Author Topic: TAR Google Earth Project  (Read 98378 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Neobie

  • Amazing Detective
  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2539
TAR Google Earth Project
« on: April 23, 2011, 02:54:51 AM »
Hey guys, I'm working on plotting all the historical Pit Stops of TAR to as accurate a point as possible, and right now I'm stuck on the Starting Line of TAR 3 in the Everglades. The credits list "Miccosukee Indian Village", but I'm pretty sure that's not the starting line. Here are some other clues:

1. Behind Phil is an airboat. I can't tell land from water on Google Earth within the Everglades, do you guys know how?
2. The sixth picture listed here is of teams travelling east along Route 41, just before the intersection with Loop Rd.

Any ideas, guys?


Offline theschnauzers

  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4268
  • An original TARfly
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2011, 05:31:09 PM »
Yes.  The start line is near (as in "behind" the village. If you look at the cars the teams drove onto U.S. 41 (Tamiami Trail) there is a dirt road IIRC that they turn off of onto the highway.

I confirmed this with Drew Riker at TARCON 3, when it would have been fresh in his memory.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the location is far more developed now due to the Indian casino than it was in 2002 when the start was filmed.


Edited to add:  Neobie, the location would be well to the "west" of the US 41 intersection with Loop Road; If I recall correctly, it was actually west of the county line between Miami-Dade and Collier counties.

There's been some clear development on both sides of the highway, as I do not remember seeing that many structures along that area of 41 at the time. One possibility is a short dirt road that had a camera icon in Google Earth with the address of 54002 US 41 . The one thing I definitely pinned down in talking with Drew about it was that it was past the "Bid Bend" which is where US 41 turns towards the NW for a distance and then back towards the west headed towards Naples.

It other words, the drive was further away out from Miami than the reference to Loop Road.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2011, 05:55:17 PM by theschnauzers »
-- theschnauzers


Offline Dom

  • RFF Timeliner
  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 703
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2011, 09:45:52 AM »
This is a great idea! I'd love to be able to just look at a map and tell exactly where TAR has been. Maybe you could include all the route info/roadblocks etc as well afterwards? Let me know if you'd like help doing this!

Offline mjriches2005

  • RFF Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 448
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2011, 02:06:52 PM »
This is not a historical pitstop, but I live about 7 miles from the Tillikum Retreat in Newberg, Oregon where the final leg detour of Season 13 was.  Its on NE North Valley Road just outside of Newberg.

Offline Neobie

  • Amazing Detective
  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2539
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2011, 11:34:37 PM »
Thanks guys, and thanks TheSchnauzers for the help with Miami! There's only one location that matches the clues: a service reservoir just south of the Dade Collier Airport. I now have the locations for all Pit Stops in TARs 1-5, down to an accuracy I'm pretty happy about! (With the exception of Ban Plai Pong Pang, and the boats-floating-in-harbours Pit Stops...)

Now moving on... if anyone can figure out the Ile de Goree Pit Stop in TAR 6, that'd be pretty amazing! It doesn't help that there's no name to it, so I'm randomly searching Panoramio for something that fits...

I'd be happy to move on to other locations once I have all the Pit Stops down!
« Last Edit: May 02, 2011, 11:56:52 PM by Neobie »


Offline Neobie

  • Amazing Detective
  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2539
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2011, 08:16:57 PM »
There! All 244 of the starting lines, ending points, Pit Stops and faux-Pit Stops over 18 seasons! The two I'm most unsure about still are the ones for Ile de Goree and the Makgadikgadi Pans, but I'm pretty happy with almost everything else!

(Guess which two Pit Stops were closest to each other?)

Let me know if you have anything to add, change, or if you are familiar with any city the race has visited to be able to help pinpoint other locations on the race!

Offline Coutzy

  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2784
  • Is it really that time again?
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2011, 06:54:26 AM »
There! All 244 of the starting lines, ending points, Pit Stops and faux-Pit Stops over 18 seasons! The two I'm most unsure about still are the ones for Ile de Goree and the Makgadikgadi Pans, but I'm pretty happy with almost everything else!

(Guess which two Pit Stops were closest to each other?)

Let me know if you have anything to add, change, or if you are familiar with any city the race has visited to be able to help pinpoint other locations on the race!

If you need anything from TAR18's Sydney/Manly leg I can pinpoint clue locations as well as the pit stop.

Offline georgiapeach

  • Amazing Race Admin
  • RFF Administrator
  • I Live at RFF
  • *****
  • Posts: 54196
  • TAR Detective
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2011, 09:00:31 AM »
What a labor of love!!  This will be the reference to go to for forever....

Wonderful job Neobie!! :yourock:
RFF's Golden Rule:
Have RESPECT for each other, regardless of opinion. This of course includes no flaming/insulting other users and/or their posts.

