Google DOES Fix Those Maps!

I'm happy to report that Google really works on their maps. In response to a complaint from me that I couldn't Google ride my bike down Denton Highway (Hwy 377, also known as Main Street) Received from Google:

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Nov 24 (12 days ago)

Hi Steve,

Google Maps has been updated to correct the problem you reported. You can see the update here, and if you still see a problem, please tell us more about the issue: Link to view and/or reopen issue

Report history
Problem ID: 9C00-710A-DD88-667F

Your report: Google bicycling won't allow me to choose N Main Street in Keller, though I and others ride it daily and it's quite suitable for cycling

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Thanks for your help,
The Google Maps team



Google Bikes Now Allows Me to Ride on Denton Highway - If I Still Worked There!



Keller Google Bike Ban?

Typical Highway 377 Afternoon Traffic. Google Bikes WON'T Let Me Choose 377

I looked at Google Bikes recently to see how it has evolved in its opinion of what my commute route should be. Interestingly, I find it will not allow me to select Highway 377 in Keller as part of my commute route. It allows me to select the Alliance Gateway Freeway (though not the Cabela's Service Road), but not 377. I have no idea why Highway 377 can't be ridden on a bike, since I ride segments of it both northbound and southbound, and frequently see other cyclists on that road. Where I ride it, it is a typical, five lane road with heavy traffic. I think I shall see what Google has to say for itself. Are there frequent instances where Google will not allow someone to pick a bike route on an otherwise restricted public road? Is there some flag that'll let you know that Google is avoiding a road?

Google's choice for my bike commute route, here

An approximation of my real commute route, here.

There are a few obvious oops items in Google's attempt to go where I go, like the 377 detour and a bike path bobble. It also hasn't picked up a number of street realignments.

Google Bicycles Really DOESN'T Like N Main Street (Highway 377) in Keller

In response to my inquiry, Google replied:

Hi Steve,
Thanks for taking the time to report a problem with Google Maps. We'll send you an update once your report has been reviewed to let you know the resolution.

We have created ID: 9C00-710A-DD88-667F to track this problem.

Report history
Problem ID: 9C00-710A-DD88-667F
Your report: Google bicycling won't allow me to choose N Main Street in Keller, though I and others ride it daily and it's quite suitable for cycling
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Thanks for your help,
The Google Maps team

Bottom Fishing

B&W Map is OK for the Bike

One cool thing about the Internet is sometimes people prompt interesting ideas. For instance, I decided to wh..., er, complain about my worthless French bike computer here. THAT got me looking at possible alternate bike computers. Well, THAT prompted me to inquire about GPS bike computers. Voila, Chandra, of "Green Comotion," made a post about his Garmin 705 bike computer, here. That computer does it all - sort of a combo satellite navigation system and every imaginable bike parameter wrapped up into one screen. Apertome, of "Ear to the Breeze," separately sent an email talking about his own GPS unit, which happens to be a Garmin eTrex. Since he indicated he probably wouldn't be able to make a post about that unit, I'll reproduce elements that might be of interest, below.

I probably won't have time to do a full blog post about it, but here are a few thoughts. The GPS I have is NOT cycling-specific. It's a Garmin eTrex Venture HC: I think I spent $129 on mine, a year and a half ago or so.

Mine is a general outdoor unit, intended for hiking, boating and such. They do make a handlebar mount for it, which I use. I mostly use it for recording data, I do use it for navigation but the screen is small and hard to read in some light (though it's better if you turn the backlight on) and perhaps more significantly, it does NOT have auto-routing features. This means I have to plot out a route on my computer first, then transfer to the GPS. I can't just enter in a destination and have it take me there. Plotting routes can be a little cumbersome but to me it still beats printing out maps and cue sheets and trying to deal with them.

I can download routes from MapMyRide or whatever, and load them in the unit. This works but I just have to visually watch the map and make sure I follow the route. With the routes I plot manually it will beep telling me I have to turn, and things like that.

I had to purchase separately street and topo maps. These work pretty well.

Battery life is great, I've never needed more than 2 AAs for any ride. I think I did swap to a second pair of batteries on the second day of an S24O once, but that's it. AAs are super convenient, I use rechargeables and always have a backup pair waiting to go.

It's certainly not the highest-tech GPS on the market, but what can I say? It was cheap, and even if it doesn't do everything I'd want, it does most of what I need. However, I would have to say that generally, I would not recommend if you want something hassle-free that does everything for you. It requires a certain level of fiddling to get it to do what I want. I'm OK with that, but not everyone wants to deal with that stuff.

Hmm, now our bike GPS has dropped from spendy to $129. HOWEVER, as the infomercial says, "There's MORE!"
 
