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GPS tracks in Ride Reports?

kbasa

Well-known member
Hey all. I've finally gotten some kind of handle on dealing with GPX files and wonder if any of us have ever thought about including those with our Ride Reports?

For example, someone asked on this forum about riding in SF. I thought that including a map might be a good idea, but then I thought about it a bit further and realized that including a GPX would be even better.

For those of us that collect those files in anticipation of a future ride, wouldn't that make Ride Reports an awesome resource? Pictures, descriptions and a GPS file all in one place. If you're going somewhere, just search, find some Ride Reports and pull down the file and you're set.

Do the mods know if the forum will accept a GPX as an attachment type?
 
Hey all. I've finally gotten some kind of handle on dealing with GPX files and wonder if any of us have ever thought about including those with our Ride Reports?

For example, someone asked on this forum about riding in SF. I thought that including a map might be a good idea, but then I thought about it a bit further and realized that including a GPX would be even better.

For those of us that collect those files in anticipation of a future ride, wouldn't that make Ride Reports an awesome resource? Pictures, descriptions and a GPS file all in one place. If you're going somewhere, just search, find some Ride Reports and pull down the file and you're set.

Do the mods know if the forum will accept a GPX as an attachment type?

GPX files can be attached to posts. :nod
 
GPX files

For those of us that collect those files in anticipation of a future ride, wouldn't that make Ride Reports an awesome resource? Pictures, descriptions and a GPS file all in one place. If you're going somewhere, just search, find some Ride Reports and pull down the file and you're set.

Do the mods know if the forum will accept a GPX as an attachment type?

How about a thread/library of GPS routes and tracks?
 
How about a thread/library of GPS routes and tracks?

Let's build one. Perhaps we could define a naming methodology for the posts that would make searching easier: Country, State (province or region) and a descriptor like street, dirt, dual sport. If they were included in the thread title, it'd sure make searching easier.

What a resource this could be! I'll put together one this weekend with pictures and post it up here. We get a lot of folks asking about riding in SF, CA, so this would probably be helpful for them, especially if I included some photos.
 
Testing, testing

I'll try to post my Sunday's ride as a GPX file

No luck - the mange attahments utility starts uploading the file and then bombs. The file may be too big (986 kb) although no size limit is shown in the window.

Any suggestions?

Dave, you're right. If we are to setup a database of routes, it would be useful to figure out how to catagorise them, what info to provide (ride time, speeds, length, road types and conditions, stops, camping, weather etc etc)
Garmin has/had a page where one could up- and download rides, but for the life of me I cant find it again. The format may be useful.

I'll keep at it.
 
i have a number of routes from previous adventures. most of them are .mps and .gdf, which can be converted to .gpx

as soon as our CMS system is launched, i am going to start updating the CampSite... and try to turn it into an on-line version of Always an Adventure. one thing i plan is to make a place where routes can be posted/downloaded.

but... it would probably be better to place/attach them in the forum, and just reference them in regular web pages. (right now, the whole way things get posted to the forum is a little random.)

this weekend i will be doing a little layout of some dual-sport loops for the GMR... and will create routes... stay tuned.

(interestingly, many moons ago, we had a "Great Roads" database on our web site, where people could name the ride, add a description and then create starting and ending points that were shared with Mapquest to create maps. it was rudimentary for sure, but it was there and it worked. credit two volunteers: ted and ryan.)

ian
 
Let's build one. Perhaps we could define a naming methodology for the posts that would make searching easier: Country, State (province or region) and a descriptor like street, dirt, dual sport. If they were included in the thread title, it'd sure make searching easier.

What a resource this could be! I'll put together one this weekend with pictures and post it up here. We get a lot of folks asking about riding in SF, CA, so this would probably be helpful for them, especially if I included some photos.

A good suggestion!

And ...


at the same time lets figure out a system, perhaps by state and Canadian Province to store these rides to they don't get lost.

A suggestion:

Stories sorted by state with one picture. For example:
arcticcircle.jpg


It would be hard to resist reading through this thread after seeing this shot. Each shot would be a thumbnail with a brief description. The description and the thumbnail would be provided by the author. For example:

arcticcircle-1.jpg

riderR1150GSAdv travels from Key Largo to Prudhoe Bay - a journey of 14.5K miles.

Hate to see real treasure buried even if it has not disappeared. Suggesting an idea which can be improved upon by Forum members.

Can the GPX idea and the thumbnails be combined when the rumored forum redesign is launched.

Sounds like a real plus for all of us.

Bring back the Great Roads database.
 
What format

Visian brings up a good point regarding file types.

