In planning for a trip to AK next year, I have been having fun messing around with google earth. Does anyone know if there is a way to input a mapquest route into it and have it "fly" you down your intended route? I thought it might be fun to get a preview of the country I'm likely to encounter...if this is even possible.

Thanks!


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I don't think it is possible on google earth.

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That would take a serious amount of coding and processing time. The only way to achieve such a thing would be to input "picture" spots along your route, and then somehow automate Google Earth to go to each one, display the surroundings (single view forward? rotating?) wait a few seconds or a minute, and then move to next point. You wouldn't see it driving, Just hopping pictures.

Its much better to drive the route anyways. That is the fun of it. Bring in the senses, discovery, not knowing what is around that next corner.

I like the Harley ride planner. It can be a biatch to work with, so be sure you save your work a lot so it if suddenly presents you with multiple split routes you won't have to start over.

Ride Planner | Harley-Davidson USA

Once completed you can download it directly to your Garmin GPS too.

Easiest way to do what you're trying to do....

Switch to Google Maps. Do your route planning. Switch to Google Earth mode in the top right (it will prompt you to install a browser plugin if you don't have it already). Once that's done, there is a small 2D/3D toggle button in the left rail.

Clicking that will automatically start you on the magical mystery tour along your highlighted route. It works nicely if your machine is fast enough, and looks good in the mountains.



It's not a well known feature. But now that I've mentioned it, I predict a significant dip in this week's productivity among stromtroopers...

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2012 DL650 Shiro Nakama #27
Ride Report: In The Footsteps of Lewis & Clark

probably something you can easily do with Google Earth Pro $400/yr license, I been debating it as it would be useful for my business

you can download a trial copy that disables itself after a trial period (I don't recall, 10 days ? ) much better resolution imagery and printing capabilities is why I want it, not sure if you could input Mapquest data format, but I'm sure you could just re-enter the route in Google

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RandyO
IBA# 9560
07 Strom 1k (7x,xxx miles)
99 SV650 (135,006 miles)
82 XV920R
A man with a gun is a citizen
A man without a gun is a subject
http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/p...dStatesMap.jpg

just to clarify after reading some of the responses, you are talking about Google Earth the program and not Google Map the website

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RandyO
IBA# 9560
07 Strom 1k (7x,xxx miles)
99 SV650 (135,006 miles)
82 XV920R
A man with a gun is a citizen
A man without a gun is a subject
http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/p...dStatesMap.jpg

The Google Earth functionality that is most relevant to the purpose at hand was integrated into the Google Maps website via a plugin about a year or so ago.

You can still do the same thing inside the Google Earth app using Get Directions, but the route planning tools on the website are superior, especially for planning rides. Trying to accurately import a MapQuest route into Google Earth via third party GPX tools is more trouble than it's worth.

So if what the OP is looking for is simply a way to combine straightforward route planning functionality with a Google Earth-style motion flythrough, the solution that I posted above is by far the easiest way to get that.

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2012 DL650 Shiro Nakama #27
Ride Report: In The Footsteps of Lewis & Clark

Snowkarver:

Thanks man! That's exactly what I was looking for. I've been playing with it and I cannot find a way to increase the flight speed. It just sorta floats along really slow. Do you happen to know if this is possible?

Resolution of Google Map is very limited even comped to the free version of Google Earth, with Google Earth, you can change the speed or even stop in the middle of flight

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RandyO
IBA# 9560
07 Strom 1k (7x,xxx miles)
99 SV650 (135,006 miles)
82 XV920R
A man with a gun is a citizen
A man without a gun is a subject
http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/p...dStatesMap.jpg

I've seen an increase in resolution in some places lately, however, some areas are very low rez.

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-Tom (DL650AL2) (KA1TOX) (E-I-E-I-O)

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