Author Topic: VeloViewer Explorer Score and Max Square (Read 350414 times)

Bolt · « **Reply #900 on:** 28 April, 2020, 10:02:56 pm »

I'm interested in what route planning aids others are using in their tile bagging quests. The best option I've come up with so far is to use Garmin Bascecamp with an "overlay" of my unexplored tiles downloaded from Veloviewer. The challenge with this method is to balance the routing profile to allow for potential off-road meanderings combined with relatively fast and straightforward routes to the area of interest.

Pingu · « **Reply #901 on:** 28 April, 2020, 10:07:10 pm »

I also have the tiles from VV in Basecamp. I create routes in RideWithGPS and import them into Basecamp in the same folder as the tiles. I can then see easily if the route goes far enough into a tile to bag it.

Tiles and tracks can then be sent to the GPS device.

Greenbank · « **Reply #902 on:** 28 April, 2020, 10:13:26 pm »

My solution is documented earlier in this thread: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=108374.msg2334829#msg2334829

(I use gpxeditor.co.uk and some scripts to convert the 'unexplored tiles' kml file into a GPX file I can use to make it easier to plot routes.)

As for the actual route, they're all manually done. I generally plot the rough pattern I want to go through the tiles and then drag the routes about to tweak as desired. Some have come out pretty well and very efficient in terms of distance per tile.

D.A.L.E. · « **Reply #903 on:** 28 April, 2020, 10:26:46 pm »

Identify an area in Veloviewer that I fancy riding, then I'll use RidewithGPS to plot it, supplementing with OSMaps (in the UK), Google Maps, Strava Heatmaps, Trailforks (I'm in North America) when needed.

I want to go get some new squares on the North Shore but they're all up massive feckin hills.

Deano · « **Reply #904 on:** 28 April, 2020, 11:25:14 pm »

Quote from: D.A.L.E. on 21 April, 2020, 04:30:19 pm

So what's with the Reading bashing? Really that bad? When I come back to the UK, it's looking like that will be the destination.

It's just fear of a black Kennett.

Revolution9 · « **Reply #905 on:** 29 April, 2020, 07:35:12 am »

I use the VeloViewer Chrome Extension for Strava

When creating new or editing existing routes in Strava you can see a “VeloViewer Explorer” toggle in the “Map View Options” that turns on the outlines of the explorer tiles along with your completed tiles, max square and max cluster.

There is also similar toggle that turns on the heat map, so I can see which routes have be ridden in the past.

As an additional check, I export this route to RidewithGPS where I can use the yellow Google man to make sure my route uses roads rather than tracks

Greenbank · « **Reply #906 on:** 29 April, 2020, 08:18:41 am »

Forgot to say I'd do my initial plan in Paint on a screengrab from VV and another window with a zoomed in version of the VV map so I can make sure the roads are vaguely suitable (no point picking off a tile by using the M25 for example).

Once you do a few you get a feel for how long the actual ride is.

Here's an example of my plan for a while ago (all these rides are done now):-

Davef · « **Reply #907 on:** 29 April, 2020, 08:45:13 am »

Veloviewer have written an add in for the strava route planner.

I use that to plan the route and then I have my own gpx viewer that downloads from strava and displays on o/s maps. I find this useful to check bridleways. That then uploads to garmin.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

L CC · « **Reply #908 on:** 29 April, 2020, 08:46:13 am »

Quote from: Revolution9 on 29 April, 2020, 07:35:12 am

I use the VeloViewer Chrome Extension for Strava

When creating new or editing existing routes in Strava you can see a “VeloViewer Explorer” toggle in the “Map View Options” that turns on the outlines of the explorer tiles along with your completed tiles, max square and max cluster.

There is also similar toggle that turns on the heat map, so I can see which routes have be ridden in the past.

As an additional check, I export this route to RidewithGPS where I can use the yellow Google man to make sure my route uses roads rather than tracks

I do this, with added OS mapping. Like Davef but without my own GPS viewer

Bolt · « **Reply #909 on:** 29 April, 2020, 09:35:48 am »

Ah! I have had the VV chrome extension installed for a while now but I never realised it also integrated with the Strava route planner. This is brilliant and just the kind of solution I was looking for, thanks all

Graeme · « **Reply #910 on:** 29 April, 2020, 11:58:59 am »

VV Helper App combined with RwGPS and sometimes rowmaps.com

I'm using RideWithGPS to plot the route - out of habit really. Mainly because I've paid for the use of it and it's what I've used to share routes for Audax events.

