Messages

1

GPS & Digital Data Discussion / Loading Lewis and Clark Data onto Garmin HcX

« on: May 30, 2010, 11:13:55 pm »

I just bought a Garmin HcX.  I want to use it to guide me on my tour on the Lewis and Clark route this summer.  I have some questions.

There are several folders that I unzipped.  I assume each is a section of the entire trail.  I want to go from Portland to Great Falls, Montana.  Do I check the contents of each folder and rename them to keep them straight?  It seems obvious, but so far I'm so confused that nothing seems obvious.

When I open one of the folders there are a bunch of routes included.  Do I rename them so I can tell what they are?

I understand that the data is loaded for people going east to west and I'm going the other direction.  How do I reverse things so I can follow the route turn by turn?

The Lewis and Clark has a bunch of options, including going on the Washington side of the Columbia or the Oregon side, some different routes in the Rockies, etc.  How does the gps handle this.  Do I load them all and choose "on the fly" or do I have to decide which way I intend to go in advance and only load that data?

Any detailed directions would be wonderful.  Left to myself I might be able to figure all this out in time, but I'm leaving in a month and I won't have much time to experiment between now and then.

Thanks!

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GPS & Digital Data Discussion / Re: Topo or Street Maps for Lewis and Clark?

« on: May 05, 2010, 09:39:21 pm »

The Vista HCx is a good choice for cycling. We have had a lot of discussion here about choosing a unit and using it on long routes where the 1000-waypoint limit needs to be worked around. Browse this group.

If I had to choose one map set, I'd go with the City Navigator street maps for their detail, turn by turn directions, and zillions of points of interest. Topo is an excellent addition in mountainous terrain. You can have both in the HCx at once, although you can only see one set at a time on the screen. I often create a turn-by-turn route with the street map, then switch to Topo where I can see it along with the streams, peaks, ridges, and contour lines. Two or three times a day I have to switch back to streets to make it compute the next set of turns.

Fred

Do you have to switch memory cards to do this?  (Forgive my ignorance!)

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GPS & Digital Data Discussion / Topo or Street Maps for Lewis and Clark?

« on: May 04, 2010, 06:40:41 pm »

I'm thinking of buying a Garmin Vista HcX for my trip on the Lewis and Clark trail this summer.  (I'm planning on starting in Portland, Oregon, and going as far as Great Falls, Montana.  If I buy a Garmin I know I'll also have to buy software.  Which would be more useful, the Topo map or the Street map?

I want to enter all the ACA gps data so that I won't miss a turn (like I did a couple of times on the Northern Tier.)

Any advice - not just on this question, but on gps for bikes in general, or on the Vista HcX?

Thanks!

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Routes / Re: California Hwy Ques.

« on: February 18, 2009, 09:17:19 pm »

I've driven 54 by Lake Cachuma lots of time but have never ridden it.  So no comment.  But I live on Morro Bay and have some experience with west/east routes around here.  I would not ride Highway 41 between Morro Bay and Atascadero.  There are no shoulders for much of it, steep rock faces on one side, lots of turns, and lots of traffic - people in a hurry.  No thanks.  Highway 46 between Highway 1 (south of Cambria) and Paso Robles is a very bike-friendly road.  There's a nice shoulder the whole way.  It's a long climb, but not too steep.

There are a couple of alternatives but they take you on dirt roads.  One is Santa Rita Creek Road.  From the west side you leave Highway 1 in Cayucos on Old Creek Road.  There's a good climb, then a long downhill by the reservoir.  At the bottom there's a right turn onto Santa Rita Creek Road.  This becomes a dirt/gravel road and goes all the way over the mountains to the east side.  It comes out on Vineyard Drive, just across Highway 101 from Templeton (which is north of Atascadero and south of Paso Robles.)

