33 replies to this topic

[ckf]

Joe Mellino has been working on some new signs for our major intersections. The signs are made of PT and painted brown with recessed yellow lettering. Thanks Joe, they look great

[Oldtimer]

Wow, those are sweet! Thanks Joe!

Can I make a suggestion?

What about putting the GPS coordinates on the signs before they go out?

A GPS "You are here" thing?

Just a thought.

[Skip]

Thanks so much Joe for taking on this much needed project.

I much prefer this type of sign over the metallic street type signs. They blend in much better with our landscape, keep the landowners happy and provide the necessary info in a clear and concise manner....much like the trail signs the Forest Service has used for decades.

GPS info is a great idea Richard. Possibly we could carve the cooridinates into the actual signpost just below the sign?

[CATMAN]

Skip, on 15 November 2010 - 07:50 PM, said:

Thanks so much Joe for taking on this much needed project.

I much prefer this type of sign over the metallic street type signs. They blend in much better with our landscape, keep the landowners happy and provide the necessary info in a clear and concise manner....much like the trail signs the Forest Service has used for decades.

GPS info is a great idea Richard. Possibly we could carve the cooridinates into the actual signpost just below the sign?

Nice work guys, another awesome example of a great team coming together for a great cause

Edited by CATMAN, 15 November 2010 - 08:47 PM.

[AUTOMOVER]

Thanks Joe, the signs look great.

[rickzach]

Next to grooming, signage is the most important thing that any club can do!!! The fact that the local members know where they are going misses the point until you are the non-local trying out a new territory at a signless intersection. What a GREAT job and thank you so much!

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Edited by rickzach, 17 November 2010 - 09:35 AM.

[rneal55555]

Nice Looking Signs, Not to be a Smart A-- but if you have a GPS what purpose would the GPS coordinates serve?? Shouldn't you already know where your at??

[Oldtimer]

rneal55555, on 15 November 2010 - 11:19 PM, said:

Nice Looking Signs, Not to be a Smart A-- but if you have a GPS what purpose would the GPS coordinates serve?? Shouldn't you already know where your at??

I could tell you to meet me at GPS coordinates xxxxxxx, and you'd know exactly where that was, even if I have no GPS and you have never been there before (assuming you have it!)

I also would think mileage to the next intersection / gas / destination from a particular sign would be a good idea...same as a sign telling what road you are crossing is a good idea I have seen used.
More info for the riders to use is all I'm saying.

[rneal55555]

Oldtimer, on 15 November 2010 - 11:36 PM, said:

I could tell you to meet me at GPS coordinates xxxxxxx, and you'd know exactly where that was, even if I have no GPS and you have never been there before (assuming you have it!)

I also would think mileage to the next intersection / gas / destination from a particular sign would be a good idea...same as a sign telling what road you are crossing is a good idea I have seen used.
More info for the riders to use is all I'm saying.

I wonder if it might not make as much or more sense to include the coordinates for intersections and food fuel etc on the clubs trail maps. I definitely agree on the distances

[rickzach]

Don't discount the fact that some people busted their humps making the physical signs. What a great job! A more practical solution for GPS may be to have a club post the GPS waypoints for download on their web sites. Very easy to do and even a fun club project!

Still need a trail map, the GPS only gives you a fix at key intersections.

I use a GPS on both of my sleds and it can literally be a lifesaver when in a new area. If we pay $5k to $10k for a sled, why not pay $200 for a decent GPS but many people still don't bother? Oh well...

That being said, I like to make up and save my own waypoints on the fly with "breadcrumbs"
http://www.zachfamil...ault.htm#gpsmap


or you can purchase NH GPS waypoints from two vendors:

http://backwoodsgpst...mobile-map-full

http://www.sledgps.c...+Hampshire.html

ENJOY!

Edited by rickzach, 16 November 2010 - 09:03 PM.

[Skip]

rneal55555, on 15 November 2010 - 11:19 PM, said:

Nice Looking Signs, Not to be a Smart A-- but if you have a GPS what purpose would the GPS coordinates serve?? Shouldn't you already know where your at??

Excellent question Neal.

Many more sledders have cell phones than they do GPS devices. So, many sledders do not know their exact location even if they are at an intersection.

With GPS coordinates on sign posts, a cell phoned carrying sledder can give an exact location to a 911 operator should they need to phone in an emergency. The State is also working on solving this issue by implementing thier 911 trail mapping system with coordinate signage. But it never hurts to have additional GPS data throughout the system to help in reporting emergencies.

