Riv Riders Interactive Map is Live!

2,406 views
Skip to first unread message

John Rinker

unread,
Mar 11, 2023, 3:59:58 PM3/11/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
The Map of Riv Riders is ready!* Thanks to Dave's example of the 'Unicycle Community Map' I've put together a similar interactive map that Riv Riders can now populate with your location. 

As mentioned, the purpose of this map is to help Riv riders find each other, connect and plan rides.

Here's a link to the site:


There is a Google form registration that, once completed and manually updated by me, will put a pin of your location on the map. 

You can 'drop' this pin in a couple of ways:

1. Provide your address

2. Provide a random address in your city or town

3. Provide map coordinates (latitude, longitude)

Check it out and if it seems interesting to you then register and wait for your pin to show up. 

Cheers, John

*I'll call it a beta version because I just learned how to connect Google forms, maps, and sites together. Seems to work well though.

John Rinker

unread,
Mar 11, 2023, 4:40:02 PM3/11/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Pins are dropping!
Screen Shot 2023-03-11 at 2.37.15 PM.png

Ryan Frahm

unread,
Mar 11, 2023, 4:41:43 PM3/11/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Very cool, thank you for setting this up!

John Bokman

unread,
Mar 11, 2023, 11:45:26 PM3/11/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Thanks for setting this up John!

John in Portland

Luke Hendrickson

unread,
Mar 12, 2023, 3:57:38 AM3/12/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
This is sickkkk

Kim Hetzel

unread,
Mar 12, 2023, 8:54:37 AM3/12/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Funny.... I was thinking about a map of indicating where are all our Rivendell brothers and sisters are located here two days ago.

Thank-you very much for creating one, John. Look great !

Kim Hetzel
Yelm, WA.

Guy LeVan

unread,
Mar 12, 2023, 10:11:07 AM3/12/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
We’re everywhere, We’re everywhere!  Thanks for setting this up - really cool!

Guy

John Rinker

unread,
Mar 12, 2023, 12:14:58 PM3/12/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Thanks to all who are contributing to the Map of Rivendell Riders. It's growing!

Please remember that, if you wish to provide your address, it should include your city and state as well. Otherwise, I'm not sure Google maps can place a pin for you. And, if you don't want to provide your address you can use map coordinates, but you don't actually have to write the words Lat. and Long. These you can just copy from a nearby place on Google maps.

Cheers,
John

lconley

unread,
Mar 12, 2023, 12:56:05 PM3/12/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Thank you.

Laing
All alone in Florida for the time being.

Patrick Moore

unread,
Mar 12, 2023, 6:04:06 PM3/12/23
to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
John Rinker: Thank you, fun map!

Brian Turner

unread,
Mar 12, 2023, 6:33:08 PM3/12/23
to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Yes, thank you! This is great. I’m hoping this will open up a whole new level of interaction and adventure among us RBW owners!

On Mar 12, 2023, at 6:04 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:


John Rinker: Thank you, fun map!

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfguBCB722BVQUCvXwtn7Ua%2BhMjViDhSiFxgbpOB6w13eEg%40mail.gmail.com.

DavidP

unread,
Mar 12, 2023, 8:31:50 PM3/12/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Nicely done, John!

-Dave

RichS

unread,
Mar 13, 2023, 10:58:01 AM3/13/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
John,

Many thanks for creating the map. Didn't take long for it to be heavily populated!

Best,
Rich in ATL

John Rinker

unread,
Mar 13, 2023, 1:41:21 PM3/13/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Cheers to all! It's been fun watching the pins drop and the map fill in with little bicycle bubbles. 

John

John Rinker

unread,
Mar 13, 2023, 11:06:19 PM3/13/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
And Kai from (40.7149091, -73.9313736) wins the 100th pin award!

Kainalu V. -Brooklyn NY

unread,
Mar 14, 2023, 9:36:00 PM3/14/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Huzzahhh!!!! And yes, I live at the slimy bottom of a doubly superfunded ultracontaminated waterway! Or close enough to worry at least. 

from Flood zone B/C
-Kai

Message has been deleted

John Rinker

unread,
Mar 16, 2023, 7:33:44 PM3/16/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
The map is growing nicely! Got riders in Oceania and Europe on the map! Still awaiting the first rider in Sri Lanka to pop up.

