NERDS '11 is On-Line!
- Thread starter FJRed
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Groo
The Endless Font of Useless Knowledge...
As am I Don, especially since you were going to make the trip from CA... will have to catch you at another event in the future.
ice_station_zebra
Well-known member
Order's in and confirmed with PayPal!Just a reminder to all of you nerds attending NERDS '11
The cutoff for tee shirt and sticker orders is fast approaching.
We absolutely must cut off the orders on July 23rd so that we can give the printers enough lead time to be sure that we actually have our stuff for the big event.
Now, that's just a bit over a week from now. Don't miss out!!
Order yours here today!
snikr
Well-known member
Same for me as well.Order's in and confirmed with PayPal!Just a reminder to all of you nerds attending NERDS '11
The cutoff for tee shirt and sticker orders is fast approaching.
We absolutely must cut off the orders on July 23rd so that we can give the printers enough lead time to be sure that we actually have our stuff for the big event.
Now, that's just a bit over a week from now. Don't miss out!!
Order yours here today!
Good Day All,
I'm in :yahoo: (as of now, got to hope works continues to cooperate) :glare: . Ordered the T-shirt and made the reservation. Now to plan some routes.
Glenn
I'm in :yahoo: (as of now, got to hope works continues to cooperate) :glare: . Ordered the T-shirt and made the reservation. Now to plan some routes.
Glenn
Last edited by a moderator:
The only routes you need to plan are getting there and home.
We'll have 11 planned routes for you to choose from during the event.
We expect to have them posted up on the NERDS website this week.
We'll have 11 planned routes for you to choose from during the event.
We expect to have them posted up on the NERDS website this week.
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Bungie
FrostBack #2 - IBA # 44620
30 Days and counting :clapping:
Excellent, I will keep an eye out. :clapping:
What format are they posted in? :ermm:
Glenn
FJRed
Well-known member
I can definitively say that the Routes will be posted tomorrow. :yahoo: Everything is ready 'cept for a few last minute tweaks.
Each route will have a .gdb and a .gpx file available, as well as a link to the route in Google Maps for our "GPS-less" friends who'd like to print the map and directions on paper.
In addition to the individual route files, we'll also have a "master" route file that includes all of the routes. (also in both .gdb and .gpx formats)
As a teaser, here's the list of Routes we have laid out:
Check the NERDS Website tomorrow for all the details.
Ed.
Each route will have a .gdb and a .gpx file available, as well as a link to the route in Google Maps for our "GPS-less" friends who'd like to print the map and directions on paper.
In addition to the individual route files, we'll also have a "master" route file that includes all of the routes. (also in both .gdb and .gpx formats)
As a teaser, here's the list of Routes we have laid out:
- Six Gaps and a Notch
- Four Gaps and a Notch
- Villages and Sweepers
- Mt. Washington
- Vermont's North-east Kingdom
- Islands and Northern Vermont
- Grand Isles and Northern Dack's
- Art's 'Dacks Twisty Butt
- A'dacks Twisty
- Vermont Tourist
- Sixteen Bridges
Check the NERDS Website tomorrow for all the details.
Ed.
Bungie
FrostBack #2 - IBA # 44620
I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this. It'll be my first real trip of the season. I was told a few days ago that I've finished my probationary period at work so I'm gonna see if I can't sneak an extra day in. Funny how you can feel a sickness coming on like this
6 Gaps for me!
6 Gaps for me!
FJRed
Well-known member
Drum-roll please...
The routes for NERDS'11 are now up on the website for all to see. :yahoo:
If you find something that doesn't work, please PM me to let me know. We've tried to thoroughly test everything, but there are lots of moving parts and it's possible something got missed as I posted the changes to the live site.
Be kind to my little "Franken PC" server. If things are a little slow, please be patient as I'm not sure how it will react to a bunch of people hitting it and downloading route files at the same time.
Ed.
The routes for NERDS'11 are now up on the website for all to see. :yahoo:
If you find something that doesn't work, please PM me to let me know. We've tried to thoroughly test everything, but there are lots of moving parts and it's possible something got missed as I posted the changes to the live site.
Be kind to my little "Franken PC" server. If things are a little slow, please be patient as I'm not sure how it will react to a bunch of people hitting it and downloading route files at the same time.
Ed.
airboss
Well-known member
Franken PC was kind to me, got all the routes downloaded. Wheeeeeeeeeee! :yahoo:
So Many Roads, So Little Time, there is some hard choices to be made here!
