Nick Bull
Attached is a GPS file for PBP. [See attachment below, PBP2011-NickBull.gdb or .gpx] It is based primarily on the official GPX files posted on the PBP website. I and George Moore separately created GPS files then compared them with each other, with my GPS track from 2007, and with the cue sheet to fix any possible computing glitches. We used two different base maps for computing the routes. There are some known glitches, such as in Fougeres where the road has apparently been re-routed. Control locations should be interpreted as approximate -- e.g. sometimes the control itself is down an access road that is not on the map. Riders still need to keep their wits about themselves. The cue sheet and arrows on the course are the primary source of route information, though I'm not sure which takes precedence when they contradict each other. The GPS should always be checked against the cue sheet and arrows.
Anyone who plans to use this file should set their GPS as follows:
Go to the Setup->Routing page and set as follows:
Guidance Method: Follow Road
Follow Road Method: Shortest Distance
Next Turn Pop-Up: On
Follow Road Options:
Off Route Recalculation: Prompted
Calculation Method: Best Route
Calculate Routes for: Car/Motorcycle
Avoid: (set to none – the route itself should control this)
By the way … make sure that your GPS either has maps already downloaded, or select the relevant maps around the routes. I cannot guarantee that these will keep you on the official route, but if you have your GPS set some other way, it is entirely possible that it will take you off route, possibly onto unsafe roads.
The GPS file contains "climbing waypoints" before all of the "significant" climbs. Generally, "significant" means more than 400 feet, since that's about when I start wondering if the climb will ever end. But I think I put in some near the end that are a tad less than 400 feet. But that still potentially leaves out hills that riders may think are "significant" while they're climbing them -- a 200 foot climb with a 20 percent grade will probably get your attention. The way to read the climbing waypoints is as follows: "C8.7k45to74" means "Climb for 8.7 kilometers for a total of 450 feet to an altitude of 740 feet". Sometimes there are ups and downs in a climb: These are ignored in the measurement of feet of climb. Typically the climb is measured from the "local minimum" -- e.g. the stream in the valley floor -- to the top of the climb. So it's often the case that the start of the climb is pretty gradual and the "real" climbing comes a little later.