diff --git a/lib/gpx/gpx_file.rb b/lib/gpx/gpx_file.rb
index 6fe8b74..02d29c3 100644
--- a/lib/gpx/gpx_file.rb
+++ b/lib/gpx/gpx_file.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #++
 module GPX
    class GPXFile < Base
-      attr_accessor :tracks, :routes, :waypoints, :bounds, :lowest_point, :highest_point, :duration, :ns, :time, :name
+      attr_accessor :tracks, :routes, :waypoints, :bounds, :lowest_point, :highest_point, :duration, :ns, :version, :time, :name
 
 
       # This initializer can be used to create a new GPXFile from an existing
@@ -205,31 +205,36 @@ module GPX
       # Serialize the current GPXFile to a gpx file named <filename>.
       # If the file does not exist, it is created.  If it does exist, it is overwritten.
       def write(filename, update_time = true)
-
          doc = Document.new
          doc.root = Node.new('gpx')
          gpx_elem = doc.root
-         gpx_elem['xmlns:xsi'] = "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" 
-         gpx_elem['xmlns'] = "http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1" 
-         gpx_elem['version'] = "1.1" 
-         gpx_elem['creator'] = "GPX RubyGem 0.1 Copyright 2006 Doug Fales -- http://walkingboss.com" 
-         gpx_elem['xsi:schemaLocation'] = "http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd"
+         gpx_elem['xmlns:xsi'] = "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
+         @version = '1.1' if (@version.nil? || !(['1.0', '1.1'].include?(@version))) # default to version 1.1 of the schema (only version 1.0 and 1.1 of the schema exist)
+         version_dir = @version.gsub('.','/')
+         gpx_elem['xmlns'] = @ns || "http://www.topografix.com/GPX/#{version_dir}" 
+         gpx_elem['version'] = "#{@version}"
+         gpx_elem['creator'] = "GPX RubyGem #{GPX::VERSION} Copyright 2006-2009 Doug Fales -- http://gpx.rubyforge.org/" 
+         gpx_elem['xsi:schemaLocation'] = "http://www.topografix.com/GPX/#{version_dir} http://www.topografix.com/GPX/#{version_dir}/gpx.xsd"
 
-         meta_data_elem = Node.new('metadata')
+         # setup the metadata elements
          name_elem = Node.new('name')
          name_elem << File.basename(filename)
-         meta_data_elem << name_elem
-
          time_elem = Node.new('time')
+    		 @time = Time.now if(@time.nil? or update_time)
+    		 time_elem << @time.xmlschema
 
-		 @time = Time.now if(@time.nil? or update_time)
-		 time_elem << @time.xmlschema
-
-         meta_data_elem << time_elem
-
-         meta_data_elem << bounds.to_xml
-
-         gpx_elem << meta_data_elem
+         # version 1.0 of the schema doesn't support the metadata element, so push them straight to the root 'gpx' element
+         if (@version == '1.0') then
+           gpx_elem << name_elem
+           gpx_elem << time_elem
+           gpx_elem << bounds.to_xml                      
+         else
+           meta_data_elem = Node.new('metadata')
+           meta_data_elem << name_elem
+           meta_data_elem << time_elem
+           meta_data_elem << bounds.to_xml           
+           gpx_elem << meta_data_elem
+         end
 
          tracks.each    { |t| gpx_elem << t.to_xml } unless tracks.nil?
          waypoints.each { |w| gpx_elem << w.to_xml } unless waypoints.nil?
diff --git a/tests/output_test.rb b/tests/output_test.rb
index c8153e7..02cb290 100644
--- a/tests/output_test.rb
+++ b/tests/output_test.rb
@@ -109,6 +109,6 @@ class OutputTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "output/#{test_name}.gpx")
   end
   
