Underwhelmed by the Route Library
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This is not a criticism, more like a post to try and get an understanding of why there's not a great quantity of routes in the UK posted in the route library.
For example, my home county of Norfolk, I appreciate we don't have many challenging mountains or hills to transverse, but we do have areas of outstanding beauty such as the Norfolk broads and the North Norfolk Coast.
There is one route that starts and ends in Norfolk and then a few routes that cross into Norfolk, and then one route that goes from North Norfolk to Middlesborough nearly 230 miles away, completely pointless.
Also, about four routes within Wales Snowdonia, the part of the UK with some of the best roads and all the library can manage is four routes with a few others just passing through.
I know what the standard response is likely going to be 'Well why don't you become a Routexpert then'.
I have looked twice to becoming a Routexpert and every time I read the Routexpert manual I come away with a feeling of what's the point?
I could provide hundreds of great routes across the UK, but I would need to provide everyone with a full detailed description (who reads them?) along with plotting stops, hazards, view points etc.
I would suspect that the real reason there isn't that many routes is simply because there are not enough Routexperts because like me it looks like too much work for what should be a simple task.
Maybe a simpler approach could be that route experts could submit routes and members give them a try and give them a star rating, this might provide a better experience and most importantly provide more routes to choose from.
I consider myself a MRA power user, I have read the RE manual many times, I watch the training videos and plot my own routes for my touring group with successful outcomes. I understand the technicalities of Tracks, Routes, online, off-line etc. Unfortunately The MRA Library is the last place I look for route ideas.
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RX routes come with a certain standard on quality and information, to keep them standing out from "just anybody's routes". If you don't want to become RouteXpert yourself, that's understandable, but maybe you can donate routes to one of the existing RXs, so they can enhance them to be proper RX routes.
Another option is to place your own personal route library embedded on your own webpage.
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This is not a criticism, more like a post to try and get an understanding of why there's not a great quantity of routes in the UK posted in the route library.
For example, my home county of Norfolk, I appreciate we don't have many challenging mountains or hills to transverse, but we do have areas of outstanding beauty such as the Norfolk broads and the North Norfolk Coast.
There is one route that starts and ends in Norfolk and then a few routes that cross into Norfolk, and then one route that goes from North Norfolk to Middlesborough nearly 230 miles away, completely pointless.
Also, about four routes within Wales Snowdonia, the part of the UK with some of the best roads and all the library can manage is four routes with a few others just passing through.
I know what the standard response is likely going to be 'Well why don't you become a Routexpert then'.
I have looked twice to becoming a Routexpert and every time I read the Routexpert manual I come away with a feeling of what's the point?
I could provide hundreds of great routes across the UK, but I would need to provide everyone with a full detailed description (who reads them?) along with plotting stops, hazards, view points etc.
I would suspect that the real reason there isn't that many routes is simply because there are not enough Routexperts because like me it looks like too much work for what should be a simple task.
Maybe a simpler approach could be that route experts could submit routes and members give them a try and give them a star rating, this might provide a better experience and most importantly provide more routes to choose from.
I consider myself a MRA power user, I have read the RE manual many times, I watch the training videos and plot my own routes for my touring group with successful outcomes. I understand the technicalities of Tracks, Routes, online, off-line etc. Unfortunately The MRA Library is the last place I look for route ideas.
@David-Rudgley He sido routexpert, y creo que el hecho de que no hayan muchos es que el nivel de exigencia por parte de MRa para publicar rutas es muy alto (cosa con la que estoy de acuerdo). Por lo tanto, crear rutas como routexpert requiere mucha dedicacion, y eso es algo que no todo el mundo tiene.
Saludos!!
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As you might know, the owner and staff is Dutch
. So it isn't a surprise, that most routes are in the Netherlands and surrounding countries, like Belgium and especially Germany.
But as you als might know, the Dutch people conquered the world and ruled the 7 seas
, in our Golden Century (1585-1702). So what our ancestors did, MRA want's to do the same, but like old Rome... it wasn't build in 7 days, but also won't last a century 
.
I want to emphasize, what Con wrote: share your embedded routes on your website, if you have one, like I did: https://routes.lexwill.cyou/gps-routes-maken/ (yes there is a translation button somewhere on the site, so you are not obliged to learn Dutch, but feel free to).I have plans, visiting the UK someday (if I can find time & money on the same moment that is), so I am very eager to learn from your routes, although they are not that pimped up, like our RouteXpert routes. But they are equally important.
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I found 17 routes in Wales in the library; a couple are into and out of Wales, but most are routes around wales
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Dear @David-Rudgley
Reading your post made me wonder why you won't let the rest of the world enjoy the routes that you've made. Becomming an RouteXpert might provide you just the extra kick of sharing your routes in a way that all of our fellow riders could enjoy. Yes the standard is high and that's why it's called the RouteXpert librairy.
If that's to much of a challenge for you I'm quite sure that sharing your routes with Jan Cabrio would result in him upgrading them to the high standard.
Meanwhile, have fun -
Understood, I'm happy being an unofficial Route Expert for now, sharing routes with friends, supporting friends that have difficulties using MRA/MRA Nav. One day I'll get my library in order and share some of the great routes I have created & ridden with the rest of the world.
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As you might know, the owner and staff is Dutch
. So it isn't a surprise, that most routes are in the Netherlands and surrounding countries, like Belgium and especially Germany.
But as you als might know, the Dutch people conquered the world and ruled the 7 seas, in our Golden Century (1585-1702). So what our ancestors did, MRA want's to do the same, but like old Rome... it wasn't build in 7 days, but also won't last a century .
I want to emphasize, what Con wrote: share your embedded routes on your website, if you have one, like I did: https://routes.lexwill.cyou/gps-routes-maken/ (yes there is a translation button somewhere on the site, so you are not obliged to learn Dutch, but feel free to).I have plans, visiting the UK someday (if I can find time & money on the same moment that is), so I am very eager to learn from your routes, although they are not that pimped up, like our RouteXpert routes. But they are equally important.
Loved your post, it made me laugh, feel free to contact me when you're in the UK and I'll be happy to share some routes with you.
