Running a Day Ride or Trip? Post your ROUTE and PICS here!

[MidnightRide]

A lot of us will spend an afternoon or day running some new or favorite runs, which for me was usually a canyon loop while I was living in Northern California. Now we just make something up and ride, normally with some kind of destination in mind, such as our run last weekend up to Priest Lake in Idaho (we left from Washington). It was a 200 mile run round trip, and we'll do it again with some variations. Gorgeous up there.

How about you all? Want someone to join up and ride with you? Doesn't have to be anything special, just a plan, or even something you've already run that you want to share with all of us. I really encourage this! RSC members are some of the best folk on the planet!

I'll use an example from our Starfest NW rides. We had separate rides for Friday and Saturday. Everyone had months to examine the rides, should they choose, and others can run them another time, if they get the chance. I really encourage you to use Google Maps to show the route, like I did here. I'll post a tutorial below.

Here's our Day 1 ride, based out of Ione (I-own) Washington: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Ione...48.7410261!3e0

And our Day 2 ride: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Ione...61!3e0!5m1!1e4

I'd encourage everyone to map out a route like these, then copy the link in the URL address window, and post it in your reply below. Add any cool pics that show where you've been, whether it be a cool river you ride along or an old ghost town you end up in, or any kind of cool things on the route. Share your good time! Maybe it's just twisties through a canyon.

If you want to run a particular route, but prefer to have others along for the ride, simply post something like, 'Hey, I want to run along the Mississippi River on some upcoming Saturday, anyone want to meetup or join me?" If you're running through several states, just let people know your route and maybe you can just hookup over lunch or a beer.

Won't happen if you don't reach out! I have some routes I can recommend that I'll post at times. I know guys like YamaDave run regularly and have dozens of routes they can post, so don't be shy!

Looking forward to it!

Ron

[MidnightRide]

Here's a brief tutorial for laying out a route on Google Maps, a terrific resource if you know how to use it.

Go to https://www.google.com/maps

It'll probably take you to your current location or something similar. From there you can zoom out on the map by using the +/- controls in the lower right corner, or simply scrolling out using your mouse pad. You can also simply type in the name of the town that you want to start in, or an exact address, in the 'search' box, and then hit 'enter'.

Example: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Co...4d-109.0565308

That'll default to show a map of the roads, but I like to use the geography link to show the actual terrain by clicking on the 'Layers' square in the lower left corner:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Co...4d-109.0565308

Either one is fine when laying out a route.

So where do you want to go from the starting point? First you have to click on the round blue 'Directions' tab just below the search window at the top. Let's use 'Jackson, WY' as a destination. You'll notice it's giving you directions TO Cody from Jackson, but you want to START FROM Cody. On the right side of the two towns listed, you'll see two arrows side-by-side, one point up, one pointing down. That reverses the route. Click on it.

Here's the first one: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Jack...8!2d44.5263422

Here's the second: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...2!2d43.4799291

So let's say you want to run a big loop, not just to Jackson for lunch. Pick a town ahead of you on your route. In this case it's easy, we'll use Shoshoni, WY. Below the two town you see listed, it says 'Add destination'. Click on that and a third window ill appear. Type in Shoshoni, WY:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...43.2357915!3e0

Now you just want to head home. Click on 'Add destination', and type in Cody, WY in the window:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...44.5263422!3e0

Now you have a 474 mile, 8 hour and 50 minute loop.

Done. Copy that address and paste it in your reply here in this thread. Or if you just ran that route with your buddy, post it and add some pics! The route will always be there for others to enjoy.

And as someone who's driven every mile of this route, I can tell you that it's SPECTACULAR if you ever get the chance. I lived in the Cody area for a couple of years.

I'll show you more below, including how to tweak things a bit to alter your route because maybe it's trying to take you on roads you don't want to run.

Enjoy!

[MidnightRide]

OK so now we have the map we just made above:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...44.5263422!3e0

But we don't actually want to go all the way to Jackson, we just want to run the loop. In this case, you can't just cut Jackson out, because it'll think you're running down to Shoshoni and back. Hover your mouse over the names of the cities and you'll see an X show up on the right. Click on the X on the right side of the Jackson, WY box:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...44.5263422!3e0

That's not going to work. There are two ways to correct it. Remember, the maps program only knows that you want to hit Shoshoni and then head home. We can either:

A> Add other cities along your planned route, or
B> Drag the blue line over to where you want to run.

Remember, there are actually two lines along the route to Shoshoni, one to get there, and the other to get home. We're going to drag just one of them.

Go about half way down on the blue line, then click right in the center of it and don't let go. Then slide it all the way to the left until you get to the road you want to run along, over there near Jackson. It'll automatically correct the route. It'll look like this:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...44.5263422!3e0

Notice in that route you still only have Shoshoni listed as a destination. You've just tweaked the route.

