Newbie GPS Question: How Does Multiple Points Routing Work?

[jajpko]

Congrats on the new gps!!! I think you got a good deal and it should last a long time.
If you have any questions that I may be able to help with, just give a shout..

 

[Mtbjay]

UPDATE: MY NEW GARMIN 1490LMT: FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Thanks again to all who contributed to my decision to buy a GPS. I am happy to report, the new Garmin 1490LMT GPS, RAM mount and such I ordered have been mounted and working well.

First thing I did was go to Garmin's Basecamp sight to see if I could create a route and follow it. Although it wasn't as smooth as Google Maps, it was similar in design and I was able to intuit my way through, no problem. I created a route to Best Buy in a few short minutes, via backroads, to purchase a micro-SD card for the updates to fit on (NOTE: internal memory was almost full out-of-the-box) It was a cinch, to transfer the file with the click of the mouse. Once on the bike, it took only a couple minutes to find the route and begin following it.


FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

IMAGE QUALITY: GOOD, PLENTY BRIGHT (AT DUSK {with polarized brown sunglasses on}- more on that later as I use it during the day)

TOUCH SCREEN: ACCURATE, ABLE TO USE WITH LEATHER GLOVES (HOORAY!)

INTERFACE: INTUITIVE AND UN-CLUTTERED. NO COMPLAINTS THERE

IN-MOTION DETAIL: EASY ENOUGH TO FOLLOW, AS USUAL- SOME STREETS COME UP FASTER THAN THE "40 FEET, LEFT TURN" WOULD INDICATE... BUT THE ICON OF MY MOTO ON THE MAP WAS MORE ACCURATE, AND SHOULD ELIMINATE CONFUSION OVER MOST TURN-BY-TURN NAVIGATIONS AS I CAN ANTICIPATE IT.

IN-MOTION ADJUSTMENTS: EASY TO NAVIGATE THE ZOOM, SCROLL AND EVEN OPTIONS AS THE G.U.I. IS SIMPLE AND UN-CLUTTERED.

RAM MOUNT: I BOUGHT THE HANDLE BAR MOUNT, IN 3" RISE, AND IT WORKS PERFECTLY. OUT OF MY MAIN LINE-OF-SIGHT SO AS NOT TO BE A DISTRACTION, BUT JUST UNDER MY NOSE WHEN I NEED IT. PLUS, I CAN REACH THE SCREEN TO ZOOM IN/OUT EASILY AS IT'S JUST 8-9 INCHES FROM MY LEFT HAND. VIBRATIONS ARE MINIMAL, BUT I WILL STACK UP THE RUBBER SHIMS I INSTALLED TO FURTHER MINIMIZE IT. ( I also bought a cheap-O "water-proof" case for 5" GPS's that came with a mount. More on that once I try it.).


I thought I'd mention this unit and my initial satisfaction because, according to the GARMIN REP, it is one of the few that can still be purchased new that allow for "MULTI-POINT ROUTING," something I couldn't see living without. I have been plotting my adventures on Googlemaps, then following them from memory (mostly- pulling out the iPhone once in awhile to check or alter routes). This unit allows me to plot the route I dream up on Garmin's free website, Basecamp, and then quickly download it into the GPS and go ride it. I heard from the Garmin Rep that, besides the dedicated (and very expensive) MOTO GPS's and hand-held Hiking versions (with their puny screens), these discontinued 1400 series units were among the remaining few that allowed this pre-ploting of routes, via a computer, and to be downloaded into them.

If you're like me, and you want to pre-plan your route to some extent, then go follow it - this might be the unit for you. I got mine for $169, and the RAM mount for $30-ish.

So, for $200 I have:

One of the best brands out there,
Lifetime free map updates AND traffic,
A bright 5" color screen that works with gloves (leather)
Multi-route plotting & downloadability
A solid and highly adjustable mount AND a water-resistant case


Needless to say, I'm stoked!

 

[MojoToot]

I've been using gps for about 8 years. I have created custom routes for trips all over US/Canada and Australia and western Europe.

It is very easy to create the rts on a computer then transfer them to a gps unit. When I went to Europe I took a laptop along that had all the rts for a 2 month trip. Then I would transfer one or two days at a time into the gps.

For a trip of a couple weeks, I can load the custom rts into the gps and then access them from a list as needed.

