Figuring out distance...

[Biciclista]

how about Mapmyrun.com ?

[Pedal Wench]

Google maps, or hop in a car and map it out with the odometer?

[skhill]

I started out by using my bike computer and figuring out some 1/2 mile and 1 mile marks around my house, in different directions. And you could certainly do the same with a car's odometer.

These days I check milage with mapmyrun or www.gmap-pedometer.com

Enjoy!

[Kimmyt]

I use mapmyrun. View in the hybrid mode and you can see a satellite image overlaid with the street names, which is useful for when you're on sidewalk or a Multiuse trail which might not show up on a regular road map view.

K.

[Pan Dulce]

Google maps pedometer works well for me. When I used it, I figured out that running around my block was exactly .25 miles, which was helpful.

http://walking.about.com/library/walk/blgooglemap1.htm

[nj_likes]

Thanks everyone. It looks like mapmyrun is exactly what I was looking for. Kimmyt, thanks for the tip about hybrid view...I found the multi use path that way!

[OakLeaf]

One handy tip about mapmyrun - you can toggle "follow roads" off and on while creating a map. So you switch it off and zoom way in to follow the MUP, and then switch it on to more quickly map the roads you use to get there and back.