Garmin Etrex 30 , GPX files for dummies

[Sandstorm]

I just got an Etrex 30 and I'm having trouble with the GPX files. I've copied the AZT network file and loaded it onto the garmin. In the GPX folder. When I go to waypoint manager I can see all of the waypoints.

So where I'm confused is, if I load other routes how do I keep them seperate?
How can I view the entire route on the map?
Where does the trail start?

I live near the AZT, so I want to ride from my house to do sections of the trails.
I.e. I will ride on the road to Parker canyon lake trail head and ride the trail system back to Tucson. Then head back to where I left off another day.

Because there is a huge list of waypoints and I don't know what sections are what.

Am I missing a step somewhere or not loading the file correctly?

[RonK]

Sounds like you have loaded  waypoint file, not a route.

[Yagi]

I think it's probably in there, you just have to go into the area where your tracks are kept (track manager), select it, and  tell it to display it on the map. 

Good luck, dude.

Steve

[AZTtripper]

I don't think you'll be able to load the whole AZT network all at once into the GPS. The Gamin site https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId=%7B0b02f820-03db-11e0-e050-000000000000%7D 10,000 point track limit.

If you want to have a track to follow for the ride you describe you'll need to create a track of just what you plan to ride and then reduce the track points to 10,000. You could load the whole AZTR course by using the 10,000 point file see discussion here http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ultra-racing/uploading-750-gpx-file-to-etrex30/

For the ride you describe I would use TopoFusion or similar to connect sections of the road to the sections of trail and save that as a unique file then reduce to 10,000 and load. Make sure it does not say track truncated on the unit.

[THE LONG RANGER]

Sandstorm , if you've gotta Mac and you're using Basecamp, I can try to make a Youtube video on how I would do the import,

[Sandstorm]

Awesome thanks guys,
Long Ranger, yes I'm using mac. I just downloaded basecamp but im a bit confused. I'm not very tech savie.
I erased the "azt network" file and i found one listed as azt 300 10,000 points. I loaded that and i can find it in "track manager". I opened it and it appears to have the entire 300 mile section of the azt.

How can I modify a route? i.e. the tour divide. There is one that is more than 10,000 points. is it possible to cut the route in half and reduce each section to 10,000? So i would have "divide route 1" and "divide route 2". Wouldn't this give me more detail, or am i misunderstanding the 10,000 point track limit?

AZTtripper thanks, I will check out that link regarding the 750 file. I am using a mac and although i haven't tried i read topofusion is for pc. The etrex is new to me so i'm still trying to figure out how to modify routes and save them. But I do like the idea of making a unique file to map out the road sections to get to the trail head.

[AZTtripper]

Alright your getting there, any route you draw out can be added to known track you can down load. A lot of people here use TF but all of these functions can be done on a mac. Start by just linking the AZT network into loop rides. Then simplify to 10,000 and it will fit the track. Your new etrex will take tons of tracks so you may get a lot if not all of the network loaded.

About the different lengths of the AZT vs TD one is a hiking trail that is crisscrossed by immigrant trails and goes from 2 track to single and back and forth and with out GPS it can be easy to get off course, the other is a huge dirt road ride that you could likely figure out without GPS as long as you had the full map set of the course.

At lest with TF the program knows to use fewer track points (not way points) to create that section. So there's plenty for the TD and for the AZT the trail uses up more points then the bypasses road sections. No doubt the mac program does the same.

Tim

[THE LONG RANGER]

I'll whip up something tonight - I do a lot of screencasts for work, so it's sort of fun to do it for another topic. I wish Garmin made this a little more easier - I think my computer programming background helps out more than it should in figuring these things!

[THE LONG RANGER]

Here's my walk through on how to download a GPX track, load it into BaseCamp, then import the track into your eTrex:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-CYsvGvx7E

[woody]

Hey Justin,
Just watched your video and great job.
Thanks for taking the time to put it together.

[Peteyd]

Excellent video, Justin.
Thanks.