Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Mapping a bike route

I am a new GPS user.
I got a Garmin Legend with the Topo map CDs 12 days ago.
I fooled around with tracks and maps for about a week and then decided I should figure out how to do routes.

I liked Google Map's new feature of dragging the route and having it snap to the roads.
This works pretty well for laying out a bike route and avoiding the major roads.

I found an excellent writeup at http://bevhoward.com/G2WPT.htm
for converting Google Maps to gpx files which can then be converted to Garmin MapSource files.
Check out the example and let me know if I can streamline my procedure.
I would really like to figure out how to keep Google from breaking the route up into multiple pieces.

Google Map Bridgeport to Speedway (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=39.732604,-86.31855&daddr=N+Perimeter+Rd+%4039.731430,+-86.314750+to%3AN+Perimeter+Rd+%4039.736940,+-86.291130+to%3AS+High+School+Rd+%4039.739140,+-86.269790+to%3AW+Minnesota+St+%4039.742860,+-86.244860+to%3AW+Plainfield+Ave+%4039.749360,+-86.240090+to%3AW+McCarty+St+%4039.755530,+-86.229090+to%3AS+Lockburn+St+%4039.761680,+-86.228330+to%3AGasoline+Alley+%4039.764260,+-86.234390+to%3AN+Polco+St+%4039.787300,+-86.234840&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=14&mra=dme&sll=39.730756,-86.308079&sspn=0.033202,0.05785&ie=UTF8&z=14&om=0)

Each point where I moved the route resulted in a yellow marker and caused Google to create an additional route.
I ran GM2GPX on this map and it generated this gpx xml (http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dd4x4gr_2dq7n8d).

I used vi to remove all the extra route information and make just one route.
Here's an example of what I removed:

</rte>
<rte>
<name>route8</name>
<cmt>Gasoline Alley to N Polco St </cmt>
<desc>Gasoline Alley to N Polco St </desc>

Then I changed the route title to be meaningful to me.
Here's the finished gpx. (http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dd4x4gr_3s8djb)

I used gpsbabel to convert it to a Garmin MapSource mps file.
Now I can save the route to my GPS whenever I need it.

This works great and you really don't need to have a map on your GPS.
I tried it out the other day in an new industrial park.
Google had all the new roads but my Topo map in my GPS was published before the roads were built.
It was a little disconcerting at first until I figured out what was happening.
The GPS turn indicator doesn't depend on the GPS maps, just the current position.

OK I figured out a way to edit out the intermediate routes using stream editor - you need cygwin or Unix/Linux. I'd still like to find a way to make Google output just one route.
Here's the sed script.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dd4x4gr_4d59vqm

I use www.bikely.com (http://www.bikely.com)

It allows you to export your route as a GPX file

I like Google better because it snaps to the roads. So the turns in the route are a lot more accurate.

I have extensive experience using a Legend (Cx) on a bike and can give you some advice.

I have both Topo CDs and the Mapsouce City Navigator software. Topo maps are pretty worthless for use on the bike. City Navigator (the software with routeable street maps is what you need. Anything else is just barely useful. With City Navigator, you can do automatic routing on the computer and transfer the routes to your GPS. On the road, you can reroute if you change your plans. City Navigator also has an extensive points of interest database that loads with the maps you select, but the database is not very complete or up to date. It's better than nothing, but not as good as it could be.

Unfortunately, the only way to get routeable street maps on the legend is to buy them from Garmin. I say unfortunately because Mapsource is a clunky program. But the maps do work and Garmin's proprietary interface protocol does not allow third party map downloads.

If you have a Cx model of the Legend, then buy a 1 GB memory card for it. That will hold several states worth of maps, and all the track data you'll probably ever need.

Thanks, I didn't get the CX model. It's cabable of autorouting but the basic Legend is not.

For a summary of the differences scroll down to the Legends on this list:
http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/us/etrexseries

You can download and upload your rides from your Garmin to www.roadbikerides.com (http://www.roadbikerides.com).

Unfortunately, the only way to get routeable street maps on the legend is to buy them from Garmin. I say unfortunately because Mapsource is a clunky program. But the maps do work and Garmin's proprietary interface protocol does not allow third party map downloads.

Just came across this thread. I use a Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx on my bike, and used an eTrex Legend before that.

Garmin's software does, in fact, allow 3rd-party maps. The OpenStreetMaps Project (http://www.openstreetmap.org/) is working toward a routable, Garmin-compatible street map. Coverage is spotty, but growing.

The Geocaching forums (forums.groundspeak.com (http://forums.groundspeak.com)) have a GPS Units and Software forum, in which user Ibycus is working on a free (non-routable) United States street map based on U.S. Census data. Other users are working on free (non-routable) topo maps of the U.S. as well.

As far as routing, it is true that only Garmin products allow this. However, City Navigator isn't the only option. Metro Guide has the same map and Point of Interest data as City Navigator (albeit a bit more stale). MG is unroutable in its native form; however, a program called MetroWizzz (available for free from www.geodude.nl (http://www.geodude.nl)) re-creates the routing index and allows MetroGuide to route. Also, since MetroGuide requires no unlock codes to install maps on the GPS, and City Navigator is tied to a single GPS unit unless you pay for an additional unlock code, the MetroGuide / MetroWizzz option is considerably cheaper for use on multiple GPS receivers. If you buy City Navigator used, or on eBay, chances are pretty good you're going to have to pony up another $75 to Garmin to use the maps on your GPS -- not the case with a used Metro Guide.

OK I figured out a way to edit out the intermediate routes using stream editor - you need cygwin or Unix/Linux. I'd still like to find a way to make Google output just one route.
Here's the sed script.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dd4x4gr_4d59vqm

Is the issue with Google maps or with the script injected into the page when you use GM2GPX? I'm thinking if you put some Javascript together that implements the same transform as the sed script, you could just alter the GM2GPX script to take care of it for you.