Conveniently enough, the eTrex was a contemporary with a unit Garmin called the eMap. I HAVE an eMap, including an old "Mapsource" CD. I originally bought it for Jaguar rallies. What's more, handlebar mounts for the eMap are under $10. Hmm, under $10 for a GPS bike computer that can interface with my computer certainly seemed like an attractive proposition. In response to a follow-up inquiry, Apertome responded:
 

I'm not familiar with the model, but based on a quick search, It looks like you could do most or all of that with your eMap. It looks like the eMap can do routes and tracklogs, which are the main features I use. It also says it's compatible with Mapsource maps.

I will say that I had an older Garmin before the high-sensitivity kind came out and it was definitely inferior. It was a lot less accurate, and it tended to lose track of the satellites under dense canopy. However for road riding it would probably work OK. It also took longer to find the satellites when you first turned it on, but once you're rolling that shouldn't matter. It'd at least be worth experimenting with it. You could always throw it in a pocket or clip it to your belt so you can try it without ordering a mount for it first.
 
That last paragraph certainly describes the eMap. So, why might this interest anyone other than myself? Well, currently on eBay, there are eMaps available for "buy it now" prices under $70. Some careful auction watching could net a frugal cyclist a working bike GPS computer with all the map and computer interfaces for about that amount. They also occasionally show up on Craigslist. Now I have to refamiliarize myself with how all that navigation stuff actually works and take a few test rides. GPS bike computer for less than the cost of two fancy Starbucks drinks.
 
If you see me do a GPS track of my commute, you will know it works. For trial purposes, I can use my SPI Belt, bringing my total "see if it works" cost to the very attractive amount of zero. Bike stuff doesn't get any cheaper than that. Ain't the Internet great?

Shooting Stars, Squirrels and Secret Parking Lots

I was short of inspiration about what to write today when I left for work this morning. It was dark as I rolled out, but unlike the last remnants of Daylight Savings Time, the darkness would soon lift. I was treated to an unusually large and beautiful shooting star off to the west. I wouldn't have noticed had I been driving to work. Sweet. I wish I could catch stuff like that with the camera. The rest of the ride in was fairly uneventful. I did notice that the young buffalo in the pasture next to Cabela's have started to acquire horns. They're also very interested if you happen to blow kisses at them as you ride by. I'll have to do a spring/fall comparison before long. For those with excessively curious minds, I have no idea how to tell a young boy buffalo from a young girl buffalo from the Service Road and I'm not about to climb over the fence into the pasture for closer investigation.

On the way, home, I decided to further investigate the possibility that I may have inadvertently added another parking lot to my route. You might ask how Steve could be riding through a parking lot, less than a block from the Keller Police Department, without realizing it? Day after day? Follow along and you'll see this isn't your everyday parking lot. You see, it's a SECRET parking lot. The photo below shows a street, Phillips Drive, that camouflages the entrance to this parking lot.

Next, you'll notice that there's another intersection. THIS marks the Eastern end of Phillips Drive, and hides the entrance to the parking lot. You'll note the driver looks a little confused. He's wondering what that thing is off to his left rear that looks like just another street. Probably it doesn't show up on his onboard GPS unit. "Don't worry sir, you needn't trouble yourself about that pavement."

The THIRD picture gives the game away. Look carefully at those red stripes on either side of the apparent street. Those are the sure North Texas giveaway to a parking lot. Parking lots are just chock full of red stripes around here. And, sure enough, if you proceed through the parking lot to Pate Orr, there may be a stop sign at the parking lot exit, but there is no street sign. It's a secret parking lot.

As proof, Yahoo maps show no road where those red stripes are, and where I ride every day. Crimeny, some of those parking lots are really sneaky!

In my own defense, it took me a few months for it to hit me that I was riding through a Middle School parking lot, blissfully unaware that I was courting the disapproval of Rantwick's mom. I also cite as evidence for the defense, the Google map version of the same location, shown below. "Officer, Google said it was a road and Google MUST be right!" Google was what I used to pick this route. Perhaps Google was fooled by the secret parking lot - or maybe it's just that there are no secrets TO Google.

And what about squirrels? Well, on the last leg home, as it was getting dark again, a squirrel shot across Glade Road, about two feet in front of my front wheel. It could have been messy. I hope the little guy made it home. I know he put a little unexpected spice into the last part of what was otherwise an uneventful, if educational, trip home. I think I'd rather be chased by a dog...

Can I Make this Ride?

Google Route to Fort Worth Alliance Airport

Not very shareable lane on Katy Road near Keller

Not one to give up easily, I did a Google Maps route to see what a 20 mile bike commute to Fort Worth Alliance Airport might look like. “Street View” and "map my run" make preliminary route scouting easy. I saw lots of little old narrow roads, lots of new houses, and not a lot of route choices. However, I’d ridden some of the roads and felt I might be able to ride to work at least occasionally. After all, it was only a couple of miles further than a commute ride I’d made during summers to Vought Aircraft in Dallas. How bad could it be? What’s more, on the positive side, the new building actually had showers and lockers!

Next, Yes, I can!
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