There are many different mapping programs in use and each has its own preferred (native) format.
Mapsource--.gdb
Street Atlas--.saf
Street & Trips--.est
TomTom--.itn
Garmin--.gpx

Seems that choosing a 'standard' format for posting would be most helpful. That would help me in determining which converter, if any, is needed to view and couch ride the route.

Just two cents

Ron
 
Visian brings up a good point regarding file types.

There are many different mapping programs in use and each has its own preferred (native) format.
Mapsource--.gdb
Street Atlas--.saf
Street & Trips--.est
TomTom--.itn
Garmin--.gpx

Seems that choosing a 'standard' format for posting would be most helpful. That would help me in determining which converter, if any, is needed to view and couch ride the route.

Just two cents

Ron

I believe .GPX files are gps exchange format, implying that they can be read/converted by most devices/software.

We need to enlist some savvy guy from zumoforums to help us out here - they really are on top of their game, although they are dedicated to the Garmin Zumo.

http://www.zumoforums.com/

:D
 
Tracks

It would also be good if we could post a pic of the route from Mapsource or whichever software we are using, so some tips on copy/paste the route would be appreciated.
I was trying to do this last night, but right-click on Mapsource brings up another menu....
 
Hey Visian, a quick question...in GMR_Longer, you have only two waypoints, and one long route. Did you use the "Route Tool" in Mapsource to do this? If so, how did you get each of the black boxes at intersections in there without them actually being waypoints too? I usually create a lot of waypoints along the way, using the green flag waypoint tool, and let MapSource automatically create the route, and just rubberband here and there to make minor corrections.
Thanks,
Larry
P.S. Correct me if I'm wrong, but posting tracks here won't really do anyone much good, unless they just want to see where you went, as you can't create a Route from Tracks. They're just breadcrumbs dropped incrementally to show you where you've been, but as best I can tell, there's really no way to create a route so you or anyone else can follow your old tracks.
Thanks again.
 
Hey Visian, a quick question...in GMR_Longer, you have only two waypoints, and one long route. Did you use the "Route Tool" in Mapsource to do this? If so, how did you get each of the black boxes at intersections in there without them actually being waypoints too? I usually create a lot of waypoints along the way, using the green flag waypoint tool, and let MapSource automatically create the route, and just rubberband here and there to make minor corrections.
Thanks,
Larry

larry - first, let me say how much i HATE mapsource. it just has the worst interface and it's very cumbersome to use. more likely than not i am probably doing something wrong, too. ;)

i am using mapsource 6.13.7 and the City Select North America V7 mapset.

i think the difference is that i want to choose specific roads for my routes, while you let the software plot the optimal way to get from one waypoint to the next.

when i start a route i use the File => New menu... and then the flag icon to place a waypoint for the start. then i use the connected dots icon (yes... the route tool) and start clicking where i want the route to go. I usually place points (for me, the route tool does not create waypoints) right after a turn, so that the arrow will point prior to a turn and not right on it. (old habit from the GPSIII days).

every once in a while, especially if there is a long way between turns and i know the software will keep the route on the road i want it, i will place another waypoint and then use the route tool again to click on it.

i don't know if this is good or bad or indifferent technique... i hope it works for you!

ian
 
P.S. Correct me if I'm wrong, but posting tracks here won't really do anyone much good, unless they just want to see where you went, as you can't create a Route from Tracks. They're just breadcrumbs dropped incrementally to show you where you've been, but as best I can tell, there's really no way to create a route so you or anyone else can follow your old tracks.
Thanks again.

Larry, try this (from Garmin support page):


Question: How do I save part of my zumo?« unit's Track Log as a route?

Answer:
To save a segment of your Trip/Track Log as a route you will want to:

Power your unit ON
Touch the Tool icon
Touch User Data
Touch Manage Trip Log
Touch Save as route
Touch the Segment of the route you wish to convert to a route

Once Calculated, you can touch Map to see the route the unit created, You can click Share to save the route to an SD (Secure Digital) card to share with other zumo?« users. Edit the route to change points in the route, or touch Go to start the route you have calculated from your tracklog.



Ian, the routes look great, much torture!

Here are links to route sharing sites:

http://connect.garmin.com/zumo/

http://www.sundaymorningrides.com/
 
Thanks for all the advice. I actually have a 2720, which will not allow conversion of tracks to routes automatically. I have, in the past, manually inserted waypoints along the track, to manually create the route, but thats pretty tedious. Best I can do without shelling out big bucks for the Zumo, and so far my 2720 is fanatastic. Thanks again.
 
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