Finding Caches Along Motorways?

[+Rocky Balboa]

Hi All. I am off to sunny? Ireland on Saturday and would like to identify the caches which I will pass on my way accross country. Is there any good way of doing this that anyone knows of?

 

For anyone who knows Ireland and it's caches well I am going from Rosslare to Miltown Malbay C.Clare.

 

Thanks!

[+Stuey]

The best tool I find is GSAK. You need to create a filter, and choose the line option, or possibly the arc or polygon.

 

I created a gpx file from Exeter to Fort William picking up all the caches in proximity to the motorways. It worked really well. I started off with a database of all caches, and then filtered from that.

[+The Wombles]

Dan, We went M4 - Fishguard - Roslare last week. If this route is any help then mail me; I can let you know what little there is along the way (apart from Wiltshire of course )

[+Daisy&me]

Dan, We went M4 - Fishguard - Roslare last week. If this route is any help then mail me; I can let you know what little there is along the way (apart from Wiltshire of course )

and West Berkshire!!

[+Mad H@ter]

Using GSAK, export files to a "Microsoft Streets & Trips CSV file".

 

In Microsoft Autoroute, using the "Import Data Wizard", import the file you just created using GSAK.

Select comma for separator character.

Check that column headings are correct on next window, they should be.

Click finish and your waypoints should now be imported into Autoroute as Pushpins.

 

Plan route in usual way in Autoroute.

 

Then select "Find Nearby Places" and enter distance from route you want checked, select Around - Entire Route, and the "Search". You should now have a list of all caches within x distance of your route.

 

Now right click on the list and select "Add As Stops".

Now go back to the "Route Planner" and right click on list of stops and select "Optimize Stops".

Then click "Get Directions", and you will have directions to your destination taking in all the caches.

 

Obviously you can deselect caches from the route that are not conveniently placed etc. and recalculate.

 

Good luck with your quest Dan.

 

Now all I need to work out is how to get this route from Autoroute to TomTom 3, any suggestions?

[+Mad H@ter]

Have just done a quick check using this method, and assuming you are leaving from Aylesbury, there are 42 caches within 1 mile (as the crow flies!) from the route.

 

Edit

 

Better make that 30 once the Bucks caches are removed!

Edited August 19, 2004 by Phillimore Clan

[+Happy Humphrey]

The only slight problem with MS Autoroute for an Ireland trip is the level of detail. In the case of the Emerald Isle, the detail level does not run to such things as streets, or even roads or motorways! It's always seemed odd to me, as mainland Europe is covered in great detail.

 

Otherwise, Phillimore Clan's technique works fine for trips to Europe (and Great Britain), and the resulting maps (with pushpins) can then be exported to a PDA (using Pocket Streets, if you have a recent Autoroute), although with greatly reduced functionality and detail.

 

HH

[+The Hokesters]

The only slight problem with MS Autoroute for an Ireland trip is the level of detail. In the case of the Emerald Isle, the detail level does not run to such things as streets, or even roads or motorways! It's always seemed odd to me, as mainland Europe is covered in great detail.

Which version of AR do you have? I have 2002 and it has Ireland's roads marked. It only labels E roads and N roads (sorry not sure what the UK equivalent is of these) otherwise local roads are still marked but just not labelled.

 

The Hokesters...

[+choccymandm]

Dan, have just started a spin off thread here - http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=78035 which might give you your answer.

[+Happy Humphrey]

Hokesters,

 

Autoroute 2004 - I suspect that the 2002 version included detail for Ireland, but it seems to have been removed in later versions.

 

Others have complained: see Amazon Reviews at the foot of this link

 

HH

[+The Hokesters]

Autoroute 2004 - I suspect that the 2002 version included detail for Ireland, but it seems to have been removed in later versions.

Remind me not to upgrade Microsoft Products in future!

 

I have a copy of MS Money & Business 2002 - in 2004 they removed the business element.

 

Bill Gates = Prgress my 4r5e!

