Working here at Garmin is a great experience and has proven to be a lot of fun. Here's a picture of me (in front, far left) and some of my associates following a charity run last summer. I have the opportunity to work with some really great athletes who’ve put some challenges before me and inspired me to step out of my comfort zone. That comfort zone was pretty much playing softball and cycling. Last summer I was encouraged to do a triathlon. Fell in love with the sport except for the running portion. We have a lot of really good runners here who encouraged me to pick up the sport. Now, I’m not great at it, but for not starting until in my late forties, I do okay.
Since I work in technical support for our outdoor/fitness team, I get to try out all the fun GPS units so I can become familiar with them to help our customers. Last January, my niece called and said, “I need to lose some weight and get in shape, there’s a 15K at Disney and was wondering if you’d do it with me?” I told her I’d think about it for a few days and talk it over with my husband. I’d never done a 15K, but I’d run a 10K, so I knew what it felt like. I decided I’d do it. It sounded like fun and I probably needed another challenge.
With its release at the Boston Marathon and arrival at running stores, the Forerunner 405 has raced to the top of wish lists everywhere. And today only (May 7), you can win a free Forerunner 405 from Women's Health magazine. Click here for details and to enter the Women's Health contest.
And with Mother's Day coming up this weekend, Shape magazine says the Forerunner 405 is the perfect gift for active moms. "Speedy moms who still sign up for marathons, races or triathlons, one after the next, can better track their mileage, times and trails with the Garmin Forerunner 405," explains Shape's gift guide. "Near buildings or under trees, no matter where she strides, this gadget will track your mom's distance, elevation, calories burned, pace, and more." Click here for Shape's complete Mothers Day Gift Guide.
It’s been nearly two weeks since my trip to Monterey, California, but the beauty of those hills and seascapes are still imprinted on my brain. I’ll be missing the west coast scenery when I hit the roads this weekend, but my Edge 705 has plenty of beauty to behold. The latest in our family of GPS-enabled bike computers, the 705 adds color mapping and a handy click stick, which makes it a breeze to pan the map or select menu options. The 705 also offers a barometric altimeter, wireless heart rate, speed/cadence and options for pairing with a power meter. Check out this activity recorded by Edge 705 and stored at Garmin Connect, or new online community.
Stories keep coming in about finding unactivated, limited-edition Garmin Colorado/Wherigo geocoins in random caches. That's what happens when crafty colleagues leave a little something for casual cachers. You see, we could activate them or announce the coin drop on the cache page, but what fun would that be?
Doris sent us this note just two days after Jake visited: "I just found a Colorado/Wherigo coin in a cache, Man's Best Friend, in Emmaus, PA. It was a very nice surprise." And this post showed up at geocaching.com shortly after Team Garmin was in California for the Sea Otter Classic. "BEAUTIFUL walk to this one! New places are wonderful to find," wrote luvnatuRRRE in the cache log. "Found a Colorado wherigo.com geocoin in this one that appears to not be activated yet."
So keep an eye on those caches. Where Garmin goes, a geocoin may follow.
Peg’s Posts: Customer stories from Sea Otter Classic
In a post earlier this week, I told you how much I love talking to customers at events like Sea Otter Classic and hearing their tales of adventure, training and competition. Meet a big-time Garmin fan who has guidance by Garmin everywhere and every way he travels. Jerry from San Ramon has owned an Edge 305 and immediately upgraded to the 605 with maps when it hit stores just a few weeks ago. He uses his new 605 with our topo cartography for extra detail to guide his 2-wheeled adventures. He also owns a GPSMAP 60Cx handheld, a nüvi 680 for his vehicle and a Garmin GPSMAP 430S, which is a combo chartplotter and sounder for water-bound excursions. Follow the jump for more customer stories and photos.
One of the greatest parts of my job is attending events like Sea Otter and talking to our customers. Hearing their stories about how they’re using our devices to give their training an edge, pace themselves for their next race or bike their way across the U.S. for a cause. Here’s a look at just a few of the customers I talked to at the show. Cathy visited our booth on the first day of the show. She just came by to tell us how much she loves her Forerunner 305, which she uses for running and cycling. Her husband said she essentially won’t run without it, and when the time came to purchase a GPS for their car, Cathy said she’d settle for nothing less than a Garmin. She also heaped praise on Garmin’s tech support for our online analysis site, MotionBased.
Here’s Matt, from Sacramento, who’ll be racing in today’s single-speed cross country race. He came by to get the course downloaded to his Edge 305. Check out the course maps Garmin created for all of the Sea Otter events, which gives athletes the chance to preview the route and see detailed course metrics online, then download to their Edge or Forerunner for course points and real-time pacing during the event. Next is Lisa, from Redlands who, along with her Edge 305, won the short-track event on Friday. Way to go Linda! Saving the best for last, you’ve gotta hear about Chris from Ventura, California.
Cyclists of every genre will convene this week at Sea Otter Classic in California, many of them with Edges strapped to their bars. And as the Edge 705 and Edge 605 make their way onto store shelves and bicycles around the world, positive reviews have been pouring in. The latest comes from bikeradar.com, which starts off by saying straight out, "The Garmin Edge 705 has been probably the most eagerly anticipated new widget of the last six months among bike-riding gadget fans."
Other highlights: "Key features for bike riders include the ability to plan, upload and follow a route; record a route and download it to a computer; and to set a destination and get directions as you ride."
"There's a lot to absorb to get beyond the basics of the Edge 705 ... but Garmin has done a great job of keeping things clear and easy to find." And finally, "The workout function lets you, for example, set a time and distance for a ride, or specific portions of it, and see how you are doing against your target, which should appeal to time trialists."
As the days get longer and warmer, outdoor enthusiasts are hitting the trails and planning summer adventures. And whether you're hiking, climbing, running, cycling, boating or geocaching, there's a Garmin device perfect for your excursion. The recently released Colorado series has been dominating the discussion lately, but don't forget about the GPSMAP family. Before the Colorado 400t came on the scene, the GPSMAP 60CSx set the standard for excellence in outdoor handhelds.
"As soon as you hold the Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx you are aware of the fact that it is a high quality product," writes Dennis Hissink in his review for PMA, an international group of photography experts. "The waterproof and shockproof housing not only feels solid but also has a perfect hand-fit." And if anyone can offer credible praise for the display on the 60CSx, it would be these well-trained eyes: "The large 1.5 inch x 2.2 inch TFT monitor stands out and is a 256 colour high resolution reflective colour monitor."
I grew up surrounded by teachers - both parents, my sister, aunts, uncles, friends' parents, even my grandma, who turns 90 on Saturday. I grew up not knowing that anyone worked during the summer. (I'm still not a big fan of the idea.) So I'm excited to get the chance to spread the word about the many features and functions of the highly anticipated Forerunner 405. The first tutorial video, shown below, will get you started on your first run. More quick clips will follow and focus on key features of the Forerunner 405, which will make its debut at the Boston Marathon. We'll also be covering other Garmin products, so send us an e-mail and tell us which lessons you'd like to see come to life.
TeacherMike continues to impress us with his Wherigo cartridges, and the latest entry from the Week 3 runner-up was awarded the top prize in Week 5. Mike's persistence serves as a lesson for everyone hoping to win a limited-edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoin in the final week of competition. In the spirit of Monday night's NCAA championship thriller, we're expecting everyone to give it their best shot as time expires in our Wherigo contest.
The challenge in "My Dog Goes Where I Go or Help Find Rex" is to help a boy find his lost dog. "This cartridge takes you around the campus of the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL," Mike says. "This one addes a timer at one point, multiple choice answers, and the use of the inventory."
We love it when a plan comes together. We hide them. You find them.
Cacher "Rozecki" wrote: "We found a Garmin Colorado/Wherigo Coin today while caching in Yardley, PA. The cache was GC3809. It was that cache owner's first hide and they managed to bring us to a very nice trail complete with large markers identifying the different varieties of trees. As we were leaving the trail a young family and their dog were excitedly starting the trail. Maybe they will be geocachers in the future?"
And "Emmbers" found a coin "at Celeste's Funny Cache (GC18F2Z), while my daughter and I were out geocaching today (in Overland Park, KS). There were two trails in the park she took one, I took the other. I got lucky and had the right trail so I got to the cache first. ... This is the best find ever for me. I'm not sure where I'm going to start it's journey yet, but I bet it will be exciting! Thanks!"
If anyone else finds these coins hidden across the U.S., let us know and we'll post your story.
Maybe it's the "CSI" fan in each of us or a "Forensic Files" overdose, but we do love solving murder mysteries. Especially when they involve elaborate adventures for our inner Sherlock Holmes. Rachael and Kevan, under the caching name USCCouple, are this week's winners of our Wherigo Builder Contest for "Farewell Mr. Pratt." They worked hard to earn their limited-edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoin: "In this game you will be on a search for the killer which will take you all across Columbia, SC. Before you begin, be forewarned, it will not be easy. Ahead of you is over 60 miles of driving, a short hike and some other surprises!" Makes us glad the Colorado 400t has an automotive profile.
Our Week 4 runner-up, "The Treasure of East Sioux Falls," is the first cartridge for Sioux Falls, SD, created by Chuck Henson, aka StaticTank, who says, "It is a short but fun little quest taking place where the City of East Sioux Falls used to be. It is now the Perry Nature Area. I even included a reference to an incident I had with a park employee in the adventure." Intrigued? So were we.
John told us what makes his Cooper cartridge so unique: "I'd say it's the theme. I created a bunch of 'evidence' and strategically placed the stuff in the zones. Zone 3 (bush) for example, has a black tie hanging in a tree. Attached to the tie is a note that reads 'This tie is ugly. Cooper obviously had no fashion sense.' An ammo can at the end is also filled with evidence: FBI reports, photos, a letter from the FBI director, and so on. Having played numerous Infocom text adventures, I really believe the physical items add a little something to the adventure." We agree, John. Continue reading below for some of the entries that made this a tough decision and have us excited to see what everyone will come up with next week!
In the spirit of showing up on a sweepstakes winner's front porch with balloons, a TV camera and an oversized check, we wanted to do something special for our first weekly winner of the Wherigo Builder Contest. So with a Colorado 400t, his digital camera and a Colorado/Wherigo geocoin in hand - we couldn't find an oversized check - Brad the Engineer traveled to California to meet the creative mind behind "Murder in the Outfield."
Turns out "Murder" has some back story to it. David Brewer, who caches under the name cache_in_pocket, was tipping his hat to a tongue-in-cheek feud with caching friends. And David's mystery was intriguing and entertaining enough to earn him a limited edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoin. To join David as a weekly winner, read up on the rules, build a cartridge at Wherigo.com and send us an e-mail with a link and brief description. Each week's deadline is Tuesday at noon Central.
Today's question comes from Bill, who asks: "Do you make an accessory for a nüvi GPS that provides traffic info?" Bill, you're not alone in hating highway headaches, so we offer several different nüvis and receivers that can warn of logjams ahead. Go to garmin.com/traffic for details.
For starters, we have FM traffic receivers that monitor highway traffic and road construction in many metro areas. Your Garmin device will adjust your route accordingly - or tell you if your current path is still the best way, regardless of a slight delay. Click here for more info on FM traffic and which of our products are compatible.
Then there's MSN Direct, the service that goes far beyond traffic jams. Not only will it solve your commuting concerns, MSN Direct also provides weather updates, fuel prices, movie listings, headline news items, stock listings, local events and custom locations sent directly from Windows Live Local. Click here for MSN Direct details and compatible Garmin devices.
Whether you're a diehard Wheel Watcher or a casual channel surfer, we're hoping you find time next week to join Pat Sajak and Vanna White as three lucky contestants try to spin and solve their way to the big money on Wheel of Fortune. Tune in early to see the first two toss-ups - and then the fun begins when a special Garmin prize is added to the wheel on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. And anyone who has ever used a Garmin knows that it's far more helpful than a Wild Card in Wheel's bonus round. (Because really, beyond R, S, T, L, N, E, an extra three consonants and a vowel, how much do you really need?)
So have your Spin ID number ready, buy a vowel if needed, try to avoid Bankrupt and get ready to win with Garmin and Wheel of Fortune.
One of the perks to working at Garmin is getting to meet the athletes that train with our products. Enriching the lives of these athletes while they compete in the sports they love is rewarding on many different levels. We recently heard from Jenna Shoemaker, a triathlete who loves Garmin gear, and we wanted to share her perspective of her most recent race at Valle de Bravo:
The trip to Valle was an interesting one for me. It was a lot of travel - about 10 hours to reach my final destination - and that was the day before the race. I felt really prepared leading up to the race start and was excited for another chance to celebrate my fitness. Valle is at 2000m which is about as high as Boulder, Colorado, so I knew that it would be a tough day for everyone. But I decided, despite altitude, heat and everything else, that I was going to go for it and really give myself a chance to shine.
Today's Ask Garmin answers tap into our nüvi line. Joe wants to buy a nüvi and is interested in the nüvi 260W and the nüvi 350. "They both seem the same, except the 260W is a wide screen. Other than that, what's the difference?" With more than 30 nüvi models available to fit your specific needs, the click-and-compare feature on our Web site comes in handy. Simply by choosing the 260W and 350, and then clicking the "compare" button, you can see that the most visible differences are the size and screen (260W has 4.3" screen, 350 is 3.5"). The 350 has a flip-up antenna, is FM traffic compatible, has a headphone/audio jack and can play audio books and MP3s. Thanks, Joe, and happy shopping!
Janet Adams asks, "I have a nüvi 650 and want to know how I can get different voices downloaded on my Garmin? It only came with one voice." Glad to have you in the Garmin family, Janet. You'll find a wide range of voices and languages already available on your nüvi 650 by selecting Tools (the wrench icon) and Locale. The menus on some models differ slightly, so nüvi users can also check under Tools//Settings/Language/Voice. Enjoy!
If you have a question about a product, don't hesitate to Ask Garmin and check back here every Monday!
At each stop on our recent Colorado/Wherigo tour, I've played equal parts Santa and Grinch. I was welcomed with open arms when I was explaining the Colorado 400t and its preloaded topo maps, paperless geocaching and wireless data transfer. I really became the star of the show when I was announcing the winning raffle numbers and handing over a limited-edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoin. But then I was the bad guy when I explained a few ground rules. 1) You can't get these geocoins by trading with me. 2) One person, one coin. 3) When my pockets are empty, the raffle is over.
But now I'm loosening the pursestrings. We're going to give away a coin a week to the weekly winner of our Wherigo Builder contest. The rules are easy. Build a Wherigo cartridge at Wherigo.com and send an e-mail to garminblogs@garmin.com with a brief description to let us know it's there. (Click here for detailed rules.) I'll team up with Brad the Engineer (the brains of our dynamic duo) and pick a winner each week until further notice. And that's just the beginning.
There are no ifs, ands or feet about it - running a marathon is no easy task. It takes skill, heart and a lot of determination to cross that finish line... especially if you're running barefoot. But for seven runners in last weekend's LA Marathon, running in "God's shoes saved their soles."
Among the seven brave "soles," was Garmin's very own Byron, who was completing his 20th marathon since 2004, and his 10th barefoot. Byron and the other barefooters were certainly among good company, as they paved the way with Barefoot Ken Bob Saxton, who was completing his 65th barefoot marathon. The guys said the course was very nice, and although the heat made the asphalt slightly uncomfortable, all of the open fire hydrants providing water to splash in definitely cooled off the feet.
