Post Boxes

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Mick F
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Post Boxes

Post by Mick F »

I thought about going to all the postboxes in Cornwall, but that's a silly idea! :lol:
Then, I thought about doing the northernmost, the southernmost, the westernmost and the easternmost.

Then, I came to my senses and decided to do them all in our parish first.
33 of them, and maybe a 25mile ride.
I'll try that, and see if I want to do the adjacent parishes later.

These are the Calstock Parish ones.
Black dots are the boxes, as found on:

https://postboxes.dracos.co.uk/#13/50.4946/-4.2132

Yet to work out an efficient route to take them all in.

What's the best way?
Zig zag or circular/spiral, or what?
Post Boxes.jpg
Mick F. Cornwall
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foxyrider
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by foxyrider »

looking at that map i think you could do them all in a single, slightly overlapping clockwise 'loop'. Whether you would want to is another matter!
Convention? what's that then?
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rjb
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by rjb »

Post a letter in each one. Too costly! Then put your return address on the back with an address of someone you know having told them not to accept it and pay. They should all come back to you. :lol:
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MrsHJ
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by MrsHJ »

You need to turn the map slightly but I think a Fibonacci sequence would be perfect.
matt_twam_asi
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by matt_twam_asi »

Mick F wrote: 16 Mar 2023, 6:03pm Yet to work out an efficient route to take them all in.

What's the best way?
Research the travelling salesman problem.
Steve X
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by Steve X »

My approach would be to ask the postie emptying one, what their route is and how many routes there are in the parish.
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Lance Dopestrong
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by Lance Dopestrong »

A lot of them pre date Queen Elkzabeth II so can be quite interesting to see.
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Pebble
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by Pebble »

MrsHJ wrote: 16 Mar 2023, 7:03pm You need to turn the map slightly but I think a Fibonacci sequence would be perfect.
would the golden ration not be just that little bit more perfect
Jdsk
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by Jdsk »

Mick F wrote: 16 Mar 2023, 6:03pm ...
Yet to work out an efficient route to take them all in.

What's the best way?
Zig zag or circular/spiral, or what?
...
matt_twam_asi wrote: 16 Mar 2023, 8:15pm Research the travelling salesman problem.
Precisely.

And it's all in the archives of this very forum, including what real software can currently deliver:
search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&keyw ... n&start=15
viewtopic.php?p=695119&hilit=travelling ... an#p695119
viewtopic.php?p=651549&hilit=travelling ... an#p651549

Jonathan
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Mick F
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by Mick F »

If the land was flat, it would be easy peasy to work out the shortest way of doing this.
Trouble is, if you zoom in and look at all the contours - let alone the chevrons - the hilly terrain come into the equation. I'd rather go down the steep hills, than up them.

I'm going to have a play with BikeHikeUK and then number them. Back later today with my initial idea ............... and I'll be open for questioning! :D
Mick F. Cornwall
Jdsk
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by Jdsk »

Mick F wrote: 17 Mar 2023, 9:26am If the land was flat, it would be easy peasy to work out the shortest way of doing this.
...
Even if it were flat how would you know that a solution was the shortest or "most efficient"?

Thanks

Jonathan
sjs
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by sjs »

Pebble wrote: 17 Mar 2023, 8:25am
MrsHJ wrote: 16 Mar 2023, 7:03pm You need to turn the map slightly but I think a Fibonacci sequence would be perfect.
would the golden ration not be just that little bit more perfect
Not sure why, but I often find myself typing ration when I mean ratio. Or, maybe golden ration means fish and chips.
Mike Sales
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by Mike Sales »

Mick is just using the post boxes as an excuse for getting out on his bike and enjoying his lovely county. So, isn't finding the shortest route beside the point? An inefficient itinerary means more cycling pleasure!
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
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Mick F
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by Mick F »

:D :D
I need a reason to cycle these days. So much to do normally, and TBH, I've been everywhere on a bike (within reason of course). I've done End2Ends to death, I've toured England, Scotland and Wales, cycled in many countries when I was in the RN, and commuted up to 34miles a day.

I've been on just about every road in Cornwall, crossed A30 and A38 bridges, and visited every parish church in Cornwall.

Post boxes seem just another obsession for me to consume on a bike. :wink:

Here's my first stab at doing the postboxes.
Leave the village and head south 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Then via Harewood for 5, 6, 7 and 8 clockwise.
Double back for 10 at Albaston.
Then to Metherell for 11, 12, 13 and 14.
To Cotehele for 15, 16, 17 and 18.
Double back north for 19, 20 and 21.
Onto the main road heading east for 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26.
Then out to Chilsworthy and Latchley for 27, 28, 29 and 30.
Then back to Gunnislake to finish off with 31, 32, 33 and 34.
Screenshot 2023-03-17 at 10.05.49.jpg
Note that it's 23.33miles and with 2,974ft of ascent.
Sounds like a happy couple of hours eh?
Mick F. Cornwall
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matt2matt2002
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Re: Post Boxes

Post by matt2matt2002 »

What a great facility: local post boxes.
I set magnetic geocaches to the underside of them. Red letter day, is their tag.
Now I can clearly see where I can set future ones.

Re how to cover them efficiency; I used the app Square root when I was a delivery driver a few years ago.
Perhaps not the complete answer but maybe worth a look.


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