How Routes are Made, Part 3

Behind the Cue Sheets, Part III – When Drafts Go Live 

How routes turn into cue sheets—and plans turn into operations 

By MARK ANDREW 

Ride for Runaways Committee 

Once we finalize the routes, the real work begins. This is where months of planning move from digital lines on a map to something 100+ riders and a full support operation can actually follow. It’s less glamorous than picking roads, but it’s where precision matters most. 

From GPX to Cue Sheet 

Each of our seven days starts as a GPX file in RideWithGPS, built from scouting notes, elevation profiles, and edits reflecting the latest construction or access changes. But that file is just the skeleton. The real muscle is the long-form cue sheet—a spreadsheet listing every turn, road name, mileage point, intersection format, and SAG stop in sequence. 

That translation is still largely manual. Each cue is checked for mileage alignment, local road names, turn direction accuracy, and—last but not least—signage, what we shorthand as marked vs. unmarked (UM). A turn that looks obvious on a screen can feel very different when you’re rolling through a quiet intersection with no signage and a stretched-out group. 

It’s time-consuming work, but it’s where mistakes get caught. We’re exploring ways to automate parts of cue creation, but for now, human review remains the most reliable way to ensure what’s on paper matches what riders will encounter on the road. 

The result is a day-by-day packet: cue sheets, GPS files, lodging details, and rover notes. These are distributed digitally and backed up with printed copies—because batteries die, cell coverage disappears, and paper still works. 

Syncing with SAG, Rovers, and Route Scouts 

Cue sheets don’t just serve riders; they drive the support plan. SAG drivers and rovers use their own route variants, marked for access points, vehicle restrictions, turnaround options, and alternate roads. These don’t always mirror the rider route exactly—especially on days that include trails, park roads, or restricted sections. 

Before we ever go “gold,” rider and rover routes are cross-checked. A mismatch—where a rover can’t reach a stop or arrives out of sequence—is the kind of issue we want to find in April, not July. 

We also rely on route scouts—highly experienced, veteran volunteers who drive the next day’s route before riders roll out. Their role is day-zero reconnaissance: identifying fresh construction, closures, missing signage, or other late-breaking changes that didn’t exist during spring scouting. When needed, they make real-time decisions on the ground, placing temporary pink arrows at spots that feel ambiguous in the moment. It’s a small but critical layer of clarity. 

Together, SAG, rovers, and route scouts form the final safety net between a well-planned route and the reality of the road. 

Testing the System 

Each spring, we trial the cue sheets by driving each day’s route from start to finish. Depending on distance, a route may be completed in one session or broken into multiple trips. Farther sections require overnight travel; closer routes become long day trips. 

Every mile is driven against the cue sheet to confirm mileage, sequencing, traffic patterns, and signage. It’s methodical work, but it’s the most reliable way to validate an entire day before riders ever see it. 

There are exceptions. In specific off-road or non-motorized sections, we bring bikes. Trails, tow paths, park roads, and pedestrian bridges simply can’t be evaluated from behind a windshield. Riding them is the only way to confirm surface quality, access points, bottlenecks, and group safety. 

This year, we’re also involving more veteran riders, asking them to test individual sections—often in their own regions—and report back. That wider input helps validate assumptions and reduce surprises in July. 

So when a particular stretch raises questions or frustration, it’s worth remembering how wide that input has become. Route design is very much a group effort, and calling that out helps reflect both the collaboration and the level of work behind each decision. 

The goal of all this testing isn’t perfection. It’s confidence—that when riders roll through an intersection, onto a trail, or across a bridge, the cue sheet reflects what’s actually there. 

When July Has Other Plans 

No matter how thorough the prep, July always has opinions. A resurfacing project appears overnight. A bridge closes. A town reroutes traffic. When that happens, the priority is clarity, not elegance. 

Our tools and templates allow us to update GPX files, issue short cue addendums, and communicate changes quickly, aka White Board @ Yellow Truck. It’s not flawless—but it works, and it keeps the ride moving safely. 

Looking Ahead 

As Behind the Cue Sheets continues, our focus will shift from how routes are documented to how riders actually navigate them. In Part IV, we’ll look at the navigation options being offered this year—and how we’ve reached a crossroads with the long-standing quad-fold cue sheet. You know, the sheet that is made from the sheet which is made from the GPX file online….oh, never mind. We’ll walk through these options, tradeoffs, and what riders can expect in the next installment.