mikeyb Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Having done the previous 10CR, a couple of RBRRs and not to mention a few road rallies, I thought I would start this thread to share a bit of my experience with regard to preparing the maps and routebooks. I'm sure that once you have read my ramblings, a few more of you will be able to add to them! Of course you could just pick everything up and just drive, but don't forget that your navigator will not always be 100% alert and will probably still be shuffling through the paperwork as you miss that important turn!The first thing I did was take the map and routebook and highlight the whole route on both. Especially on the map, this will take a lot longer than you expect, partially due to the scale of the maps and partially because its a pretty long route! It took me 9 hours in the quiet hours of several night shifts to fully annotate the route from Calais to Beziers! On the routebook I also drew an arrow "in" and "out" the route on each page.Some colours are better than others (most are ok in the daylight but some - and I can't remember which - DISAPPEAR in torchlight! I drew mine in pink and think that it will be ok. I also found that when I highlighted the route incorrectly a couple of times that I could erase the pink by going over it with yellow! I also found Google maps to be useful to double check everything, if you zoom in you will even get street names! The second thing I did was to take the route book and group together each block of instructions referring to one page on the map, marking the group with the map page number it referred to. This way the map and route book can be picked up in a hurry and referenced together quickly!Next I highlighted the parts of the route book where we stay on the same road for an hour or more - handy for allowing then navigator to snatch a few power naps!Finally I stapled the additional Germany/Holland sheets to the relevant pages on the map book, marking on the map the points at which you jump on and off the extra sheets.I hope this info will be helpful to those of you who have not done this before, and maybe even those that have! Good luck and happy plotting!Mikey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJP Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Some nice tips Mike - I used yellow highlighter this time, I'm using the same AA Map book as 2007 and that route was marked in Pink! The only problem is some of the more detailed smaller roads aren't shown so I've used Google map prints as additions.I also spent some hours marking out the route, but also 'translated' the route book into 'english' by following the newly marked route in the Map Book, for example, The Les Deux Caps to Le Mans route now reads:A16 (E402) to Rouen (p28)Rouen - follow signs to A28(E402)A28(E402) to Le Mans (P42)At Exit 23 Follow Road Book/Sat NAv to Le Mans CheckpointI have done this for all the route book pages and put in some alternative routes should time/fatigue/car need a shorter or quicker route Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goody Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 If you like me need reading glasses be sure to bring two pair that will magnify the map at night under torch light! I did not do this on the last RBRR and found I could not see the fine print on the big AA map. Test your glasses beforehand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goody Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 If you like me need reading glasses be sure to bring two pair that will magnify the map at night under torch light! I did not do this on the last RBRR and found I could not see the fine print on the big AA map. Test your glasses beforehand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 One of the advantages of having done a fair few night rallies is that I now have a Don Barrow 'pottie'. This is a sturdy enclosed map magnifier with internal bulb so that the navigator can see the map clearly in a magnified form with illumination which doesn't impair the drivers view of the road with sideways glare which can be troublesome for us spectacle wearers.I heartily recommend this product which I now take with me wherever I go when driving a long way especially at night, during the day you simply don't switch the light on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonWD Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 I must agree with Steve; that Autoroute roadbook is neigh on useless and needs to be heavily edited to make any sense of it.It takes for ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Very comprehensive Mike...... are you taking this too seriously :P?In the process of battling with a new (Garmin) satnav I'm having to go through co-ordinates for the various stop points as there doesn't seem to be any other way to get them in there (maybe I'm just too thick to own a sat-nav :-/).In the course of this I'm checking on google maps and this seems to show that we are meeting at the cemetry in Condom - is this right......?! Does someone have an odd sense of humour?Another thing that foxes me slightly (again maybe it's me), but although we have co-ordinates for these points and directions to them, we don't actually know what we are looking for when when get there..... or is this part of the game :-/Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goody Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 Haveing never been to Europe before I concur. I zoomed in on the points Jason put on Google Earth and found things like the side of the Motorway, Roundabout in the center of a town and so forth. Me thinks we just gonna follow someone. Maby hook a tow rope? I do hope someone will have the lat/long or something like a post code I can enter into one of our 3 Tom-Tom's. I did find the LaMans Track! Cemetary sounds right as we all will be dead tired! