An Odd Request

[DFRAG]

Hi,

 

Can anyone help.

I have Microsoft's Streets and Trips 2005 and 2006 in my laptop.

With this software I can use the GPS to create (and print) a trail. I would like to do so when I bike or jog.

I'm not ready to bike with my laptop. Does anyone know of some (GPS) device that I could use to track me as I bicycle and will easily load into Streets and Trips so I can see (on a street level) where I've been and print these maps?

Would it behoove me to get a Pocket Pc?

Are there any GPS devices that will easily load into Streets and Trips?

 

Thank you for all suggestions.

 

Rich

 

rich280@verizon.net

[+PDOP's]

Almost any recreational GPS will save a track of where you've been (called a tracklog) however Streets&Trips can't easily upload this data. It is possible but but not easy (see this previous discussion)

 

The Forerunner GPS mentioned in that thread would be a unit for jogging.

[DFRAG]

I guess I could get Garmin's street level software and load the Forerunner into it. Sounds too simple.

I wonder if I can print with Garmin's software. Anybody?

[peter]

I guess I could get Garmin's street level software and load the Forerunner into it. Sounds too simple.

I wonder if I can print with Garmin's software. Anybody?

I've been using Garmin receivers on my bike handlebars for almost 7 years now and regularly download the tracklog to my PC from where I can display it on Garmin's map software or on a variety of third-party map software. I've used DeLorme's Street Atlas, GarTrip with/without scanned map overlays, USAPhotoMaps which show both USGS topo maps and aerial photo views, and lately GoogleEarth which can play back the ride viewing aerial photo views as if you were in a helicopter flying over the biked route. I don't happen to use Streets&Trips but believe it would work fine as well. Yes, Garmin's software would let you print the maps with your tracklog, but I think your current Streets & Trips will do that as well.

 

I prefer to use one of the receivers that shows maps directly, which comes in very handy if I need to find a shortcut home when it starts raining hard and has also helped me find stores (grocery/delis/bike shops/etc.) while on longer tours and rides. Garmin receivers that do auto-routing, such as the Legend C/Cx, can even be set to bicycle mode so they'll avoid freeways that don't allow bikes.

Edited March 19, 2006 by peter

[DFRAG]

Hi Peter,

Thank you for showing hope. I probably didn't make myself too clear but I think what you are talking about is EXACTLY what I want to do.

 

As I bike on public streets as well as dirt trails, I would like to track what I do and see my rides on a street level map. Downloading into Google earth sounds great, but right now I want to get started by not only seeing the streets I have biked on, but to also see the trails I have biked! The ability to print maps of what I did would be great. I could use this feature to produce maps of trails. I am a mountain biker so being able to produce maps of new trails would be awesome.

 

OK.

 

Would you please share you experience with a fellow biker? Which Garmin do you use? What software do you find to be the most comprehensive for the maps? All feedback and suggestions are GREATLY appreciated. I have every intention on placing orders for GPS devices and software very soon.

 

Hey, if you're ever in New York, especially Long Island, please let me know so I can hook you up for a nice ride. I'll even provide maps!

 

Email- rich280@verizon.net

 

Thank you for everything!

 

Rich!

[+Miragee]

Everytime I get back from a cache hunt, I download my tracks to the Garmin Mapsource maps.

 

It is great for retracing my day, especially if I found several caches and want to log them in order.

 

I have done this with both my Vista and my Vista C (which is capable of auto-routing with the City Select maps installed).

 

Something really cool to do with your tracks is to edit them and upload the fun ones to the Magnalog Site. Check it out!

[speedy FFW]

I use Garmin's on my bicycle since 3 years. Currently I wold recommend the Garmin 76csx with RAM Mount. The RAM Mount is rock solid and absorbes vibration. It has a good change to protect your unit the next time you want to make a flip over your handle bars while Mountain biking

 

With the new Sirf chipset it will keep reception in heavy wooded areas or areas with heavy foliage.

 

I use this unit for car driving (autorouting), long distance bicycling, off road biking and hiking. That's why this unit is perfect for me.

 

In any case it will keep a tracklog which you can transfer to the Garmin Map software. Not just will it show and print the exact tracks you where riding. It will also show you an altidude profile which can be printed. You can also trace along your track and see how your average speed was, your speed at any giving time, how much and long you stopped. The possibilites are basically endless.

