SDS Three Day GPS Tracks and course differences

Just in case anyone has time to load these before Friday, Tony V. who rode the SDS 3 Day last weekend, put up his tracks onto Garmin’s Connect site.

Day 1
http://connect.garmin.com/course/1237435

Day 2 AM
http://connect.garmin.com/course/1237431

Day 2 PM:
http://connect.garmin.com/course/1237428

Day 3
http://connect.garmin.com/course/1237442

Mumbles mentioned also the changes from my 2011 course maps and this year.  Text is below:

> The only discrepancies I noticed are-
> 1) on day 1 we will have our first lunch break at the top of Rt. 250 in the
> parking lot for the “Confederate Breastworks” and not at the base of the
> climb in the parking lot for “Mountain House”.
> 2) Day 2 we will be starting and ending the day from the Creasey Lodge and
> not the Douthat Lodge at the end of Mountain Side Trail.
> The weather is looking GREAT and the trails are riding good. If you do have
> high soccer style or skiing socks, bring them. The nettles are starting to
> show themselves.

 

SDS Three Day Maps

Here are the maps for the SDS 3 Day event. Day 2 is on one map while Day 1 and Day 3 are on the other.

Day One and Three Maps Link

Day Two Maps Link

 

SDS 2 Day Maps

Links are below to a series of four maps for the SDS 2 Day. I used Quantum GIS 1.7.4 to make these maps, the first time I used this free & open source GIS package. The process has been a learning experience, but frustrating. Controlling things like labels, scales and printing is tough. Not being able to delete or hide DB columns is annoying.

I tried to jump back to ArcGIS, but discovered the datalayers made in Q-GIS have a geometry problem. The layers but cannot be rendered in ArcGIS. I found a solution someone posted on-line, but decided not to do it. It required using a opensource DB app (LibreOffice Calc) and some registry hacks.

This bug in Q-GIS has identified and is slated to be fixed in the next version, 1.8. Target release date is unknown. When I start the SDS 3 Day maps this weekend, I am going back to ArcGIS.

SDS 2 Day Map One

SDS 2 Day Map Two

SDS 2 Day Map Three

SDS 2 Day Map Four

 

FS: XTR Front Disc Hub M965 $35

For sale a great XTR front disc hub M965. Bearings are great, feel as smooth as new. Was built once into a 29er wheel that was only used for about two years. Marks from the one build, but nothing atypical.

Prefer to sell locally. $35

 

FS: Electra Hawaii 3 Speed Women’s Cruiser was $175 now $130

A few years ago, one of my neighbors tossed out the this Electra Cruiser. Was being tossed out because the seat and post were missing along withe the nuts holding the rear wheel. I fixed the problems and gave it to a friend. She stored it inside and is now moving away.

It is just a very cool bike. Always attracts attention with the electric green paint and orange rims. Has a little rust on things like the rear fender, the fender struts and in a few paint nicks. Same bike, in less cool colors, is $500 at REI. Good tires and shifts and brakes great. Basket on the front as well. $130 obo

http://www.electrabike.com/Bikes/cruiser-hawaii3i-bikes-ladies
http://www.rei.com/product/728596/electra-hawaii-3i-step-through-bike-womens

 

Quantum GIS and Stokesville-Douthat-Stokesville Maps

Decided using old old versions of ESRI’s ArcGIS software to make maps was no longer acceptable. I downloaded a free and Open Source GIS package called Quantum GIS. At times I have been frustrated trying the find functions,but not because it is lacking nor designed badly. t has just been hard for me to adapt since I was so used to the tools and menus in ArcGIS.

The first maps I am making are for SMT’s Stokesville-Douthat-Stokesville 2 Day and 3 Day rides.  The map image below is of the trails around the Douthat Cabin.

 

 

Softride

It is rare to find any Softride bikes, not a bad thing. Was happy to see this converted 1980′s Schwinn MTB down on the National Mall during the March to Keep Fear Alive. Love the combination of the bolt on beam and stem.

The package is finished off with a cap Softride made to cover up the seatpost hole. That was a super cool idea.

 

The old roller cam brakes too are nice. So glad those are no longer around, a nightmare to work on compared to  almost all canti’s and def every linear pull brake.

 

Vintage MTB

Back in the early 90′s, I so wanted a Klein MTB, just like everyone I knew. They looked cooler than any other mass market bike with their huge tubes and flashy paint. Was happy to find this one along King Street in Alexandria.

This Attitude is in such wonder shape that I assume it was never extensively ridden off road, a shame. Very few paint nicks, dents or apparent wear. The tires and v brakes appear to be the only things every changed.

Based on the components it appears to be a mid or late 90′s version. Hope the owner does not rely on that lock overnight.

 

DC Bike Racks

This photo shows why you cannot trust most DC street bike racks. They installed four bolts into the cement,however just use simple normal nuts to hold the rack. One person with a wrench must have loosened these, then slipped the locked bike off of it and took it away. Seen in from on Vinoteca Sat Oct 29th.

 

 

 

MoCo Epic Maps

The final versions of the maps for the MoCo Epic maps are finished. There are two maps this year, one for the 25-mile course and another with the 35-mile, 45-mile and 100 km courses. The 115 km course is not show on the maps. Click on the images below to access the full size PDFs of the maps.

One shameless plug, if you use, like or appreciate the maps and live near DC, how about giving up one Saturday morning to help a charity I work with?  Food for All DC https://www.facebook.com/groups/40629580038/ or http://www.foodforalldc.org

The 25-mile course. Letter size

The 35-mile, 45-mile and 100 km courses. Tabloid size.