Benton MacKaye Trail in the NY Times

[SGT Rock]

There is supposed to be a relo in that area now - but I don't have the data.
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Edit...

Also, I didn't make those maps exactly. I had to do some searching myself and found them on a site called Georgia Hikes: http://www.georgiahikes.com/main.asp

Once I found them, I realized they were not all set up the best way for printing out and also figured out that the profiles were all made on different scales and even had some missing sections. So I used graphics utilities to string the maps together and then cut them back up again into the right sized areas for printing efficiently and getting the most map and area on as few sheets as possible. Then I did some creative resampling of the profiles to get them all to the same scale. Finally I got a graphing utility and plotted the elevation profile for the missing section to complete the profile and posted points on that. After all that was done I used Adobe Acrobat Pro to make a file that anyone could read or use.

So Georgia Hikes deserves credit for making those maps, all I did is make a hiker friendly package. What I did is find a color laser printer and bought some of that waterproof laser printer paper and made my own waterproof map set that way.

[SGT Rock]

Hey, while I have the attention of a small audience of hikers for the BMT - one thing I have been looking at with the guide is the font. The arial 9 point font looks bigger in Excel, but by the time it goes through everything (Excel to Adobe, Adobe to the printer) the print is sort of small. I'm not sure if it is just me and my eyes or if it really is an issue.

Anyone looking at that guide got an opinion? Should I raise the font pitch or change the font to a serif?

Another question: Town maps. In the first draft of this I had a town map for Cherokee since it is a little off the trail and spread out. In an effort to make the file smaller I deleted it - I figured a hiker can smell resturants and the cheap hotels are right as you get into town too, so they were really not that necissary IMO. And guides like the Companion don't have maps for similar towns like G-Burg. So any opinion on town maps.

[envirodiver]

Regarding the font it is small, but I have to wear reading glasses anyway, so not a huge deal for me. If you turned it to portrait and enlarged the font it would add 2 pages front and back I think. Might be worth a shot for ease of reading.

As far as town maps. I would like to know which direction the town is in and how far. But these little small towns don't really need a map of them IMO.

[SGT Rock]

Well what I was going to do is just raise the font pitch a bit. My goal is to make the guide where you can fold it along the center of the page and staple it yourself if you want to make a pocket sized guide.

[Ewker]

I think it would help to make the font a little larger. I printed it out and it is readable as long as I have my glasses on

Sarge, I noticed the maps are labeled as missing_ga2 I am guessing these replace the 1st ones you did. Also how does the maps in Tim Homans book compare to yours. Has a lot been changed since he did the maps.

Looks like this thread will be bookmarked. Lots of good info on it

[SGT Rock]

I have to use reading glasses too.

Well the missing GA2 is just the cut up version, ga1 is one HUGE map and has never been uploaded that I recall. This is the same set I created last year in Iraq.

I haven't seen Tim Homan's book.

[envirodiver]

Homan's book is available at amazon.com. I haven't had a chance to check the accuracy, but historically his books are good. His Citigo/Joyce Kilmer is probably the best trailguide I've ever used.

The thing about his BMT book: it's fairly old and only goes through Section 12 (to the Ocoee). So he did it before the trail was complete.

[Hikerhead]

Hey, while I have the attention of a small audience of hikers for the BMT - one thing I have been looking at with the guide is the font. The arial 9 point font looks bigger in Excel, but by the time it goes through everything (Excel to Adobe, Adobe to the printer) the print is sort of small. I'm not sure if it is just me and my eyes or if it really is an issue.

Anyone looking at that guide got an opinion? Should I raise the font pitch or change the font to a serif?

Another question: Town maps. In the first draft of this I had a town map for Cherokee since it is a little off the trail and spread out. In an effort to make the file smaller I deleted it - I figured a hiker can smell resturants and the cheap hotels are right as you get into town too, so they were really not that necissary IMO. And guides like the Companion don't have maps for similar towns like G-Burg. So any opinion on town maps.

