Complete GPS tracklog CDs of all Moroccan pistes

[Daithi]

Aren't most of these Track Logs the roads you can see on the "Marokko-Topo" map ?

No.

But a lot of it IS the same.

Probably, but not most, as you said in your first post, my guess is about 70% is new and not on Morocco-Topo.
I think the tracks disk is brilliant and I'll be finding out for sure very shortly.

How do you use the track logs to determine what is a road and what is off-road?

Open the Piste GDB look at the section you're interested in, click the tracks tab, click edit, click select all,
click delete. What you'll see is the map with the tracks and roads first and then when you delete (temporarily)
the tracks you'll see where there were tracks but no roads marked.

And are the off-road track logs graded in any way giving an indication of difficulty?

That's a lot to ask for, for 30 quid, maybe going with an organized tour might be easier.

 

[Tim Cullis]

I have some problems with this offer and its companion thread at http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114151

As I posted last July, "I've just compared the screen shot around Merzouga with the Morokko Topo map and I can't see a great deal of difference, maybe five or six track segments. I've also spent some time checking the screen shot around Marrakech and many of the GPS tracks are in fact main roads. Do you know the history of this collection? GPS tracks are notoriously difficult things to collate. Some of mine are when I got lost and took a shortcut across open country, but I don't think anyone would want to follow that route. Do you have the latest version of Morokko Topo map--updated a few days ago?"

Timolgra (currently aka Matthew Kelly) responded, "I've checked the tracklogs here with Maroc Topo and there are many that don't feature either there or most maps, unless you get your hands on the detailed ones."

So I bought a copy of the CD last year. The reality is that as supplied the CD is practically useless as it includes tracklogs for all the Moroccan motorways, all the 4-lane highways, all the main roads and most of the side roads. So the first thing I did was to spend many hours removing all of these to separate the wheat from the chaff. And bang went 700 of the 1000 tracklogs!

What is being sold

I then started removing from what was left, those pistes that were already on the Maroc Topo map and after that I was left with just 130 tracklogs. Most of these were totally useless being either short 'stubs' where someone had tried a side track and given up, or were for areas like Lac Ikri and around Merzouga where you can ride/drive where you like.

Those tracks that are not currently on Maroc Topo

Not surprisingly I asked for my money back as I felt the CD was being sold under false pretences. Timolgra did admit that in fact I was right about the vast majority of tracks already being on Maroc Topo but refused to refund saying I had "had decided to spend the £25 to compare the CD."

He claims the money goes to "my friends in Morocco who supply the info", but I am wary about this as well. Too many of the tracks are complete copies of the ones supplied to Maroc Topo from contributors such as Pascal Poublan (http://www.voyages4x4.com/) and Vince Cobley (http://www.protrax.co.uk/). Like these and several others, I have contributed several thousand kilometers of tracklogs to Maroc Topo project as I view it as a great public service.

Although Timolgra admitted before Christmas that the majority of the tracks were already on Maroc Topo, he is continuing to sell the CD and I view this as ripping off fellow GSers. My 'exposé' is unlikely to win any friends on this forum but I cannot remain silent any longer.

Tim

 

[Timolgra]

My, who's been a busy boy then.
Following your correspondence with me I now understand why you travel alone so much.

I resent and refute your allegations as to where the money goes and made no claim as to the full origin of the data on the CD's. I'm mearly passing on info which could be of use to others.

Many have found them useful and informative whilst planning their trips, you clearly didn't, however £25 is hardly a rip off.

You clearly have a problem with me and I look forward to enlightenment should we ever meet.

If you choose to moderate this post, feel free and I'll post my comments elsewhere.

 

[fartoofastforme]

Lads...

Hi,

I am struggling which one to vote for in the sing-offs

I reckon Tim is a good lad and has a point and posts some really interesting and inspiring info & pix of monaco, but, new-matthew is also a good lad, great host, and has gives out some really good advice too.

Joint Winners I reckon !

Do I win a prize ?