[+Mad H@ter]

I'm using v11 (2003 I think) which has street level mapping (without street names) for the major citie only.

[+Daisy&me]

Its easy if you use Fugawi/GSAK. You can mark the route you are taking on the Fugawi map then export the route as a comma delimmitted file. Next you import the route in GSAK and use as an 'arc' in a filter to find, for example, all caches < 1 mile from the route.

[+MarcB]

We should create a list (for GCUK) with all the motorways and nearby caches. That would be really useful for anyone travelling the country.

MarcB

Edited August 19, 2004 by MarcB

[+klaus23]

I sent Dan an e-mail on the Irish caches

 

He'd be a while looking for motorways over here, although there is now a 110 mile stretch of motorway from Dundalk to South Dublin - that's even longer than the M1 from Belfast to Armagh (38 miles)

[+Teasel]

We should create a list (for GCUK) with all the motorways and nearby caches. That would be really useful for anyone travelling the country.

Some time ago, Chris and I discussed creating new variants of the tube map to show caches around mortorway junctions, railway stations etc. Shouldn't be too difficult to achieve technically. But first we need a good set of maps of the motorways...

[+Teasel]

OK, I found a good set of maps here! I've had a play around and have a first stab at the M1 here.

 

It takes a bit of time to do each motorway, so new ones will be added slowly. If anyone has any particular requests, let me know.

 

I'll see if I can come up with a page which lists each junction and its nearby caches as text. Then there are the download files to sort out, then trigpoints...!

 

We're also looking at ways to get major roads to show up on the interactive map, though that may take a little longer...

 

Cheers,

Ian

[+RoswellJam]

That is so cool! Can you do one for the M60!!

[+DesG]

I've had a play around and have a first stab at the M1 here.

Well done Ian it looks good.

 

We're sure everyone will appreciate your hard work and dedication.

 

Thanks

 

Des & Bren

snerdbe

[+Pharisee]

That's pretty dadgum good if you ask me... but Ian, you obviously have far too much time on your hands.... Maybe you should get a REAL job

[+John Stead]

He HAS got a real job - but I bet he gets more fun from setting up things of real value to us!

Only trouble now is finding how to say to my wife that I want to leave the Motorway at a particular junction when I don't know if there will be a retail park or pub anywhere near.

[+rutson]

OK, I found a good set of maps here! I've had a play around and have a first stab at the M1 here.

 

It takes a bit of time to do each motorway, so new ones will be added slowly. If anyone has any particular requests, let me know.

 

I'll see if I can come up with a page which lists each junction and its nearby caches as text. Then there are the download files to sort out, then trigpoints...!

 

We're also looking at ways to get major roads to show up on the interactive map, though that may take a little longer...

 

Cheers,

Ian

Oooooo.... dunno if it's of any use, but I'm trying to make a tube stylee map to the M62 coridor using the same source still work to go tho, can send you the WIP if you like?

[+The Hornet]

Awesome

 

OK, I'm off to Northumberland in a few weeks so how about the A1M ?

 

Great stuff Ian, many thanks.

[+Teasel]

That is so cool!  Can you do one for the M60!!

You would choose a ring-road, wouldn't you?!

 

Give this a go. It's based on the cbrd strip, but I've pasted the junctions into something approximating the geography of the thing. I'm not sure whether this is a good idea or whether I should have stuck to the cbrd approach.

 

Problem is, it encourages people to think of it as a map, rather than a diagram, and people will expect the caches to be in roughly the correct location on the "map". They won't be - this is still just a set of junctions with "constellations" of caches drawn a maximum of 35 pixels from the junction. And I just know the next request will be to fill in the bit in the centre (it's what I'd want!). But this can't be done with the current programs (you'll have to wait for the updated flash map, or ask Ed Hall very nicely!).

 

(Unless someone wants to donate £250 a year so we can provide this sort of map?!)

 

Anyway, gotta go, I'm late for work...!

[+RoswellJam]

Teasel,

 

You rule. Thanks for the map of the M60 with caches. Will come in very handy!