GPS trackers

#1
The question is how to print off a route off of a spot tracker? The trip we are planning is to Cody Wy starting in Birchrun Michigan. There is several changes in direction but none affect the distance ie. any way route we use. Does any change in direction need a receipt because one is 30 miles from the start and the other is 158 miles. The change in direction from south to west the gas stop works but the 30 mile trip is just an extra stop.
 

Firstpeke

Well-Known Member
#2
Well you could print the map from Spot, but why would you need to?

If you need to mark a turn with Spot, set the default I'm OK message to send to yourself and anyone else involved and press the button at the turn....

Either that or set up a journey in Spot and send the ride verifier the link to that journey, as well as marking the corners with a message!

Others may advise better and of course YEMV.
 
#3
If there is no short cut that would cause you to not qualify for the ride. It is not a big deal. Took a quick look at google maps. 1573 to 1638 miles depending on which route taken. All are bun burners. Your Dated Business Receipts, every 350 miles or less, are your primary evidence. the Spot track is secondary.
 

EricV

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#5
@Conan - Don't stress about it too much. Are you planning a Bun Burner 1500 ride? LINK

What you're really asking about are called Satellite tracking devices, not GPS per se. Most people sign up for Spotwalla and create a trip there, linking their Spot or Delorme/Gamin satellite tracker, or even a cell phone app to the Spotwalla account. This gives them a link to share, which is a lot easier than trying to print a route.

You need to get an extra corner receipt if there is a short cut that could be taken. And generally speaking, it would need to be faster too to make any sense. You don't need to document every direction change, or document at the exact point you have the corner. You DO need to be able to show the path you took with your receipts so it's clear and obvious that you rode the route you said you did.

You can test your route and receipt choices ahead of time by plugging in the gas stations or other receipt location, (the dated business receipt, (DBR), does not have to be for gas, that's just a super easy one to use when you're getting gas anyway), into a mapping program like Google Maps.

If you plug in your receipt locations and it comes up with the same route you plan to ride, you're golden! If it finds a route shorter than what you intend to ride, then you're going to need another receipt to show your intended route. Figure out where it makes sense to do that, add that to the Google Maps route and see if it then shows your intended route. Yes, awesome, you figured it out. No, try a different receipt location or add an additional one until it maps the route you plan to take.

Hope that helps. You've got plenty of time for the Bun Burner 1500 ride. Enough to get some sleep in the middle of it. Don't be afraid to do that if you want or need to.
 
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Brian Thorn

Premier Member
#6
Hope that helps. You've got plenty of time for the Bun Burner 1500 ride. Enough to get some sleep in the middle of it. Don't be afraid to do that if you want or need to.
Agreed. I rode from Phoenix to Kansas and there is a little motel about 100 yards east of the KS border. The mom & pop place put a key for me in the box outside the office door and I let myself into the room; slept about six hours and then rode back home with plenty of time to spare even with the I-10 detour 20 miles from my home exit.
 
#7
I have another question? We start in Birchrun Michigan ending at North Platte Nebraska approx. 1040 miles. The next morning leaving North Platte Nebraska going to Cody Wy. This would give us 1650 miles in 36 hours. The down time at the hotel would be recorded. Is there a need to get another gas receipt that morning before leaving North Platte?
 

rneal55555

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#8
No just use the hotel receipt, if you need or want fuel get it but a specific fuel receipt shouldn't be required for the stop. That said I would probably get a fuel receipt prior to the hotel to document a SS1000 as a fall back so if a breakdown of something happens on day two you have it in the bank.
 

EricV

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#9
What Russ said. I'll add, just for clarification, that you want to document the hotel stop, just like you would any stop over 30 minutes or so. And the time at the hotel is still on the clock for your 36 hour window to do the 1500 miles. If you're over 1000 miles before 24 hours, do get a receipt to document the 'end' of your SS1K, even if you don't plan on submitting for one. Make sure the hotel receipt has the required time, date & location on it, just like your gas receipts. Sometimes the full size printed out ones don't. You can ask for a different type of receipt, or use an ATM, buy a candy bar, etc depending on what's convenient for you.

P.S. It's Birch Run, MI, not Birchrun. Might mess with your GPS if you enter it as one word. ;)
 

kerrizor

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#10
I would mention that a hotel receipt is probably ok, BUT that a number of rallies won't accept them, since, while it is computer generated, many are also... fudgable by the person at the counter, so they're a little less reliable as a definitive "proof" of location and time.

Now, I'm just sharing that, and it may not apply here, and while the IBA hasn't _said_ anything about it yet, that might change at some point in the future? ‍♀️
 

igneouss

Premier Member
#11
To expand on what Kerri said:
I have used hotel receipts for IBA certificate rides without issue. Note that they were 'main stream' brand hotels, it that matters. Conversely, for example, rallies run by Paul Tong (Heart of Texas, LDX) expressly forbid hotel receipts. ATM balance check receipts are always a good option. Another option is that many hotels sell candy and soda at the counter. Buy a candy bar using a credit/debit card and you will likely get a good DBR out of the deal.

If the IBA changed it's position on hotel receipts I would expect it would not be without decent warning.

For safety, I would get an additional ATM receipt for start and finish points if you're primary receipt is a hotel.
 

Gerry Arel

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#13
To expand on what Kerri said:
I have used hotel receipts for IBA certificate rides without issue. Note that they were 'main stream' brand hotels, it that matters. Conversely, for example, rallies run by Paul Tong (Heart of Texas, LDX) expressly forbid hotel receipts. ATM balance check receipts are always a good option. Another option is that many hotels sell candy and soda at the counter. Buy a candy bar using a credit/debit card and you will likely get a good DBR out of the deal.

If the IBA changed it's position on hotel receipts I would expect it would not be without decent warning.

For safety, I would get an additional ATM receipt for start and finish points if you're primary receipt is a hotel.
This ... I always get a candy/soda/something and pay with a credit card instead of charging it to the room when I check in. This may print a letter sized receipt but it is from a POS system with a time & trans number. Just in case. I always feel better having it.