 

If you want to see info how I use it on a bicycle see here: Scout. It contains examples of autorouting screenprints, but also an example off a tracklog while offroad with my Mountain bike. From here is also a link of the configuration I use for bicycling with the Garmin (which basically can be used for the 60c, 60cs, 60csx, 76c, 76cs or 76csx).

 

Or some map screen prints for our long distance events: 2006 Brevets - Central Florida

 

The dark red are routes and the yellow are bicycle trails/tracks, which I have been riding once and kept on the computer.

 

Good luck with your decision.

[peter]

Would you please share you experience with a fellow biker? Which Garmin do you use? What software do you find to be the most comprehensive for the maps? All feedback and suggestions are GREATLY appreciated. I have every intention on placing orders for GPS devices and software very soon.

The GPS I use most often for biking is a Garmin eMap, but that's been discontinued for a long time now. Of their current models I'd probably tend toward the LegendCx or VistaCx. (The Vista has the advantage of letting you see the elevation profile and elevation history data while still on a ride rather than needing to use a PC program.)

 

Here are some examples of how hikes and rides appear on a few software programs. Here's the tracklog from a bike ride near SF Bay with a visit to a local chocolate factory as displayed on Garmin's MapSource program & MetroGuide maps:

 

Here's a hike displayed on USGS topo maps using USAPhotoMaps:

[bTW, the portion of the tracklog that doesn't do a great job of following the road was when the GPS was inside my pack and locked in the sealed trunk of my car - I was surprised it got a signal at all.]

 

Here's a portion of the same hike but viewed on aerial photos using USAPhotoMaps:

 

And finally, here's a plot of a bike ride using GARTrip (this program also allows showing the track overlayed on scanned maps, but I frequently just use the plain plot to get an overview of a ride including the elevation profile:

[+gpsblake]

I use g7towin and Street Atlas 8.0 I can only get S&T to show pinpoints following my path and it's a pain to do.

 

Really simple with g7towin and SA 8.0, just upload your track from your GPS to g7towin then export it to Street Atlas 8.0

Here is an example.

 

[+Miragee]

Oooooh . . . Show and Tell!

 

Here is a track, as shown on my Mapsouce Topo, for a hike I took into a Wilderness Area.

 

 

And here is the Magnalog and story of that hike. The Magnalog shows the elevation.

 

[DFRAG]

Oooooh . . . Show and Tell!

 

Here is a track, as shown on my Mapsouce Topo, for a hike I took into a Wilderness Area.

 

 

And here is the Magnalog and story of that hike. The Magnalog shows the elevation.

 

 

WOW!!!! You people are AWESOME!!!

I am amazed from the maps you have shown me and thank you all very much! I think I am going to order the Garmin 76 csx with the Garmin mapsouce city select north america software. Decisions, decisions. Does anyone think this is a good combination?

 

Peter, I take my helmut off to you! Those maps were awesome!

 

If anyone is ever in the New York/Long Island area and looking for a nice ride let me know.

 

Rich!!!!!!!

[DFRAG]

Yipes! Over $500. for the 76csx!

[+UncleFester98]

I prefer to use one of the receivers that shows maps directly, which comes in very handy if I need to find a shortcut home when it starts raining hard and has also helped me find stores (grocery/delis/bike shops/etc.) while on longer tours and rides. Garmin receivers that do auto-routing, such as the Legend C/Cx, can even be set to bicycle mode so they'll avoid freeways that don't allow bikes.

 

I have a Garmin Etrex Legend Cx and I can't figure out how to set it to "bicycle mode" for auto-routing. Can you post directions on how to do this?

Thanks!

UncleFester98

Edited March 20, 2006 by UncleFester98

[peter]

I prefer to use one of the receivers that shows maps directly, which comes in very handy if I need to find a shortcut home when it starts raining hard and has also helped me find stores (grocery/delis/bike shops/etc.) while on longer tours and rides. Garmin receivers that do auto-routing, such as the Legend C/Cx, can even be set to bicycle mode so they'll avoid freeways that don't allow bikes.

I have a Garmin Etrex Legend Cx and I can't figure out how to set it to "bicycle mode" for auto-routing. Can you post directions on how to do this?

From the Main Menu: <Setup>, <Routing>, <Follow Road Options...>, <Calculate Routes for>, <Bicycle>.