It is also possible to create custom rts directly on the gps. This I often do at rallies, when you are given a map or directions and you are already away from home & without a computer. It is much more cumbersome & time consuming to do it this way but with experience it gets easier.

Waypoints or via points are important with custom rts because if you only transfer a rt the gps will recalculate and change things as you go...
You can get fancy & even name a via point. This enables you to see "notations" whilst you are riding your rt.
For example, if you have been warned of a speed trap, you can save a via point named "speedtrap" as you approach that area.

When putting in vias from your computer program you must be zoomed in to close or your rt will likely have little glitches.
For example, if you rt from town to town...the rt may look fine from a larger scale but if you zoom in close you will find it is taking you to an arbitrary point in the middle of town.

So if you don't catch this glitch..a scenario such as this will occur:
As you approach Main St the gps says turn left.
When you get to the arbitrary "center of town" now it says, make a u-turn.

You actually wanted to make a right on Main St to begin with...this can also happen on side roads along a hwy.
Just zoom way in to confirm the actual via position and learn to place vias just after a turn or town to help avoid this kind of glitch.

 

[MojoToot]

When using gps, I rarely use the sound (although I do have bluetooth connectivity to my helmet speakers if desired.)
I keep track of the mileage count-down to the next point (this could be a via or a turn) and if it looks complex, I use the "preview" feature so I know what is coming up next.

The gps gives you other info. such as estimated arrival time & distance, sunrise/sunset times as well as many useful poi's.

It is only a tool and can lead you wrong at times so don't just follow blindly....but without it, there is no way I could have done the travels through foreign countries where I couldn't read the signs.

 

[Mtbjay]

I've been using gps for about 8 years. I have created custom routes for trips all over US/Canada and Australia and western Europe.

It is very easy to create the rts on a computer then transfer them to a gps unit. When I went to Europe I took a laptop along that had all the rts for a 2 month trip. Then I would transfer one or two days at a time into the gps.

For a trip of a couple weeks, I can load the custom rts into the gps and then access them from a list as needed.

It is also possible to create custom rts directly on the gps. This I often do at rallies, when you are given a map or directions and you are already away from home & without a computer. It is much more cumbersome & time consuming to do it this way but with experience it gets easier.

Waypoints or via points are important with custom rts because if you only transfer a rt the gps will recalculate and change things as you go...
You can get fancy & even name a via point. This enables you to see "notations" whilst you are riding your rt.
For example, if you have been warned of a speed trap, you can save a via point named "speedtrap" as you approach that area.

When putting in vias from your computer program you must be zoomed in to close or your rt will likely have little glitches.
For example, if you rt from town to town...the rt may look fine from a larger scale but if you zoom in close you will find it is taking you to an arbitrary point in the middle of town.

So if you don't catch this glitch..a scenario such as this will occur:
As you approach Main St the gps says turn left.
When you get to the arbitrary "center of town" now it says, make a u-turn.

You actually wanted to make a right on Main St to begin with...this can also happen on side roads along a hwy.
Just zoom way in to confirm the actual via position and learn to place vias just after a turn or town to help avoid this kind of glitch.

Great, real-life write-up, MojoToot. That's just what I needed to hear. I found myself in the woods, recently, and the GPS (without pre-established routing) was pretty worthless. I was about to revert back to old-school methods (tankbag and a Sharpie), but after reading your post, have renewed interest in pre-routing my rides into the GPS. I will take on the dreaded Basecamp again and see what if inserting (presumably LOTS) of Waypoints will result in a route, out-on-the-road, that I can actually follow.

I pride myself on turning all of my rides in to efficient tours of motorcycle bliss; low-traffic, lots of turns, hills and valleys, high scenic value and NO backtracking. I won't give up on the GPS yet, and will keep trying to get the most out of it. Now if I could only find a good shade for it! It's much harder to see than I thought, especially with my polarized sunglasses on. 8)

 

[EricV]

Great, real-life write-up, MojoToot. That's just what I needed to hear. I found myself in the woods, recently, and the GPS (without pre-established routing) was pretty worthless. I was about to revert back to old-school methods (tankbag and a Sharpie), but after reading your post, have renewed interest in pre-routing my rides into the GPS. I will take on the dreaded Basecamp again and see what if inserting (presumably LOTS) of Waypoints will result in a route, out-on-the-road, that I can actually follow.

