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John Ranalletta

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John Ranalletta

For anyone who wants more map detail than Basecamp provides, this mapping site may be your answer, e.g. want to know when the asphalt is likely to turn to gravel?  This looks like the place.  I've not used it and can't verify accuracy.  YMMV.

image.png.0402f86551d5d4b6528f5ad2fb82d0a3.png image.png.47397fbfe126d2232f14c505c85e8cfd.png

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John,

 

Thanks for posting this.  I like to explore twisty back roads, but I don’t like taking my RT on dirt.  So, I try to scout my routes for that transition from remote paved roads to potentially difficult unpaved roads.  I checked this map resource against a couple of routes that I know from personal experience.  What I found was that the map legend did not distinguish the transition from pavement to dirt on the two routes I checked.  So, for me, this is not a resource that I can trust.

 

I don’t have a perfect solution.  But a pretty good solution is to use the satellite view in google maps, and to zoom in as far as you can.  At that point, If you see painted lane markers on the satellite view, then you know the road is paved.  Other visual cues are helpful, too.  Sometimes the Street View is available in some pretty remote locations.  This process is time consuming, but it is the best method that I have found for assessing an unknown route.

 

cap

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John Ranalletta
2 minutes ago, Cap said:

John,

 

Thanks for posting this.  I like to explore twisty back roads, but I don’t like taking my RT on dirt.  So, I try to scout my routes for that transition from remote paved roads to potentially difficult unpaved roads.  I checked this map resource against a couple of routes that I know from personal experience.  What I found was that the map legend did not distinguish the transition from pavement to dirt on the two routes I checked.  So, for me, this is not a resource that I can trust.

 

I don’t have a perfect solution.  But a pretty good solution is to use the satellite view in google maps, and to zoom in as far as you can.  At that point, If you see painted lane markers on the satellite view, then you know the road is paved.  Other visual cues are helpful, too.  Sometimes the Street View is available in some pretty remote locations.  This process is time consuming, but it is the best method that I have found for assessing an unknown route.

 

cap

Thanks for the feedback and test.  

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I keep playing with the OSM maps, but usually come back to the Garmin NT maps for Basecamp and my Zumo. Sometimes OSM actually has too much detail - I don't need to see  every driveway on a street.  The advantage of OSM is anyone can submit corrections or add details and they are updated quickly. I sometimes load up a foreign country just to see what road choices are available.

 

There are many sources that will work with Basecamp and other Garmin products like a BMW Navigator. I use the chart at https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM_Map_On_Garmin/Download to find sources for OSM maps that work with Basecamp. Scroll down to find the region you are interested in.

 

For the U.S., map files from http://www.gmaptool.eu/en/content/usa-osm-topo-routable are very easy to use with Windows Basecamp and my Zumo 590 and XT. Download the area desired, unzip to a folder on your computer, run the installation batch file that tells Basecamp where to find it. Running MapInstall either by itself or from Basecamp>Maps>Install Maps will transfer it to your Garmin via USB.  

 

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4 hours ago, Cap said:

John,

 

Thanks for posting this.  I like to explore twisty back roads, but I don’t like taking my RT on dirt.  So, I try to scout my routes for that transition from remote paved roads to potentially difficult unpaved roads.  I checked this map resource against a couple of routes that I know from personal experience.  What I found was that the map legend did not distinguish the transition from pavement to dirt on the two routes I checked.  So, for me, this is not a resource that I can trust.

 

I don’t have a perfect solution.  But a pretty good solution is to use the satellite view in google maps, and to zoom in as far as you can.  At that point, If you see painted lane markers on the satellite view, then you know the road is paved.  Other visual cues are helpful, too.  Sometimes the Street View is available in some pretty remote locations.  This process is time consuming, but it is the best method that I have found for assessing an unknown route.

 

cap

I do the satellite view too when trying to determine gravel or paved routes. Sometimes it's hard to tell between gravel and light colored pavement, often I'll look for gravel "splatter" at intersections with darker pavement at the transition to determine gravel or pavement.

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5 hours ago, John Ranalletta said:

For anyone who wants more map detail than Basecamp provides, this mapping site may be your answer, e.g. want to know when the asphalt is likely to turn to gravel?  This looks like the place.  I've not used it and can't verify accuracy.  YMMV.

 

Afternoon John

 

I have (had)  used Open Street for many years, unfortunately Open Street is no longer supported & hasn't been in a long time now so any Open Street maps are pretty outdated. (lots of road updates/changes in my area since Open Street quit supporting).

 

If you go to the Open Street web site it will redirect you to other mapping sites, I haven't used any of those so can't say they are good or bad. 

 

Since Open Street has quit supporting Open Street mapping I now download the raw mapping data then make my own maps (at least that way I know they are current & up to date & I can make the road colors & road widths the way I like them). 

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John Ranalletta
Just now, dirtrider said:

Afternoon John

 

I have (had)  used Open Street for many years, unfortunately Open Street is no longer supported & hasn't been in a long time now so any Open Street maps are pretty outdated. (lots of road updates/changes in my area since Open Street quit supporting).

 

If you go to the Open Street web site it will redirect you to other mapping sites, I haven't used any of those so can't say they are good or bad. 

 

Since Open Street has quit supporting Open Street mapping I know download the raw mapping data then make my own maps (at least that way I know they are current & up to date).

Thanks, DR.  I never used it but thought it interesting.

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Just now, John Ranalletta said:

Thanks, DR.  I never used it but thought it interesting.

Afternoon John

 

Yes, back when it was supported & updates were produced regularly Open Street was a good Open source map that worked darn good in my older off-road GPS  devices. (It saved me a lot of work in making my own routable maps)

 

There are some re-directs on the old Open Street web site so  possibly one of those will work out in the long run, I just haven't had time to mess with any of them yet (probably a winter project).

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