Navigation

Course notes show checkpoints in latitude & longitude and difficulty level. You decide your route based on your comfort level (drivers skill) & hooptie capability.

We use decimal degrees format in Florida. Looks something like "29.2145, -81.9817". Look that one up and you might find something sweet.

Three levels... Easy, Gambler & Devils Butthole. What makes a checkpoint difficult? Could be sand, snow, earthquake, mud or whatever. Remember, no guts, no glory.

Huh, huh. He said unit. You need some kind of device that accepts decimal degrees. Some Google Maps apps will work, some dash mounted GPS systems work, most handheld GPS units are fine. I recommend the app 'Avenza' for your smartphone. It's free and works even when you don't have a data signal as it relies on a GPS signal. And believe me, in the forests of Florida, you will not get good cell service.

In Florida we run our events by points. Course notes tell you how many points each checkpoint is worth. Sometimes points are based on difficulty level, sometimes on the fun factor. Go after the points you want, or don't. It's all up to you. Track your own score and self report to the judges each evening.

Having issues navigating? No sweat, this event is for fun. Many don't even bother tracking their points. They just want to go play. So hook up with other Gamblers and just follow them like a stalker. ABG!

The app 'Avenza' is recommended as it does not rely on a data signal to work. It uses a GPS signal. The app is free. You download the app, then download the individual map for the area you are visiting. There are almost always free downloadable detailed maps, so using the app is cheap Charlie.

Once 'Avenza' is running it shows you where you are. You input the coordinates for the checkpoint you want to go to. It can't give you turn by turn directions because it cannot account for trails and swamps and BigFoot. So you have to have your navigator look at the app and decide what course to drive.

Since you are picking the route, you need to watch out for a few things: Wildlife or preservation restricted areas, bombing ranges and so on. Are you entering private property? Are you on a private road? Has the Forest Service closed the area you are attempting to enter? Are licensed vehicles allowed where you are going? Meth labs? One way traffic? Narrow trail? Just pay attention to your route to avoid any imperial conflicts, Padawan.

Coordinates are inputted by 'dropping a pin'. I find it easiest to just drop a pin anywhere. Name it anything you want. Then edit the coordinates. The pin will appear on your map right at the checkpoint. Now that you know where you are and where you want to be, all you have to do is figure out how to get there. It's that easy... or like Mae West said "I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it."

You don't have to use 'Avenza'. There are plenty of app's available for navigation. I like 'Avenza' 'cause it's free and reliable. But pick your poison. What ever works best for you is the huckleberry. A good place to get information on off-road navigation is your local Jeep club. Ask 100 folks and you'll get 100 answers. 

Don't get the wrong impression about navigating the Gambler. It really is easy. But if you want to be completely into it you do need to know how to navigate. Trust me, plenty of Gamblers have no idea. They just hook up with others and play "follow the leader". And it's really cool to do that. But if you want to be proficient you need to practice. So download the app and start having fun. ABG!

Developed for Gamblers, UNPAVED is the app to use for finding waypoints off road. 

Discover, create "tracks" with series of waypoints to share with friends, overlanders, off-roaders, Gamblers etc. Compete to get from origin to destination with the most "unpaved miles". It's about the journey, not the destination.

Only available now for the IOS platform, but upgrades are under continuous development. Stay tuned for exciting changes.

Need help with UnPaved? Here's a YouTube video with all kinds of info.