Google Earth Uses

[Sherpadude]

I recently downloaded an updated copy of Google Earth and was browsing "in my neighborhood." To my astonishment, I came upon a view (obviously taken a couple of years ago during early Spring) from about 2,000 feet in altitude which depicted this area, only 0.48 miles (as the crow flies) from my place:

http://www.localriders.com/photopost/data//500/Track_Day.JPG

----------------------^:lol
This area is also directly along my route to work (on a road which hadn't yet been constructed when this image was made), and has been hidden from my "ground view," especially with all of the summer foliage. I've now driven past the area a couple of times in my car looking for an "entry point," and I think I found one on my way home from work today.

A short road trip beckons for the Super Sherpa (probably tomorrow). :multijump

Jeff

[jparker]

Cool Jeff! What is the correct address to Google Earth?

[witttom]

Cool Jeff! What is the correct address to Google Earth?

http://earth.google.com/

[Sherpadude]

Here is a view from a higher altitude, which also shows the coordinates.

http://www.localriders.com/photopost/data//500/Track_Day_1.JPG

Keep this a secret! :eek:

Jeff

[witttom]

Keep this a secret! :eek:
Hehehe..... as he says on a public forum. ;)

[witttom]

I've now driven past the area a couple of times in my car looking for an "entry point," and I think I found one on my way home from work today.
Using a different source for the images (obviously taken in a different season), there appears to be a wide clearing (perhaps a right-of-way for a utility company of sorts?) to the North leaving some of the area exposed. That looks like a potentially good entry point, as well as the NW corner of this area where there appears to be an intended entry/exit.

http://www.localriders.com/photopost/data//500/HaydenTrailsView.JPG

[Sherpadude]

Hehehe..... as he says on a public forum. ;)
Where is the "tongue-in-cheek" smilie when you need one? :Pest:

Jeff

[Sherpadude]

Using a different source for the images (obviously taken in a different season), there appears to be a wide clearing (perhaps a right-of-way for a utility company of sorts?) to the North leaving some of the area exposed. That looks like a potentially good entry point, as well as the NW corner of this area where there appears to be an intended entry/exit.


I've updated the image map with the new roads (don't call me a civil engineer; I can't draw straight lines!), with potential entry points highlighted in red

http://www.localriders.com/photopost/data//500/HaydenTrailsView_1.JPG

I think I prefer the more challenging dual-sport ride (highlighted in yellow) to a suitable entry point with some added stealth. :uhh:

Jeff

[Sherpadude]

Ok, here's a more up-to-date photo, with recent road construction and other developments added. It's the Office Land 6.5 acre parcel.

http://www.localriders.com/photopost/data//500/Duke_Realty_1.JPG

I took 15 minutes during lunch before the rains came to check it out on the Sherpa. It was definitely a motorcycle/ATV practice track at some point, complete with jumps, elevation changes and even some technical sections.

Here is the Duke Realty description (http://www.dukerealty.com/properties/DynamicHTML.aspx?EntityTypeID=21&EntityID=42&DevPark=BRC). I say that we do a "group buy" from Duke Reality, reinvigorate the track, and place a Localriders office on the property!

Jeff

[witttom]

Ok, here's a more up-to-date photo, with recent road construction and other developments added. It's the Office Land 6.5 acre parcel.Ah. So what I thought to be a right-of-way, was actually the clearing/development for the new road that went in there.

[Sherpadude]

Ah. So what I thought to be a right-of-way, was actually the clearing/development for the new road that went in there.
Yes--the price of "progress." :cussing

Jeff

[Sherpadude]

About a year-and-a-half ago I noticed this area of land near where I live and work
(actually less than a mile away from each).

For the last several weeks, I've seen a trailer and a backhoe parked right next to the old trails
(positioned where the yellow rectangle is on updated map below):

http://www.localriders.com/photopost/data//500/MG_1506.JPG

http://www.localriders.com/photopost/data//500/MG_1510.JPG

http://www.localriders.com/photopost/data//500/Duke_Realty_2.JPG

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of weeks...
A motocross practice track reborn in suburban Dublin? Can I dream?
Stay tuned!

