Ride Routing Using Garmin BaseCamp Course Objectives
• To familiarize you with the software products our chapter uses to prepare routes. • To teach you how to prepare routes using the BaseCamp software for both your own and chapter uses. • To teach you how to use Google Earth Pro to “pre-ride” routes. • To provide you with tips on using the software products as well as best practices to keep the routes from moving off the intended track. • To show you how to prepare the paper copy of the route using Excel. BaseCamp All items in BaseCamp are contained in “My Collection” and are available for any route.
A list folder may contain sub-folders which contain one or more lists.
A list contains route(s) and waypoint(s)
In the example to the right the route “New Years Day Ride” is contained in the following;
My Collection <- Contains everything! HOG Rides <- Folder for all HOG rides. 2017 <- Folder for 2017 rides. 01-01-17 New Years Day Ride <- A list. (Note that the bottom pane contains all the items from the item that has focus in the top pane.) BaseCamp Menu Bar
File: • New: Used to create new list folders, lists , routes and waypoints. • Import: This is used to bring items into your collection. The command will read “Import into
• Edit: This menu item contains the options item. Activity Profiles
Profiles help determine how a route is mapped. These are used in addition to waypoints and shaping points.
You will need to modify the Motorcycling Profile and create a new profile “Motorcycling – Curvy”
These two Activity Profiles; Motorcycling and Motorcycling – Curvy need to be set up as shown on the next few slides. Activity Profiles
• “Motorcycling” This profile creates the fastest route. Activity Profiles
• “Motorcycling – Curvy” This profile will tend to use slower curvy roads rather than fast straight roads and highways. BaseCamp Menu Bar
Device: This allows you to send GPX files to an attached Garmin device and to receive data from a device.
Send to Device: Send to a supported Garmin device such as a Zumo or Navtech. Receive from Device: Export data from an attached device to BaseCamp.
View: Allows you to sort and organize the way you view items.
Maps: Allows you to choose between the global map, installed maps (Garmin Express) or purchased maps.
BaseCamp Speed Buttons
Provides easy access to many of the menu items.
Context Menu: Right click on an item in “My Collection” and menu items appear depending on the item selected. Most commonly used are; send, move, duplicate, remove, rename, new list and new list folder. Difference Between Copy and Duplicate • Scenario: You want to leverage an existing route but you want to change it a little….
• Do you “copy” or “duplicate?” the route first? – Copy will create a new route but any changes you make will be in both the new and “copied” routes. The routes are linked. – Duplicate will create a new version of the old route but changes are not linked back to the route you “duplicated.” Importing GPX Files Road Captain just sent an email with a route. Now what?
1. Download the route (file with GPX extension) and save it in a directory or desktop.
2. In BaseCamp, under “My Collection” set focus on the list folder in which you wish to import the GPX file. 3. Click the “File” menu item, then “Import into.” Navigate to the file you just downloaded. Select and click “open.” 4. The GPX file will show up as a list containing routes and waypoints.
Viewing an Imported Route To view the imported route, click on the list to see the routes and waypoints contained in the GPX file. Placing focus on the route itself (as shown) allows the route to be opened. Viewing an Imported Route
Right click on the route, then click on “open” to see the Properties and Route Directions box.
Items that are not “grayed out” will alert upon arrival. In the figure to the right only the starting point and the midpoint stop will alert upon arrival.
All the other items will not alert and are “shaping points.” A shaping point “shapes” the route by inserting itself as a point that the route must go through. Viewing the Route on Google Earth Pro
• Launch Google Earth Pro, Click on “File” then “Open” and navigate to the KML file that was sent with the GPX file.
• Viewing the route on Google Earth is a great tool in identifying lane collapses, troublesome intersections and the best way to get into and out of stops. Creating a New Route!
• Place focus on the list folder where you want the route to be located, then right click and select “New List.” Name your new list. • Navigate to “My Collection” then click and drag a start, stop and any intermediate stops/waypoints onto your list. Creating a New Route How to Find & Save Points of Interest You can utilize the search bar in the upper right hand corner by typing in the name of a point of interest. Click on search and then the search pane will open and show the appropriate results.
If the route has focus you can also right click at any point along the route and then click on “Find Nearest Places.” Creating a Route
We could just let BaseCamp create the route for us BUT you know that the Biggs route is NEVER the shortest distance between two points!
We always do our routes manually!
Creating a Route
Difference between a “waypoint” and a “shaping point.”
• A waypoint is used to indicate a location where you want to be alerted to do something, e.g., a fuel stop, rest stop, scenic viewpoint or restaurant. You get the idea!