Now your buddy calls and says he wants to buy you a beer in Lander, WY, below the bottom of the route. Just grab the blue line above it and drag it down to Lander:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...44.5263422!3e0

If you want to skip Jackson, rather than drag the line to another town, you can just list intermediary towns, if you have them. For example, we'll start with Cody and look on the route to the west and we'll see a town called Lake. Add that as a destination:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...44.5582748!3e0

Now if you just try adding Shoshoni, it's going to find the shortest route, so it'll take you back through Cody to get there, not along your route.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...43.2357915!3e0

You'll have to find another town to add that's closer to you along your route ahead. Let's try Dubois, WY instead of Shoshoni:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...d43.533565!3e0

Ah yes, that works. Now we've skipped Jackson and we're heading toward Shoshoni. But here's the deal. Now we don't even have to use Shoshoni, because there's really only one way to get back to Cody, and that's THROUGH Shoshoni, so the program will do it automatically. Just add Cody as the next destination:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...44.5263422!3e0

Now you've got your exact route, and can deviate from it at will. This route is 414 miles, 7 hours, 38 minutes.

I'll show you another way yet in the next post.

[MidnightRide]

So here's another way to do this, simpler and quicker at times.

Start with your first town, Cody, WY, then click on 'Add destination'. This time, instead of adding the name of another town, just click on your route somewhere and it'll draw the route to that point:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...263422!1m0!3e0

Click on another point along your planned route:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...22!1m0!1m0!3e0

And another:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...44.1571766!3e0

And then just add the 'Add destination' town of Cody, and you're home:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...44.5263422!3e0

Let's say you want to add a town that's off to the side a bit. In this case we'll add Lander, WY. Click 'Add destination' and add Lander:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...d42.833014!3e0

Notice that map looks a little screwy. What it's actually doing it plotting a map from CODY, your last destination, back down to Lander. That sucks.

So we want to put Lander in the right place, and that's sometime after Dubois. On the left side of all of the town names that you've typed in, you'll see a bunch of circles and dots lined up from top to bottom. The last one is a red dot, next to the town of Lander. Click on that red dot, and slide it up a few towns until you're below the one about a school district. Let go of the click and it'll rearrange the towns, and subsequently, the route. Now it looks correct:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...44.5263422!3e0

You can rearrange any of the towns at any time, or add or subtract from them. I added Salt Lake City after Lander, just for fun. Now you're running a 1005 mile loop:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cody...44.5263422!3e0

Oh, think you'll need more gas here? Click on the 'Gas' box in the upper left of the map. It doesn't show all of them, only the ones in its system:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/G...e0!2m2!3m1!5e2

This will give you a pretty good start toward planning a route that you can't resist. Fun to plan and easy to tweak.

Share and enjoy!!

[MidnightRide]

OK I'm thinking about running this 2 or 3-day route before I lose the weather. Already cooling way off up here.

First day, take the twisty scenic route down to Orofino, Idaho, and spend the night.
Second day, up through Lolo Pass to Missoula, then north to Kalispell, Montana, and spend the night.
Third day, head home through the Idaho Panhandle.

A bit over 16 hours of riding in all, but a lot of grueling seat time though some mountainous areas.

However, in reviewing my route, I'm thinking I might reverse this route and make it a two-day run.

I'll run across the panhandle to Kalispell and then down to Missoula for the night. Then I'll start day two heading over Lolo Pass to Orofino and then head north towards home. From Orofino I can be flexible on my route, depending on how I'm feeling, and stick to 95 if I'm ready for home. If too exhausted, I'll spend the night in Coeur d'Alene and run home in the morning.

Probably what I'll go with if no one else rides along, plus it's easier to snag a weather window.

Inspired by a Starfest NW based out of Orofino a while back, as gleaned to me by those who where there, and Lolo Pass which I've heard about from a number of different sources as being an awe-inspiring ride (Orofino to Missoula). MikeyC ran that last month. The ride up to Kalispell and home is just the icing on the cake.

Avoiding the Interstates.

I'll have to check on weather, motels, etc. before driving the nail into this trip. Plan to do it solo but may go 2-up depending on Anne's butt-input and schedule. Too much seat time for her, I'm guessing, plus someone needs to babysit the pets. No bitching allowed if you're riding in the rear seat.

May head out midweek, will have to see. Not a speed run, just cruising throughout, with stops wherever the interest may lie.

If anyone's interested in tagging onto all or part of this trip, hit me back. I'm flexible on the days but weather will dictate. I don't do rain!

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Meta...48.8638091!3e0

Reverse route, altered from Orofino north:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Meta...48.8638091!3e0

[Shores]

The Konkolville motel just north of orofino is a great place to stay.

2600 Michigan Ave, Orofino, ID 83544

[MidnightRide]

Great to know, thanks Steve!