Alone. Pinned under your motorcycle. Outside of cell range. A nightmare for many, this is what Erica from Los Angeles experienced earlier this month. In a remote stretch off Hell's Canyon National Park in Oregon, Erica had nothing but her SPOT to help her.

This week, a small team of environmental activists, adventurers and media professionals are paddling the 130 mile stretch of the Columbia River from Portland, OR to the Pacific Ocean. Through their ethic, “Turning Restoration into Recreation,” the paddlers hope to benefit both the Columbia River watershed and those recovering from injuries sustained while serving our country. Click Read More below to learn about their cause and see how they use SPOT to broadcast their Live Map tracking.

If lightning doesn’t strike twice, do two SPOT devices initiate rescues at the same time in the middle of nowhere? Well, that happened on Thursday, July 23, 2009 in the mountains of Strathcona Park, British Columbia, Canada. Two separate sets of hikers were each found within about five kilometers of one another after activating their SPOT Messengers. Read the complete story published by the Comox Valley Echo by clicking Read More.

The Coast Guard towed a 26-foot boat to shore after it was disabled 28 miles east of Virginia Beach July 11. A 9-1-1 operator contacted the Coast Guard stating they had received a SPOT notification from the vessel School Zone, which indicated their position. Click here to read the news article.

Zac Sunderland, a 17-year old from Marina del Rey, California, departed June 14, 2008 in an attempt to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the world alone by sailboat. We've supported him with a SPOT and now he is on the home stretch just a short way away in the Panama Canal.

Even encountering pirates along the way at one point, SPOT has been a great tool for Zac and provided peace of mind to his friends and family. Check out this story where after communication gaps, his family was finally updated when Zac used his SPOT GPS Messenger to send an OK Message.

As seen in the economist.com on May 15, 2009:

Satellite phones go where mobiles fear to tread - Imagine the possibilities when such a hand-held gizmo (SPOT) can beam video as well as voice, GPS location and instant messaging.

Check out this article from the authority in scholarly business news, the Economist, on SPOT, the critical need for satellite communications away from cell coverage and the future of the industry. Click here to read.