I like that maps are so much more fun than they were a couple years ago. You can drag them, zoom them, annotate them, mash them up, and fly over where you grew up. One site I’ve been enjoying lately is Gmaps Pedometer. You just click to mark out where you walked and it will give you
- how far you walked
- the change in elevation
- how many calories you burned
It’s also easy to save a map and send it to friends, with no registration required. For example, here’s a lap around a chunk of the Googleplex:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=866570
To make a map, use the normal controls to move or zoom. When you’re ready to make a walking record, click “Start recording.” Each double-click will add a new waypoint, and you can use the single-click to drag the map just like you’re used to. If you make a mistake, there’s an “Undo last point” button. The UI is great.
Here’s a walk that I did a couple weeks ago:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=829446. Seven miles, ~1200 feet of elevation, ~1000 calories, in 2.5 hours. That’s nothing for some of the more fit people here, but I was proud. It helps to have an iPod with energetic music. What’s your favorite maps mashup?


Google Maps for walks - Read More...