Re: Maps on CGOAB

I think part of the purpose of my email was to inform tourers that I
do find the maps very helpful, and apparently others do too, so
possibly that helps a few more people consider using maps in the
future. I can understand that each person will write as they please,
and we all have different styles. I just wish there was at least some
description of the route in some of these journals. I generally use
CGOAB to find out how other people did on tours that I might ride a
similar path on. I'm often lured in by the location or title, but then
find it's mostly a personal journal about things that I'm unlikely to
encounter if I rode the same place. If they choose to include a map
and throw in a few comments on road quality, things to expect or avoid
along the route, and other helpful tips, than I'm sure to bookmark it
and come back often. I do find most of the journals there to be quick
helpful, but it can be tough looking at a map sometimes and trying to
find out where they actually rode.

I created my routes with other programs, but chose to convert it to
the CGOAB format because at the time there were no good alternatives
that were embedable. Ridewithgps is a great one that can do that now,
and I sometimes use that to create but usually start with Google using
my trick to export routes from google.

On Wed, Feb 9, 2011 at 12:53 PM, Wayne Estes <[email protected]> wrote:
> There are two issues about maps on crazyguyonabike.com.
>
> First is the authors.  Not every author cares about adding maps to their
> journal.  The current featured journal is a good example of one that is more
> about entertainment and emotion rather than a nuts-and-bolts tour guide.  At
> the other extreme are my 11 tour journals at
> http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/w9ae.  They're made in a "tour guide" style
> that includes maps and other information useful to cyclists planning a tour
> route.
>
> The second issue with CGOAB maps is the limited functionality of the map
> feature.  With no auto-route function it's very tedious to highlight a long
> winding route.  It also hard to show backtracking and it doesn't do multiple
> colors.  For the index page map on my Western Canada journal I created a map
> at RidewithGPS.com in order to show ferry routes in a different color. It
> even auto-routed the ferry route in Canada's Inside Passage!
>
> Neil Gunton plans to improve the map function soon.  Hopefully he will add
> an autoroute function.  But you can't change the priorities of the authors.
>
> Wayne Estes
> Oakland, Oregon, USA
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