With RwGPS on my laptop, I use the VV Helper App on my phone to zoom in on specific tiles and work out whether the route I'm plotting actually goes where I've 'never been before'. When it comes to collecting tiles that are awkward - you know, the ones with no access - I use the satellite view to visualise which edge of a field I might need to squidge along. I like that the VV Helper App has the ability to switch between mapping styles.

If I'm not sure whether a trail is legal or not, I use rowmaps.com in both the planning and outdoor stages. Once or twice when I've come across a barrier over a bridleway: I get a lot more confidence heading across a field with a "No Access" sign if I know for certain that it's really okay.

While on the road I'll check awkward tiles and whether I'm actually in them using the VV Helper App. It really is a great tool, but I've stopped using the OSMand plugin because I didn't find it helpful.

I have got OS mapping and Windy Maps for while I'm out and about, but rarely use them.

Jack_P · « **Reply #911 on:** 01 May, 2020, 03:41:18 pm »

Davef pretty local to me in Northants there.

The Strava plugin is great, and use that alot but the mapping is poor. I also use an old program with OS mapping called Tracklogs which has not been updated for years, which makes it fun sometimes when I meet new roads or housing estates.
As my nearest new tiles are 50 miles away I spice up lockdown rides by starting again locally for 2020. This is a bit more labour intensive as there is no year based KML for guidance, something which Ben had said he planned for a more Explorer based page in VV, before lockdown scuppered his plans of taking on a member of staff to help.

PeeJay · « **Reply #912 on:** 01 May, 2020, 04:12:42 pm »

You can look at your Strava generated routes overlayed on an OS map within Veloviewer. On the Routes tab filter by name to just select the route(s) you want and change the map to OS (UK Only).

PeeJay · « **Reply #913 on:** 01 May, 2020, 04:18:25 pm »

I've also been using lockdown to work on my 2020 squares. Perfect for solo rides to out of the way places and gives me some motivation and purpose for my rides at the mo.
Currently on 19x19 max square and 531 cluster for 2020 so far.

All time max Square is 43x43 and 2837 cluster.

telstarbox · « **Reply #914 on:** 02 May, 2020, 02:27:03 pm »

Does anyone else find that VV sometimes loses old rides from your map? I just noticed that one from January was missing which meant a load of previously 'ticked' squares weren't showing up. Clicking on Update sorted it.

fuaran · « **Reply #915 on:** 02 May, 2020, 02:55:48 pm »

Quote from: telstarbox on 02 May, 2020, 02:27:03 pm

Does anyone else find that VV sometimes loses old rides from your map? I just noticed that one from January was missing which meant a load of previously 'ticked' squares weren't showing up. Clicking on Update sorted it.

Check if you have any filters set. ie for activity type, or date or distance etc. If so, it won't show everything. Click the blue arrow above the map to show filters.

Ivo · « **Reply #916 on:** 02 May, 2020, 04:33:55 pm »

Quote from: PeeJay on 01 May, 2020, 04:18:25 pm

I've also been using lockdown to work on my 2020 squares. Perfect for solo rides to out of the way places and gives me some motivation and purpose for my rides at the mo.
Currently on 19x19 max square and 531 cluster for 2020 so far.

All time max Square is 43x43 and 2837 cluster.

even that was temporarily stopped for me as during the past weeks the adjacent hilly area was closed off for non locals. I live only 3-4km from it's border but not inside so I douldn't enter it.
Everything to the west and south is blocked due to closed borders.
So I'm very limited at the moment when it comes to adding new tiles.

fimm · « **Reply #917 on:** 04 May, 2020, 04:04:05 pm »

I'm being really stupid (and too lazy to re-read the thread) - where does it give you the numbers on your cluster and maximum square?
I've been having fun tile-hunting recently - went to places just off my usual routes that I have never been to before at the weekend. I think I now have three overlapping 11x11 squares...

