map just for pc?

[dcwn.45]

I only have a Garmin Rino 120, ok for knowing where I am , but not any good for real trip planning.Does anyone know if there is a good website I can use to plan trips on my laptop,save and maybe print the map?
I tried the National Geographic backroads but I couldn't get it to sync with my gps and it seemed cumbersome to use.
Help a gps newbie?

[GeoBiker]

I've used a few Desktop and PDA map and navigation programs, and the one I like the most for trip planning is (and I really hate to admit this..) 'Microsoft Streets & Trips'. Inexpensive and easy to use. It can interface w/ a GPS for real-time navigation (assuming of course you can run your laptop on the road). Plan trips, print routes, look for Points of Interests (POIs), load custom POIs, get up-to-date road construction information, custom routing, etc. etc.. If you have a PDA w/ GPS, you can export small sections of your map to the PDA application. I just wish MS would make a fully functioning version that would run directly on a PDA with all the features of the desktop version!

[RodK]

You can also plant GPS files on Google Earth. It's a $20 upgrade.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/RodKu/StPetetimestour.jpg

That is a bicycle trip I took yesterday

Here's a local route I'm planiing for the next V Strom ride

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/RodKu/MyakkaGPS.jpg

Hardly an expert but I'll try to answer any questions.

Rod

[IslandStrom]

This works well to get distance from one place to another http://www.freetrip.com/

[V-Tom]

If you use a Garmin and have Garmin's Mapsource it can export GPS data directly to Google Earth without paying for an upgrade. You can also transfer the other way using a number of third-party programs.

..Tom

You can also plant GPS files on Google Earth. It's a $20 upgrade.

...

Rod

[RodK]

If you use a Garmin and have Garmin's Mapsource it can export GPS data directly to Google Earth without paying for an upgrade. You can also transfer the other way using a number of third-party programs.

..Tom

I'm a bit of a novice but with the upgrade it remembers "my places" and makes the entire thing a little easier to use. I guess Google used to give that upgrade away for free but now if you go to the tab on Google Earth that sez GPS you are pointed toward the upgrade.

Well worth it. I'm fascinated by the technology of GPS and satellite photography.

Rod

[zed88]

You can also use a program called easy gps ( http://www.easygps.com/ ) to save your files as .gpx files, and import them into just about any mapping program out their including google earth. For trip planning I find http://maps.live.com/ to be decent, though I also have Google Earth, Microsoft Streets and Trips, Magellan Direct Route North America, and delorme street atlas. All are decent.

[Vinny]

www.mapquest.com (http://www.mapquest.com) Works everytime for me. Can even print out a map for your travels.