Documenting Rides - Photos, video & GPS

RSL · Aug 15, 2016

I tend to document everything motorcycle. Have done so for decades. Starting in 1999 I added keeping GPS files on my rides.

Most consider this a bit extreme but I enjoy referring to past rides when planning the next ride.

As an example of this, here is a snapshot of my last Sierra Mountain ride:

RSL · Aug 15, 2016

Lots of backroads too, roads like this:

RSL · Aug 15, 2016

Lonely roads that allow for photo stops like this:

RSL · Aug 15, 2016

Every ride documented with group photos:

RSL · Aug 15, 2016

The guys seem to like what the Hyperstrada can do:

beef tits · Aug 16, 2016

That is some hard-core dorking.

I just ride man. Don't care to chart it, graph it or analyze the data!

RSL · Aug 16, 2016

beef **** said:
That is some hard-core dorking.

I just ride man.

I've been putting on rides for friends since 1997 and even hosted AMA Dual Sport rides for 9 years, so have had a need to document everything. When people are paying for a ride, they expect a good one. When friends travel from across the US and Canada to ride one of my rides they appreciate the level of planning because we ride only the best of the best.

Mmisciag · Aug 23, 2016

How do you acquire the data from the Hyper? Are you using DDA?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

RSL · Aug 23, 2016

I capture all the data with the Garmin GPS, then upload everything into their free Basecamp. I review the data on both Windows and Mac as Basecamp offers different information on each.

flvraptor · Aug 23, 2016

Very cool! Wish our group was that organized.

monocog007 · Aug 23, 2016

It's definitely not easy keeping good documentation of long trips. Last April I organized an entire trip + hotels, camping, and navigation. We left MN to go to the MotoGP races in TX. 2500 miles round trip, over a week and a half. It took a lot of time to determine good routes over such a distance.

I hope next year we can find even better ones, as I'm taking extra time.

RSL · Aug 23, 2016

What I do is to collect great motorcycle roads from every reliable source and make routes for each on my computer. I color code the roads, similar to how Butler does.

I have a great collection of roads based on this research and personal exploration for the areas I enjoy riding.

As an example, here are the Rever online version of the Butler maps:

This is an example of the type of road I value:

Pashnit is helpful for California:

Older map of my favorite roads: (Offers a view of where I ride.)

RSL · Aug 23, 2016

I live for roads like these two:

RSL · Aug 23, 2016

A sample of one fun ride:

RSL · Aug 23, 2016

One more ride, the California Sampler:

RSL · Aug 23, 2016

A very wise person taught me something I have found to be important in my life.

There are three phases to fun:

1) Anticipation, planning and preparation.
2) The event.
3) Review afterward.

If each of these three phases are embraced fully the enjoyable experience is compounded in scale, which allows the experience to be more profound.

This is why I put the effort I do into steps 1 & 3.

kuksul08 · Aug 23, 2016

My friend calls what you're doing "mapsturbating". She'll spend weeks planning routes, where to stay, where to get food, where all the cool spots are. And it's so enjoyable that, well,

RSL · Aug 23, 2016

For me it is all about the best roads. Roads with little to no traffic. Roads with sufficient twists that we are looking for a straight section to rest. What I have concluded is that California is unique in that so many of the Forest Service roads are paved to allow for efficient access by fire teams. These paved backroads offer fun in massive doses.

By carefully connecting these into several days of riding, well that makes for a memorable ride.

RSL · Aug 23, 2016

Here is a link to my Shortcuts Movie from a couple years back.

Video Link: https://photos.smugmug.com/Movies/Rides/i-mVQrsNj/0/960/2011 Cecilville HD-960.mp4

RSL · Aug 23, 2016

Or this backroad, a bypass north and south. 55 miles of mountain ridge riding with east and west views.

Video Link: https://photos.smugmug.com/Movies/Rides/i-mh99NM9/0/960/Titlow Hill Road - 2009-960.mp4

So, yes I have made short movies of my favorite roads too.

Documenting Rides - Photos, video & GPS

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