I pride myself on turning all of my rides in to efficient tours of motorcycle bliss; low-traffic, lots of turns, hills and valleys, high scenic value and NO backtracking. I won't give up on the GPS yet, and will keep trying to get the most out of it. Now if I could only find a good shade for it! It's much harder to see than I thought, especially with my polarized sunglasses on. 8)

Don't forget that BaseCamp will only route point to point as the crow flies w/o the GPS plugged in, or purchased detail maps.

If you knew where you were going, (the next town), when you were in the woods, you should have been able to plug that in and let the GPS route you from there. Although you sometimes have to convince Jane that you don't want to back track by going forward until she gives up. Stubborn little be-otch that she is, it sometimes takes a while.

 

[jajpko]

Re: UPDATE: MY NEW GARMIN 1490LMT: FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Thanks again to all who contributed to my decision to buy a GPS. I am happy to report, the new Garmin 1490LMT GPS, RAM mount and such I ordered have been mounted and working well.

First thing I did was go to Garmin's Basecamp sight to see if I could create a route and follow it. Although it wasn't as smooth as Google Maps, it was similar in design and I was able to intuit my way through, no problem. I created a route to Best Buy in a few short minutes, via backroads, to purchase a micro-SD card for the updates to fit on (NOTE: internal memory was almost full out-of-the-box) It was a cinch, to transfer the file with the click of the mouse. Once on the bike, it took only a couple minutes to find the route and begin following it.


FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

IMAGE QUALITY: GOOD, PLENTY BRIGHT (AT DUSK {with polarized brown sunglasses on}- more on that later as I use it during the day)

TOUCH SCREEN: ACCURATE, ABLE TO USE WITH LEATHER GLOVES (HOORAY!)

INTERFACE: INTUITIVE AND UN-CLUTTERED. NO COMPLAINTS THERE

IN-MOTION DETAIL: EASY ENOUGH TO FOLLOW, AS USUAL- SOME STREETS COME UP FASTER THAN THE "40 FEET, LEFT TURN" WOULD INDICATE... BUT THE ICON OF MY MOTO ON THE MAP WAS MORE ACCURATE, AND SHOULD ELIMINATE CONFUSION OVER MOST TURN-BY-TURN NAVIGATIONS AS I CAN ANTICIPATE IT.

IN-MOTION ADJUSTMENTS: EASY TO NAVIGATE THE ZOOM, SCROLL AND EVEN OPTIONS AS THE G.U.I. IS SIMPLE AND UN-CLUTTERED.

RAM MOUNT: I BOUGHT THE HANDLE BAR MOUNT, IN 3" RISE, AND IT WORKS PERFECTLY. OUT OF MY MAIN LINE-OF-SIGHT SO AS NOT TO BE A DISTRACTION, BUT JUST UNDER MY NOSE WHEN I NEED IT. PLUS, I CAN REACH THE SCREEN TO ZOOM IN/OUT EASILY AS IT'S JUST 8-9 INCHES FROM MY LEFT HAND. VIBRATIONS ARE MINIMAL, BUT I WILL STACK UP THE RUBBER SHIMS I INSTALLED TO FURTHER MINIMIZE IT. ( I also bought a cheap-O "water-proof" case for 5" GPS's that came with a mount. More on that once I try it.).


I thought I'd mention this unit and my initial satisfaction because, according to the GARMIN REP, it is one of the few that can still be purchased new that allow for "MULTI-POINT ROUTING," something I couldn't see living without. I have been plotting my adventures on Googlemaps, then following them from memory (mostly- pulling out the iPhone once in awhile to check or alter routes). This unit allows me to plot the route I dream up on Garmin's free website, Basecamp, and then quickly download it into the GPS and go ride it. I heard from the Garmin Rep that, besides the dedicated (and very expensive) MOTO GPS's and hand-held Hiking versions (with their puny screens), these discontinued 1400 series units were among the remaining few that allowed this pre-ploting of routes, via a computer, and to be downloaded into them.

If you're like me, and you want to pre-plan your route to some extent, then go follow it - this might be the unit for you. I got mine for $169, and the RAM mount for $30-ish.

So, for $200 I have:

One of the best brands out there,
Lifetime free map updates AND traffic,
A bright 5" color screen that works with gloves (leather)
Multi-route plotting & downloadability
A solid and highly adjustable mount AND a water-resistant case


Needless to say, I'm stoked!