It's looks very readable to me when I bring it up to 100%. The spring I was talking about, it's on Licklog Mtn instead of Wallalah Mtn. Trail towns.. just show me how to get there, how far it is, and what it has to offer.

[SGT Rock]

I've made a larger print version during lunch today. When I get home I will convert it to PDF and put it up.

[envirodiver]

Groovy I'll be looking for it.

Is it currently in a word format? If so could I have it in that format? I'd like to play with it...maybe using some color coding or something along those lines, to tie it to the maps. Something that I can glance at and quickly see where I am and get caught up with what's coming. I'm bad about losing my place on the map/trailguide and having to spend time locating it.

[SGT Rock]

Actually it is in Excel format because of some stuff I am doing to make updates for re-locations easier. If you want it I can post the current Excel document.

[Skidsteer]

Actually it is in Excel format because of some stuff I am doing to make updates for re-locations easier. If you want it I can post the current Excel document.

I'd like to have it in Excel. Thanks!

[SGT Rock]

Here is the version I was working on today. The changes are mainly format and trying to shorten up some of the descriptions without removing information.

[envirodiver]

Thanks Rock Excel is perfect. After I get done with whatever I do (which may be nothing) I'll let you know.

[SGT Rock]

Sure. If you make any changes or comments - put them in some other color or something and shoot me a copy back. If you look at how I put it together using Excel will suddenly make sense.

[envirodiver]

excel is the perfect format. It allows you to easily keep the running mileage total, easy to keep a tabular format also. It may take me a little while, but I'm going to try and compare all of the various resources and see the differences.

Certainly not questioning yours, I'm sure it's correct, just another set of eyes.

[Hikerhead]

Here is the version I was working on today. The changes are mainly format and trying to shorten up some of the descriptions without removing information.

That is really nice. I could add a few things but I don't have excel on my home computer. I might PM you a few things that you might want to add but you have it covered pretty good.

[Sly]

That is really nice. I could add a few things but I don't have excel on my home computer. I might PM you a few things that you might want to add but you have it covered pretty good.

You can get an Excel viewer free from MS.

For viewing and printing, but not editing.

[Appalachian Tater]

You can get OpenOffice free:
http://www.openoffice.org/product/index.html

or use Google Docs online:
http://docs.google.com/

[SGT Rock]

excel is the perfect format. It allows you to easily keep the running mileage total, easy to keep a tabular format also. It may take me a little while, but I'm going to try and compare all of the various resources and see the differences.

Certainly not questioning yours, I'm sure it's correct, just another set of eyes.

No offense. Other eyes are a good idea. I also plan to update the thing during my hike by making notes on it. I'm also planning a zero at the house before I enter the Smokies - so I can do some updates to the file if the mood strikes me.

That is really nice. I could add a few things but I don't have excel on my home computer. I might PM you a few things that you might want to add but you have it covered pretty good.

Sure, PM me. I may use what you send me. If you can get something to edit the file with - then make notations and highlight them or something so I can see what you add - or sticke 'em in a cell off to the side of the main listing in the non-print area.

You can get an Excel viewer free from MS.

For viewing and printing, but not editing.

I've used that before - it works well. I've also been experimenting with some web applications for this so a person can bring up the file, make their own extra notations, and then print their own guide. COOL! The problem for now is you must have Excel installed on your PC for it to work.

You can get OpenOffice free:
http://www.openoffice.org/product/index.html

or use Google Docs online:
http://docs.google.com/

And finally, thanks for this link. I'll look into this becuse this may solve the issue I am having above. My goal is to come up with a file that can be shared where people can add their own information to their guide prior to printing. So say envirodiver wants to add a notation to LickLog mountain because he heard there is a watersource on WhiteBlaze - he can stick that in. Or if Skidsteer wanted to put notations about where he plans to camp and re-supply on his guide before he prints it - he can do that.