The Mesh DIY planner

[alan]

I have just discovered this on the AUK website.It's something that I could get enthusiastic about for using where/when no calendar events are convenient for me.
This could be the incentive I have been looking for to get back into regular riding & developing my further/faster ambitions.
It's perhaps enough to get me to join AUK.

[Chris S]

Yes, I've made use of it in the past. Danial's the man these days: Danial's Audax Pages.

Very useful tool for those tortured by RRTY madness - The Mesh and DIYs are saviours come the winter.

[MSeries]

alan is well placed for some excellent winter rides. I'd recommend calendar events where you can, for the company, routesheet, etc. I've not used any of the Meshes since my town of abode isn't on any, but other club members use them. I use DIYs, suits me well

[DanialW]

You don't need to start or finish on a mesh node. You can control at your start point, then ride to the first node as a further control. I calculate that distance in the same way I would a DIY.

[DanialW]

BTW, even though we have DIYs, the Mesh remains incredibly popular. I think I've posted out about 25 cards for it this week.

[Datameister]

I think I've posted out about 25 cards for it this week.

They haven't arrived yet, but I'm hitting the mesh for the first time this Sunday. Are the 'other' areas of the UK MeshMapped for when I get fed up of the Midlands?

[Martin]

I think I've posted out about 25 cards for it this week.

They haven't arrived yet, but I'm hitting the mesh for the first time this Sunday. Are the 'other' areas of the UK MeshMapped for when I get fed up of the Midlands?

the whole 0f the Uk south of somewhere oop naarth is meshed AFAIK; there aren't actual turn by turn routes between every node but AUK members are free to add their own on the AUK website along with possible control places shops garages etc; I've done a few between some of the Southern ones.

AIUI if you make up a route composed of nodes it is awarded de facto with the minimum distance between each as shown on the mesh so there's no need to resort to Auroroute viamichelin or whatever just join up the relevant number of legs to make your required distance.

AIalsoUI the nodes were selected as having Audax friendly roads between them as the shortest route.

[DanialW]

I think I've posted out about 25 cards for it this week.

They haven't arrived yet, but I'm hitting the mesh for the first time this Sunday. Are the 'other' areas of the UK MeshMapped for when I get fed up of the Midlands?

I sent out a batch of envelopes yesterday morning; second class. If you get nothing before you want to ride, drop me a line and we'll arrange a stopgap.

[tonyh]

They haven't arrived yet

You've probably got them now. Mine came yesterday, thanks to the Meshmaster.

Mesh Rides can take you through good places you might not have noticed (Calendar events and DIYs of course do this as well, but in subtly different ways) and it can be engaging trying to perfect the route from X to Y for the given conditions and time of day/night. Ongoing thanks to the earlier Inventor and Meshmaster, also of this parish I believe.

AIUI the nodes were selected as having Audax friendly roads between them as the shortest route.

Some legs seem like that, and some seem (to me) more "entertaining", a bit like the best legs of orienteering courses!

AIUI if you make up a route composed of nodes it is awarded de facto with the minimum distance between each as shown on the mesh so there's no need to resort to Auroroute viamichelin or whatever just join up the relevant number of legs to make your required distance.

Is that really so? I thought only the shortest distances actually counted, and the distances on the Mesh Map (and the Planner) were just a guide. Eg I've just planned a 600 (I can dream) which comes to 603 shortest, 622 on the Map and the Planner.

[Martin]

I thought only the shortest distances actually counted, and the distances on the Mesh Map (and the Planner) were just a guide. Eg I've just planned a 600 (I can dream) which comes to 603 shortest, 622 on the Map and the Planner.

I expect Danial will be along in a minute to clarify this; in practice it's quite awkward even using the mesh distances to come up with an exact number of 100kms for a route and you often have to overshoot (and then take into account the extra km from choosing a laney route; as an example a non-mesh DIY I did in April which was awarded 203km direct between controls weighed in at nearly 230 on the day using my HGV avoiding route)

from Danial's page;

My ride was a lot longer than the Mesh distance. Why?

Distances between nodes are calculated using the shortest possible distance. This is often, but not always, a main road. If you've chosen another, more scenic route, the distance may well be longer.

[MSeries]

I've not done a mesh AFAIK but I have read the docs about them. It is my understanding that one simply adds up the distances given in the mesh map.

Q: How do I go about submitting an entry for a Eastern Peak and Plains Mesh starting and finishing in Morley which isn't on the mesh ? How do I get the distance from Morley to the first mesh place included ?

[Chris N]

Q: How do I go about submitting an entry for a Eastern Peak and Plains Mesh starting and finishing in Morley which isn't on the mesh ? How do I get the distance from Morley to the first mesh place included ?