So Many Roads, So Little Time, there is some hard choices to be made here!
BikerGeek99
Yeah, it's a concrete corn cob. So?
Bungie
FrostBack #2 - IBA # 44620
Kay, my boss is pissed at you.
You published the routes and I whined at him to take an extra day off. Approved - "Just shut up already..."
So 6 gaps and one other one... which one.. Art's Dack's route!
Oh, edited my reg. info on the site.
You published the routes and I whined at him to take an extra day off. Approved - "Just shut up already..."
So 6 gaps and one other one... which one.. Art's Dack's route!
Oh, edited my reg. info on the site.
Now that web-meister Ed has published the routes for all to see (and download), I want to give a little info about them.
As you will see on the NERDS web page, each route is available in three formats: The proprietary Garmin DataBase (*.gdb) generic GPs eXchange (*.gpx), and GoogleMaps for the GPS impaired. The GPS files were all created on Mapsource version 6.16.3 with map version City Navigator North America NT 2011.4
Garmin proprietary *.gdb files
If you are running a modern Garmin GPS, the *.gdb file(s) should be the premium option for you. When creating the routes I made liberal use of the proprietary "map intersection" type of via points. This will provide those Garmin users who use the *.gdb file with fewer viapoint announcements while running the route. But there are some "gotchas".
Before you import the files to your GPS unit, make sure you have it configured optimally:
You will want to turn off auto-recalculate mode in your navigation options. You can select "Off" or use "prompted" if you want, so the GPS will announce if it thinks that you are going off route, but you should never answer YES to the question: "Off route, recalculate?" The reason that you can never recalculate is because after the route has been loaded onto your GPS and the initial calculation takes place, all of the intersection via points have been stripped out of the file. Therefore any recalculated route will not resemble the original one with the intersection points.
You should also remove all avoidances in your navigation options. Several of these routes use unpaved roads, and sometimes you'll be making U-turns, riding on ferries, etc. Just turn them all off is easiest.
Finally, you should select "Fastest Time" for the calculation mode vs "Shortest Distance" otherwise the route may want to return you to the Commodores Inn before you even get started.
The best way to transfer the *.gdb file to your Garmin GPS is to first open the file in Mapsource on your computer. You can force a recalculate in Mapsource if you wish, which will get the file aligned with your version of maps. Then use the "send to device" utility in mapsource.
Generic *.gpx files
You will notice that *.gpx files are considerably larger than the *.gdb files. This may create problems for users with older GPSes and limited memory. That's why we have separated, and made the routes available individually as well as the 3.5Mb file with all 11 routes in it.
With a very few exceptions, all of the aforementioned intersection points have been placed on intersections where you will be proceeding straight through anyway. This is so users of the *.gpx files will not have the viapoint announced by the GPS and miss any turn-by-turn directions. Whenever you here an announcement like: "approaching Hollywood and Vine" you'll know that you will be proceeding straight through that intersection. This should make it so that you do not miss any turn instructions.
With 11 different routes and a butt load of POIs included, even modern GPSes (like my Garmin Zumo 550) may choke for memory space when actually trying to run the route. The work around for this is to only import the route(s) you intend to run, and leave the others in your "User Data" on the GPS. You can import another route from the User Data later if you want.
edited to add: If you really hate the way I have laid out the routes, you could always massage the route files to place the route shaping points just after the intersections, if that suits you better.
GoogleMaps
Each route has also been mapped in Google Map directions. We've tried to make these identical to the GPS maps on every turn. Sometimes Google Maps gets difficult when it doesn't think a road is there, or not open, like the bridge across Lake Champlain to Rouse's Point, NY. But mostly you'll find these maps track identically to the GPS routes.
You can print out the turn by turn directions from any of the Google Maps (use the little printer icon in the upper right corner) and you'll have a decent route sheet with distance between turns and cumulative distance from the last major destination point. You'll want to reset your second trip-meter at each of the flagged destination points. You can also print out paper maps to carry along with you should you get off track or your GPS craps out in BFE.
One thing to note: Google Maps lies about how long it takes to ride a given route. It assumes that you drive like a little old lady. The times listed on our NERDS web pages are derived from Mapsource, which is a much more accurate estimation of the actual continuous riding times. Any stops made would be in addition to those times.
So when are we running which route?
The answer to that question is completely up to you. As is now spelled out in the FAQs section of the NERDS web site, all routes will be led and run on a volunteer basis.
