[ale] Double OT:

[DJ-Pfulio]

On 04/04/2016 10:14 AM, Boris Borisov wrote:
> Good hiking trail not that long and interesting. Need to take family today out
> is my day off. Suggestions!
> 
> My first thought:
> 
> 1. Kennesaw mountain
> 2. Stone mountain going up mountain.
> 

I've hiked most trails in the metro area and on the NW side.  There are some
surprising areas that aren't well-known to the foreigners from ATL.

* Cochran Mill Park
* Pine Mtn Recreation Area
* Pine Log Creek Trail
* Allatoona Pass
* Arabia Mountain is good for a change. Interesting once.
* Lots of free, county trails only known to locals too.

    http://notatlanta.org/hiking.html
    http://georgiatrails.com/county/Cobb
    http://georgiatrails.com/city/Marietta
    http://www.jdmpics.com/trails/hiking-trails-ga.htm
    http://blog.jdpfu.com/tag/hikes

I have GPS tracks and parking locations for all of these if folks are
interested. Not posted, would have to find that data.  Google stopped loading
KML files from external sites, so ...  Beaver, ducks, are possible to see, but
usually after a 3+ mi hike into the areas.



If you like GPS, but think there are better ways for humans to convey that
information keep reading ...

GPS coordinates tend to be hard to remember.  There are other options if you are
into this stuff:

* What3Words
* Plus+Codes http://plus.codes & http://openlocationcode.com/
* a few others that just don't make any sense, IMHO.

What3Words
These methods overlay a grid onto the world and make smaller sections.  W3Ws
makes 3 words useful for finding any 3m x 3m square on the Earth  Think of how
handy that is for places were addresses don't work or are funky like Japan?  W3W
is proprietary and they aren't giving away the table of words-to-grid mapping,
which means only people with active data connections should bother.  The Navmii
GPS app works with it, provided a data connection is available when the W3W is
entered. The what3words.com website and shortened URL http://w3w.co/ are other
options.
There is a stand-alone Android app for W3W too that will pass the coordinates to
Google Navigation. Meh.  W3W has had great advertising and they've done some
smart things with their techniques.
http://w3w.co/race.cope.versatile - ALE-NW location  Be sure to zoom in enough
to see the grids and watch the status bar as the pointer moves between them.


Plus+Codes (also called Open Location Codes)
 is an open standard - google maps works with it. Grids are about city-sized and
by adding more significant digits, the rectangle size becomes smaller and smaller.
https://plus.codes/8G865QQJ+ is about 4 football stadiums in size/resolution.
https://plus.codes/865QQJC4+ about a neighborhood
https://plus.codes/865QQJC4+WV - is about a house in size/resolution.

ALE-Central Directions with Plus+Codes:
a) Park here: https://plus.codes/865QQMRC+VR (take the parking
ticket, it will be free after 7pm)
b) Walk to bldg entrance here: https://plus.codes/865QQMRF+J28
c) Take stairs up 1 floor, walk to SOUTH Elevator here:
https://plus.codes/865QQMRC+CX9
d) Take elevator to 6th floor. Room is to the east/left when leaving the elevator.

ALE-South: https://plus.codes/865QGCVF+5RX

ALE-NW: https://plus.codes/865QWH22+2GX  or just search inside google maps for
"865QWH22+2GX" --> encoded URL:
   https://maps.google.com/?q=865QWH22%2B2GX
   https://www.google.com/maps/search/865QWH22%2B2GX
I posted both addresses for the weekly NW Linux meetings months ago, but nobody
has mentioned using them to get there. Seems that Apple's navigation app had
been sending people into Buckhead, not the Harry's Pizza.

I prefer Plus+Codes over W3W for a number of reasons. Source Code is available
in multiple languages on github. No secrets. F/LOSS. That's good.

And don't forget that most public libraries have state park parking passes for
loan, so you don't need to pay the $5 parking fee or the $50 for annual parking
pass, if you don't go enough.