GPS---------What do you want to see??

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

We're working on the GPS for the Un. What do you want to see? Complete loops starting and ending in John Day or individual segments for you to put together? Rides will be of different lengths of course, both for the paved and UnPaved. I'm a GPS noob, so I don't know how easy it is to manipulate. I guess we could also give you waypoints of individual points of interest. Such-and-Such Lookout Tower for example.

 

Thoughts and Comments?

[Paul_Burkett]

For those of us that have never been to JD, relying on people that have spent time traveling the area and know the best scenic roads and points of interest is crucial. At UN-4 in Gunnison there were about 17 routes, some were off road and the rest were pavement, but the theme was to find a point of interest and map a route there. The nice part of this is that the routes could be linked together so that one route will take you out and another or several placed together will get you back to the HQ, which every one knows is "the camping area". By downloading all of the routes onto the GPS, you can look at a route list and push the enter button and go to the next location. I hope that this helps.

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

Based on the following map, let me ask a question in clarification.

 

There are several loops that share common routes. The JD-Ukiah-Heppner-Spray-Dayville-JD for example shares the JD-Long Creek portion. I can imagine that some folks would prefer to hang a left at that point, going through Monument.

 

So would it be best to list segments, that also reference to a paper map so that people can choose what they want to see that day?

 

JD-Long Creek. Long Creek-Ukiah. Long Creek-Monument-Kimberly. Spray-Kimberly.

 

Then people can join the segments as it suits them?

 

Have a look and see if what I've asked makes sense:

[Paul_Burkett]

I like what you have done, and puting it on paper is good, that way people can look at their maps and see where they are going. Another way may be.

 

1)Un-HQ to Ukiah 79 miles.

2)Ukiah to Heppner/Spray 120 miles

3)Ukiah to La Grand 54 miles

4)HQ to Spray 69 Miles

5)HQ to Monument 58 Miles

6)HQ to Condon 121 Miles

7)Condon to Pilot Rock 89 miles

 

There are many variations that can be used, I have the GPS file from Gunnison if you would like to see how that was done.

[Ken H.]

What I think has been most common in the past, and what I put together for the UN where I did ride routes, was to 'prepackage' some full loop rides of a variety of lengths and 'styles.' Beginning and ending at the UN HQ. (But be forewarned, when building them in MapSource the beginning and ending point have to be somewhat separated (few blocks or something) or else the GPS units have a tendency to recalculate the from/to as a new (very!) short ride.)

 

We then distributed well before the UN the MapSource .gdb files for people to pre-load and 'play with' that is, modify as they desired. We also had printed out the turn-by-turn instructions of each of them and the maps of each of them that was part of the check in package received upon arrival. But then we have a tendency to be overly un-un.

 

Don't know how well that was liked, or what approach you want to take, but I think that is what has been most common in the past.

[marcopolo]

I'm a GPS user, but don't consider myself an expert by any means, but won't there be problems opening a route in Mapsource on my PC (and uploading to a GPS and trying to navigate it), unless both parties have identical versions of the map data?

 

I'm all for using technology and avoiding needless work, and certainly planned to use my GPS for John Day, but I suspect my map data (City Select NA v7) is not what any of these routes will be created with. I'd be happy with narrative route descriptions posted sufficiently far in advance for me to re-create the routes on my PC and upload them to my GPS. I'm leaving home July 4th.

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

Also a GPS n00b, are you saying that GPS is not backwards compatible? Routes will be posted by late June.

[Mr_Yuk]

The routes that Steve posted were made with City Navigator NA version 8. I have been able to take a route and change map data, such as switching to an old topo version, and the route still works fine. None of the roads in this area are new so the map data should not be out of date on any reasonably detailed MapSource version.

 

Rod

[Ken H.]

I'm a GPS user, but don't consider myself an expert by any means, but won't there be problems opening a route in Mapsource on my PC (and uploading to a GPS and trying to navigate it), unless both parties have identical versions of the map data?

 

I'm all for using technology and avoiding needless work, and certainly planned to use my GPS for John Day, but I suspect my map data (City Select NA v7) is not what any of these routes will be created with. I'd be happy with narrative route descriptions posted sufficiently far in advance for me to re-create the routes on my PC and upload them to my GPS. I'm leaving home July 4th.

It's not always perfect, and sometimes after you do a re-calculate after loading the distributed route(s) into your particular version of maps you may have to tweak them a bit, but in general terms; yes, all GARMIN .gdb files are backwardly compatible.

 

Besides, what whoever puts the routes together comes up with is one step further than all of us having to start from scratch on our own. Thanks to whomever is doing this! Having BTDT, I know routes for a big varied gathering are a LOT of work.

[Paul Mihalka]

Man, I love my paper maps and yellow high lighters...

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

Paul, that's a big 10-4! Still I'm trying to get the GPS stuff together. If anybody doesn't like what we've done, then the GPS guy will be at home, nursing his twisted ankle. You can yell at him there...

[Effjay]

Hey Paul,

I do have a GPS mounted but paper maps gives me more time to take my California Weed Abatement Program on the road.

Hoping Oregon is ready, 'cus I doubt anybody wants to see that...

 

 

Jeff

[SANTA]

I'm such a GPS n00b that i can't even spell 1... sadly i'm with Paul on this page, i liked the cody unrally with the big board and highlighted routes, lots to chose from ,

 

it would be nice to see some suggestions before i leave so i can at least play a bit with MS strips and treats, and come up with a few ootions..

 

 

[Draftermike]

I know it's not easy to put together by any means, but I love the routes put together in complete loops. In a totally unfamiliar area it's hard to make decisions as to which "legs" to piece together for the day's ride, whereas complete loops don't leave me and the people riding with me second guessing all through the days of riding. Also, it's ok for the loops to run through the same sections as other loops, sometimes that's almost unavoidable; it's all good. I had the Arkansas Un loops bronzed and permanently laser etched into my GPS circuit board.

[Draftermike]

Hi Tom, (insert waving smiley here)

I'm a behind the scenes kinda guy.

(Now back to the regular scheduled programing)

Mike

[dhanson]

I tended to load the gps files if available as a backup really, often choose a group to ride with and just tagged along without even turning the gps on, but if I needed to get back from anywhere, no problem. I tend to concentrate on the riding, and navigation is only important when actually trying to get to a POI or something.

 

The GPS files help a bunch, thanks also before hand for your help.