Congrats!! I think you got the most under valued gps on the market. Mine has never let me down and has always got me where I wanted to go.
On you next little trip, instead of using base camp, try building the route on the gps, using the touch screen.
This is really good to learn, if you don't have a computer handy.
Enjoy

 

[briang123]

Don't forget that BaseCamp will only route point to point as the crow flies w/o the GPS plugged in, or purchased detail maps.

If you knew where you were going, (the next town), when you were in the woods, you should have been able to plug that in and let the GPS route you from there. Although you sometimes have to convince Jane that you don't want to back track by going forward until she gives up. Stubborn little be-otch that she is, it sometimes takes a while.

This is absolutely positively incorrect. I've been using basecamp on both my IMac and Mac air. You can easily download your full version of whatever map set , I'm guessing you have North America, onto your computer and create your routes, waypoints etc, then later load them onto your gps. I have dozens of routes and hundreds of waypoints created this way. I plan all my trips on basecamp and google maps combined. The GPS comes out only when I'm ready to load em up. And there's a ton of free map sets available that you can load up on also. Check out advrider.coms laying down tracks forum. Outstanding gps resource. http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=37

 

[briang123]

Heres some screenshots of what youll see as you load your maps onto your computer (Mac desktop). Its pretty straightforward. As you can see I have the full version of North America loaded which I downloaded off my Lifetime Maps update for my Nuvi 50, but I also have map set downloaded from my purchased map set for my Oregon 450. And the final screenshot is of a multi waypoint route.

 

[EricV]

<cough>

Mac Base Camp and Windows Base Camp are totally different animals. And if Garmin is giving out free map downloads, that's sure news to me. You're downloading maps you bought thru your LifeTime GPS or Map purchase.

For those that have older GPS units or did not purchase the LT version with their GPS, (which means when Garmin says the unit's lifetime is up, not when you get rid of the unit), you will have to either buy detail maps, or plug your GPS in and use those maps. Some older, unsupported GPS units are not compatible with BC in this manner. (2610 for sure, as that's what I have and I've BTDT with BC and conversations with Garmin)

 

[briang123]

<cough>

Mac Base Camp and Windows Base Camp are totally different animals. And if Garmin is giving out free map downloads, that's sure news to me. You're downloading maps you bought thru your LifeTime GPS or Map purchase.

For those that have older GPS units or did not purchase the LT version with their GPS, (which means when Garmin says the unit's lifetime is up, not when you get rid of the unit), you will have to either buy detail maps, or plug your GPS in and use those maps. Some older, unsupported GPS units are not compatible with BC in this manner. (2610 for sure, as that's what I have and I've BTDT with BC and conversations with Garmin)

Mtbjay, as you said you use a Mac, have a modern GPS unit that allows routing, and you use Basecamp. Creating routes and loading them onto your unit is quick and simple. Hope you enjoy the new GPS. It becomes addictive, creating routes and riding them. Great fun.
Heres an excellent link for tools:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=619167

And a great source for maps:
http://gpsfiledepot.com

 

[Mtbjay]

Great to read the positive feedback on the unit, and GPS route planning. I may be headed back down the Clackamas River Road this weekend, with plans to push through to Detroit Lake. I will pre-plan the trip if I have time.

 

[briang123]

Ha, I was thinking that very same thing. I wonder if its open over to Timothy lake? Maybe I'll see you along the road.

 

[Mtbjay]

Ha, I was thinking that very same thing. I wonder if its open over to Timothy lake? Maybe I'll see you along the road.

It was[/i open over to Timothy if you took the "Pipeline Road" to detour around a landslide, the Forest Service Guard Station told me. But that was last week.... I tried it, but without written direction and ended up turning back for Estacada when I was down to 1/2 tank. (Note to self: top off before entering the woods - and carry a 2 liter bottle of extra fuel.)

I'm not positive we won't see snow on the roads to Detroit this weekend! (Hopefully only a dusting above the roads.) It was raining steadily my last trip up there 10 days ago.

 

[briang123]

Dont miss Memaloose Rd off of 224. Comes out on Hillockburn Rd near Molalla. Great practice for routing (theres a lot of Forest Service roads up there) Great fun.