EDIT ignore me, found it, you float over the square/cluster toggle buttons on the map. Cluster is up to 292.

Greenbank · « **Reply #918 on:** 04 May, 2020, 04:33:46 pm »

Quote from: fimm on 04 May, 2020, 04:04:05 pm

I'm being really stupid (and too lazy to re-read the thread) - where does it give you the numbers on your cluster and maximum square?
I've been having fun tile-hunting recently - went to places just off my usual routes that I have never been to before at the weekend. I think I now have three overlapping 11x11 squares...

EDIT ignore me, found it, you float over the square/cluster toggle buttons on the map. Cluster is up to 292.

That's one place but the canonical place is the Summary tab and in "Activity Stats" box there's a bunch of stuff including:-

"
Explorer score:
5836 tiles, average of 4.586 km per tile
Max square 18x18 View map
Max Cluster: 511 KML
"

Revolution9 · « **Reply #919 on:** 04 May, 2020, 04:49:19 pm »

Some more main road bashing, to get the tiles on roads i wouldn't normally consider riding on.

Saturday was up the A7 and over Soutra Aisle to the A68, then back South over Soutra (OCD 363m)

Sunday was the now weekly cross-border raid to Cornhill-on-Tweed for coffee, trying to use different roads from my previous rides.

Tiles are now up to by 22 to 9983
Max square is still 17x17, but my cluster increased by 55, to 651.

With the lambing season all but over, and Friday being a holiday, I may venture off-road to increase my Max Square.

rr · « **Reply #920 on:** 04 May, 2020, 10:26:42 pm »

I use the vv ad in to plan routes in strava, checking rights of way on the OS maps in Bing. Down load the gps and unload it into garmin connect and hence to my edge 500, also upload the gps into viewranger to deal with any difficulties on the ride.
Have been working at edges of my square the progressed from one 14×14 to 4 14×14 to 4 15×15 and now 3 16×16.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #921 on:** 05 May, 2020, 05:29:50 am »

Went out on Sunday to get the tricky tile at Düsseldorf Airport - you have to ride through the short stay/drop off area, normally a nightmare in a car even. I wasn’t actually sure if it were possible although rideeverytile showed 5 people had managed it, but not on velomobile!

I decided Corona time and Sunday early was the only time it would be safely possible for me.

So a 92km ride planned, and off we went at 8:30am.

I couldn’t use the track I had planned as it took us on roads not allowed for bikes. The cycle path had some gates that we could not pass through with the velomobiles but eventually we made it to a long stay car parking area on the outside of the airport complex.

Really spooky. Acres of concrete parking with signed rows... nothing there except grass pushing up between the brick paving.

Further along fast roads, 4 lanes, normally chocka - not a single car.

We ended up exactly where we needed to be. We saw no normal cars but one airport security van and one police van. We saw one person on one of the elevated trains. We saw no humans walking around but loads of cyclists. Who knew that cyclists visit an airport for their Sunday constitutional?

We bagged the tile and made our way out again. I wish I had taken more photos of the empty airport as it was just so weird!

fimm · « **Reply #922 on:** 05 May, 2020, 03:04:06 pm »

Quote from: Greenbank on 04 May, 2020, 04:33:46 pm

That's one place but the canonical place is the Summary tab and in "Activity Stats" box there's a bunch of stuff including:-

Oh. Yes. I knew I was being stupid.
Got another couple of squares last night, including a bit of off-roading (though not as comedy as the bit at the weekend where I walked a km of track rather than retrace my steps quite a long way...)

Davef · « **Reply #923 on:** 07 May, 2020, 11:15:07 am »

Evidence that tile hunting is getting popular!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

andyoxon · « **Reply #924 on:** 07 May, 2020, 02:06:30 pm »

I've been postponing my tile bagging recently, as round trips to the unexplored outer reaches of my cluster are a tad on the long side. Having failed to get OSMand mapping to display the VV helper app offline grid, I found a workaround - using the unbagged tile vv kml file download, import in basecamp (useful as check before etrex upload), save as a gpx, import into osmand and display the tiles (as a gpx).

Though actually it's quite rare for me not to have some mobile data reception.