Autoroute, ViaMichelin or ask the organiser, same as a DIY.

IMO, DIYs are better than the Mesh.  I don't like where the Mesh goes in my neck of the woods, so roll my own, as it were.

[MSeries]

Q: How do I go about submitting an entry for a Eastern Peak and Plains Mesh starting and finishing in Morley which isn't on the mesh ? How do I get the distance from Morley to the first mesh place included ?

Autoroute, ViaMichelin or ask the organiser, same as a DIY.

I can calculate the distance from home to say Selby for sure. It's the getting it included in the overall distance calculation that  I am asking about. The document I read didn't really say.

[Chris N]

Ah, yes - just add it on to the mesh distance and include the start/finish controls on the entry form, along with the intermediate mesh controls.

[Paul D]

I exchanged a couple of emails with Danial before I bought a batch of mesh cards and we agreed 'standard' distances from Blandford to four locals towns on the mesh.

[DanialW]

yep, what Paul and Chris said. We can agree a distance from your start poinr to your first node.

[MSeries]

sadly there is not email address for my local mesh organiser and I ain't going to write letters when I know how to do DIY Perms

[don black]

Does anyone use this?
Don Black

[Ian H]

Friends and I have used it for Mesh rides. Works pretty well. I'm not entirely sure how accurate the distances are for DIY planning as the DIY organisers will be checking the routes electronically, and anything even slightly under-distance fails. But all the Mesh routes I've ever done have been over.

[Weirdy Biker]

I've used it to start an outline for a couple of DIYs and possible calendar events.  But not used it "in anger" as it were.

It is actually a very good resource. Of course, if someone made it a clickable map of the UK, that would be fantastic...

[MSeries]

Not used it. Is it official ? I mean if I use it will the DIY org. use the same distances ? I don't think so. And I don't think my location is on it. It's not on the Eastern Peak and Plains Mesh anyway, therefore not much use to me. BUT I am thinking of using Simon Ws EP&PM and his chart of distances as I'm finding it harder to get DIYs approved as I don't have the same software as my Org uses so getting a route approved amounts to trial and error which is frustrating and time consuming to me and the Org.

[Ian H]

Not used it. Is it official ? I mean if I use it will the DIY org. use the same distances ? I don't think so. And I don't think my location is on it. It's not on the Eastern Peak and Plains Mesh anyway, therefore not much use to me. BUT I am thinking of using Simon Ws EP&PM and his chart of distances as I'm finding it harder to get DIYs approved as I don't have the same software as my Org uses so getting a route approved amounts to trial and error which is frustrating and time consuming to me and the Org.

Perhaps the answer is to use the cards appropriate to the route chosen - buy some off Simon.

[Chris S]

It's like Open Source Software.

It is not there just to be used. It's there to be contributed to, enhanced, and improved by us - as well as used. A few of us gave it an initial shot in the arm to get it started; but from then on it's down to how much contribution it gets from the "readership". Not Much has been the input so far.

If you want it to get better - the only people who are going to do it is us (the online AUK membership).

[Deano]

Not used it. Is it official ? I mean if I use it will the DIY org. use the same distances ? I don't think so. And I don't think my location is on it. It's not on the Eastern Peak and Plains Mesh anyway, therefore not much use to me. BUT I am thinking of using Simon Ws EP&PM and his chart of distances as I'm finding it harder to get DIYs approved as I don't have the same software as my Org uses so getting a route approved amounts to trial and error which is frustrating and time consuming to me and the Org.

Graham Hines' Northern Climes is supposed to link with other meshes.  Or, since it doesn't start in your home town, you could agree a point on the map with the organiser a certain distance from home,  and ride it that way.

northern climes cycle mesh

I've only ridden DIYs.  I prefer the freedom of choosing my own controls, though this relies on local knowledge and my experience is limited.

[MSeries]

Not used it. Is it official ? I mean if I use it will the DIY org. use the same distances ? I don't think so. And I don't think my location is on it. It's not on the Eastern Peak and Plains Mesh anyway, therefore not much use to me. BUT I am thinking of using Simon Ws EP&PM and his chart of distances as I'm finding it harder to get DIYs approved as I don't have the same software as my Org uses so getting a route approved amounts to trial and error which is frustrating and time consuming to me and the Org.

Perhaps the answer is to use the cards appropriate to the route chosen - buy some off Simon.

What do you mean ? Use Eastern Peak and Plains Mesh ? It's what I am thinking of doing and already swapped a few messages about agreeing the distance from my start town, i.e. where I live, to some nodes on the mesh.