. However, if used smartly, it can help to enhance the experiences one seeks. That's the only way I plan to use it.