diff --git a/bbb_cape/src/bbb/bbb.gyp b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/bbb.gyp
index e960d7c..96e8711 100644
--- a/bbb_cape/src/bbb/bbb.gyp
+++ b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/bbb.gyp
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@
       ],
       'sources': [
         'gpios.cc',
+        'gpi.cc',
+        'gpo.cc',
       ],
     },
   ],
diff --git a/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpi.cc b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpi.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9045eca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpi.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#include "gpi.h"
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+#include "aos/common/logging/logging.h"
+
+namespace bbb {
+
+Gpi::Gpi(int bank, int pin) {
+  // All the failures here are fatal, seeing as
+  // if we can't initialize the pin, we're
+  // probably screwed anyway.
+  if (!InitPin(bank, pin)) {
+    LOG(FATAL, "Failed to export pin.\n");
+  }
+  if (!DoPinDirSet(1)) {
+    LOG(FATAL, "Failed to set pin as an input.\n");
+  }
+}
+
+int Gpi::Read() {
+  // NOTE: I can't find any docs confirming that one can indeed
+  // poll a pin's value using this method, but it seems that it
+  // should work. Really, the "right" (interrupt driven) way to
+  // do this is to set an event, but that involves messing with
+  // dev tree crap, which I'm not willing to do unless we need
+  // this functionality.
+  char buf, val_path[64];
+  snprintf(val_path, sizeof(val_path), "/sys/class/gpio/gpio%d/value",
+           kernel_pin_);
+
+  if ((handle_ = fopen(val_path, "rb")) == NULL) {
+    LOG(ERROR, "Unable to open file for pin value reading.\n");
+    fclose(handle_);
+    return -1;
+  }
+
+  if (fread(&buf, sizeof(char), 1, handle_) <= 1) {
+    LOG(ERROR, "Reading from file failed with error %d\n",
+        ferror(handle_));
+    fclose(handle_);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  fclose(handle_);
+  return atoi(&buf);
+}
+
+} // namespace bbb
diff --git a/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpi.h b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpi.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d63b9dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpi.h
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#ifndef BBB_CAPE_SRC_BBB_GPI_H_
+#define BBB_CAPE_SRC_BBB_GPI_H_
+
+#include "gpios.h"
+
+// Subclass of Pin for input pins.
+
+namespace bbb {
+
+class Gpi : public Pin {
+ public:
+  // See the base class for what these args mean.
+  Gpi(int bank, int pin);
+
+  // Read the current value of the pin.
+  // Returns 1 if it reads high, 0 for low.
+  // Returns -1 if fails to read the pin for some reason.
+  int Read();
+};
+
+} // namespace bbb
+
+#endif
diff --git a/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpios.cc b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpios.cc
index 5a9c76e..4f9dce3 100644
--- a/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpios.cc
+++ b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpios.cc
@@ -7,147 +7,60 @@
 
 namespace bbb {
 
-Pin::Pin(int bank, int pin)
-    : handle_(NULL),
-      direction_(0),
-      kernel_pin_(bank * 32 + pin),
-      exported_(false) {}
-
 Pin::~Pin() {
   // Unexport the pin.
   if ((handle_ = fopen("/sys/class/gpio/unexport", "ab")) == NULL) {
-    LOG(WARNING, "Could not unexport gpio pin.\n");
+    LOG(WARNING, "Could not open file to unexport pin.\n");
     // There's nothing intelligent we can really do here.
     return;
   }
 
-  char gpio_num[2];
-  snprintf(gpio_num, sizeof(gpio_num), "%d", kernel_pin_);
-  fwrite(gpio_num, sizeof(char), 2, handle_);
+  fprintf(handle_, "%d", kernel_pin_);
   fclose(handle_);
 }
 
-int Pin::DoExport() {
-  char gpio_num[2];
-  snprintf(gpio_num, sizeof(gpio_num), "%d", kernel_pin_);
+bool Pin::InitPin(int bank, int pin) {
+  kernel_pin_ = bank * 32 + pin;
 
   // Export the pin.
   if ((handle_ = fopen("/sys/class/gpio/export", "ab")) == NULL) {
-    LOG(ERROR, "Could not export GPIO pin.\n");
-    return -1;
+    LOG(ERROR, "Could not open file for exporting pin.\n");
+    return false;
   }
 