Jeff

[FOXHONDARIDER]

I noticed, if you take the route from where the farm used to be, where you have marked the yellow line at, there is pretty much a nice size full running creek on the crossing near the tree line before the field. The greatest entrance looks to be after the bridge going away from the farm and turn right near where the white concrete ends. There should be a path wide enough for a vehicle to pull in. Has anyone been here yet, other than SHERPADUDE? I would like to take a quick trip up there and check it out

[Sherpadude]

I noticed, if you take the route from where the farm used to be, where you have marked the yellow line at, there is pretty much a nice size full running creek on the crossing near the tree line before the field. The greatest entrance looks to be after the bridge going away from the farm and turn right near where the white concrete ends. There should be a path wide enough for a vehicle to pull in. Has anyone been here yet, other than SHERPADUDE? I would like to take a quick trip up there and check it out

You can enter this area easily right behind the trailer or backhoe. Nothing to it. You can see a small hill/jump right behind the backhoe in the first photo.


Keep this a secret! :eek:


I may get the little KLX out later this week during lunch and check this out further...

Jeff

[FOXHONDARIDER]

I may get the little KLX out later this week during lunch and check this out further...

Jeff

Did you Get the New Red KLX?



Here is another possible track near Marysville
[URL</iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=40.274455,-83.308688&amp;spn=0.001977,0.005472&amp;z=18&amp;output=embed&amp; s=AARTsJpnOA3ioEtcI9rx_v7gyZqlolGTYw"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=40.274455,-83.308688&amp;spn=0.001977,0.005472&amp;z=18&amp;source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small> [/URL]

[Sherpadude]

Did you Get the New Red KLX?

Here is another possible track near Marysville
[URL</iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=40.274455,-83.308688&amp;spn=0.001977,0.005472&amp;z=18&amp;output=embed&amp; s=AARTsJpnOA3ioEtcI9rx_v7gyZqlolGTYw"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=40.274455,-83.308688&amp;spn=0.001977,0.005472&amp;z=18&amp;source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small> [/URL]

Neat! Are you going to check that other "hidden" track out? How did you find it?

Kawasaki Red? I know they make it in that color, but in my opinion that would be blasphemy. If I wanted red I'd have gotten a Honda. :Pest:

Jeff

[WOZERD]

This looks like an entrance. Drive onto the sidewalk and then turn right into the area. It should be right behind those bushes. Hope this works from Google maps street view.
<iframe width="425" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,115.68305309552204,,0,-2.7647058823529433&amp;cbll=40.064666,-83.138164&amp;panoid=&amp;v=1&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=us"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=britton+rd. +columbus,+ohio&amp;sll=37.0625,-95.677068&amp;sspn=32.252269,50.712891&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=40.0 65461,-83.131399&amp;spn=0.001901,0.005472&amp;t=h&amp;z=14&amp;layer=c&amp;c bll=40.064666,-83.138164&amp;panoid=2JK2awaSWG8gJ-1SsEUvdA&amp;cbp=12,115.68305309552204,,0,-2.7647058823529433" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>

[WOZERD]

try again. It worked til I edited it to add "behind the bushes".
<iframe width="425" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,125.37105345278738,,0,-2.4870017331022524&amp;cbll=40.064666,-83.138164&amp;panoid=&amp;v=1&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=us"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=britton+rd+ columbus,+ohio&amp;sll=37.0625,-95.677068&amp;sspn=30.406222,50.712891&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=40.0 65461,-83.131399&amp;spn=0.00179,0.003095&amp;t=h&amp;z=14&amp;layer=c&amp;cb ll=40.064666,-83.138164&amp;panoid=2JK2awaSWG8gJ-1SsEUvdA&amp;cbp=12,125.37105345278738,,0,-2.4870017331022524" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>

or this
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=britton+rd+columbus,+ohio&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=30.406222,50.712891&ie=UTF8&ll=40.064746,-83.138191&spn=0.00179,0.003095&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=40.064666,-83.138164&panoid=2JK2awaSWG8gJ-1SsEUvdA&cbp=12,125.37105345278738,,0,-2.4870017331022524

[WOZERD]

Did you Get the New Red KLX?



Here is another possible track near Marysville
[URL</IFRAME width="425" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.274455,-83.308688&spn=0.001977,0.005472&z=18&output=embed&s=AARTsJpnOA3ioEtcI9rx_v7gyZqlolGTYw" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" height="350"></IFRAME>
<SMALL>View Larger Map (http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.274455,-83.308688&spn=0.001977,0.005472&z=18&source=embed)</SMALL> [/url]

Wow! A road course, a flat track and what looks like a high diving board into a tiny pool! I doubt the guy that owns it will mind if you use it-- right? Or, are you talking about that land to the left? :Pest:

[Sherpadude]

try again. It worked.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=britton+rd+columbus,+ohio&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=30.406222,50.712891&ie=UTF8&ll=40.064746,-83.138191&spn=0.00179,0.003095&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=40.064666,-83.138164&panoid=2JK2awaSWG8gJ-1SsEUvdA&cbp=12,125.37105345278738,,0,-2.4870017331022524

Technology. Gotta love it. If you click the scroll arrow to the right (look right) twice, that's the place! The only thing missing from this image are the bikes.