[Paul D]

GPS coordinates. Don't get me going. A few years back someone in my group had an emergency on the trail deep into Quebec. I called 911 or the number for it from the maps. I got a hold of somone who barely spoke English, and gave them my GPS Coordinates. The asked if I was somewhere pretty far from where I actually was. I didn't know where I was exactly, but knew it wasn't where they thought. Turns out they were entering my position in a different format than I had it and couldn't convert(DDD/MM/SS vs DDD/MM.MMMM vs DD.DDDD). Times may have changed since then. I dunno.

I ended up hanging up and driving a sled to a road and about 2 miles down pavement, sparks flying, to the first house and they called 911. Rest of the trip was a bust, but my friend survived.

[ICG]

great looking signs that will blend in with harmony and the environmentalist...they look like there from the Appalacian Hiking Trail....

[Pantera99]

Very Nice Job "Joe" ... year's ago at a trailmasters meeting 2002?.. attending that session, I had brought up that look and how it would be best uniform for our State ( wilderness/woodland's & recreational) .. and was told it looked to much like the National Forest sign's and people would get confused...
That was a Jaw dropping moment for me with that answer... of course I dis-agreed !!! .. but didn't make a reply comment... I just looked around the room at the Other's Jaw's dropping...got my answer...

I think in this New Age of GPS ( no I don't have one , I can read map's )... but Skip's suggestion placing the corridinates on the Post vertical ( I assumed )... would be a good Idea..for most club's using the 4x4 post's... for a few reason's...

1) If the landowner wished no sign's during off season, but the post could remain... who know's he may welcome that kind of Signage more ???... look's more Natural, than a street sign.

2) a nice directional <--- ---> too where ( place it leads too ) should be sufficent... BUT should be also matching the "Club Map" ... "Keep It Simple"... this kind of sends a Message "KNOW before you Go !!" or simply Ask !! about the trails in that area..and distance's ..Gas /Food/ Restroom for the Ladies... ect.

3)The post in most case's harder to take...and the coordinates will stay in a fixed place for the most part... unless construction or loging takes place & is removed. I'm all for emergency application's in this case, along with Trail map's with Coordinate's so they can "cross reference" for Completeness of actual location and how to get there...

Edited by Pantera99, 16 November 2010 - 11:43 AM.

[whtmtn]

Thanks Joe,
The signs are really great looking. These are the same style and color combination used by the Forest Service and the AMC for hiking trails. They fit well for snowmobile trails also.

[RidesARev]

Wow.. great signs.

One thing to remember as well. Always leave you phone on while riding and make sure you charge it fully every night. Triangulation software can pinpoint your location within about 20 ft. On adventure rides, we are always told to keep our phones turned on. Even if you can not receive a signal for a call, your phone can be pinged for a triangulation coordinate and pinpointed on a map overlay by rescue teams.

Ride safe..

[ckf]

Here's a shot of one of the signs installed on the trail.

[rickzach]

ckf, on 05 December 2010 - 08:27 PM, said:

Here's a shot of one of the signs installed on the trail.

20101130_1244.jpg

EXCELLENT. Not only shows you where the trails are but gives you a "fix" which may be even more important.

Edited by rickzach, 06 December 2010 - 05:41 AM.

[rivercat]

Skip, on 15 November 2010 - 07:50 PM, said:

Thanks so much Joe for taking on this much needed project.

I much prefer this type of sign over the metallic street type signs. They blend in much better with our landscape, keep the landowners happy and provide the necessary info in a clear and concise manner....much like the trail signs the Forest Service has used for decades.

GPS info is a great idea Richard. Possibly we could carve the cooridinates into the actual signpost just below the sign?

I admit I love the natural look of the brown signs,, northern clubs intersections are wide and clear enough to not "miss" them,,, so far our reflectorized "state" signs have been well recieved they show up a long ways away at night,,,,, we made them ourselves "in house" In the process of cutting vinyl it is EASY to add in points of interest, distance to next intersection and gps point,,, extra info is handy to those who are not from the area.....

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Edited by rivercat, 06 December 2010 - 10:05 AM.

[Skip]

rivercat, on 06 December 2010 - 10:03 AM, said:

I admit I love the natural look of the brown signs,, northern clubs intersections are wide and clear enough to not "miss" them,,, so far our reflectorized "state" signs have been well recieved they show up a long ways away at night,,,,, we made them ourselves "in house" In the process of cutting vinyl it is EASY to add in points of interest, distance to next intersection and gps point,,, extra info is handy to those who are not from the area.....

While your style signs may work well for your area, many of our landowners (especially those abutting the WMNF) would never tolerate such a design.

Additionally the forest service style signs are extremely easy to read as you slow appropriately (or stop) as you pass through the intersections where they are posted.

And thank you once again Joe for volunteering to build these signs...the compliments keep coming in and the trails are not even open yet!