ridewithgps.com - a great mapping tool (no GPS required)

[OakLeaf]

Pink, which Garmin?

I totally rely on my 705 for mapping. I'm the kind of person who could get lost in a football field, and I have a phobia of being lost, so I get panicky and more lost. My Garmin has been such a comfort to me, never mind the accumulated hours it's saved me from having to stop at intersections, pull out map and magnifier, try to figure out where I am on the map.... I'm to the point now where I actually get annoyed if an organized ride hasn't posted a downloadable public route. It's the 21st century, people, has been for almost 10 years.

Haven't tried it with my 310 yet. I kind of wanted to do that yesterday, but like an idiot I'd forgotten my ANT+ stick at home and had no way to get a route into the watch. I understand that wireless-only syncing probably lets them make the 310's that much more waterproof, but my first impression of it is that it's a PITA. A sealed locking USB port cover, like waterproof cameras have (and unlike the floppy useless port covers that prior Garmin units have), would be so much simpler...

[pinkbikes]

I have the 705. I have donwloaded plenty of maps to it - all the local trail maps for the forests I MTB in for example - and have the local street maps too (although I accidentally forgot to reload them last time so I only have high level street maps atm).

But then I'm probably the opposite to you - head like a compass - and I hardly ever look a the maps when I'm out riding. I did a little bit when we went on our 9 day cycle tour the other week just to see how close I was to the next town. But otherwise I tend more to use it as a handy dandy cycle computer with lots of geeky info to look at and I like the download to see what that grade was on the stinky hill and how my heart rate was doing and how many calories I have burned etc. Like I said - I'm more used to dragging info out of it than putting it in!! Must get more into that.

I must read the instructions and see how to do the virtual training partner thing because that would probably be really useful for when I repeat the same ride in training by myself.

[OakLeaf]

I never use the Virtual Partner, so can't help you there. I think you need to create a course from history in Training Center. But navigating a route is easy.

To navigate a route you've saved as a .gpx, all you have to do is connect the unit to the computer so it appears as a USB drive, then drag the .gpx into the Garmin>GPX folder on the unit. Then when you want to navigate it, go to Menu>Where To?>Saved Rides and all the routes you've uploaded to the 705 will appear in a list. Then choose Navigate (it can take a while to load). It'll beep at you and give turn-by-turn directions, and appear as a pink line on the map screen.

Just be sure, under Menu>Navigation, either disable Auto Recalculate or set it to Prompted. Otherwise, whenever the unit thinks you're off the route (which sometimes happens when you're actually on the route), it will go wacky. I prefer setting it to Prompted, which does two things: (1) a prompt lets me know if I actually am off the route, and (2) it will continue navigating. If auto recalculation is disabled, then once you get off the route, it'll stop giving turn-by-turn directions even when you get back on it. The route will still appear on your map screen, you just won't get directions.

[wildeny]

This is great! Much better than Bikely or Map My Ride! Many thanks!

Have you tried Bikemap.net? This is my main site for route collections and training log.

[pinkbikes]

I never use the Virtual Partner, so can't help you there. I think you need to create a course from history in Training Center. But navigating a route is easy.

To navigate a route you've saved as a .gpx, all you have to do is connect the unit to the computer so it appears as a USB drive, then drag the .gpx into the Garmin>GPX folder on the unit. Then when you want to navigate it, go to Menu>Where To?>Saved Rides and all the routes you've uploaded to the 705 will appear in a list. Then choose Navigate (it can take a while to load). It'll beep at you and give turn-by-turn directions, and appear as a pink line on the map screen.

Just be sure, under Menu>Navigation, either disable Auto Recalculate or set it to Prompted. Otherwise, whenever the unit thinks you're off the route (which sometimes happens when you're actually on the route), it will go wacky. I prefer setting it to Prompted, which does two things: (1) a prompt lets me know if I actually am off the route, and (2) it will continue navigating. If auto recalculation is disabled, then once you get off the route, it'll stop giving turn-by-turn directions even when you get back on it. The route will still appear on your map screen, you just won't get directions.

Oooh - thanks a bunch OakLeaf! Not only do I not have to RTFM now, but I think you just solved my DH's problem with the time he set it to navigate him to somewhere and he got off the course (he has one too)! Yay!

Now I know who to ask when I have another geek moment and want to expand my use fo the Garmin!

[smilingcat]

I like this site better than ***** mapping software. It was easier to use and the route info stayed on the street. This is great. Now I may have to buy a garmin. sheesh...

[ipanema]

I will try this one, on my next tour, till now i have been playing with this one:
http://sportypal.com/Community