Improving our course maps

William Gravely · **Posted:** Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:31 pm

Saw this online and thought I would bring it up.

http://forum.ssccracing.org/course_maps ... f-2008.pdf

Regardless of the course design itself, there's a couple things I think we could learn from in regards to the map:

1. Worker stations are on the map to help streamline people getting on station.

2. The map is made overlaying an image of the site (in this case, a parking lot) with annotations regarding the surface.

Now I know we have some talented photoshoppers in the club, can't we make a simplified (printer-friendly) version of a google earth satellite image for each site and use that to overlay the course maps on?

Say, for example, a first-timer shows up in Sanford. Don't we want to have some graphical representation of the certain doom that lies at the end of the taxiway if you don't make the turn? I think someone mentioned there being pirates down there at the last sanford event...

Carl Fisher · **Posted:** Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:50 pm

Hey William, I think it's high time for you to be an event chair! You can show us what a good course map looks like...

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

Sounds like we have a volunteer!

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

Wow. That's way better than the course map we had today.

William Gravely · **Posted:** Sun Sep 14, 2008 11:38 pm

The example I posted isn't exactly the most professional looking with the highlighter it's got going on (although it does get the point across), but you know maybe I'll cook up a prototype.

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

Prototype not. Do or do not, there is no prototype.

But thanks for volunteering to map our four sites for us as a template. :woo:

William Gravely · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:26 am

Okay I'll host one on my duke server space tomorrow so you all can see it.

It'll be textbook.

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:48 am

Course maps are a courtesy.

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:42 am

You’ve got a great idea, but I think what the others here are inferring is, while that’s great in theory, you never really have a course design until AFTER you lay out the course. You can draw it up, plan it in your head, run it over and over mentally, then when you lay it out, it’s just wrong,

no flow, or worse, unsafe. So, you reset, run, reset, run, etc. Then, finally, around 6PM (sometimes later) you, your co-chair and the GM think you’re done. You’re hot, tired, hungry and dirty. OK, now, go find that template, draw the “real” course on it and go searching Danville, Laurinburg, Sanford or G’vegas for a print shop.

See the dilemma? However, you can beat the system. Draw your own map, make your own notes. After 4-5 years you have a bunch of maps and a bunch of notes. I actually know someone who does that. :wink:

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:10 am

Gwen Baake wrote:

Then, finally, around 6PM (sometimes later) you, your co-chair and the GM think you’re done.

Or the more likely scenario...Finally around 6PM you say "F' it! I'm not changing this course one more time. If people don't like it, tough. They'll just bitch about it Monday morning anyway. I want a beer."

And then once you have had a beer or 12, you decide that course maps are for pansies.

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

Quote:

And then once you have had a beer or 12, you decide that course maps are for pansies.

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:33 am

Todd Breakey wrote:

I want a beer."

Oh, yeah, I forgot "thirsty". :toast:

Michael Hankewycz · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:59 am

Multiple course walks > Course map

Jeff Eng · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:46 am

How about using a big white board and a marker. Save a tree.

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

I'm still waiting to hear how we're going to have a legible map that is to scale for Laurinburg that is easily printable on 8.5x11 paper. :wink:

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