I'm beginning to think about where I should start laying out the boards. I've got two spline joints, so my thought is to start there. You can see all my pictures here http://picasaweb.google.com/dwitherspoon3/MapleFlooringProject#. If you look at the layout here http://picasaweb.google.com/dwitherspoon3/MapleFlooringProject#5313047573225223826 you can see how the whole project lays out.

I'm thinking that I should start near one of the spline joints, but I've read a few places on the web where they say to start there, but then come back and do it last. So...how should I negotiate those splines?

Clear up something for us..... by spline joints, do you mean where the flooring is changing from parallel to perpendicular or where you may have to back up somewhere?