Some time ago, I stumbled across the very interesting site DirtData.org. The site is “An Experiment in Collaborative Cartography.” The idea is that people can create Google Maps of the gravel/dirt/fire roads in their area and submit them to the site. The more people who contribute, the better the maps will be. I’ve started a map of the Luzerne County area. It’s a work in progress, but so far, I’ve cataloged over 25 gravel roads in this area. Here’s the map. Note: there are two pages of roads listed. You have to open the map in Google Maps (click the link below the map on this page), and click on Page 2 at the bottom of the road list to see the rest.

View Luzerne County, PA for DirtData.org in a larger map

I’ve also started a map of the Bloomington, Indiana area, which I’ll post later. It’s fun making these maps, and I hope that they’ll come in handy in the future, both for myself and for others.

If you ride gravel roads in your area, I urge you to create maps to share with everyone.  Here are some useful links to help you get started.

• Map Key
• A pictorial tutorial
• DirtData.org Blog
• DirtData.org Wiki

I found out a couple of days ago that the company where I’ve worked for the past two and a half years is folding. Well, sort of: really, it’s mostly being absorbed by another company. However, that company does not need a Web developer. This means that come the first of the year, I’ll be out of a job. Thankfully, I think most of my coworkers are safe.

So, I’ve sent out some applications locally, but there aren’t a lot of openings in my field. I’ve also considered going the consulting route; I could probably pick up a client or two who used to use my company’s development services, and do projects for them on a contract basis. If I could find another client or two, I could be in decent shape.

I’ve also considered reinventing myself. I could be a clown makeup artist, a jukebox repairman, or maybe even a garbage man. Any suggestions out there?

Seriously, if anyone out there knows someone who needs a Web developer, either in the Wilkes-Barre, PA area, or in a telecommuting scenario, let me know!

I’m terrified. Tomorrow I get my bottom wisdom teeth removed, and I know it’s going to be awful. I really should’ve had this done 10 years ago when they recommended it then as a preventative measure, but obviously I’ve been putting it off. I know this is a bad move, but having been without medical insurance for a lot of that time, it wasn’t really a viable option for me. Now I’ve got the insurance and I have still be dragging my feet a bit. At least I’ll have the weekend to recover, and if the forecast is right, it won’t be good riding weather, anyway.

This week has not been a good one for riding for me. The weather has mostly been pretty good, but I have been busy with a geeky project that’s cut into my recreational ride time. It’s been fun, though, and hopefully there’ll be more projects in this vein.