Maps and Navigation on a Tour
#1
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Maps and Navigation on a Tour
Hello,
I was wondering if anyone had some advice on how they navigate during a tour. I have considered purchasing a bike GPS (such as the Garmin Edge Touring) but I have heard that they aren't the best for turn by turn directions and for finding places of interest.
How do you guys do it? Do you buy maps of each region you go to?
Are there bike specific maps that I can buy?
How do you find places to camp, eat, ect. when you are in unfamiliar territory?
Thanks,
Adam
I was wondering if anyone had some advice on how they navigate during a tour. I have considered purchasing a bike GPS (such as the Garmin Edge Touring) but I have heard that they aren't the best for turn by turn directions and for finding places of interest.
How do you guys do it? Do you buy maps of each region you go to?
Are there bike specific maps that I can buy?
How do you find places to camp, eat, ect. when you are in unfamiliar territory?
Thanks,
Adam
#2
Senior Member
It depends on the tour. I use Adventure Cycling maps when they have a route that goes where I want to go.
There are the AC maps I already mentioned, There are also state bicycle maps from the Department of Transportation for many states. The latter are generally free. I also usually pick up a regular state road map as I enter a state, they are often free if there is a visitor center.
It gets easy with practice, but using an AC is a good start in the beginning because they usually list a lot of free places to camp. It helps to choose a well established route. On the west coast cheap hiker biker sites are common in state parks. In the middle of the country you can typically just pitch a tent for the night in just about any very small rural town's picnic area. In the east it is tougher unless you like to stealth camp or are willing to spend a good bit for $$$ camping. Staying with hosts is nice when it works out. Warmshowers.org is one way to manage that, but I usually only stay with hosts who I am invited by after chance encounters.
There are the AC maps I already mentioned, There are also state bicycle maps from the Department of Transportation for many states. The latter are generally free. I also usually pick up a regular state road map as I enter a state, they are often free if there is a visitor center.
It gets easy with practice, but using an AC is a good start in the beginning because they usually list a lot of free places to camp. It helps to choose a well established route. On the west coast cheap hiker biker sites are common in state parks. In the middle of the country you can typically just pitch a tent for the night in just about any very small rural town's picnic area. In the east it is tougher unless you like to stealth camp or are willing to spend a good bit for $$$ camping. Staying with hosts is nice when it works out. Warmshowers.org is one way to manage that, but I usually only stay with hosts who I am invited by after chance encounters.
#3
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Hello,
I was wondering if anyone had some advice on how they navigate during a tour. I have considered purchasing a bike GPS (such as the Garmin Edge Touring) but I have heard that they aren't the best for turn by turn directions and for finding places of interest.
How do you guys do it? Do you buy maps of each region you go to?
Are there bike specific maps that I can buy?
How do you find places to camp, eat, ect. when you are in unfamiliar territory?
Thanks,
Adam
I was wondering if anyone had some advice on how they navigate during a tour. I have considered purchasing a bike GPS (such as the Garmin Edge Touring) but I have heard that they aren't the best for turn by turn directions and for finding places of interest.
How do you guys do it? Do you buy maps of each region you go to?
Are there bike specific maps that I can buy?
How do you find places to camp, eat, ect. when you are in unfamiliar territory?
Thanks,
Adam
If I'm looking for food, I use Yelp for restaurants but I find it can leave some very interesting places out or I do a search on Safari. Both of these require cell service which is sometimes difficult even in highly populated areas of the east. Usually this is only going to be a problem for a few hours and, if you can't get cell service, it's unlikely that you'll find other services as well.
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#4
Someone on this site recommended Maplets and I used it on this summers tour through Missouri Kansas Nebraska South Dakota Wyoming and Colorado . You can download the state bicycle map from dept of transportation . They show volume, and shoulder width. I have iPhone 6 plus so my phone is pretty huge. You don't need to be online to use the map , which is in PDF format. The good thing about it is it shows your location ( blue dot) using your phones gps without being connected.
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There we can get maps for the region, bicycle-specific maps if they have them, and information regarding places to camp, eat, etc.
Occasionally we'll check Google maps for some of that information.
Otherwise, we just wing it.
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#6
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What I use really depends on where I'm going. A smartphone will easily do more than a dedicated GPS, and I'll usually leave a GPS at home unless I know I'll be out of cell range. I almost always have paper maps on me, unless I'm already familiar enough with the route I'm taking.
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I recently researched the Edge Touring since my old Garmin eTrex was pretty sorry at pre-planned turn-by-turn; sadly the Edge Touring gets rather negative reviews & it seems Garmin has put little effort into improving turn-by-turn capability. & Edge Touring has a built-in battery so one can't carry spares. Phones can do a lot sure, though perhaps getting a reasonably-priced GPS might be a sort of insurance in case one gets lost & phone is getting low on battery charge. One can print out Google Maps portions at home before the tour though I guess that would be more if one has a fairly specific predetermined route.
