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I often use it to check out my Airbnb digs before I book and so I can find it easily when I get there 
Touring tips
- Thread starter Mark H
- Start date
Like you, I don’t create my routes in Google, but there is nothing wrong with doing it, if people prefer it to other methods. I do though use Google My Maos to store some routes, just in case my Mac ever dies.
Similarly, like you I have sometimes used it to look at road junctions and even sometimes the signposts.
Not least, I have often used it to find a cafe or two, marking them in advance. Similarly, it is useful for checking out hotels, just to get a feel for the local environs.
Similarly, like you I have sometimes used it to look at road junctions and even sometimes the signposts.
Not least, I have often used it to find a cafe or two, marking them in advance. Similarly, it is useful for checking out hotels, just to get a feel for the local environs.
Quoting from above
Touring tips
Some people poo-poo using Google’s street view function to look at roads along a planned route.
I have no issue with folk researching a route to that level, not my thing though, I prefer to find out as I go along. I enjoy having random and variable plans and changing them as things happen. A nice looking bar with shade at 3pm might stop me for what turns out to be a great afternoon, a pre booked place I hate the look of on arrival might not be a great day.
Each to their own, fortunately. My random flexibility will sometimes result in imperfect days but it's worth it. For me.
Touring tips
Some people poo-poo using Google’s street view function to look at roads along a planned route.
I have no issue with folk researching a route to that level, not my thing though, I prefer to find out as I go along. I enjoy having random and variable plans and changing them as things happen. A nice looking bar with shade at 3pm might stop me for what turns out to be a great afternoon, a pre booked place I hate the look of on arrival might not be a great day.
Each to their own, fortunately. My random flexibility will sometimes result in imperfect days but it's worth it. For me.
Off to tour China ?
I still find it easier to plan routes on MRA using the web page rather than app.
Oh, I agree, it’s not compulsory. I created the post, as much as anything else, to hopefully give an idea to those bods who arrive on these pages asking for: “Tell me and my five mates, a great route (twisties, no motorways) from A to B”. If they don’t know what the roads will be like (and I’m guessing they will know what a motorway looks like on a map) they can find out between themselves…… if they make a bit of effort.
I used to tour with a mate who’s also occasionally on here.
He used to ‘fly’ the whole route on his iMac using a 3D mouse and Google Earth, FFS and tweak every last mile.
He used to send me route updates for my opinion.
Told him once that he’d planned us down a dead end road in Nice and he spent hours trying to find it.
How I laughed.
He then imposed the drop off system on our trips and we could only stop for coffee at a planned stop.
Stopped touring with him as its supposed to be a holiday, not a military exercise.
Me too. But zooming in on satellite view gets you most of the way there.
I plan my routes using MyRouteApp, but I normally have a Google maps window open as well and use sat view and street view extensively when planning routes. It definitely gives you pre-anchored visual cues if you are planning routes to places you haven't been before.
I was visually in Piesporter yesterday, planning part of my ride down to Budapest later this year. I used sat view to mark a waypoint at a fantastic viewpoint overlooking the town, vineyards and river and then the lovely hairpins that lead down through the vineyards. Then I went to Zell am See and used streetview to see if I could get our pack of bikes down to the front of the hotel we have booked along a pedestrian street. Looks like it is workable!
Anyway, I am a bit OCD, but I like to "Google-stalk" my routes for a sanity check before riding them.
I used Google Earth to look at some very small roads in Germany. One of my companions was riding her Honda sports bike, having just recovered from a badly broken hip. Knowing my delight in taking bods down some pretty bumpy roads, she was understandably a bit apprehensive. As I had no idea what the roads would actually be like, as some did not appear on a Michelin map, I used Google Earth to look at them, particularly those through forests or what seemed to just go across fields.
I reasoned that if:
A. People lived along them and owned conventional family cars, they were probably not entirely dirt goat tracks.
B. If the German authorities had gone to the trouble to paint road markings, then it was not a mud bath.
C. If I could see the occasional articulated lorry (not a log lorry) going along, then the roads would be OK.
It all worked out fine. If Google Earth received military grade satellite views, I’d probably have been able to see the manholes, too.
I reasoned that if:
A. People lived along them and owned conventional family cars, they were probably not entirely dirt goat tracks.
B. If the German authorities had gone to the trouble to paint road markings, then it was not a mud bath.
C. If I could see the occasional articulated lorry (not a log lorry) going along, then the roads would be OK.
It all worked out fine. If Google Earth received military grade satellite views, I’d probably have been able to see the manholes, too.
He sounds a lot of fun. Not the adventurous, explorer type then.
To me that seems a bit like watching a tense film but first, watching the end so you know where it's going, removing any surprise
Checking a hotel or similar makes sense, see how it looks etc.
I just came across this website while checking out areas in Tuscany, for me to visit, prior to going to the Mugello MotoGP races:
https://www.bikershotel.it
They list places all over Europe including Lossiemouth, Moray of all places!
I can see a few hours being spent on this site!
https://www.bikershotel.it
They list places all over Europe including Lossiemouth, Moray of all places!
I can see a few hours being spent on this site!
It's the Skerry Brae, min! Ah kain it fine!
Sent from me
Thank you kind sir!
I've been doing more "surfing" and there's a shed load of interesting places to visit!
My wife's away out for "once in a lifetime" pneumococol (that may be wrong) [anti-pneumonia] injection and I'm supposed to be setting the table and getting the wine opened to breath as we have friends (yes, I have a few but only a few) coming for haggis, neeps and tatties tonight!
Anyway, you're keeping me off my website review.
It's the Skerry Brae, min! Ah kain it fine!
Sent from me
I stopped in that dump a couple of times when I’d driven up to Lossiemouth to collect my kids. The breakfast was ok but the rest left much to be desired.
Pete won't be happy!
Not at all. I said ah kaint it. That's no a mark of approval. I'd always suggest that folk book at the Stotfield for preference. (If they can, it's often blocked with bookings from the base.) The Skerry has gone through a number of owners in recent years and that's never a good thing.
Sent from me
Sent from me
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