Update 1/09/09

Finally got to updating the map.  I've decided that adding people who only come to the site for a short period of time doesn't make sense and the map will only get cluttered.

From now on, only people with more than 35 posts will be added to the map.

Thanks
Update- 9/12/08

The below images, as stated, are only screenshots of the map that was saved on my computer. A current and interactive version of the map is now accessible here (via Google Maps):

Savage Riders Map

To get added, please post your location in this thread.  Every so often I'll go through all the new posts, add new locations to my file and upload that new version.

In addition, here's the link for the file that can be read in Google Earth.

KML File for Viewing in Google Earth

Original Message:

Hey all!

I've been working on this map for you guys.  No really, you don't have to pay me for my work, but if you insist...  

I went through the posts in the show your ride thread and the southeast US thread and just plopped people down according to the locations according to them.  People with states listed as locations just got plopped on top of the name of the state in Google Earth.

Some really cool news:

The placemarks, as those icons are called, are all saved in a file called a KML (Keyhole Markup Language,) which can be opened, read, and edited by anyone with Google Earth (which is a free program by the way that used to be called Keyhole).  Even more excitingly, it is possible to have the KML hosted on a server and have your Google Earth read the online file for its source, meaning that you can see whatever changes are made to the KML file on the server.  I'm not sure how servers are accessed, but I believe that this means we can have the file accessible to anyone, meaning people could simply add themselves and add/update their info.  Also, being Google Earth, not Google North America, we can get a geographical fix on our out-of continent friends.

The placemarks allow for a descriptive text so these placemarks can have special comments.  I need to look more into the KML features, but I know that it is possible to allow photos to be added into the KML code so that a click onto a placemark will also bring up a photograph.  How easy that is to accomplish, that will have to be seen.

I have the KML file (its only about 8kb   ) available to anyone who wants it.  Shoot me a PM and I'll email it to you.  (Can I actually just upload it here, or are uploads verbotten?)

I know Paladin's done this before, but I think Google Earth, besides being awesome by itself, has some great features for mapping us out.  Paladin has some server space for sale last I heard so if you guys like this idea enough, we could all throw in just a few greenbacks and ask him politely if he can host the file.

By the way, the placemark feature is unlimited in its uses.  I used the motorcycle icon for riders.  We can use a variety of other icons in a variety of colors to mark sites of accidents, the next Thumper cafe meet, the locations of past, present, and future rides, and anything else you can think of (maybe a placemark where you saw that squirrel riding a moose?)

PS- If you see your name in the wrong place or dont want it on there, let me know so I can adjust/remove it.

Me too..I'm in Granite Falls, NC

Toymaker

Redding,CA

Springfield MO

FreeSpirit wrote on 08/14/08 at 19:44:13:


Thanks!  

See, that first map is only a picture pulled from Google Earth.  The whole thing is interactive! So I can zoom in on any area, like yours!  If people really wanted to, they could move their icon to their exact location.  As it is now, I just placed them on the city center where people live.  

If we had the placemark file hosted online, anyone of us who downloads Google Earth can open the file on their computer and zoom in and move around the map.  I even put placemarks for riders in Italy, Hawaii, England, and Chile!  I enjoy doing this, but I don't want to be the only one who can/has to add people to the map.

Here's where you can get yourself Google Earth:
http://earth.google.com/

Freespirit, here's your neck of the woods:

That is really cool. My screen name is a letter off but thats o.k, I really like what you did. It says cornerstone, mine is cornerstore. Awesome work though, thanks for sharing that with us.

Well if that isn't just cooler than a plaid rabbit.  These computers are starting to pass me by.  I guess it's time to go back to school and catch up again.  I remember when it was big news if you could make a little man out of blocks dance on the screen your T.I. 994A was hooked to.

Nice work, Robertomoe

Who is Cyndi and Charlie?
I think I missed them somewhere along the way