Offline apskip

  • Geographer Extraordinaire
  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 6189
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #8 on: June 01, 2011, 03:00:15 PM »
There! All 244 of the starting lines, ending points, Pit Stops and faux-Pit Stops over 18 seasons! The two I'm most unsure about still are the ones for Ile de Goree and the Makgadikgadi Pans, but I'm pretty happy with almost everything else!

(Guess which two Pit Stops were closest to each other?)

Let me know if you have anything to add, change, or if you are familiar with any city the race has visited to be able to help pinpoint other locations on the race!

Neobie,
When you said "There." I expected a link a link to your list. Where can I find it?

Offline Prophet

  • TarKonian Game Host
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 8141
  • ∞∞
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #9 on: June 01, 2011, 03:03:28 PM »
Apskip,

The file is attached at the bottom of the post. You must have the Google Earth program to open it.
Physics alone is not enough.

Those who forget history are sure to repeat it.


Offline Neobie

  • Amazing Detective
  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2539
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2011, 09:43:57 AM »
As requested by Apskip via PM, a list of the places pinned. (I'm pretty sure it's up on Wikipedia though.)

http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/967/pitstops.jpg

Thanks RealityTVistheBest! I wonder if the Pit Stop was in the cluster of houses near the House of Slaves or near the Fort? I couldn't find photographs that match up perfectly...

I think the closest Pit Stops were the ones in Kolkata, one at the Fountain of Joy and the other at the Victoria Memorial. They're just across the road from each other, less than 100m/300ft apart! DrRox got it right via PM, but you also gave it in a list of five six Pit Stops, so I'm not sure about the prize? :)

Coutzy, I'll let you know once I get to Australia! Thanks for the offer!
« Last Edit: June 02, 2011, 09:50:51 AM by Neobie »

Offline Prophet

  • TarKonian Game Host
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 8141
  • ∞∞
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #11 on: June 02, 2011, 09:45:46 AM »
As requested by Apskip via PM, a list of the places pinned. (I'm pretty sure it's up on Wikipedia though.)

http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/967/pitstops.jpg

Very cool Neobie! That is a list we will be able to look back on as a reference for a long time.
Physics alone is not enough.

Those who forget history are sure to repeat it.

Offline theschnauzers

  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4268
  • An original TARfly
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #12 on: June 02, 2011, 03:04:36 PM »
I was taking a look last night and I would have picked Kolkuta, as well; I remember thinking it at the time while TAR:UB was in Kolkuta.

Before last season, my two choices would have been the UAE, and TAR 1 in southern Thailand.
-- theschnauzers

Offline Neobie

  • Amazing Detective
  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2539
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #13 on: June 02, 2011, 10:56:49 PM »
I think these Pit Stop pairs were also pretty close?

Shanghai, TAR 6 and 16, 1.04km
Prague, TAR 15, 1.08km
Hong Kong, TAR 2 and 17, 1.33km
Seoul, TAR 4 and 17, 1.33km
St Petersburg, TAR 17, 1.53km

Interesting note: Tiantan Park is slightly off the Beijing meridial axis, but if you go from south to north in a straight line you can go through where Kevin/Drew were eliminated, then where Bilal/Sa'eed were eliminated, then the faux Pit Stop in TAR 14, and finally where LaKisha/Jennifer were eliminated...
« Last Edit: June 02, 2011, 11:01:21 PM by Neobie »

Offline Slowhatch

  • Amazing Detective !!
  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 3531
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #14 on: June 02, 2011, 11:28:45 PM »
I think I've found a match, but it's useless because all the photos are captioned "streets of Goree" or something similar. I agree that it's probably in the warren of small streets in the southeast quarter. (photo source)

Offline Neobie

  • Amazing Detective
  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2539
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #15 on: June 03, 2011, 12:08:49 PM »
You guys are awesome, we found it! :yess:

Thanks to Slowhatch's photo I found a little cleft in the road where it veers right, and RealityTVistheBest's aerial view helps pick the road out in a way Google Earth doesn't. There's a little plaza Kris/Jon run past as they head to Phil, and it matches up with what we have.

Great job guys!

(Now if anyone can narrow down the Ban Plai Pong Pang, the Breakaways, or the Magkadigkadi Pans Pit Stop I will be suitably impressed!)
« Last Edit: June 03, 2011, 12:15:42 PM by Neobie »

Offline georgiapeach

  • Amazing Race Admin
  • RFF Administrator
  • I Live at RFF
  • *****
  • Posts: 54196
  • TAR Detective
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #16 on: June 03, 2011, 12:18:40 PM »
We need some site visits... :lol:
RFF's Golden Rule:
Have RESPECT for each other, regardless of opinion. This of course includes no flaming/insulting other users and/or their posts.

Offline Prophet

  • TarKonian Game Host
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 8141
  • ∞∞
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #17 on: June 03, 2011, 01:18:57 PM »
Could this possibly be the location of the Plai Pong Pang house?

http://goo.gl/maps/wN72

It has a similar name and is near Amphawa and is on a river but maybe there are many places around there like this  :duno:
Physics alone is not enough.