If you've added yourself, to the map please note that you can edit your responses in case you...I don't know...get a new bike? Change your riding style? Misspelled your name? Move from Arizona to Babylonia? 

To do this, simply click on the 'Riv Rider Registration' and you can choose to 'Edit your response.' 

Cheers, John

iamkeith

unread,
Mar 20, 2023, 1:05:08 AM3/20/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
This is great.  Thanks for putting it together! 
 I have couple of suggestions, more for the participant pi-droppers than for John:

1)  Please be cautious and think twice about listing your actual home address.  Especially if you live somewhere like Denver or Oakland, where bike theft is a major industry.  Thieves could use this info to stake-out and target your place.

2)  it would be great to list the model(s) and size(s) of bikes you own.  So many times I wish I could have test-ridden something, but didn't know how to find an example nearby.  This could really help.

Kim Hetzel

unread,
Mar 20, 2023, 1:18:11 AM3/20/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Excellent input, Keith

Kim Hetzel
Yelm, WA.
Message has been deleted

Ted Durant

unread,
Mar 20, 2023, 10:01:24 AM3/20/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
On Monday, March 20, 2023 at 12:05:08 AM UTC-5 iamkeith wrote:
This is great.  Thanks for putting it together! 
 I have couple of suggestions, more for the participant pi-droppers than for John:

1)  Please be cautious and think twice about listing your actual home address.  Especially if you live somewhere like Denver or Oakland, where bike theft is a major industry.  Thieves could use this info to stake-out and target your place.

2)  it would be great to list the model(s) and size(s) of bikes you own.  So many times I wish I could have test-ridden something, but didn't know how to find an example nearby.  This could really help.

Well, to play devil's advocate a bit, your address is public information pretty easily discovered on the web, and listing details of your bikes might make it more attractive to a bike thief knowing what they will find.

That said, I plugged in approximate coordinates for mine, and I listed my bikes, though not the sizes. That's a good suggestion. I don't think potential thieves care much about the size - it's not like they're looking for bikes to ride themselves!

Ted Durant
Milwaukee WI USA 

John Rinker

unread,
Mar 20, 2023, 11:59:08 AM3/20/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Good suggestions Keith. The map doesn't really need a specific address to work, just someplace nearby. Also, your suggestion about models and sizes has been added to the form. 

Answers can be edited on the form should people choose to add this info (or delete specific street addresses).

Cheers, John

Drew Saunders

unread,
Mar 20, 2023, 12:05:38 PM3/20/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Good idea! I found the street address of my nearest post office and changed my answer to that. It's close enough, and if any bike thieves go there, they'll be very, very, confused.

On Sunday, March 19, 2023 at 10:05:08 PM UTC-7 iamkeith wrote:

John Rinker

unread,
Mar 24, 2023, 9:45:51 PM3/24/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
I'm playing with the idea of riders being able to add a photo of their bike such that when one clicks on a map pin not only do you get info in the sidebar but also an image of a beautiful bicycle. (You can check out the pin I added at RBW as an example)

Could be a fun addition. Of course, anyone who has more than one Riv would have to make a choice. 

Cheers, John

Ray Varella

unread,
Mar 25, 2023, 2:33:05 PM3/25/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
I would use the address of the local police station for my location. 

I use their phone number whenever I get spam inquiries on something. 

Ray

Patrick Moore

unread,
Mar 25, 2023, 2:38:02 PM3/25/23
to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
I like this idea. Please do add this feature.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.


--

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Patrick Moore
Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

John Rinker

unread,
Mar 25, 2023, 8:59:52 PM3/25/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Ha, Ray! That's a brilliant idea per Keith's caution about using your specific address. 

Thanks, Patrick. I'm working on it.

