2008 Iditarod Google Earth & Standings Data!

[Johncn]

Hello,

The excellent Google Earth mashup work originally done by the University of Fairbanks Alaska EarthSLOT project has been updated! Wow! All the current musher checkpoint data has been added. This is EXCELLENT news for fans and educators! You can view standings by checkpoint, by musher, and double click to zoom in to fly to that spot, or that musher's latest location. Boxes pop up with data on each musher...time in and out, dogs, and so on. Weather links, bio links. This is really useful, guys!

The Google Earth application updates the race statistics every 15 minutes, based on official information from the Iditarod race headquarters. The "CheckPoint" folder is setup as a Tour, such that you can highlight the folder, click on the Play Tour option within Google Earth, and be flown to each checkpoint along the route in 3D to see which mushers are at that checkpoint.

EarthSLOT made the files availble for free for 2006 race, but until very recently, none had been updated. I wrote Drs. Nolan and Prokein, and although I did not get a direct response, I just discovered that the files are all updated.

2008 EarthSLOT Data Mashup: Excellent Resources, folks. Movies of the trail flythrough, data updates of musher locations and more!
http://www.earthslot.org/iditarod/index.php

Google Earth KML File Download:
http://glink.gina.alaska.edu/public/iditarod/iditarod2008.kml

Please take a moment and send the authors whole volunteered their brains and time on this. Let them know you saw the posting here, and that we are fans of their work. They would also like to draw attention to the work on the International Polar Year project

Thank Matt Nolan & Eric Gregg: matt.nolan@uaf.edu

Moderator Edit: Adding a link to Brice's EXCELLENT layering of the live GPS data onto Google Earth. See page two of this thread for details.

Google Earth Iditarod KML File Download - GPS / Wx Radar / Panoramas
http://bricedruth.name/iditarod.kml

Regards,

Johncn

[dhargraves]

http://blog.bssd.org/2008/01/30/interna ... er-series/

Here's a link to the VTC's for the International Polar Year speaker series. Very interesting stuff.

[Moose]

This Google Earth Iditarod thing is unbelievable. It really gives a sense of the terrain and the trail. I found some teams along the trail but wondered where so many others were. Imagine my surprise when I clicked on the little Nikolai icon and about 30 sleds popped out of the icon. This is really way, way cool. And, hate to say it--or maybe I don't--but way better than the ITC Tracker!

Thanks to the guys who did this. Thanks to John for calling it to our attention.

Now I'm off to investigate the International Polar Year link.

[flowerpower]

Has anyone else tried using this? When I click on the "Google Earth Iditarod" it looks to be downloading, but I get a box that pops up and says something about "fetch of network link, internal error handling fetch" and asks if I want to Stop, Continue or Ignore. No matter what I say, it pops up the google earth map with volcanoes and earthquakes on it. No Iditarod anywhere. Any of you tech savy people have a clue? I'm wondering if it's maybe because we already have google earth installed:?

[Johncn]

Hey Flower,

I think it is because your browser may have no clue what to do with the file that ends in .kml

Here is a "zipped" version....same file, but compressed in a very common format that most browsers will recognize. You need to "unzip it", or decompress it to use it with Google Earth.

http://mushing.bssd.org/downloads/iditarod2008.kml.zip

Trust me, it is worth the hassle to get this going! It is hot, hot, hot...

Regards.

Johncn

[sc-race-fan]

Had to locate and install Google Earth, but JohncAn you are right this is GREAT STUFF for us map lovers and race fans. Does it list all mushers?? EDIT ADDED!!!You know if I'd surf a little I would have found my answer!! Yes it does!!! THANKS

[Moose]

I've "run" the trail high and low, clicked everything to be clicked, checked weather generally and locally. I can bearly pull myself away, but I M U S T G O T O B E D! Carry on, everyone. And fasten your seat belts. When a moose crashes, it tends to rock the universe. At least the immediate one. Nite all. THUD! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[IdahoCliff]

..."Google Earth Iditarod" ... looks to be downloading, but I get a box that pops up and says something about "fetch of network link, internal error handling fetch" I'm wondering if it's maybe because we already have google earth installed:?

The problem may be that you need to update your current version of Google Earth. I tried to use the feature and it didn't work. I went into Google Earth, clicked on Help and "Check for Updates Online". After the update I was able to get the Iditarod feature to work.

However I did notice something confusing. On the left sidebar under the 2008 Iditarod there's a link that says Click Here to Update. When I click there, a box opens up in the center of the screen and it also says "Click Here to Update" and ... Right Click here and click 'Refresh' to see the most recent data". However when I try and Right Click in this box, it doesn't work. HOWEVER when I go back to the "Click Here to Update" in the left sidebar and then to a Right Click, I do get a drop down box that has the word Refresh. When I (left) click on "Refresh" the data will update - very neat. I just saw where Backen is not in the lead.

I guess, even if this doesn't solve your problem it may help someone that had my problem and confusion.

Good Luck,
/s/ Cliff

[CynCyn37]

Thanks Cliff! I didn't want to ask....

[Biggie]

I have downloaded the file and extracted it but still all I get is the fetch error. I need help!! I would love to see the maps.
Biggie