-  fwrite(gpio_num, sizeof(char), 2, handle_);
+  fprintf(handle_, "%d", kernel_pin_);
   fclose(handle_);
-
-  exported_ = true;
-  return 0;
+  return true;
 }
 
-int Pin::DoPinDirSet(int direction) {
-  char buf[4], type_path[64];
+bool Pin::DoPinDirSet(int direction) {
+  char type_path[64];
   snprintf(type_path, sizeof(type_path), "/sys/class/gpio/gpio%d/direction",
            kernel_pin_);
 
   if ((handle_ = fopen(type_path, "rb+")) == NULL) {
-    LOG(ERROR, "Unable to set pin direction.\n");
-    return -1;
+    LOG(ERROR, "Unable open file for pin direction setting.\n");
+    return false;
   }
 
-  direction_ = direction;
   switch (direction) {
     case 1:
-      strcpy(buf, "in");
+      // Input.
+      fprintf(handle_, "in");
       break;
     case 2:
-      strcpy(buf, "low");
+      // Output.
+      // If it's an output, we should specify an initial direction.
+      fprintf(handle_, "low");
       break;
-    case 0:
-      return 0;
     default:
       LOG(ERROR, "Invalid direction identifier %d.\n", direction);
-      direction_ = 0;
-      return -1;
+      fclose(handle_);
+      return false;
   }
-  fwrite(buf, sizeof(char), 3, handle_);
+
   fclose(handle_);
-
-  return 0;
-}
-
-int Pin::MakeInput() {
-  if (!exported_) {
-    if (DoExport()) {
-      return -1;
-    }
-  }
-
-  return DoPinDirSet(1);
-}
-
-int Pin::MakeOutput() {
-  if (!exported_) {
-    if (DoExport()) {
-      return -1;
-    }
-  }
-
-  return DoPinDirSet(2);
-}
-
-int Pin::Write(uint8_t value) {
-  if (direction_ != 2) {
-    LOG(ERROR, "Only pins set as output can be written to.\n");
-    return -1;
-  }
-
-  char buf, val_path[64];
-  snprintf(val_path, sizeof(val_path), "/sys/class/gpio/gpio%d/value",
-           kernel_pin_);
-  if (value != 0) {
-    value = 1;
-  }
-
-  if ((handle_ = fopen(val_path, "rb+")) == NULL) {
-    LOG(ERROR, "Unable to set pin value.\n");
-    return -1;
-  }
-
-  snprintf(&buf, sizeof(buf), "%d", value);
-  fwrite(&buf, sizeof(char), 1, handle_);
-  fclose(handle_);
-
-  return 0;
-}
-
-int Pin::Read() {
-  // NOTE: I can't find any docs confirming that one can indeed
-  // poll a pin's value using this method, but it seems that it
-  // should work. Really, the "right" (interrupt driven) way to
-  // do this is to set an event, but that involves messing with
-  // dev tree crap, which I'm not willing to do unless we need
-  // this functionality.
-
-  if (direction_ != 1) {
-    LOG(ERROR, "Only pins set as input can be read from.\n");
-    return -1;
-  }
-
-  char buf, val_path[64];
-  snprintf(val_path, sizeof(val_path), "/sys/class/gpio/gpio%d/value",
-           kernel_pin_);
-
-  if ((handle_ = fopen(val_path, "rb")) == NULL) {
-    LOG(ERROR, "Unable to read pin value.\n");
-    return -1;
-  }
-
-  if (fread(&buf, sizeof(char), 1, handle_) <= 0) {
-    LOG(ERROR, "Failed to read pin value from file.\n");
-    return -1;
-  }
-  fclose(handle_);
-  return atoi(&buf);
+  return true;
 }
 
 }  // namespace bbb
diff --git a/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpios.h b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpios.h
index a377d68..ba5da00 100644
--- a/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpios.h
+++ b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpios.h
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #ifndef BBB_CAPE_SRC_BBB_CAPE_CONTROL_H_
 #define BBB_CAPE_SRC_BBB_CAPE_CONTROL_H_
 
-#include <stdint.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 
 // As it turns out, controlling the BBB's GPIO pins
@@ -9,30 +8,31 @@
 // code is to provide a simple wrapper that masks
 // all the ugly stuff and exposes a nice API.
 