We will have sign up sheets available each evening for the following day's rides, and keep them posted in the hotel overnight. We will need volunteers to lead each group. All that you really need to lead a group is the ability to follow one of the routes and the desire to ride a particular route.
Leaders will be asked to state what pace their ride will be at, so that folks don't get into a group that is over their heads, and don't hold back a faster group. Either situation is undesirable. The three pace categories will be: "Speed Limit Flower Sniffers", the "10 Over Semi-Sporties", and the "Anything Goes Adrenaline Junkies".
It is our strong suggestion that groups should limit themselves to 10 (or fewer) bikes in number, so the sign up sheets will only have 10 spaces. If 12 bikes want to ride a given route on a given day, it is better to go out in two groups of 6. This makes it much easier to stay together and puts less of a strain on the volunteer group leaders. There's plenty of time allotted for socializing each night, no need to ride in a long caravan just to be with all of your buddies.
Of course, anyone that is uncomfortable in a group ride environment should feel free to go out and explore one of these routes, or just the general area, on your own.
So which of these route(s) should I ride?
This is also (obviously) completely up to you and your interests and desires. We have striven to provide routes of varying length and make up. But you will notice that some of the routes do make use of some of the same sections of road. You will see a lot of Rte 100 going north and south from Stowe as that is the main way in and out of the hotel. A number of the routes also make use of Rte 108 through Smugglers Notch for Stowe access. I don't know about anyone else but I could ride through Smugglers Notch every day and wouldn't tire of that.
I'll reveal up front that the very best and longest twisty sections are in the Adirondacks routes. There are some nice shorter twisty sections in the various Vermont rides, but the Green Mountain roads tend to be a little more beat up than the Adirondack river roads. You really owe it to yourself to put one of the three Adirondack rides on your short list. One could run Art's Twisty Butt (or the Twisty Lite) and the Grand Isles and Northen Dacks on different days. Only the last part from the Chimney Point ferry back to the hotel is the same, and you could always ad-lib something different in there on one of those days
If you run the "Grand Isles and Northern Dacks", you might want to skip the "Islands and Northern VT" route (or vice versa) as the first half of them is pretty much the same.
If you run one of the two "Gaps" routes, you're not going to want to run the other one as they are too much the same. Same with the Twisty Butt and Twisty Lite. The rest of the routes are different enough from each other to be interesting on subsequent days. Intrepid riders might also be able to double up on two of the shorter routes in a single, long day's ride, if they were so inclined. Plus there is a lot to see and do in and around Stowe should you get back early one day.
Choices, choices, choices!!
We NERDS are all about CHOICES!! :yahoo:
As you will see on the NERDS web page, each route is available in three formats: The proprietary Garmin DataBase (*.gdb) generic GPs eXchange (*.gpx), and GoogleMaps for the GPS impaired. The GPS files were all created on Mapsource version 6.16.3 with map version City Navigator North America NT 2011.4
Garmin proprietary *.gdb files
If you are running a modern Garmin GPS, the *.gdb file(s) should be the premium option for you. When creating the routes I made liberal use of the proprietary "map intersection" type of via points. This will provide those Garmin users who use the *.gdb file with fewer viapoint announcements while running the route. But there are some "gotchas".
Before you import the files to your GPS unit, make sure you have it configured optimally:
You will want to turn off auto-recalculate mode in your navigation options. You can select "Off" or use "prompted" if you want, so the GPS will announce if it thinks that you are going off route, but you should never answer YES to the question: "Off route, recalculate?" The reason that you can never recalculate is because after the route has been loaded onto your GPS and the initial calculation takes place, all of the intersection via points have been stripped out of the file. Therefore any recalculated route will not resemble the original one with the intersection points.
You should also remove all avoidances in your navigation options. Several of these routes use unpaved roads, and sometimes you'll be making U-turns, riding on ferries, etc. Just turn them all off is easiest.
Finally, you should select "Fastest Time" for the calculation mode vs "Shortest Distance" otherwise the route may want to return you to the Commodores Inn before you even get started.
The best way to transfer the *.gdb file to your Garmin GPS is to first open the file in Mapsource on your computer. You can force a recalculate in Mapsource if you wish, which will get the file aligned with your version of maps. Then use the "send to device" utility in mapsource.
Generic *.gpx files
You will notice that *.gpx files are considerably larger than the *.gdb files. This may create problems for users with older GPSes and limited memory. That's why we have separated, and made the routes available individually as well as the 3.5Mb file with all 11 routes in it.