 

Unfortunately it isn't entirely problem free. For example, one of its favorite routes through a nearby town is along the aptly named "Seven Hills Rd." While this is a nice enough road, it's not usually my choice for a quick way through town, especially since there's a stop sign or light at the bottom of each of the hills. Terrain is obviously not included in the CitySelect road data. I've also found that it excludes all freeways, even sections where bicycles are permitted and where the freeway is clearly the fastest and shortest route.

Edited March 20, 2006 by peter

[peter]

Yipes! Over $500. for the 76csx!

Yup, and then you need to add the CitySelect maps for another $120 or so. Getting the latest and greatest is hardly ever also the cheapest. The 60 series instead of 76 would save about $50 and you wouldn't lose much at all in function (and many prefer the slightly smaller size). Next price step down would be the Legend/VistaCx.

 

You might also want to look at the Quest; although Garmin markets this more for automotive use it's also very nice as a cycling and hiking GPS. I've recently seen it priced as low as $310 and that price *includes* CitySelect-NA. One negative is the built-in battery but it does last for a long time between charges.

Even less is the older GPS V at about $200 *including* CitySelect. But that one has a pretty small 19 MB memory. That'd be ok in smaller urban areas, but if you want to cover NYC it'll be very limiting. [but I've been pretty happy with it in the SF Bay area - it covers SF, Oakland, most East Bay towns, Napa, and parts of San Jose.]

And the maps shown above were done with an old eMap available for under $100 on eBay and MetroGuide 4.01 mapping which sells for about $35 on eBay but is getting a little dated.

 

So there are reasonable options to cover a wide range of budgets.

[DFRAG]

I ordered Vista cx and city select maps and am excited as I think that is a fair combination.

As far as NYC is, don't really bike or rollerblade there too much.GPS in the city not necessary.

 

Your maps were awesome, am hoping to do same soon!

[+UncleFester98]

I prefer to use one of the receivers that shows maps directly, which comes in very handy if I need to find a shortcut home when it starts raining hard and has also helped me find stores (grocery/delis/bike shops/etc.) while on longer tours and rides. Garmin receivers that do auto-routing, such as the Legend C/Cx, can even be set to bicycle mode so they'll avoid freeways that don't allow bikes.

I have a Garmin Etrex Legend Cx and I can't figure out how to set it to "bicycle mode" for auto-routing. Can you post directions on how to do this?

From the Main Menu: <Setup>, <Routing>, <Follow Road Options...>, <Calculate Routes for>, <Bicycle>.

 

Unfortunately it isn't entirely problem free. For example, one of its favorite routes through a nearby town is along the aptly named "Seven Hills Rd." While this is a nice enough road, it's not usually my choice for a quick way through town, especially since there's a stop sign or light at the bottom of each of the hills. Terrain is obviously not included in the CitySelect road data. I've also found that it excludes all freeways, even sections where bicycles are permitted and where the freeway is clearly the fastest and shortest route.

 

My Etrex Legend Cx only has options for <Prompted>, <Faster Time> or <Shorter Distance>. Bicycle is not an option. What model of Garmin GPSr do you have?

[peter]

From the Main Menu: <Setup>, <Routing>, <Follow Road Options...>, <Calculate Routes for>, <Bicycle>.

My Etrex Legend Cx only has options for <Prompted>, <Faster Time> or <Shorter Distance>. Bicycle is not an option. What model of Garmin GPSr do you have?

At the bottom of that page should be the <Follow Road Options ...> choice indicated before. Select this to get to an additional page of routing options among which is <Calculate Routes for> and that's the one that has Bicycle as one of the choices.

[+UncleFester98]

From the Main Menu: <Setup>, <Routing>, <Follow Road Options...>, <Calculate Routes for>, <Bicycle>.

My Etrex Legend Cx only has options for <Prompted>, <Faster Time> or <Shorter Distance>. Bicycle is not an option. What model of Garmin GPSr do you have?

At the bottom of that page should be the <Follow Road Options ...> choice indicated before. Select this to get to an additional page of routing options among which is <Calculate Routes for> and that's the one that has Bicycle as one of the choices.

 

I finally get it. Thanks for the help!

UncleFester98

[2B Amazed]

I thought I could help but all of you have this covered well. Been bicycling and mapping my routes for many years now, GPS routing for 3 and still learning alot from the posts. Thanks