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deepcdiver
Motorcyclist
Joined: 09 May 2006
Posts: 38
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 Posted: 25.02.2008, 21:39 Post subject: Do not bother with Gecko map 4 Cambodia... |
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I just fished 10 days ride ...The Gecko map is totally worthless IMHO. Bought the Ültimate Cambodia"" best $24 ever spent...beats Lonely Planet at their own game, and the map in back even though it does not give a scale...is pretty good. PLUS, the route descriptions are right on, to within 1/10th km on my bikes odometer. This book is I beleive the latest
version of the earlier Ädventure Cambodia"...same author, a bit thicker and more up to date.
Quick note...I would not bother riding out to Koh Khong again, not that pretty a ride IMHO...fine if u are crossing the border. The forst and last bridges are opem, the middle two still under comstruction, the ferries still in business there.
Also...prettiest route I took was the back way to Kratie along the Mekong...second best was route 64 up north from Kompong Thom towards Preah Vihear, although from Kulen (SP) it was pothole city, also the 30 km immediately north of KT...however just follow the moto tracks in beween . Fortunately for me after that 30km I came across road graders smooooothing the way  |
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BignTall
Biker Legend
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 363
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| Posted: 27.02.2008, 10:01 Post subject: |
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I'll second Deepcdivers comment. The Gecko map was horrid.
Glad to see another option rising from the ashes.
Like you I thought Koh Khong a waste other than getting through the border.
Glad you found the graders as those potholes get to you after awhile. What were you riding?
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Cheers all.
"Looking for the woman that takes the wheel when I'm seeing double." |
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deepcdiver
Motorcyclist
Joined: 09 May 2006
Posts: 38
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| Posted: 27.02.2008, 15:51 Post subject: |
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| BignTall wrote: |
Glad you found the graders as those potholes get to you after awhile. What were you riding? |
Dude! I had been doing 85-90 kmh on the very decent Koh Ker road. Made the left to head north from Kulen, road OK at ther very beginning. The first pothole was almost a ditch, at 70 kmh I avoided all tbut the edge which was doable after a skidding double downshifting slide, with a last second straighten the bike out andf stand on the pegs move....fully a meter and a half abrupt aggressive profile ditch for the most part, a real bike and bone breaker...my own stupid fault. Negotiated the edge part which was merely a teeth jarring bike bottomer. After that i saw the telltale tracks warn by the local Dreams and Waves and followed them thru the lessser potholes at a safer 45 kmh.
Was riding a Suzuki Djebel 250cc enduro with fresh agressive knobbies. At first the tire were really causing a lot of vibes on pavement, but after the first 1000 km's were smooth. Was VERY glad to have them on the back road from Kratie to Kompor Cham after a HARD 6 hr thunder and rainstorm the night before. Only 30 km dirt, but greasy clay with stretches of DEEP loose mud and the rear of the bike swayin g a meter back and forth digging thru it. Any bigger bike and I would have been down repeatedly, I am a moderate dual-sport rider, not a motocrosser, plus my luggage with repair kit/tools/water/camera bag/clothes weighed easily 25 kilos...far more than I would have liked. But I needed to bring cold weather gear for northern Laos and Viet Nam...
The Suzuki ("Jezebel the Djebel") would cruise all day uphill and down at 90 kmh dirt or tar, with 115 seen briefly on the road to Koh Khong...in other words faster than was really safe to go what with kids/bikes/water buffalo/potholes etc. I was getting 235km mimimum before hitting rerserve, and vcentured 25 km into reserve w/o running out. A nice range to have. I have nothing bad to say about the bike at all, except the narrow seat which I widened by duct taping two large water bttles about 30 cm apart to effectively widen the seating area (home-made "sweet cheeks" for those who know)and throwing it over the saddle....a night and day difference!
Never did air down the tires, did not feel the need to. |
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deepcdiver
Motorcyclist
Joined: 09 May 2006
Posts: 38
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| Posted: 27.02.2008, 15:53 Post subject: dupe.sorry |
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BignTall
Biker Legend
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 363
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| Posted: 06.03.2008, 08:12 Post subject: |
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Yep a lot of people have had great success with the Djebal. Glad you are enjoying it and especially love the pooor man "sweet cheeks" mod to the seat. Good on you.
Sounds like the ole Cambodia main road "MX tracks" were doing there best to keep you on your toes. How far up into Laos did you ride?
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Cheers all.
"Looking for the woman that takes the wheel when I'm seeing double." |
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jorai
Cyclist
Joined: 15 Jul 2006
Posts: 18
Location: Cambodia
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| Posted: 19.04.2008, 13:35 Post subject: |
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I agree with comments on Djebel and Adventure/Ultimate Cambodia.
But saying the Gecko Map is useless and the 1 page sketch in the guide book better, this is plain ridiculous. If you stick to the roads in the guidebook map, what you get to see is a pathetically small fraction of Cambodia.
There are no alternatives to the Gecko map, maybe some of the GPS maps available or the 300$ one from Aruna maybe.
I just wonder how you would even know the Gecko map is bad.
_________________
Tons of pics and travel reports from dirt bike trips all around Cambodia:
http://cambodia.mellenthin.de/ |
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BignTall
Biker Legend
Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 363
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| Posted: 20.04.2008, 20:26 Post subject: |
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Sadly the Gecko map is all that is reasonably avfailable. Just letting others know that it is not reliable in ALL places. I travelled around Cambodiua for three weeks last year via motorbike and it was wrong on more than a few occasions. Better than nothing for sure. i just remember roads being on the map that were not there in reality. Perhaps roads that were planned in the future but not laid as of then.
Luckily i had a GPS map of sorts for the country that was a bit better than the map and that was used as a comparison. I beleive the original poster was comparing the Adventure Cambo book to the Lonely Planet guide, not comparing the books map to Gecko's map.
Cheers.
_________________
Cheers all.
"Looking for the woman that takes the wheel when I'm seeing double." |
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gecko maps
Pedestrian
Joined: 07 May 2008
Posts: 2
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| Posted: 07.05.2008, 13:49 Post subject: |
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Hi,
interesting that our Gecko map is under discussion. 
All corrections and suggestions are highly appreciated. Help us to make the map better!
Martina
http://www.geckomaps.com |
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jorai
Cyclist
Joined: 15 Jul 2006
Posts: 18
Location: Cambodia
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| Posted: 07.05.2008, 15:06 Post subject: gecko for GPS? |
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So when will the Gecko map be available for (Garmin) GPSr devices?
_________________
Tons of pics and travel reports from dirt bike trips all around Cambodia:
http://cambodia.mellenthin.de/ |
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LivinLOS
Motorcyclist
Joined: 11 Mar 2008
Posts: 28
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| Posted: 07.05.2008, 18:00 Post subject: |
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| I found a garmin compatible cambo map. |
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LivinLOS
Motorcyclist
Joined: 11 Mar 2008
Posts: 28
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Auke
Leader of The Pack
Joined: 10 Nov 2003
Posts: 159
Location: Vientiane and Chiangmai
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jorai
Cyclist
Joined: 15 Jul 2006
Posts: 18
Location: Cambodia
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| Posted: 08.05.2008, 09:52 Post subject: |
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Thanks Auke. I am familiar with both maps and use the 1.8 one on my Garmin.
However, it would be great to have a routable digital version of the Gecko map, too. Actually I don't care much for routing as I know Cambodia well but I care for accurate and updated road info for the remoter areas.
_________________
Tons of pics and travel reports from dirt bike trips all around Cambodia:
http://cambodia.mellenthin.de/ |
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gecko maps
Pedestrian
Joined: 07 May 2008
Posts: 2
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