Originally Posted by
J.Higgins
There are hundreds of ways to map a new route. Obviously. I'm working on this new route with Google Earth, DeLorme Atlas's, and Ride with GPS. My method is to check the atlas for the general direction of where I want to ride, then input it into Ride with GPS. I use a pencil to mark the route in the atlas, and then punch that info into the app. Its clunky, but its all I have right now. Next season, my plan is to travel this route and work out all the bugs. My question is this: Are there better ways of mapping a route? If so, what should I use?
I use Ride with GPS as a planning tool only. It gives me a general outline of where I want to go and the total distance I’d like to travel. But, as Eisenhower said, “no plan survives contact with the enemy”. On the ground, I plan my day from one campground (or other accommodation) to another. For that I usually use Google Maps and, even then, I don’t follow those instructions slavishly. An example, I was riding down the Delaware River near Stroudsburg, Pa. Google gave me a route that went up into the local hills and would have been a tough ride. But, on the ground, there was a road in front of me that was called Delaware Road or Federal Road. It followed the river and went downhill. It was also a very low traffic road. I took that one.
I do ride with a GPS but I use it for recording purposes only. I’ve tried to follow it but it is usually yelling at me for not following the route…I might find a more interesting route…or it gives up because I’m so far off the route.
Bottom line: be flexible.