Another way to get from San Luis Obispo over the Cuesta Grade to Atascadero is via Stagecoach Road.  They've made some changes since the last time I rode this route a couple of years ago, so you might want to check with a local bike shop or someone from the San Luis Obispo Bike Club (www.slobc.org) before you go.  The way it used to go, you'd get onto Highway 101 at the end of Monterey Street, ride on the northbound shoulder (plenty of room), then cross over both lanes of the freeway when you got to the turnoff (left) to Stagecoach Road.  (Be careful!)  I've heard there's an underpass there now, but I'm not sure.  Stagecoach is a dirt/gravel road that goes almost to the top of the grade.  The last time I was there you continued on the west side of 101 down a surface road next to the freeway.  When you got to the bottom where it deadends, there's a trail off to the left that takes you back to the southbound shoulder of 101.  I couldn't find it the last time; it came out behind a bush and it was camouflaged as if someone didn't want you to find it.  As I looked around, some riders came out from behind the bush, revealing the entrance to the trail.  The trail was short and dumped me back onto the southbound shoulder (I was going northbound.)  I stayed on that for maybe 1/4 mile until I came to a place where you could cross the freeway.  After you cross you stay on the northbound shoulder until the first exit - the Santa Margarita exit.  Take that to the right and the road you'll be on becomes El Camino Real, which goes from Santa Margarita all the way to the north end of Atascadero.

I hope that helps.

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Youth Bicyle Travel / Youth Bike Clubs to Correspond?

« on: March 14, 2007, 09:19:35 pm »

I did have a post about that.  We haven't taken that tour yet; I was gathering information for a possible tour this summer.  We still haven't decided where we're going to go, but if we do have to cross the Columbia, I found a small ferry about halfway between Astoria and the I-5 corridor.  I'm thinking we'll do that.  Also, the ACA western route goes inland through southwest Washington, and I think it bypasses the whole problem,unlike the Kirkendall/Spring route.

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Youth Bicyle Travel / Youth Bike Clubs to Correspond?

« on: February 07, 2007, 08:54:26 pm »

I've recently started a bike club for kids from 6th-8th grades.  It has been very enthusiastically received by both kids and their parents.  We've gone on two rides so far, and had two training sessions on riding safely and riding longer distances efficiently.  Everything has gone very well so far.

I'm curious if there are any other similar clubs out there.  If so, I'd like to hear from you.  I'm curious how my experience so far compares to yours.

-Gordon Snapp
 The Back Bay Bikers
 Central Coast of California

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Routes / N. Washington coast; peninsula or inland?

« on: December 30, 2006, 11:33:12 pm »

My recollection (from driving up there many years ago) is that the route around the peninsula is miles and miles of 2-lane highway through huge trees - nothing to see but trees.  You seldom see the ocean.  And there are lots of logging trucks barreling past.

I rode from Bremerton down the inside route to the Oregon border.  Hood Canal was beautiful, but from the turn onto 101 down to Montesano it was mostly the same - nothing to see but trees, although these were often huge fields of Christmas trees.

I would recommend the shorter, inland route.  Get down to the Oregon Coast as quickly as you can.

From where are you starting?  Some of the best riding up there is from Bellingham to Seattle via Whidbey Island (with a side trip to the San Juans a very worthwhile detour.)

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Routes / Possible detour on The Northern Tier Route

« on: December 30, 2006, 11:26:37 pm »

I don't recognize those names.  What state?

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General Discussion / Amtrak Boxes for Tall Bikes?

« on: January 06, 2006, 02:46:33 pm »

Question:  Do the Amtrak-supplied bike boxes fit exceptionally large bikes?

Background: I'm a tall guy - 6'4" - and I have a tall bike.  (I'm not sure of the size.)  I bought it from Nashbar many years ago and, luckily, saved the box.  In 2004 I took a bike tour down the Oregon Coast.  I rode Amtrak to Portland.  I thought I'd box my own bike to make sure it was done properly.  I went to the local, high-volume bike shop and asked for the biggest box they had.  I brought it home and, alas, my bike was too big.  I had to haul the original box down from the rafters of my garage, and use it.

When I got to Portland I dragged the box out onto the sidewalk outside the train station and started assembling.  When I finished I had no recourse but to put my old box into the nearest dumpster.

I would like to take another tour this summer, and may have to use Amtrak.  Since the big box I had is gone, I'm wondering if anyone knows whether or not their boxes will fit a big bike like mine.

Thanks in advance!