• A shaping point exists for the sole purpose to “shape” the route to our desires, e.g., we want to turn right on Los Vallecitos. Shaping points are set to “Do Not Alert” just quietly doing their job… Shaping points are also used to “lock” the route to a specific road so that it doesn’t “wander.” We will talk about this in more detail later. Creating a Route
With an idea of the route in your mind click on the “New Route” speed button and then on your starting point. Your cursor should now change into a pencil. Use the wheel button scroll to a view where you can start clicking shaping points on the map. As you click the route will start to form.
Alternate between the “New Route” and the “Pan” Button to add points and move the map. Tips & Tricks – Adding shaping points and/or waypoints To resolve differences between the Harley Boom! Infotainment system and Garmin devices shaping points must be added after turns.
To add a shaping point in a route make sure the route has focus and then right click on the route to see the context menu, then “Insert into Route.” Exercise 1
Using the Exercise 1.gpx file create a route from Biggs to Bates Nut Farm using the route and pan buttons.
• Make sure you are in the Motorcycling Activity Profile. • Add shaping points after turns. Tips & Tricks – Altering a route
After finishing the route you may wish to change it. To do so make sure that the route is highlighted and then hold the “alt” key and drag the route to where you want. How We Use Motorcycling-Curvy Have you ever loaded one of our routes and then had it deviate from the paper copy? Don’t ever forget that “paper is king” and is always right! But that doesn’t mean we don’t quit trying to make the electronic route exactly match the paper copy.
• After you have your route drawn out using the “Motorcycling” profile hit “Recalculate” and then write down the following data values, Points, Via Points, Distance and Total Time.
• Change the activity profile to “Motorcycling-Curvy” and then hit recalculate. Compare these data values to the values you saved using the “Motorcycling” profile.
• If there is a difference then your route may not draw correctly when it is displayed on your Garmin or Harley Boom! system.
Using the “Motorcycling-Curvy” profile adjust your route by “dragging” it and adding any needed shaping points to make this profile agree with the “Motorcycling” profile. Note – We want the data points to agree between the profiles not make it match the original “Motorcycling” data values.
How We Use Motorcycling-Curvy
To illustrate this, let’s start by creating a simple route from Richie’s in Murrieta to Biggs using the “Motorcycling” Profile.
Our data values show 10 points, 2 Via Points (Richie’s & Biggs) a distance of 35.1 miles and a total time of 39 minutes.
So, let’s check if this route is “locked down” by changing the profile to “Motorcycling-Curvy”… How We Use Motorcycling-Curvy
Crap!
A close look at the start of the route shows that while we went down the 15 in “Motorcycling” the “Motorcycling-Curvy” profile has us going down the 215. So let’s change it by dragging and adding shaping points…
Note that we changed this with a single shaping point, dragging the errant 215 route onto the 15S ramp. How We Use Motorcycling-Curvy
Now we notice that the “Curvy” profile has us exiting on Winchester RD…
We need to drag the route into compliance once again!
Tip: Use highway entrance & exit ramps to drag your route so that it is impossible to exit from the highway and still go through your shaping point.
Note: We dragged the route just past the exit entrance. How We Use Motorcycling-Curvy
Two more route “drags” adding two more shaping points. Again, notice how they are placed so that the only way to go through the waypoint is to stay on the 15S. How We Use Motorcycling Curvy
Motorcycling-Curvy can be a very stubborn activity profile. It really does want to give you as many “twisties” as it can.
Let’s clean this up all the way to our intended Deer Springs RD exit and then the rest of the way to Biggs…
Switching back to “Motorcycling” will cause a recalculation. Compare the results and change the route as needed to make them agree. Exercise 2
Using the materials in Exercise 2.gpx create a route from Richie’s in Murrieta to Biggs using the motorcycling profile.
• Note the data values for Points, Via Points, Distance and Total Time. • Shift to the motorcycling-curvy profile and then manipulate the route so that it agrees with the route you created in the motorcycling activity profile. • How have the data values changed? FYI… Changing Activity Profiles
• If your route changes from backroads to highway you can change your activity profile from motorcycling – curvy to motorcycling to help draw the route.
• Right click on the waypoint then “Edit” and choose the desired activity profile. This is a feature that we do not use since it does not transfer well to other platforms.
Tips & Tricks Combining Two Routes
• To combine these two routes, press ctrl key and click both routes, then “Edit,” “Advanced,” then “Join the Selected Routes.” Tips & Tricks Combining Two Routes
• A dialog box will open showing you the routes and allowing you to put them in the correct order.