With a very few exceptions, all of the aforementioned intersection points have been placed on intersections where you will be proceeding straight through anyway. This is so users of the *.gpx files will not have the viapoint announced by the GPS and miss any turn-by-turn directions. Whenever you here an announcement like: "approaching Hollywood and Vine" you'll know that you will be proceeding straight through that intersection. This should make it so that you do not miss any turn instructions.
With 11 different routes and a butt load of POIs included, even modern GPSes (like my Garmin Zumo 550) may choke for memory space when actually trying to run the route. The work around for this is to only import the route(s) you intend to run, and leave the others in your "User Data" on the GPS. You can import another route from the User Data later if you want.
edited to add: If you really hate the way I have laid out the routes, you could always massage the route files to place the route shaping points just after the intersections, if that suits you better.
GoogleMaps
Each route has also been mapped in Google Map directions. We've tried to make these identical to the GPS maps on every turn. Sometimes Google Maps gets difficult when it doesn't think a road is there, or not open, like the bridge across Lake Champlain to Rouse's Point, NY. But mostly you'll find these maps track identically to the GPS routes.
You can print out the turn by turn directions from any of the Google Maps (use the little printer icon in the upper right corner) and you'll have a decent route sheet with distance between turns and cumulative distance from the last major destination point. You'll want to reset your second trip-meter at each of the flagged destination points. You can also print out paper maps to carry along with you should you get off track or your GPS craps out in BFE.
One thing to note: Google Maps lies about how long it takes to ride a given route. It assumes that you drive like a little old lady. The times listed on our NERDS web pages are derived from Mapsource, which is a much more accurate estimation of the actual continuous riding times. Any stops made would be in addition to those times.
So when are we running which route?
The answer to that question is completely up to you. As is now spelled out in the FAQs section of the NERDS web site, all routes will be led and run on a volunteer basis.
We will have sign up sheets available each evening for the following day's rides, and keep them posted in the hotel overnight. We will need volunteers to lead each group. All that you really need to lead a group is the ability to follow one of the routes and the desire to ride a particular route.
Leaders will be asked to state what pace their ride will be at, so that folks don't get into a group that is over their heads, and don't hold back a faster group. Either situation is undesirable. The three pace categories will be: "Speed Limit Flower Sniffers", the "10 Over Semi-Sporties", and the "Anything Goes Adrenaline Junkies".
It is our strong suggestion that groups should limit themselves to 10 (or fewer) bikes in number, so the sign up sheets will only have 10 spaces. If 12 bikes want to ride a given route on a given day, it is better to go out in two groups of 6. This makes it much easier to stay together and puts less of a strain on the volunteer group leaders. There's plenty of time allotted for socializing each night, no need to ride in a long caravan just to be with all of your buddies.
Of course, anyone that is uncomfortable in a group ride environment should feel free to go out and explore one of these routes, or just the general area, on your own.
So which of these route(s) should I ride?
This is also (obviously) completely up to you and your interests and desires. We have striven to provide routes of varying length and make up. But you will notice that some of the routes do make use of some of the same sections of road. You will see a lot of Rte 100 going north and south from Stowe as that is the main way in and out of the hotel. A number of the routes also make use of Rte 108 through Smugglers Notch for Stowe access. I don't know about anyone else but I could ride through Smugglers Notch every day and wouldn't tire of that.
I'll reveal up front that the very best and longest twisty sections are in the Adirondacks routes. There are some nice shorter twisty sections in the various Vermont rides, but the Green Mountain roads tend to be a little more beat up than the Adirondack river roads. You really owe it to yourself to put one of the three Adirondack rides on your short list. One could run Art's Twisty Butt (or the Twisty Lite) and the Grand Isles and Northen Dacks on different days. Only the last part from the Chimney Point ferry back to the hotel is the same, and you could always ad-lib something different in there on one of those days
If you run the "Grand Isles and Northern Dacks", you might want to skip the "Islands and Northern VT" route (or vice versa) as the first half of them is pretty much the same.
If you run one of the two "Gaps" routes, you're not going to want to run the other one as they are too much the same. Same with the Twisty Butt and Twisty Lite. The rest of the routes are different enough from each other to be interesting on subsequent days. Intrepid riders might also be able to double up on two of the shorter routes in a single, long day's ride, if they were so inclined. Plus there is a lot to see and do in and around Stowe should you get back early one day.
Choices, choices, choices!!
We NERDS are all about CHOICES!! :yahoo:
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MEM
Well-known member
omg :dribble:
I am soooooooooo looking forward to this :yahoo:
Edit: this may very well turn out to be The Best 'Rally' EVAH !?
