POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Route Dataset Files

When you register you will indicate if you will be riding with your own personal GPS unit and if so, the specific brand and model (e.g. Garmin Edge 800, Garmin eTrex Legend Cx, Garmin GPSMap 60CSx, etc.) This will also allow us to send you the link to download the GPS route dataset so and allows us to know how many participants will have their own GPS device so we can decide whether we should paint the route or provide other participants their own GPS units instead. It allows us to provide route downloads for and support not only your GPS unit but also an increasing number of different GPS units as well.

• Click Here for more information about us providing one of our GPS units to participants.

Provide file downloads, guarantee they'll work
have our route dataset files uploaded into your device
Uploading routes into the GPS device
Downloading the GPS route dataset files from our web site
Provide file downloads, guarantee they'll work
Route Download and import
- provide GPS route dataset files for and only for people who will be riding with an individual GPS unit
download from our web
- import into your unit
- We will not be able to transfer files to your phone from our laptops (click here for more information about our laptops)

Our routes and all GPS route dataset files are the proprietary, copyrighted, intellectual property of Bicycle Illinois and are provided only for the private, personal use of officially registered participants of the related event during the event itself. Participants may not disclose any information regarding any route in any means - electronic, printed, or otherwise. Route dataset files may not be shares anyone else including being posted publicly on any route sharing service including but not limited to mapmyride.com, Garmin Route Connect, or any such similar services. Considering the countless hours and miles and money we've invested into the route in order to perfect them if we give away our routes, we give away our events.

GPS route dataset files will be available to download for every event in the following formats:

• .gdb (versions 2 and 3)
• .gpx
• .mps
• .txt
• .dxf
• .tcx
• .fit

If the file format you need is not listed, please let us know and we will try to create it for you.

For shorter events, routes will be by individual ride segment from rest stop to rest stop for all file formats in order to best incorporate different route options.

For longer multi-day events, routes will be by individual ride segment from rest stop to rest stop for all .fit format files in order to best incorporate different route options. For other file formats, the routes will generally be available by day, although some days will have several routes depending on the length of the route and also the number of different options each day.

We guarantee that the .gdb version 3 and .gpx file formats will be able to upload into and be followed by the following GPS units:

• Garmin GPSMap 60Csx
• Garmin eTrex Vista HCx
• Garmin eTrex Legend HCx
• Garmin eTrex Venture Cx
• Garmin eTrex Legend Cx

The route dataset files must be uploaded into these units through Garmin MapSource software and a USB cable connection. Click Here to download the free Garmin MapSource software for PC's.

We guarantee that the .fit format files will be able to upload into and be followed by the following GPS units:

• Garmin Edge 800

The route dataset files can be uploaded directly into the Edge 800 unit through just a USB cable connection (additional software is unnecessary). We do not recommend copying any files to a MicroSD memory card installed in the Garmin Edge 800 because the Locations.fit file cannot be read from any location on the memory card. All downloaded files will fit within the unit's base memory.

Incorporating the GPS Route Dataset Files into Your Personal GPS Device
If (and only if) you indicated that you will be riding with your own personal GPS device when you registered, we will send you a separate e-mail shortly thereafter that contains a specific link to download the GPS route dataset files.

It is absolutely critical that you are able to upload all routes for the entire event into your GPS unit and ensure it works properly before the start of the event, particularly for multi-day events. We will not be able to upload them into your GPS device for you during the event itself and we do not recommend bringing your laptop on any event because we can't guarantee it won't get damaged as we move baggage around. We also can't let anyone except staff members use our laptops for any reason during the event to prevent them from getting broken.

Before we finalize the route for the current year's event we will post an initial set of GPS route dataset files (either last year's routes or new, tentative routes) for you to download so you can practice uploading them into your GPS unit and make sure they are going to work. As you do so, please feel free to ask us any questions and let us know any about problems you might have.

After we perform our pre-event route scout and finalize the route we will post the final GPS route dataset files (updated with any changes) and let you know they are available. You will need to remove any old routes from your GPS unit and update it with the most current one.

On Road Routes
We will use GPS devices to support all on road routes, including the route itself and also all on road service locations (rest stops, starting and ending locations, main lodging sites, supported hotels, etc.)

Even if we do not paint the entire route, we will still paint road markings and put orange flags up at a limited number of places on the route where it can be tricky and confusing to follow on the GPS, such as at triple points where the route does not proceed in only one direction and can become confusing to follow, such as at the start/end of options and doublebacks or where the route crosses over itself. So when you reach one of these points look on the ground for our road markings to get more information about how to properly proceed.

In Town Routes
Information about in town routes and services (grocery store, swimming pool, etc.) will only be provided on paper cue sheets and maps and will NOT be provided for any GPS device. This is because the paper cue sheets and maps contain pertinent information about the in town service locations such as phone numbers, hours of operation, etc. that cannot be loaded into all GPS devices. In addition, the numerous overlapping routes in each stopping town can easily become very difficult to follow on a GPS device. However we do recommend using a GPS device in conjunction with the paper in town cue sheets and maps so that you can know your exact location in each town at all times.