-// Based on example from 
+// Based on example from
 // <http://learnbuildshare.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/beaglebone-black-digital-ouput/>
 
+// This is a base class for all gpio related stuff.
+// Use either a gpi or gpo subclass if you want to do things.
 namespace bbb {
 
 class Pin {
-  FILE *handle_;
-  int direction_;
-  int kernel_pin_;
-  bool exported_;
+ public:
+  // Not strictly necessary for this to be virtual,
+  // but it's a good idea.
+  virtual ~Pin();
 
-  int DoPinDirSet(int direction);
-  int DoExport();
-
-public:
+ protected:
+  // Set the pin direction.
+  // 1 makes it an input.
+  // 2 makes it an output and sets the initial state to low.
+  bool DoPinDirSet(int direction);
+  // Export the pin, so we can use it.
   // Here, for example, if you wanted to use
-  // GPIO1_28, you would give the ctor
-  // 1, 28 as arguments.
-  Pin(int bank, int pin);
-  ~Pin();
-  int MakeInput();
-  int MakeOutput();
-  int Write(uint8_t value);
-  int Read();
+  // GPIO1_28, you would give it 1, 28 as arguments.
+  bool InitPin(int bank, int pin);
+
+  FILE *handle_ = NULL;
+  int kernel_pin_ = -1;
 };
 
 }  // namespace bbb
diff --git a/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpo.cc b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpo.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5926a7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpo.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#include "gpo.h"
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+#include "aos/common/logging/logging.h"
+
+namespace bbb {
+
+Gpo::Gpo(int bank, int pin) {
+  // All the failures here are fatal, seeing as
+  // if we can't initialize the pin, we're probably
+  // screwed anyway.
+  if (!InitPin(bank, pin)) {
+    LOG(FATAL, "Failed to export the pin.\n");
+  }
+  if (!DoPinDirSet(2)) {
+    LOG(FATAL, "Failed to make the pin an output.\n");
+  }
+}
+
+bool Gpo::DoSet(const int value) {
+  char val_path[64];
+  snprintf(val_path, sizeof(val_path), "/sys/class/gpio/gpio%d/value",
+           kernel_pin_);
+
+  if ((handle_ = fopen(val_path, "rb+")) == NULL) {
+    LOG(ERROR, "Unable open file for pin value setting.\n");
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  fprintf(handle_, "%d", value);
+  fclose(handle_);
+
+  return true;
+}
+
+} // namespace bbb
diff --git a/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpo.h b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpo.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d7b2ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/gpo.h
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#ifndef BBB_CAPE_SRC_BBB_GPO_H_
+#define BBB_CAPE_SRC_BBB_GPO_H_
+
+#include "gpios.h"
+
+namespace bbb {
+
+// Gpios subclass for output pins.
+class Gpo : public Pin {
+ public:
+  // See the base class for what these args mean.
+  Gpo(int bank, int pin);
+
+  // Methods set the pin to read either high or low.
+  inline bool SetHigh() {
+    return DoSet(1);
+  }
+  inline bool SetLow() {
+    return DoSet(0);
+  }
+
+ private:
+  // Does the actual pin setting.
+  bool DoSet(const int value);
+};
+
+} // namespace bbb
+
+#endif
diff --git a/bbb_cape/src/bbb/uart_reader_main.cc b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/uart_reader_main.cc
index 5bda02c..d42f319 100644
--- a/bbb_cape/src/bbb/uart_reader_main.cc
+++ b/bbb_cape/src/bbb/uart_reader_main.cc
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 #include "aos/atom_code/init.h"
 #include "aos/common/logging/logging_impl.h"
 #include "aos/common/time.h"
-#include "bbb/gpios.h"
+#include "bbb/gpo.h"
 #include "bbb/uart_reader.h"
 
 using ::aos::time::Time;
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@
   // the board.
   static const Time kPacketTimeout = Time::InSeconds(1);
 
-  ::bbb::Pin reset_pin = bbb::Pin(1, 6);
-  reset_pin.MakeOutput();
+  ::bbb::Gpo reset_pin = bbb::Gpo(1, 6);
 #endif
 
   ::bbb::UartReader receiver(1500000);
@@ -41,9 +40,9 @@
 #if DO_RESET
     if (!last_packet_time.IsWithin(Time::Now(), kPacketTimeout.ToNSec())) {
       LOG(ERROR, "No good packets for too long. Resetting cape.\n");
-      reset_pin.Write(1);
+      reset_pin.SetHigh();
       ::aos::time::SleepFor(Time::InSeconds(1));
-      reset_pin.Write(0);
+      reset_pin.SetLow();
       
       last_packet_time = Time::Now();
     }