Cheers, John

John Rinker

unread,
Mar 28, 2023, 9:20:12 PM3/28/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
I've added Rivendell Dealers to the Riv Rider's Map, and these icons are in blue. I used the addresses found on the Riv website, but I'm not sure if all of these dealers are still dealers or even in business.

If anyone knows what I don't, let me know and I'll update the map.

Cheers, John

John Rinker

unread,
May 9, 2023, 7:07:26 PM5/9/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Bump on this for those who may have missed it and want to add a pin to the map. See the top of the thread for instructions.

John Rinker

unread,
May 10, 2023, 3:07:35 PM5/10/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Just a reminder on this map if you haven't gone through the thread: You don't need to put your specific address if you'd rather not. A random address in your city or town, or a cross street nearby is enough.

Also, you can add a photo of your bike if you wish. We all love to see the cool bikes about which we are so passionate!

Cheers, John

John Rinker

unread,
Jun 8, 2023, 12:32:53 AM6/8/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Almost 200 riders on the map now, and quite a few lovely photos of some fine Rivs around the world.

See the top of the thread if you want to add a pin.

Cheers, John

Caroline Golum

unread,
Jun 8, 2023, 1:39:01 PM6/8/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
I love this! Just added me + the Betty, excited to see who else in NYC is rocking a Riv <3

Tony Lockhart

unread,
Jun 11, 2023, 10:50:08 PM6/11/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Hi John, just added my Hillborne to the list. Thanks!

Pretty remarkable to see how many are in the bay area.....not so many in LA. Thanks!

John Rinker

unread,
Jun 11, 2023, 11:59:17 PM6/11/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
And with that, Tony, you become the 200th rider on the list!

Cheers, John

Tony Lockhart

unread,
Jun 13, 2023, 9:25:56 PM6/13/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Great news, John. Thanks for making this happen.

John Rinker

unread,
Jun 21, 2023, 11:31:57 AM6/21/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Nevada, South Dakota, and Rhode Island seem to be the only states devoid of Riv Riders (I'm sure they're out there!), and East of the Mississippi seems far more represented than the vast, open spaces out West. 

I'm enjoying how this map has come together.

Cheers, John

John Rinker

unread,
Aug 5, 2023, 6:43:31 PM8/5/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Bump on the Riv Rider's Map for any who missed it.

Cheers, John

Josh C

unread,
Aug 6, 2023, 9:35:31 AM8/6/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
I added my dot to Indy

Roberta

unread,
Aug 6, 2023, 9:48:18 PM8/6/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
My pin is in Philadelphia, PA!  I don't see it, so I'm guessing you either approve, or it takes a bit to update.

Thank you, John.

Roberta

John Rinker

unread,
Aug 6, 2023, 10:35:19 PM8/6/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Hello Roberta,

Thanks for adding your pin. It is now updated. You are correct- as the map is, I have to manually update it when new data is added. Care to upload a photo of your beautiful purple Riv? I just read in Leah's post that your bike once slid down a rock face. Ouch!

Cheers, John

Roberta

unread,
Aug 7, 2023, 2:44:15 AM8/7/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
Thanks John for doing this.

That is Ana’s purple Riv and I believe that story is true. I only dream of a custom mixte.  

John Rinker

unread,
Aug 8, 2023, 8:15:41 PM8/8/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
My pleasure, Roberta! I hope it has helped some people connect and enjoy each other's company on a ride.

Cheers, John

John Rinker

unread,
Sep 14, 2023, 3:50:40 PM9/14/23
to RBW Owners Bunch
I had a question about editing your information on the Riv Rider's Interactive Map. In case you happen to move, get a new bike, sell an existing bike, change your riding preferences, or get a new nickname you can update your information on the map.

Just go to the Map of Rivendell Riders, click on the 'Riv Rider Registration' and you will be given an option to edit your info.

Unfortunately, this doesn't automatically update on the map itself, but only in the Google Sheet. So, if you want to see your changes on the map, PM me and I'll have to do it manually. Haven't figured out the auto-update...yet!

On a side note, I did use the map to find a rider in Spokane who turned me onto some very fine riding in the area. 

Cheers, John
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages