Technology on the Road

Computers and Cameras
This is the most disappointing part of the research and execution. Cameras are pretty easy, you need a GoPro, you need a way of zooming in and shooting video and you need a way to zoom in and shoot photos. You get a DSLR that can do all of that, or a bunch of less expensive cameras.
The hard part is what you do with the pictures and video and how you archive on the road. Ideally, it would be cool to do some short video edits on the road. You could use an iPad for that. You could use an iPhone (but not an iPhone 5) for that. You want to be able to copy your SD cards to backup media just in case. You can’t use an iPad for that.
Content is too large to back up to the cloud. The GoPro shoots ~ 3.6 GB per half our of 720p 60fps. Unlikely that even one of those would make it up to the cloud during a single night hotel stay.
The technology choice became a series of compromises, followed by acquiescence. With limited room, I don’t want to bring something as large a MacBook Pro.
In the end, I settled on a 4 year old HP Netbook we had. That will serve as a mechanism to get files from SD cards to the external hard drives. It will also allow me to do basic WordPress editing and upload pictures. Video posts will be limited to those shot and edited on the iPhone. The Netbook can’t even play back the video at a reasonable frame rate.
If this doesn’t work, I’ll have to stop at an Apple store, make room in the bags and get a fresh MacBook Pro.

GPS
Motorcycle specific GPS units are rather expensive and the reviews are not overwhelmingly positive. The Garmin Montana is a nice multi-purpose unit but with a significant $$$. Garmin also makes nice, low end car GPS units that you can get at Costco. They aren’t waterproof, but a ziplock bag can (hopefully) fix that. Add a ram mount, a hard wired power source and you have decent setup for well under $150. It’s easily replaced too.

SPOT
Just get one. The yearly service fees are significant, but insignificant if you every really need it. They are coming out with a Satellite Phone. That looks tempting too.