-  THE_WORKS = "<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>\n<gpx xmlns:xsi=\"http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance\" xmlns=\"http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1\" version=\"1.1\" creator=\"GPX RubyGem 0.1 Copyright 2006 Doug Fales -- http://walkingboss.com\" xsi:schemaLocation=\"http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd\">\n  <metadata>\n    <name>new_gpx_file_from_scratch.gpx</name>\n    <time>%s</time>\n    <bounds minlat=\"90.0\" minlon=\"180.0\" maxlat=\"-90.0\" maxlon=\"-180.0\"/>\n  </metadata>\n  <trk>\n    <name/>\n    <trkseg>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.036926\" lon=\"-105.253487\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:01:24Z</time>\n        <ele>1737.24</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.036604\" lon=\"-105.253487\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:01Z</time>\n        <ele>1738.682</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.036347\" lon=\"-105.25383\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:08Z</time>\n        <ele>1738.682</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035574\" lon=\"-105.254045\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:20Z</time>\n        <ele>1737.24</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035467\" lon=\"-105.254366\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:29Z</time>\n        <ele>1735.798</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035317\" lon=\"-105.254388\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:33Z</time>\n        <ele>1735.798</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035274\" lon=\"-105.254431\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:49Z</time>\n        <ele>1736.278</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035274\" lon=\"-105.254431\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:54Z</time>\n        <ele>1739.643</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035317\" lon=\"-105.254431\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:05:08Z</time>\n        <ele>1732.433</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035317\" lon=\"-105.254431\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:05:09Z</time>\n        <ele>1726.665</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n    </trkseg>\n  </trk>\n  <wpt lat=\"39.997298\" lon=\"-105.292674\">\n    <name>GRG-CA</name>\n    <sym>Waypoint</sym>\n    <ele>1766.535</ele>\n  </wpt>\n  <wpt lat=\"33.33019\" lon=\"-111.94611\">\n    <name>GRMPHX</name>\n    <cmt>Hey here's a comment.</cmt>\n    <desc>Somewhere in my backyard.</desc>\n    <sym>Waypoint</sym>\n    <fix>3d</fix>\n    <sat>8</sat>\n    <hdop>50.5</hdop>\n    <vdop>6.8</vdop>\n    <pdop>7.6</pdop>\n    <ele>361.0981</ele>\n  </wpt>\n  <wpt lat=\"25.061783\" lon=\"121.640267\">\n    <name>GRMTWN</name>\n    <sym>Waypoint</sym>\n    <ele>38.09766</ele>\n  </wpt>\n  <wpt lat=\"39.99984\" lon=\"-105.214696\">\n    <name>SBDR</name>\n    <sym>Waypoint</sym>\n    <ele>1612.965</ele>\n  </wpt>\n  <wpt lat=\"39.989739\" lon=\"-105.295285\">\n    <name>TO</name>\n    <sym>Waypoint</sym>\n    <ele>2163.556</ele>\n  </wpt>\n  <wpt lat=\"40.035301\" lon=\"-105.254443\">\n    <name>VICS</name>\n    <sym>Waypoint</sym>\n    <ele>1535.34</ele>\n  </wpt>\n  <rte>\n    <name/>\n    <rtept lat=\"40.035467\" lon=\"-105.254366\">\n      <time>2005-12-31T22:02:29Z</time>\n      <ele>1735.798</ele>\n    </rtept>\n    <rtept lat=\"40.035317\" lon=\"-105.254388\">\n      <time>2005-12-31T22:02:33Z</time>\n      <ele>1735.798</ele>\n    </rtept>\n    <rtept lat=\"40.035274\" lon=\"-105.254431\">\n      <time>2005-12-31T22:02:49Z</time>\n      <ele>1736.278</ele>\n    </rtept>\n  </rte>\n</gpx>\n"
+  THE_WORKS = "<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>\n<gpx xmlns:xsi=\"http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance\" xmlns=\"http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1\" version=\"1.1\" creator=\"GPX RubyGem #{GPX::VERSION} Copyright 2006-2009 Doug Fales -- http://gpx.rubyforge.org/\" xsi:schemaLocation=\"http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd\">\n  <metadata>\n    <name>new_gpx_file_from_scratch.gpx</name>\n    <time>%s</time>\n    <bounds minlat=\"90.0\" minlon=\"180.0\" maxlat=\"-90.0\" maxlon=\"-180.0\"/>\n  </metadata>\n  <trk>\n    <name/>\n    <trkseg>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.036926\" lon=\"-105.253487\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:01:24Z</time>\n        <ele>1737.24</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.036604\" lon=\"-105.253487\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:01Z</time>\n        <ele>1738.682</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.036347\" lon=\"-105.25383\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:08Z</time>\n        <ele>1738.682</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035574\" lon=\"-105.254045\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:20Z</time>\n        <ele>1737.24</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035467\" lon=\"-105.254366\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:29Z</time>\n        <ele>1735.798</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035317\" lon=\"-105.254388\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:33Z</time>\n        <ele>1735.798</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035274\" lon=\"-105.254431\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:49Z</time>\n        <ele>1736.278</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035274\" lon=\"-105.254431\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:02:54Z</time>\n        <ele>1739.643</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035317\" lon=\"-105.254431\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:05:08Z</time>\n        <ele>1732.433</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n      <trkpt lat=\"40.035317\" lon=\"-105.254431\">\n        <time>2005-12-31T22:05:09Z</time>\n        <ele>1726.665</ele>\n      </trkpt>\n    </trkseg>\n  </trk>\n  <wpt lat=\"39.997298\" lon=\"-105.292674\">\n    <name>GRG-CA</name>\n    <sym>Waypoint</sym>\n    <ele>1766.535</ele>\n  </wpt>\n  <wpt lat=\"33.33019\" lon=\"-111.94611\">\n    <name>GRMPHX</name>\n    <cmt>Hey here's a comment.</cmt>\n    <desc>Somewhere in my backyard.</desc>\n    <sym>Waypoint</sym>\n    <fix>3d</fix>\n    <sat>8</sat>\n    <hdop>50.5</hdop>\n    <vdop>6.8</vdop>\n    <pdop>7.6</pdop>\n    <ele>361.0981</ele>\n  </wpt>\n  <wpt lat=\"25.061783\" lon=\"121.640267\">\n    <name>GRMTWN</name>\n    <sym>Waypoint</sym>\n    <ele>38.09766</ele>\n  </wpt>\n  <wpt lat=\"39.99984\" lon=\"-105.214696\">\n    <name>SBDR</name>\n    <sym>Waypoint</sym>\n    <ele>1612.965</ele>\n  </wpt>\n  <wpt lat=\"39.989739\" lon=\"-105.295285\">\n    <name>TO</name>\n    <sym>Waypoint</sym>\n    <ele>2163.556</ele>\n  </wpt>\n  <wpt lat=\"40.035301\" lon=\"-105.254443\">\n    <name>VICS</name>\n    <sym>Waypoint</sym>\n    <ele>1535.34</ele>\n  </wpt>\n  <rte>\n    <name/>\n    <rtept lat=\"40.035467\" lon=\"-105.254366\">\n      <time>2005-12-31T22:02:29Z</time>\n      <ele>1735.798</ele>\n    </rtept>\n    <rtept lat=\"40.035317\" lon=\"-105.254388\">\n      <time>2005-12-31T22:02:33Z</time>\n      <ele>1735.798</ele>\n    </rtept>\n    <rtept lat=\"40.035274\" lon=\"-105.254431\">\n      <time>2005-12-31T22:02:49Z</time>\n      <ele>1736.278</ele>\n    </rtept>\n  </rte>\n</gpx>\n"
 
 end