Bob--you're finally living up to your moniker ("OK, just for the sake of argument, let's look at this optically!").

Thanks for sharing...

Jeff

[AnswerMeister]

Be carefull of earth google and realy carefull of street view. Look what happened to this poor guy.
http://wayne.fitzsimons.info/temp/DammedGoogleMaps.jpg

[FOXHONDARIDER]

Does anyone live near Terrace Park or maybe near Mt. Carmel Road or Round Bottom Road?[URL="><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;q=Round+Bottom+Rd,+Ohi o&amp;sll=39.33843,-84.366846&amp;sspn=0.008248,0.021887&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;cd=1&amp;geoc ode=FZtpVQIdea75-g&amp;split=0&amp;t=h&amp;ll=39.14702,-84.307837&amp;spn=0.011649,0.018239&amp;z=15" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>"[/URL]

[Hyflyer]

Does anyone live near Terrace Park or maybe near Mt. Carmel Road or Round Bottom Road?View Larger Map (>[URL="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&q=Round+Bottom+Rd,+Ohio&sll=39.33843,-84.366846&sspn=0.008248,0.021887&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FZtpVQIdea75-g&split=0&t=h&ll=39.14702,-84.307837&spn=0.011649,0.018239&z=15)</SMALL>"[/URL]

That area is pretty clearly marked with lot's of "no trespassing" signs

[Sherpadude]

Does anyone live near Terrace Park or maybe near Mt. Carmel Road or Round Bottom Road?[URL="><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;q=Round+Bottom+Rd,+Ohi o&amp;sll=39.33843,-84.366846&amp;sspn=0.008248,0.021887&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;cd=1&amp;geoc ode=FZtpVQIdea75-g&amp;split=0&amp;t=h&amp;ll=39.14702,-84.307837&amp;spn=0.011649,0.018239&amp;z=15" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>"[/URL]
It's interesting that you bring that up, as I asked a friend who lives in Milford during brunch this past Sunday what was going on with those trails (he used to ride his ATV there). He told me that all of the access points (that he was aware of) have been built over or closed off, but that you could still get into the area via a couple of people's back yards. He didn't mention where they were.

Finding places to ride off-road for free are pretty much non-existent these days. Sigh.

Jeff

[Sherpadude]

They have taken the backhoe away from this site (probably sometime today). The trailer is still there, though.

I walked the entire area (most of it overgrown), and this definitely used to be a motocross practice track, complete with built-up berms for some of the turns. The area is listed as 6.5 acres, but seems larger. One could definitely have a lot of fun here. I wonder what is going to happen to it.

Jeff

[FOXHONDARIDER]

So they weren't using the excavator for any upkeeping of the track?

[RENCRN8]

That trailer was for sale on Craigslist recently, I thought about buying it. That is all....

[Dave Bannister]

It's interesting that you bring that up, as I asked a friend who lives in Milford during brunch this past Sunday what was going on with those trails (he used to ride his ATV there). He told me that all of the access points (that he was aware of) have been built over or closed off, but that you could still get into the area via a couple of people's back yards. He didn't mention where they were.

Finding places to ride off-road for free are pretty much non-existent these days. Sigh.

Jeff

That area is pretty clearly marked with lot's of "no trespassing" signs


I've tried to ride there before too but it was clearly marked so I stayed away!!

[Sherpadude]

They have taken the backhoe away from this site (probably sometime today). The trailer is still there, though.

I walked the entire area (most of it overgrown), and this definitely used to be a motocross practice track, complete with built-up berms for some of the turns. The area is listed as 6.5 acres, but seems larger. One could definitely have a lot of fun here. I wonder what is going to happen to it.

Jeff
The backhoe is back at the site today... I should probably call Duke Realty and see what's up with this land parcel.

Jeff

[Sherpadude]

A few minutes spent at the Franklin County auditor site yielded:

http://www.localriders.com/photopost/data//500/Mid_Ohio_1.JPG

The land is apparently now owned by TRUEMAN LP, but they list an address used by Truesports, Inc. The same company which manages Mid-Ohio race course?

Anyone know anything about TRUEMAN LP?

After digging a bit further, I found this link to Truesports, Inc. (http://www.ohiobiz.com/central-ohio/Truesports-Inc.html) and it lists Michelle Trueman as president.
I called, but she's out of the office until next week.

