Have you ever been stuck out on the trail after sunset? If you answered yes then you probably know that when it gets dark it can be a real pain trying to find your way back to camp. I can attest to this fact first hand! On a recent ride in the Southern California Desert a few of us decided to take a "short" ride before the sun went down.

As the sun went behind the horizon we were about 15 miles from camp. We were riding up one of the deepest sand washes known to man, Last Chance Canyon. As we slowly foot paddled our way up the wash it became almost pitch black out. Two of the guys didn't even have lights so they were doubly irritated. With 5 miles to go we had to find this certain turn-off that would take us back to camp.

Luckily, I always carry my GPS in my CamelBack and mark where camp is at. I figure if someone gets hurt or breaks down I can mark that point and get back to it later. Unfortunately, it is near impossible to hold the GPS in one hand and control the bike in a sand wash with the other hand. Believe me on this one! Every few minutes we had to stop, get out the GPS, figure out where we were and how far until the correct turnoff was. We finally did manage to make it back to camp and that's when I decided it was time to look into a GPS mount.

I did a search on the web for GPS mounts and ended up at the Cycoactive web site. There were a couple different mounts to choose from. I decided to find out which one suited my needs best so I emailed them. To my suprise Tom Myers, the owner, emailed back within a day or two and told me that I should try their new RAM mount. I said thanks and ordered one using their online ordering option.

A few days later the RAM mount arrived in the mail. The mount is made of an ABS style plastic that allows for quick removal of the GPS unit. There is also some rubber placed between the base and the mount that helps fight vibration. The proper mounting hardware and instructions all come included with the mount. I had it all mounted up within ten minutes, very easy.

The following weekend I headed out to the desert to test out the mount. At first I was a bit worried about how high the unit sits on top of the cross bar. It turned out not to be a problem and made it easier to read the GPS while riding. I even gave it a nice crash test when I biffed it dropping off this nasty cliff into a sand wash. Although I took a soil sample the mount and GPS unit stayed in place and took no damage.

For those of you that have a GPS unit, or are planning on buying one, this mount is one option to consider. It is nice to have the ability to use your GPS unit while riding. I liked the ease of reading the GPS display and having the ability to enter waypoints quickly. The mount also allows you to "un clip" the GPS unit, a feature I used when we grabbed some lunch at the White House Saloon in Randsburg. For really nasty rides I may still keep the GPS in my CamelBack and then if I need it just clip it into the mount and navigate away...