#8
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On our present tour we use everything we have; phones, gps, netbook, and the excellent Michelin maps. Our route finding on this trip has been exceptionally complex. Part of our route took us down through Poland and into the Czech Republic. We pretty much stay off the established cycle routes, and plan as we go.
FWIW, don't rely solely on Google maps without some other means of confirming information, unless you really enjoy adventures. Yesterday coming into Prague, we ended up on on a muddy road that ended at a long set of stairs leading to the road we wanted.
FWIW, don't rely solely on Google maps without some other means of confirming information, unless you really enjoy adventures. Yesterday coming into Prague, we ended up on on a muddy road that ended at a long set of stairs leading to the road we wanted.
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One of our first stops when we get to a new area is the local Tourist/Visitor Information Centre.
There we can get maps for the region, bicycle-specific maps if they have them, and information regarding places to camp, eat, etc.
Occasionally we'll check Google maps for some of that information.
Otherwise, we just wing it.
There we can get maps for the region, bicycle-specific maps if they have them, and information regarding places to camp, eat, etc.
Occasionally we'll check Google maps for some of that information.
Otherwise, we just wing it.
My first tours were based on local knowlege and a paper map. As my tours got longer I would write to the local chambers' of commerce or tourist boards for information on things to see and campgrounds, they were always happy to provide the information and even sent me more paper maps.
Now I utilize a smart phone, tablet or computer to do my research. I still use paper maps and quite often print out a few to stuff in my handle bar bag for reference along the way. They are great, don't require charging and they are easy to see in direct sunlight. I don't bother with turn by turn directions for the whole tour, only if I am looking for something specific like a person's house or a campground. Usually the things I am looking for are along the main route I am taking.
Aaron
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Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
#10
At this point in my life, my tours are restricted to about 10 days max. I plan each day's route ahead of time and make paper cue sheets (*gasp*) if they might come in handy. I also note camping options along the way in case I have to rearrange by planned itinerary. You can easily find campgrounds using a simple Google Maps search such as "Campgrounds near [insert name of town]". Same approach works for restaurants, motels and grocery stores.
#11
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I have used lower (pre) tech navigation, bought British Isles Ordinance Survey maps , Michelin, Kemmerly +Frey, etc.
Bought at Book shops ..
Stopped at town tourist information centers, even got a map of Poland from a fellow passenger on the Ferry from
Copenhagen while underway..
have a little ball shaped compass I clipped to the front of my bar bag..
& talked to the locals frequently ..
Here, we get a case sized Lot of maps of the Coast Bike Route and one of the state highlighting bike routes and services for cyclists
from ODOT.. (I expect most states also publish Maps)
Had been maintaining a supply on a Kiosk information board , with 1 copy open under a plastic , and more in a take one box
but after the use of that as a trash bin, then smashing the clear plastic map distribution box ,
the maps are @ the LBS, still free, but sticking to US101 on the western end of town they miss that .
I look around when it seems a good time to stop, and I talk to the locals, having a pint with them helps.
Bought at Book shops ..
Stopped at town tourist information centers, even got a map of Poland from a fellow passenger on the Ferry from
Copenhagen while underway..
have a little ball shaped compass I clipped to the front of my bar bag..
& talked to the locals frequently ..
Here, we get a case sized Lot of maps of the Coast Bike Route and one of the state highlighting bike routes and services for cyclists
from ODOT.. (I expect most states also publish Maps)
Had been maintaining a supply on a Kiosk information board , with 1 copy open under a plastic , and more in a take one box
but after the use of that as a trash bin, then smashing the clear plastic map distribution box ,
the maps are @ the LBS, still free, but sticking to US101 on the western end of town they miss that .
How do you find places to camp, eat, ect. when you are in unfamiliar territory?
Last edited by fietsbob; 08-18-15 at 01:21 PM.
#12
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Google maps has routed me on a hiking trail (cycling prohibited), lots of gravel, and one "fire road" that you would need a chainsaw and rock-crawler jeep to get through. I rode everything but the fire road and loved it.
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Dont buy garmin edge touring, buy garmin dakota 20, less expensive and more funcionalities, you can download same maps on Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap
#14
Senior Member
I use Adventure Cycling maps if I will be on one of their routes. I also contact the bicycling point of contact in various states Office of Tourism and/or Highway Department; many states publish bike maps of varying quality. Then, with AAA maps, I annotate recommendations from bicycle clubs in the areas that I will be riding.