With his Forerunner 305 on hand, Byron was able to keep track of his distance, pace and heart rate as he made his way through the more than 25,000 participants. He said many folks even asked him for a distance check when they recognized the 305 on his wrist! So when you're pounding the pavement - with or without shoes - make sure your Forerunner is along for the run.
Peter Wellsman asks: Which power meters will the Edge 705 work with? I am aware that SRM will have a unit out this spring, are there other companies on board? Thanks for the great gear and all the work going into the Mac compatibility! Thanks for the great question, Peter. The Edge 705 is designed to work with any power meter that is compatible with ANT+Sport, the wireless technology that connects our newest fitness devices to their accessories, your computer and each other. At this time, SRM and Quarq have announced compatible power meters, and you can watch our blog for the latest updates.
In a related question, Edgar asks: Is the new Edge 705 compatible with the cadence sensor that I presently use with my Edge 305? Or will I have to purchase the complete unit including a NEW cadence sensor? Good news, Edgar. Knowing that many Garmin users choose to stay within the Garmin family when they upgrade or expand their fitness devices, our engineers worked hard to make our products compatible with existing accessories. So if you already have, for example, a heart-rate monitor from your Forerunner 305 or Forerunner 50, you can use it with the Forerunner 405 when it becomes available in April. That's why you'll see two versions of each color of 405 - with and without the heart-rate monitor included.
Send your "Ask Garmin" questions to garminblogs@garmin.com and look for new posts every Monday.
There's an old saying that you should do what you love and love what you do. Here at Garmin, we make that a reality by hiring people to focus on their areas of interest. David Downey is a classic example, and his story is being shared in this month's "Dream Jobs" issue of the engineering magazine IEEE Spectrum.
Being a software engineering team leader and father of a large family, David laughs when asked about spare time. Fortunately, his hobbies and his work are one and the same. David works on our fitness products - and tests them during his lunch hour. On any warm day, you'll see David logging miles on foot or by bike, and he'll always have an assortment of Edges and Forerunners tracking his data. These outings give the devices some real-world testing while getting David ready for his next race. Click here to read more about David, and check out our behind-the-scenes look at how we turned Garmin's hallways into a cycling time trial and marathon water station for an awesome action photo.
For the weekends (or weeks) where you find yourself living out of a suitcase, Garmin's on board to make navigating a new city a cinch. Here's a testimonial from Andrea, a concierge at The La Jolla Shores Hotel, who thinks "loaning a Garmin" is a great addition to your stay. Plus, if you're not quite sure which nüvi is best for you, we think it's a great way to try out our devices first hand.
"The La Jolla Shores Hotel Concierge staff is so thankful for Garmin’s GPS units. We have introduced a unique Concierge service which 'loans' out the nüvi 260 units to our hotel guests during their stay. Our guests are 'blown away' by how much easier traveling can be without having to look at a map or fumbling with written directions! Whether our guests are traveling to a theme park, shopping mall, or restaurant, the GPS units can get them to their destination turn for turn with 100% reliability and confidence. This can only add to an improved, pleasurable experience and memorable stay!"
So plan ahead for your next trip, and make sure there's a nüvi waiting at your hotel when you arrive. After all, it could save your entire trip. Enjoy your stay!
A motley crew of Garmin runners, 17 in total, will be out in force at tomorrow’s Psycho Wyco trail race in Kansas City, Kansas. The race, put on by a respected local trail running club, the KC Trail Nerds, is expected to draw a record 400 runners. Distances range from 5k to 10 miles, 20 miles and the psychopathic 50k. Of course, the distances are somewhat irrelevant compared to the terrain and elevation challenges. Jake, who ran the 10-miler last year when covering a story on local KC legend, Barefoot Rick, convinced me to join him this year. Read Rick’s race report from last year … and check out those pics of the feet! Stay tuned next week for a race recap of Peg and Jake’s muddy adventure, along with links to our activity as captured by Forerunner.