The plot is thickening!

Jeff

[FOXHONDARIDER]

Here is the paperwork for the piece of land. It says that a Colin Trueman is the owner of the property. Here is a link to look and read more into it http://www.cityofhilliard.com/ed/edr/Carrington%20CD/Application%20Forms.pdf He has owned it since March or April of 2004.

On another website it states - http://www.zande.com/images/publications/7365%20ESA%20Screening.pdf on Page 11
"Parcel Number #050-009944, located at 5100 Hayden Run Road, consisted of a mixture of agricultural and residential land. A farmhouse, with associated outbuildings, was located along the north side of Hayden Run Road and appeared to be vacant at the time of the site reconnaissance. A dirt road was observed running in a north-south direction through the property. Pipeline markers were observed running in an east-west direction through the property. A former dirt bike track was noted in the central portion of the parcel, to the east of the dirt road. The bike track was overgrown with vegetation and did not appear to have been used within the past year. Large soil piles were noted on the northwest portion of the property. Ms. Letty Schamp, with the City of Hilliard, was contacted concerning the soil piles and she stated that the soil piles consist only of topsoil that were stored there during the construction of the apartment complex on the northern adjacent property. Ms. Schamp also stated that two small wetlands were formed from the earthwork."

[Sherpadude]

Very interesting...

The Trueman family definitely owns the property. And the backhoe and motorcycle trailer are still parked there. I came within an eyelash tonight of riding my KLX over there (I'm less than a mile away), but I've already walked the area and know what it's about.

Jim Trueman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Trueman) was apparently quite a guy. He was the founder of Red Roof Inn, used part of his fortune to buy the Mid-Ohio race course in 1981, and also sponsored racing teams (Bobby Rahal won the Indy 500 in 1986 as part of one of his teams). He was a very capable auto racer himself. Unfortunately, he died of cancer less than two weeks after Rahal won the 500. At least he got to see his team reach the pinnacle with that win.

If I can muster the interest, I may give Michelle Trueman a call at Truesports tomorrow (she's the president, and also helps manages Mid-Ohio). It sounds like a pretty closeknit family, and I doubt if they'll let any secrets out, but who knows.

Jeff

[Sherpadude]

Update: I called Truesports a few weeks ago and was ready to post here, but then our beloved Localriders site was down for about a week and I forgot about it.

What Truesports told me is that "they don't have anything planned for the property," and that the motorcycle trailer and backhoe must have been placed there by "trespassers." It's kind of hard to believe, but that's the answer that they gave me. Colin Trueman, the owner of the property, apparently now lives in Colorado.

http://www.localriders.com/photopost/data//500/MG_1510.JPG

The backhoe disappeared for a few days, but it's now back again as of today. It just seems so odd that someone would park a motorcycle trailer and backhoe at the same spot for weeks/months, and not do anything with them. The land was definitely used as a small motocross practice track at some point in the late 90's or earlier this decade, no doubt about it.

Jeff

[FOXHONDARIDER]

Found a new spot that could be a dirt track, It is located off Shank Road in Hamilton.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=39%C2%B025'33.95%22N,+84%C2%B040'6.52%22W&sll=39.426928,-84.671266&sspn=0.009829,0.017166&ie=UTF8&ll=39.425486,-84.668734&spn=0.004914,0.008583&t=h&z=17

[Hyflyer]

:Pest: that is clearly a giant alien footprint. Duh.

[Sherpadude]

Apparently it was sheer coincidence that a local landscaping company is using a motorcycle trailer to store items. While I wouldn't consider it safe just to leave a motorcycle trailer unattended for six weeks, they've apparently done just that.

On my way back to work during lunch I noticed someone for the very first time actually "working" near the trailer and the backhoe at this site, and some topsoil had been dropped off nearby. Wanting to get an answer to the question that's been bugging me for weeks, I pulled over and asked the guy who was working there what was happening with the site. He told me the backhoe was there just to move some dirt for some landscaping, and that the main parcel of land will be left untouched. He wasn't aware of any special "motorcycle track projects."

When I asked the guy who he worked for, he said "Alpha Centauri," so, Scott, your theory about these landscape modifications seem to be on the mark...

Jeff

[WOZERD]

Damn! Illegal Alpha Centaurions! I've always suspected they were up to something!

[Sherpadude]

Keep this a secret! :eek:

Jeff

Hehehe..... as he says on a public forum. ;)

The little KLX found some mud nearby today, and the location is a secret!

Jeff