IBA Google Maps for routingBecause there are so many different mapping programs we can't possibly have all of them and not everyone invests in mapping software, we wanted to simplify this for ride submissions to a world wide standard – Google Maps. A Google Map is the preferred IBA standard for submitting routes with electronic applications. Google Maps www.google.com/maps offers a fairly intuitive way to construct your route, free of charge, allowing you to save and share the link that Google Maps will generate. A few simple steps to follow: after you input your route, press the small link icon (it looks like a chain link) to the right of the print icon and Google Maps will generate a link that you can cut and paste into an email back to us. For a video of the process, https://youtu.be/GHpm-5LhPSQ A simple map, Rockford, Illinois to Denver, Colorado to plan a SaddleSore route:
Here you can see at 957 miles, this is NOT 1,000 miles, we need to make a longer route. To do so, hover over the blue line where you would like to experiment, in this case to the east of the end point in Denver, click and drag the blue line north to Cheyenne.
Don't let go until you get to Cheyenne:
Instantly, we can see the route is now 1,015 miles (still a bit tight) So we have our base route, but it is tight on miles and we need to zoom in to set our actual start and end points. To zoom in, press the + under the little orange person icon. You will have to drag the map over to see your start in Rockford.
Like all mapping programs, you will be centered in the city, not usually a good start point for gas receipts or an easy escape from the city. We need to fix that. I know there is a 24 hour gas station at this entrance to the interstate and using zoom and satellite view, I can put myself right in front of the station (and with a little work, right in the parking lot):
Since we are not starting in the center of town, Google Maps quickly recalculated that our route is now shorter - 1,011 miles since we moved the start closer to the finish line. When planning your route, you should have a cushion of error. Once again, when we entered Denver, Colorado, Google Maps put us at the center of Denver (not a good end point). So we need to look at a finish point that does that:
This stop puts me at 1,037 miles - a nice cushion to make sure I actually rode a 1,000 mile day! Since I'm still short on miles, I move the route south of Denver to Castle Rock where I found a few gas stations (I need to call and make sure they are open late night when I plan to arrive for my end receipt).
We have the miles/kilometers, we have a route we like, time to save everything. Click the icon that looks like thee dashed lines
(in modern terms this is called a hamburger menu), then click, Share or Embed map and finally click on COPY LINK
so that you can go in your email client and press
https://goo.gl/maps/sRCf7wfrKxMPYVPN9
It is much easier then it looks! Google Maps will work on almost any computer in the world, it is worth learning how to use it to send someone a map.
Please answer the following and send it along with your other documents to
SUBJECT LINE OF EMAIL: John Smith SS1600K ride documents (your name and ride of course)
Name exactly as you want it on your certification:
Motorcycle you rode:
Start date of your ride:
The link for your ride from Google Maps:
What difficulty, if any, did you have using Google Maps?
Let us know what problems you had using google maps!
Michael Kneebone
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