Dirt Road Database

We’ve moved!

jcj148 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:48:00 +0000

What, already? By moving to a dedicated URL, we can provide more features for you. Like a wiki. So we took the plunge. Our new home is www.dirtdata.org, with the blog living at www.dirtdata.org/blog and the wiki, suprizingly is www.dirtdata.org/wiki

This at blog at this address become inactive. Please leave all comments on the new blog.

Thanks for all the interest so far.

-The Dirt Database Crew

Updates, News

jcj148 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:41:20 +0000

The Dirt Road Database is going to be moving to a dedicated URL soon: dirtdata.org

There will be a blog component, and a user updatable wiki as well. I am figuring out the lay out, but if anyone has ideas regarding content, tutorials, links, ect, let me know via the comments and I will take them under consideration. This a collaborative project, even if there is just a few people at the helm so to speak, you all can steer the ship. I’ll post the wiki and blog address as soon as there is some content up.

The Frederick map has been viewed over 1,200 times now, and has over 100 notations. Pretty good for a project that just started last week. Lets keep trucking. Er, Mapping. I am working on a Mass. Map, dozens of roads up there to get down. I’ll post it soon.

-johnson

for all you bloggers who care

jcj148 — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:30:03 +0000

if you have a website, or a blog, that is interested in getting the dirt road database word out, here is a banner ad to use. there is no money being made off of this, so its like a non profit ad, or something. the database is going strong in the frederick area, but word needs to spread. if you belong to any cycling forums, please post an announcement whereever it is appropriate. if you have a blog, make an entry about it, with a link. this is all assuming you actually think this is a good idea, which, if you have read this far, you already probaly do. here’s the banner ad. you get to make it into a link somehow. click to resize.

map making notes, news

jcj148 — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:12:16 +0000

the frederick area map is going strong. however: when adding roads, please note their names. ‘line 81′ isn’t too informative. the good news: the frederick map has over 84 notations on it, so its trucking along.

Berks County, PA (reading area)

jcj148 — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 02:46:04 +0000

fxdwhl, over at ‘lockring not included’ has provided us with this map of the reading PA area.

thanks, dude.

(link should be fixed now)

Vermont, PA

jcj148 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:06:09 +0000

ok my first PA map didnt work. Here is my new one, with maybe 1/16th of the dirt roads, if that. we are literally surrounded by them. i started a VT map, with the hope that Neil can fill in the blanks. Joking Neil. Only if you are super bored. that would be quite the task, I bet. all the dirt he knows in VT.

Here are the links

centre co, PA

vermont, in general

just 4 VT roads, over 30 PA roads, plus springs, views, ect.

send new maps in as you got em kid, even if it its just a few roads. anything at all is a start.

First Links

jcj148 — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:48:54 +0000

frederick area map

centre county, PA map

neither are done, or close to it. get on it.

A brief introduction to this blog.

jcj148 — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:25:52 +0000

What if there was not only a route mapping site that allowed users to tag roads according to surface, but also made notes of where there were potable springs, country stores with ice cream sandwiches, and included tagged pictures of overlooks, vistas, sites of note, ect. Wouldnt that be great? Users could search by town, state or county and get a list of user generated tags, ride info, and visual information.

The Dirt Road Database is a collaborative effort started at Ridelugged, masterminded by ride565, to make this pipe dream (its a bubble pipe, lets face it) come true. Using the personalized part of google maps, users can create and collaborate on maps that help locate, name, and classify non-paved surfaces in thier area.

This could easily get out of hand, random symbols meaning random things. lets start off with a level of standardization: ie the soft drink and burger symbol always means a place to grab a bite. The following is an initial key to help users navigate and create thier own tags, roads, and commentary.

for now, brown lines= dirtish road surface. i would like to get into tagging roads more accurately in the future: ie if you know a surface is gravel, chances are in the spring it gets regraded, making it hard to ride on. actual dirt roads dont have this issue, but get muddy fast.

Grey lines= roads you know are gravel

Green lines= fireroads, aka really rough roads, or roads that are hardly more than wagon tracks. please note if these pass thru private land, or are excessively rocky. where do i make these notes? well when you are finished drawing your colored line, this dialog box comes up:

but, yours wont be filled in yet. name the road, and then in the comments, if you know: list if the road isnt marked (no street sign) how to recognize it (if it isnt marked) and other important info.

let us know if there is food. we like to eat. even if its off course. of particular interest: places with wooden floors, places that make really good whatever, places that have cheap beer, places with places to sit down.

warn us that we are about to die. tell us why. is the big dog on a chain? is the bridge out? is the giant pit of snakes bunnyhopable?

is there something you dont know? is there a bridge? let us know that you dont know. the water icon means river ford. like yer feet get wet, kinda thing.

i like pictures. add them, or at least let us know where the good photo ops are. camera icon does that.

the turquoise thumb tack means potable water, or semi potable. let us know which it is, in the note. i drink from a lot of springs and streams, but i’ll let you know if its a spring or just some stream.

invent more things, but make them obvious/simple. this is a map, not a treasure hunt. over informative is better than under, so go crazy. remember, we dont care about real pavement. this isnt a traditional route planner. dont use it directly to plot rides. use it as a tool to plot rides using lovely sites like routeslip and bikely, and even gmap-pedometer. in short have fun, meet new people, ect.

lets use this blog space to post links to maps, (and when you do, categorize it under the appropriate headings: state and county. make a category if yers isnt there yet. lets make this viral. i’ll advertise it around. you do the same.

also, post dirt roady rides here. we’ll try to get the word out.