Those who forget history are sure to repeat it.

Offline Neobie

  • Amazing Detective
  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2539
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #18 on: June 03, 2011, 03:17:14 PM »
It's got to be near there, Plai Pong Pang ปลายโพงพาง is the name of the village, and Ban บ้าน pretty much just means 'house'...

Not sure if this map, and the Thai directions to which Google wrings its hands, helps?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9QcwQONKkbs/SqucJ9sOnDI/AAAAAAAAAK0/EQYCq-a85w8/s1600-h/AmpawaMap.jpg

เส้นทางจาก จ.สมุทรสงครามมาได้ 2 เส้นทาง คือ
เส้นทางที่ 1 ใช้ทางหลวงหมายเลข 2 (ถ.พระราม 2) ข้ามสะพานสมเด็จพระพุทธเลิศหล้า แล้วชิดซ้ายเพื่อลอดใต้สะพาน ตรงไปยัง อ. โพงพาง เลี้ยวซ้าย สู่ ถ.แม่กลอง-ปากท่อสายเก่า ตรงไปให้สังเกตซ้ายมือเป็นทางเข้าวัดโคกเกตุตรงเข้าไปจะพบบ้านทรงไทยปลายโพงพาง อยู่ฝั่งซ้ายมือ
เส้นทางที่ 2 จากสี่แยกปากท่อเข้า ถ.แม่กลอง-ปากท่อสายเก่า ราว 11 กม. จะถึงวัดโคกเกตุ เลี้ยวซ้ายตรงไปจะพบจุดหมายปลายทาง

สถานที่
 เลขที่ 253 บ้านโคกเกตุ หมู่ 7 ต.ปลายโพงพาง อ.อัมพวา จ.สมุทรสงคราม
« Last Edit: June 03, 2011, 04:39:44 PM by Neobie »

Offline chill_sd

  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1165
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #19 on: June 04, 2011, 12:32:38 PM »
Im Translator comes up with this:

Directions from Mon. Samut have two routes to a route, take Highway No. 2 (Rama 2 rd.) Bridge King Buddha Loet La.
 Then left to go under the bridge directly to the message. Phongphang turn left into Rd. Maeklong - Tho old line.
 Right to left, note the entrance to Wat Khok note directly to the House for the late Phongphang found. On the left hand path 2.
 If the intersection into a mouthpiece. Mae Klong - Tho old line about 11 km.
 Is to measure Kok Neptune Turn left at the destination location is found at No. 253 Moo 7, Ban Khok Kate A. Amphawa Samutsongkram Phongphang end.
 


Offline georgiapeach

  • Amazing Race Admin
  • RFF Administrator
  • I Live at RFF
  • *****
  • Posts: 54196
  • TAR Detective
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #20 on: December 31, 2011, 11:56:56 AM »
 :bump for a NEW YEAR!!
RFF's Golden Rule:
Have RESPECT for each other, regardless of opinion. This of course includes no flaming/insulting other users and/or their posts.

Offline Dom

  • RFF Timeliner
  • TAR Detectives
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 703
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #21 on: January 01, 2012, 03:17:28 PM »
This thread should definitely be kept in a prime position! I've personally found this to be incredibly useful resource  :xmas146

Offline Best Loser

  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 733
Re: TAR Google Earth Project
« Reply #22 on: April 24, 2012, 10:48:12 PM »
I read this thread before I went back and rewatched every season, and I noticed that only the Pitstops from the American seasons were covered. I'm not a pro at this like Neobie, and many of these seasons aren't in English, but I tried to be as precise as possible There are a few that aren't correct, ranging from a few yards to...having no clue (help would be appreciated, especially with HaMerotz LaMillion's Finish Line.), so I put in parentheses in the names of those that I know aren't perfect a short description of how off they are. So here are the Pitstops from the International Versions for anyone who's interested.

Offline G.B.

  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1464
  • I WRITE THINGS!!
    • Youtube
Amazing Race KMZ files (Google Earth)
« Reply #23 on: April 15, 2013, 08:50:19 PM »
So one of the things I absolutely love to do is to track The Amazing Race on Google Earth, finding all the places they go to and marking them down. I've made one for every season that's finished airing so far.

I'd love to share them with you, but first someone needs to suggest to me a good file-sharing site that I can upload them to. Preferably one that doesn't take them down after a certain amount of disuse.
Come check out the Reality Fan Wiki! The LARGEST Amazing Race database on the internet!!! (probably)
--Got something you're curious about? You'll probably find the answer on the Wiki!

Offline Air

  • Big Brother Updaters
  • RFF Frantic Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2248
  • oh you speak french? oh man that's deep
Re: Amazing Race KMZ files (Google Earth)
« Reply #24 on: April 15, 2013, 11:06:49 PM »
www.photobucket.com should work.