• Click “OK” and the routes are joined! Tips & Tricks – “Polishing” the finished product Polishing
The route is done, shaping points have been added after turns and any waypoints (added to help guide you) have been removed. • Right click on the list and rename it to: mm-dd-yy + description. Rename the route to the same. Polishing
• Change unneeded waypoints to shaping points. Waypoints are normal font and shaping points are grayed out and will have (won’t alert) after them. If you do not intend to stop or do not need notification then change them to a shaping point for consistency. Polishing
• Click on each step (or shift key + click to do groups of steps) that you wish to change to shaping points. Then right click and select “Don’t Alert on Arrival (Shaping Point). • You can also change a shaping point to a waypoint by choosing “Alert on Arrival.” Polishing
• You can change the name of any point listed in the properties by right clicking on it and then selecting “Edit Via Point.” Creating the Keyhole Markup Language (KML) File
Viewing your route on Google Earth Pro allows you to make sure you’ve chosen the optimum entrance and departure from waypoints and checked out any troublesome intersections.
With focus on your list click on File, then Export, then Export
• Open a blank Excel workbook. • Select “Paste” then “Use Text Import Wizard.” • Select delimiters and column preferences as shown in the following three screens of the text import wizard.
Creating the Spreadsheet • Step 1 choose “delimited.” • Step 2 choose “Comma.” • Step 3 choose “General.” Creating the Spreadsheet
• The only columns we need to keep are column A (description) and column D (total distance). The other columns may be deleted. Creating the Spreadsheet
• Remove any extraneous data from column D such as direction or time data, leaving only distance measurements. • Insert three new columns before the description column. Creating the Spreadsheet
• It’s time to correctly format (parse) the total distance column. • Highlight the column from top to bottom.
Creating the Spreadsheet
• Select “Text to Columns” from the menu bar. It will open the wizard. • Step 1 choose “delimited.” • Step 2 choose “space.” Creating the Spreadsheet
• Step 3 click on “destination” highlight the cells in columns A and B then click on the little spreadsheet in the right hand side of the selection box. Creating the Spreadsheet
• With destination populated, click on “Finish.” Creating the Spreadsheet
• You should now see this: • Columns A & C can be deleted. • Format column B to be numeric with one decimal place. • The data in column G can also be deleted. Creating the Spreadsheet
• Add a new column B. Column A will be “Miles,” Column B will be “Direction,” and Column C will be “Instruction.” • Combine the first two rows as this;
• Delete any rows that does not have a corresponding distance. Note: If you did not put shaping points where roads change names you probably don’t have any. Creating the Spreadsheet • Add directions for each leg in column B and “clean up” the description in column C. Creating the Spreadsheet
• Calculate the distance for each leg.
• Copy this cell’s formula (ctrl + c) and then select all the other column cells and paste (ctrl + v) the value as a formula “fx.”
Creating the Spreadsheet
• The spreadsheet is now almost done.
• Download and save the attached route template. Creating the Spreadsheet • Open the routing template and then paste in the data from the old spreadsheet. • Add in the Name of the route, road guard brief time and the general brief time. • At the bottom add in the address and phone number of the destination and an ETA. • Delete unused rows. • Copy & paste a “snip” of the BaseCamp map at the bottom. • Save this spreadsheet with the same name as your route. Done! Exporting the GPX, KML Files & Spreadsheet • Three files are sent to the Activities chairman. – The BaseCamp GPX file. – The KML file used with Google Earth Pro. – The Excel XLSX file.
• To send the BaseCamp file, set focus on your List, then “File” then “Export” then “Export “your list name”… Save this file in the same folder with your spreadsheet.
• Send all three files to: [email protected] Tips & Tricks – Add an exact location from Google Earth • You can add a specific point found in Google Earth to BaseCamp by doing the following. • In BaseCamp click on “Find” then “Locate Coordinates” and set the Grid options as shown below. Adding a Point from Google Earth
• Launch (or view from BaseCamp) Google Earth and then find the point you wish to add into BaseCamp by selecting the placemark tool. Drag the “New Placemark” box to where you desire (in this case the entrance to Bates Nut Farm) and copy down the latitude and longitude. Adding a Point from Google Earth Adding a Point from Google Earth
• Return to BaseCamp and then select “Find” then “Locate Coordinates” and fill in the latitude and longitude you just copied down. Be careful to copy it in using the same format. Then select “Create Waypoint.”
• You can treat this new waypoint as any other waypoint in your route. Tips & Tricks – Sending to Garmin
• With your Garmin connected and showing in Devices • Highlight the list you wish to send and then right click. • Select “Send To” • The “Select Destination” box will open and select your device. (Preferably the Memory Card/User Data folder. • On your device, import the route. Tips & Tricks – Importing to Boom Box Infotainment System • Connect the USB thumb drive. • From Navigation Main Menu, Select “Menu” (top left on menu bar) • Select “Import” and then highlight the desired route by clicking on it. • The route along with all the waypoints will be displayed. Select just the route, not “Select All.” • Click on “Import” then “OK”
Deleting a Boombox Infotainment Route • From the Nav System menu choose “Where To.” • Choose “More” then “Trips.” • Click on desired route. Then click on the pencil icon. • Scroll down to find “Delete” then select “delete.” • Click on “Yes.”