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wheatonFJR
...
Fred, I'm not able to make this meet, but you (and whomever else may be involved) have done a "bang up job" with providing ride choices. :yahoo:
Great job!! :clapping:
Great job!! :clapping:
Thanks very much, Mark. I do appreciate that. Sorry that you won't be able to make it.
I know that your big Kali adventure must have put you into a serious vacation deficit this year.
Maybe next year will work out better for you?
The credit needs to be shared with fellow my fellow NERD and webmaster extraordinaire, FJRed. He has been responsible for the formation of the FJR-NERDS web site, which I think you have to agree is an awesome way to share all the details of the upcoming event. And he has also been pivotal in helping me test out the ride routes. We took 3 days the holiday week of the 4th and tested the last three routes out together. Yeah, it was tough duty, but hey! somebody had to do it.
Fellow Vermonter Tom (snikr) has also helped us some, though he does so from the non-GPS capable side of the house.
I'd really like these routes to eventually be archived somewhere for posterity, so folks who vacation in Stowe (not just during NERDS) can make use of them.
We're planning on pressing co-conspirator ionbeam into service during the Tech Day session on Wednesday. As you know, the man is a veritable fountain of information. I'm sure that session will be a complete gas.
I know that your big Kali adventure must have put you into a serious vacation deficit this year.
Maybe next year will work out better for you?
The credit needs to be shared with fellow my fellow NERD and webmaster extraordinaire, FJRed. He has been responsible for the formation of the FJR-NERDS web site, which I think you have to agree is an awesome way to share all the details of the upcoming event. And he has also been pivotal in helping me test out the ride routes. We took 3 days the holiday week of the 4th and tested the last three routes out together. Yeah, it was tough duty, but hey! somebody had to do it.
Fellow Vermonter Tom (snikr) has also helped us some, though he does so from the non-GPS capable side of the house.
I'd really like these routes to eventually be archived somewhere for posterity, so folks who vacation in Stowe (not just during NERDS) can make use of them.
We're planning on pressing co-conspirator ionbeam into service during the Tech Day session on Wednesday. As you know, the man is a veritable fountain of information. I'm sure that session will be a complete gas.
Sorry, one last bit of NERDS bidness for today:
A reminder... NERDS '11 Tee shirt sales end at midnight, this Saturday July 23rd.
They are sure to become a collectors item, worth several times their paltry price in the future.
"Hey man, were you really at the original FJR NERDS event?" :nerd:
"Farking right I was! And I've got the tee shirt to prove it!" :coolsmiley:
(We just don't want anyone to be disappointed)
A reminder... NERDS '11 Tee shirt sales end at midnight, this Saturday July 23rd.
They are sure to become a collectors item, worth several times their paltry price in the future.
"Hey man, were you really at the original FJR NERDS event?" :nerd:
"Farking right I was! And I've got the tee shirt to prove it!" :coolsmiley:
(We just don't want anyone to be disappointed)
madmike2
Shtirrenuppenmeister
After some discussion with dcarver this past weekend I followed his advice....no fainting, please....and read through what you guys are doing.
:clapping: :yahoo: :clapping: :yahoo: :clapping: :yahoo: :clapping:
It reminds me of the way things used to be....a couple of people post the idea and wait for the response. A central point to gather, make your own reservations (IIRC, after a certain number there was a slight "rebate"), ride with new friends and enjoy one's self.
We talked about many of the enduring friendships that were kindled from the first WFO adventures and my heart was warmed. There actually were a few from the fist gathering that attended "Gathering of the Clans": Ijuggle, Highlanders, welvbkn, MCML and myself...all from the Class of '03!
I wish and hope that you have the same success. It really is about the people and the riding. Thanks for relighting that bonfire with your epic gathering.
:clapping: :yahoo: :clapping: :yahoo: :clapping: :yahoo: :clapping:
It reminds me of the way things used to be....a couple of people post the idea and wait for the response. A central point to gather, make your own reservations (IIRC, after a certain number there was a slight "rebate"), ride with new friends and enjoy one's self.
We talked about many of the enduring friendships that were kindled from the first WFO adventures and my heart was warmed. There actually were a few from the fist gathering that attended "Gathering of the Clans": Ijuggle, Highlanders, welvbkn, MCML and myself...all from the Class of '03!
I wish and hope that you have the same success. It really is about the people and the riding. Thanks for relighting that bonfire with your epic gathering.
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