Posting Waypoints Along the Way

I thought it would be cool if I could put a map on here that showed our progress as we hiked the Appalachian Trail.  I wanted to find a way to create a map that could be embedded in the blog, and update it by placing a waypoint at my current position each day, using my Android smart phone.

I started exploring Google Maps on my PC, and found My Places with a big red Create Map button. So I pushed that button, and started placing waypoints along the trail.  Mostly at places like significant road crossings, highly regarded hostels, festivals, etc. Then I found the link button, and created a link that could be embedded in a web site.  I fired up Blogger, and created a special page for this map.  (You can see it listed over there in the right-hand column.)  Every time I added a new link, it was updated on the blog page.

Beautiful ...

I opened Google Maps on my droid. I had to geek a bit to find My Maps hidden under the Layers button in the upper right corner. I got a pop up listing the map I had created, and when I punched it, I got the map with all the waypoints I had entered.  Okay. But that's when the frustration started.  I couldn't find any way to set a waypoint based on coordinates provided by the phone's GPS.  I checked every menu, googled it, spent way too much time sifting through forums, saw a reference to a My Maps app that apparently no longer exists.  Tried Latitudes and starring locations, but they wanted to go to street adresses near the point selected.  I finally I got a definitive response from a Google Maps Forum guy - It can't be done.  But he'll be glad to forward my suggestion to the developers so they can maybe implement it someday ...

%@&$#*!

A week or so goes by, and I'm dropping comments in every forum that is mildly related to Google Maps.  A Google Community Manager on Google+ posts about how we all heart My Maps, and I made a mildly snarky comment about how I'd heart 'em a lot more if I could place a waypoint using my droid. Kristian Serrano engaged me in a discussion of my requirements, and suggested using the My Tracks app.

I had been using My Tracks to measure hikes, but hadn't noticed the Marker function in the menus.  It was greyed out, and I had to start recording a track to use it.  I was then prompted to gave the marker a name, and enter a description.  I saved it and stopped recording the track.  I brought up the menu, selected send to Google | Google My Maps | Pick an Existing Map | Send Now, I selected my map, and voila!  The waypoint was on my map embedded in this blog.  A bit of a workaround, but I was able to place a waypoint based on coordinates using my Droid.

Here's the process in detail:

• Open My Tracks
• Press menu and press Record track
• Press menu and select Markers
• Select Insert Waypoint
• Give the marker a name, type, and description
• Save the marker details
• Press your phone's back button
• Stop recording the track
• Save the track details
• Press [...] button in lower right corner
• Select send to Google | Google My Maps | Pick an Existing Map | Send Now
• Select the map you want to use from the list comes comes up.
• Your track and waypoint will automatically upload, and appear on your map

Unfortunately, this process uploads both the waypoint and the track.  You can delete the track and leave the waypoint. However, from my discussions with folks at Google, there is no longer an Android app to edit your map. You have to do it on a PC.

Before we hit the Appalachian Trail next year, we'll clear out all these test waypoints, and we'll use this process to update our location on a semi-regular basis. Follow us as we hike up the Appalachian mountain range.  Subscribe to our blog by filling out the Follow By Email form in the right-hand column, and you'll be notified when we post a new entry.

"I have an existential map. It has 'You are here' written all over it." - Steven Wright

I welcome your comments, and invite you to follow our journey by plugging your email addy into the box at the right.