The nüvifone has received lots of buzz since its NY unveiling.
If you were lucky enough to be at the debut, you heard from Garmin executives
and saw two nüvifone videos. We're sharing the electrifying nüvifone videos with all our faithful blog readers so that you can stay up to speed on this great all-in-one device. Enjoy!
To say it's a big weekend for Team Garmin would be an understatement. Everyone is still buzzing about the announcement of the nüvifone (click here for details). Several of my colleagues are heading to Vegas for the annual SHOT show, where hunters and outdoors enthusiast gather. And I'll be in San Jose for another great event with REI and Groundspeak, celebrating the recent launch of Wherigo, the new Colorado 400t and the limited-edition geocoin.
Of course, the headliner of the weekend is the big game on Sunday. And whether you're a Patriots fan or cheering for the Giants, we can guarantee you'll be smiling at some point during the second quarter. That's when our new ad will make its TV debut. You can get a sneak peek at the 30-second spot, the 60-second version and a special "making of" video by going to the minisite. And keep checking back for more fun extras!
Slipstream & Garmin: Lean. Clean. Training Machine.
You've seen Garmin's name at NASCAR races, on English Premier League uniforms and during the world's biggest sporting event (click here for a sneak peek at this year's Super Bowl ad) - and now we're joining forces with one of the fastest teams on two wheels. Garmin is sponsoring Slipstream's elite cycling team by furnishing the riders with our new Edge 705 cycling computers for their training. Slipstream, a team dedicated to cleaning up the sport of cycling, will be able to share workout data and courses wirelessly through the Edge 705. Coaches and teammates can then analyze that data on Garmin Connect. Slipstream's support vehicles will use the nüvi 770 to navigate effortlessly around North America and Europe. Click for more details about the sponsorship and Slipstream Sports. Ride on.
Hundreds of geocachers and outdoor enthusiasts found shelter from Seattle's snowflakes and raindrops on Saturday, only to eagerly head back out into the elements. Such is the draw of Wherigo and the new Colorado 400t. Continuing what we first saw in Vegas and hope to experience next weekend in San Jose, More than 300 curious cachers came to REI to test-drive Wherigo and the 400t. As a bonus, Garmin and Groundspeak (the geocaching gurus) brought a few limited-edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoins. About 20 lucky winners heard their numbers called during the raffle. Everyone else was encouraged to keep an eye on the Garmin blog and Wherigo.com for more special events and promotions. And before you know it, a coin might show up unannounced at a cache near you. Stay tuned, and enjoy these scenes from Seattle.
Geocaching has been described as a worldwide phenomenon, an online scavenger hunt and the perfect family activity. Now it's being called the key to a recent rescue in a search for stranded climbers on Mount Hood in Oregon. The hikers, equipped with a cell phone, were able to make contact with authorities after spending a night in a snow cave, according to news reports. But the two men were disoriented and had no way of describing their location. Until they stumbled across a geocache. Because the location of the cache was known, searchers were able to zero in on the climbers' location and guide them to rescue just 13 hours after they first learned the men were missing.
The climbers are now officially "trackable items".
Working here at Garmin is a great experience and has proven to be a lot of fun. Here's a picture of me (in front, far left) and some of my associates following a charity run last summer. I have the opportunity to work with some really great athletes who’ve put some challenges before me and inspired me to step out of my comfort zone. That comfort zone was pretty much playing softball and cycling. Last summer I was encouraged to do a triathlon. Fell in love with the sport except for the running portion. We have a lot of really good runners here who encouraged me to pick up the sport. Now, I’m not great at it, but for not starting until in my late forties, I do okay. 
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There are no ifs, ands or feet about it - running a marathon is no easy task. It takes skill, heart and a lot of determination to cross that finish line... especially if you're running barefoot. But for seven runners in last weekend's 
Geocaching
