Using spot 3 and spotwalla to document IBA rides

[Poolboytoo]

Do you need to make a separate spotwalla trip for just the time frame of the IBA ride or can you use a peice of the track from an entire trip.

Do you turn the spot 3 device on and hit ''track'' and the hit "ok'' to mark cetain key locations. Read something about having to cycle off and back on to start tracking again ....... HOW DO YOU GUYS DO IT.

 

[Ignacio]

First, remember that a GPS track is NOT adequate for IBA documentation purposes. It only can be used as supplementary evidence. You have to follow their rules with receipts and witnesses.

That said, you can include what you want. With SPOT 3 you would want to press and hold the button for it then to automatically transmit every 10 minutes (or whatever you subcribe to and set). That feature turns off after 24 hours and you would need to press and hold again.

If I were doing a SaddleSore for the first time....I really wouldn't worry about a SPOT unit and concentrate on their requirements. Doing some gnarly advanced ride you want to have extra material...then worry about SPOT.

 

[Poolboytoo]

Thanks Ignacio,This will be a Heaven to Hell Ride.I just want to make sure I'm working the spot correctly. I am familar with the doucumentation needed. saddlesore, bunn burner gold under my belt. I will need to hit "OK" at the top of Pikes Peak and at Badwater per Michael Kneebone.

The big question is, how do I track the ride and use the "OK" marker at pikes peak and then continue to track till I need mark "OK" in badwater.

 

[eflyguy]

I am pretty certain - If you're in tracking mode, then hitting OK sends the OK, and it stays in tracking mode.

That said, why not just try it while you're at home, to make sure?

 

[Poolboytoo]

Yes sir, I plan to do some testing on the way to colorado.

 

[RFlagg42]

If you were going to send in a Spotwalla page as supplementary documentation, I would send them a trip that only covered the ride in question.

Important tip. As long as you have a Spotwalla page set up that is active during your trip, you can go back later and create a second page after the fact with the exact date/time range of the ride. Spotwalla stores your location data for a very long time, but it only looks to see if you are transmitting if you have an active page.

 

[extrememarine]

For the last IBA ride I did, I used the spot "OK" message to mark the start, stop, and all gas / rest stops. The "OK" points on the spotwalla.com map matched a receipt for fuel - it was supplemental support to the actual required receipts and witness documents.

As mentioned above, concentrate on the required documentation for the stops, start, end, points.

 

[Teehaml]

eflyguy said:

I am pretty certain - If you're in tracking mode, then hitting OK sends the OK, and it stays in tracking mode.

That's the way it works..

 

[Poolboytoo]

Thanks for all the tips. I had success using the spot to document my ride.

RFlagg42- I wish I would/could have read that "important tip" before my trip ended.

extrememarine - I did use the "OK" button to mark some key locations. Next time I will use it for all stops.

Teehaml - Thanks for the confirmation.

Great advice. THANKS

Working on learning how to electronically file IBA Ride Paper work. (It might be faster to send it in the mail LOL)

 

[RJAMT]

I filed electronically (receipts and Spotwalla page) and have been waiting 6 weeks so far.

I know reviewing my ride documentation is hardly their "paid employment" so I expect to wait but I am curious how long it will take.

Poolboytoo - so what was your ride and how did it go?

 

[puppychow]

For me it was an IBA sanctioned ride, I got the certificate immediately, but then it took quite a few months to get my IBA number. It's a common theme. YMMV.

 

[Poolboytoo]

RJAMT - I did the "Heaven to Hell Gold" I started at pikes peak at 9:30am on 7-27-2016 and finished 7-28-2016 at 2:33 am. It was a great ride. I thought it was going to take a lot longer to get up and down pikes peak. Aprox... 40min up and about the same down. Spectacular views. Got pulled over in cascade for speeding. I thought I was traveling with traffic talking to my wife when I seen lights in my mirrors. Just got a warning. Officer said he was following me for a mile and a half LOL... From Ely to bad water the jack rabbits and mice? Shrews ? were very very thick. 108 degrees at bad water basin. The Areostich stealth one piece suit worked really well with all the vents closed to insulate from the heat . Michael Kneebone gave all the info I needed in a very timely manor and followed my spotwalla link and was my "remote witness" as he called it. I just received and invoice from the IBA for the ride. I'm feeling like he took me under his wing for this ride. Greatly appreciated. 3800 miles in 5 days included NAFO in the trip.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Congrats on the new cert ride, Poolboytoo, and nice to meet you in Montrose.

Had the Spotwalla trace going from Atlanta to Colorado and back, so family, friends, and Aunt Kelly had assurances I was OK. Since the Spotwalla data is never (?) erased, you can go back later to select a specific start/stop time and create a new track -- this is how I'll supplement my receipts for the SS going to Montrose and the BB coming back. (Same thing RFlagg42 says in post #6.)

 

[Poolboytoo]

Thank you Uncle Hud, Great to meet you also.I really had a great trip. Now WHAT RIDE TO DO NEXT!!!

 

[russperry]

Thanks for all the tips. I had success using the spot to document my ride.

RFlagg42- I wish I would/could have read that "important tip" before my trip ended.

extrememarine - I did use the "OK" button to mark some key locations. Next time I will use it for all stops.

Teehaml - Thanks for the confirmation.

Great advice. THANKS

Working on learning how to electronically file IBA Ride Paper work. (It might be faster to send it in the mail LOL)

For these kind of tracking purposes and if you have either an iPhone or Android phone, you might want to consider using either SWConnect or BubblerGPS. In these apps you can send all kinds of custom messages with details about specific locations instead of just a generic "OK". At least with SWConnect (no experience with Bubbler) you can send "Food", "Gas", "Hotel", "Performance Award", "Bonus Location", or any custom message you want. And there is a simple but informative GUI that lets you see what you're doing and whether your messages have been sent, instead of just the cryptic green flashing lights you get with a SPOT.

SPOT devices seem to be really great if you're going to spend a lot of time out of cell range and you want something to help locate you in case of incident, but the smart phone apps are a lot more flexible and FREE.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Poolboytoo posted: Thank you Uncle Hud, Great to meet you also. I really had a great trip. Now WHAT RIDE TO DO NEXT!!!

Nice license plate.

What to do next? The BMRx. If you did a Heaven to Hell, you can do the BMRx. Vermillion, SD, (a starting point) isn't that far from you. I'll be doing Triangle H, and could meet you in Mountain Home if you do Triangle F. (Do I owe you a beer?)

BMR rallies use smartphone tech for almost-instant scoring, and it isn't hard to reach Finisher status. PM me if you have questions.

 

[Poolboytoo]

Hey that is some great food for thought. I'll look into that Thanks. AND Of course I will tell you that you owe me a beer if you ask me that question.LOL