Whenever I go on bike rides or hikes in the mountains, I always take my eTrex Summit. Not only is it a great safety tool in case I make a wrong turn but it's fun to download the data after the outing and see where I traveled - to the nearest 8m or so.

The software I use to view my journeys is okay for me to view at home but not so good to put online for others to see. This is why I scan my topo maps and add the image to my online photo album of the hikes. I think it's interesting for others to get a better idea of exactly where I hiked.

Now that Google has released an API for their new online map feature, people can make their own maps. This is what I have done. Using my Garmin mapping software I export a text file with the GPS coordinates from a hike. Fortunately, I can export the data in the Decimal Degrees format required by the Google API. After a little editing I have a properly formatted XML file.

Due to the large number of GPS points recorded on any given hike, which are usually only several meters apart, my first attempt at generating a Google map was very slow to render. Therefore, the XML files have been stripped of 95% of their values leaving only 1 in 20 data points. This makes for faster map loading and still maintains enough detail to be able to observe the trail that I took.

As time permits, I'd like to take advantage of more API features and add links to the pictures I took. In the mean time, enjoy the maps. Since there are few roads where I hike, the maps default to showing the satellite view. You may swich between map and satellite view, zoom in or out, and pan using the buttons on the map itself (or click and drag the map around the screen to move it).

ps: It appears the maps might not be working for Internet Explorer. Until I look into it use Firefox - which you should already be doing anyway! Fixed... should work with IE now.

Click here for the maps