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SPRING 2018 ISSUE 01 / VOL . 03
graded on a curve
PRODUCT REVIEWS
Garmin zumo 595LM GPS
WHEN I HEARD ABOUT Garmin ’ s new 595LM model , my interest was piqued , mostly because of one feature in particular : Adventurous Routing . It calculates routes that include curves and hills and avoid major highways , and the user can adjust the “ intensity ” of the adventure using a sliding scale with three settings for each feature .
The 595LM is fairly straightforward to install , with the most difficult part being routing all the cables under the gas tank and / or fairing . It comes with a U-shaped bracket that mounts on most handlebars , as well as a suction cup and 12V cigarette lighter adapter for use in a car . The “ LM ” in 595LM stands for Lifetime Maps , meaning you ’ ll get free map upgrades for life , and other useful , customizable features include locations of interest , alerts for school zones , red light cameras and upcoming curves , and avoidance of toll roads , certain road features and even entire areas .
To test the Adventurous Routing function , I entered a destination in Venice , California , which is southeast of our Camarillo office on the other side of the Santa Monica Mountains . There are several ways to get to Venice : the freeway , the coast highway or through the mountains . So I dialed the sliders all the way to the right — the most adventurous routing . After calculating for about 30 seconds , the Garmin offered up a route to my destination , roughly an hour away via the quickest route , that was 32 hours long ! It took me inland , north through Yosemite National Park , south past Las Vegas and through Death Valley before approaching Venice from the east . OK Garmin , you ’ re right , that is quite the adventurous route !