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 In the spirit of the 10CR halts are "where the Triumphs are" - it'll be obvious, if it isn't and you're the only car there just take a picture for proof and crack on without "fannying about" 8)All this talk of road book preparation worries me - what are you going to do on the ferry?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJP Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Jason wrote:All this talk of roab book preparation worries me - what are you going to do on the ferry??Get some sleep? :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bancroft Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Be patient, Ellis and co have not been able to comprehensively recce the route, so a certain degree of lateral thinking may be needed. Please do not expect the same degree of detail one gets on the RBRR, Nigel and me are able to recce the RBRR very comprehensively-in fact we will be getting the maps out soon and heading off into Wales and the Scottish Borders soon!As for doing all this map colouring, reckon I'll do mine on Wednesday-nice and fresh for the old memory! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 76Spit wrote:Get some sleep? :PNaaa, that's what Tueday is for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bancroft Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Tough cookie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Jason wrote:Naaa, that's what Tueday is forI'm gettinmg mine on Wednesday.The day before to prep myself, and back at work the following one..... Zzzzzzzz(sleep)Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonWD Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 I have done the Calais to Andorra on Google Maps for anyone to have a look at:http://tinyurl.com/10CR-Part1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velocita Rosso Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9b7CgTIRKUSomone up there is against us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Steve Gallacher said it for me in a recent mail!I quote Yes this is hard, it’s an endurance, but as you can see what with all the lack of sleep , the memories you take back of 50 Triumphs driving through Europe sweeping roads in the Alps and a bottle of Leffe in Rolduc will be with you for ever.Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 timbancroft61 wrote:Be patient, Ellis and co have not been able to comprehensively recce the route, so a certain degree of lateral thinking may be needed. Please do not expect the same degree of detail one gets on the RBRR, Nigel and me are able to recce the RBRR very comprehensively-in fact we will be getting the maps out soon and heading off into Wales and the Scottish Borders soon!As for doing all this map colouring, reckon I'll do mine on Wednesday-nice and fresh for the old memory!I'm not really bothered about finding my way around in general (famous last words). Just that if I'm required to report to a specific location in a town (ie a cemetery) and take photographic evidence (assuming I can't find any Triumphs), I'd like some idea of what I'm looking for. If it is simply enough to prove that I was in Condom ( or Le Mans or Andorra or where-ever) then no worries.Not sure what degree of accuracy is required......? Any ruling on this? Obviously we shall be aiming for 100% accuracy on the hotel stops ;DNick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyb Posted September 6, 2009 Author Share Posted September 6, 2009 Satnavs will be great for getting you between fixed points , but don't expect them to follow the exact route in the roadbook - even using Ellis' itineries! Depending on what calc you set (ie fastest route, scenic route etc.) a different way will be plotted. I took one section in Italy at random, messed around with the calc settings and got 3 different routes from A to B, not one which tallied exactly with the roadbook!So regarding satnavs, my advice is use them as backup, use them for shortcuts if you fall behind, use them to navigate tricky bits in towns and use them to highlight motorway junctions on the long dark stretches! But don't rely on them instead of the map - you might not see so many Triumphs as you go!Last time, I packed a Satnav but left the Europe maps on the desk at home! The only time I really regretted that was upon reaching Lake Maggiore in Italy for the 1st overnight rest, tired and hungry - then to spend 1.5 hrs driving around the locality trying to find the hotel - doh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Well yes, exactly that. Have put the co-ordinates in for the various stop points plus a couple of others, but otherwise we shall be on the maps.Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonWD Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Speaking of Hotels... what are the addresses? The Roadbook just says; Arrive Hotel Beziers ...etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 They're in the original Hotel booking email from Ellis.BeziersIbis - http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-0683-ibis-beziers-est/index.shtmlEtap - http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-2721-etap-hotel-beziers-echangeur-est/index.shtmlRolduchttp://rolduc.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonWD Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Thanks for the Hotel details :)I have added more to the Google route:http://tinyurl.com/10CR-Part1-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 I've plotted the stops... on my bespoke GPS tracking page :)www.mintylamb.co.uk/gps/James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don cook1 Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 "If it is simply enough to prove that I was in Condom..." Nick...that's a photo that makes me feel ill! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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