Custom Garmin ride for the Rally (294 mile loop)

[ROCKBOTTOM]

11 along the river is kind of pretty, but it's multilane/55 MPH with a lot of traffic. And the stretch just below Shamokin Dam is very congested--two miles of strip malls.

[drw2ge]

RB,here you go, take a look at this.... made some changes.

[ROCKBOTTOM]

Very good. I love that section of 997 you added--I ride it at least once a week. Folks may have to do some buggy dodging through there.

[drw2ge]

Here's another ride. 316 miles.

@Rockbottom, would love your feedback on this 2nd loop.

attached: Shamokin Tour #2 316. gpx

[ROCKBOTTOM]

Very nice. I was on that section of Rt 233 between 30 and 11 an hour ago--had to try out a Roadcrafter suit I just got this morning! All of those segments in that route are good.

I have a picture of McConnellsburg, which is on this route, in my blog.

One idea on that route--where 233 crosses Pine Road just south of 174, if you turn to the right and go a couple of thousand yards, there's a trout hatchery with a visitor center. It's actually quite interesting.

[henzilla]

Thanks guys...I used a lot of Visians routes while in Johnson City...these look very promising! And little effort on MY part

[drw2ge]

1 more ride for the rally.. 268 miles just under 6 hours..

RB.. Feedback?

THANKS!

Ride fixed.. see later listed ROUTE!

[ROCKBOTTOM]

Not bad. That section of 522 is a bit boring though. I'd recommend that you loop it up 322 and 144 to 45, and then come back south on the excellent 235 or 104 to 35 and then back to 11. And Flannery's Tavern in Mercersburg would be a good lunch stop.

[JIMSHAW]

If you have a newer Garmin unit, you may be able to download these directly to your Garmin's "GPX" folder. Then, from the GPS software, choose to import a custom route. I am not near my unit now, so I can't give you the step-by-step, but you should find the option under your tools/routes area. No Mapsource needed.

Quite true, but GPX files only contain waypoints, and your individual Garmin will choose the roads between them. Sometimes, I have had surprising results this way. Nonetheless, it will get you between points with its choice of roads.

If you choose GDB files, you are much more likely to get your Garmin to take you the same way as intended, same roads.

[drw2ge]

Not bad. That section of 522 is a bit boring though. I'd recommend that you loop it up 322 and 144 to 45, and then come back south on the excellent 235 or 104 to 35 and then back to 11. And Flannery's Tavern in Mercersburg would be a good lunch stop.

Thanks... Will do!

[drw2ge]

Quite true, but GPX files only contain waypoints, and your individual Garmin will choose the roads between them. Sometimes, I have had surprising results this way. Nonetheless, it will get you between points with its choice of roads.

If you choose GDB files, you are much more likely to get your Garmin to take you the same way as intended, same roads.

Unfortunately, the board only accepts .GPX as an acceptable format.. .GDB isn't supported.

I should send that "complaint" to the administrators. (EDIT: Sent comment to Scott Conary... Forum Administrator)

[Theo]

Quite true, but GPX files only contain waypoints...{snip}

I think that might be a bit off. GPX files can contain way-points, route-points or both.

From a post on another thread (with corrections)...

The "source" program (if it's not MapSource) most likely generates a standard GPS eXchange file to be downloaded to the GPS unit. These ".GPX" files are actually XML text files with route-points or way-points and some additional information. You can actually open a GPX file with Notepad (Win) or TextEdit (OSX) and see the contents and the tags.

If your GPX file contains only way-points, it is not a route; it is a collection of locations. You will be able to verify this by examining the GPX text. Way-points have tags that begin with "[waypt]"*. A "[waypt]"* is an isolated location that IS NOT associated with a route by the source that generated the GPX file; there is no data that describes how they might be connected.

However, if your GPX file contains route-points then the data specifies the receiving GPS regard the data as a "routed" way-points. Route-points have tags that begin with "[rtept]"*. A collection of route-points specify the street-based path to be taken to navigate from start to finish.

You may have seen the difference between a list of way-points and route-points after your Garmin has imported a GPX file and converted it to a Garmin-specific GPX file. A list of way-points will be located exactly where they are supposed to be (as specified by the source) but the path that is shown connecting them is a direct "as the crow flies" route; the lines connecting the way-points do not lay-down on roads. However, a list of route-points "describes" a path that follows vectors aligned with streets and, thus, create a route that is drivable.

Most source programs allow you to choose whether you want your route in the GPX file to be saved as way-points or route-points. To preserve the source routing, always choose to save your GPX file as a route, not way-points.

Newer Garmin software (MapSource, BaseCamp, etc.) holds data in GBD files and, when downloading routes and waypoints, creates Garmin-specific GPX files directly. That is why routes developed from the programs will always be faithfully shown on your Garmin. However, as long as your route planned on Google (seasonal roads being a big issue) or MapQuest is saved as a route and not way-points, you should also see the route as planned.

* - The actual tags in the XML files do not use square brackets, they use angled brackets: "<" and ">". I have changed them to square brackets because the forum software actually tries to interpret these tags.

[drw2ge]

A Mini tour for the Rally, 169 miles, 3:45 time.

[drw2ge]

Fixed Shamokin Tour #3. 296 miles, 6:30 time. (Suggestions from RockBottom, THANKS!)

[statdawg]

11 along the river is kind of pretty, but it's multilane/55 MPH with a lot of traffic. And the stretch just below Shamokin Dam is very congested--two miles of strip malls.

If you run east of that which might be old route 11 you can avoid the mess.