Google maps for trips

[Halfpint]

Hi,
Just tried to find Apachie's excellent post on how to make a Google Maps trip itinery and then shorten the URL.
It took a while but here are the instructions. (Thanks again Aimee)

https://www.mokeforum.com.au/index.php/topic,7522.msg87446.html#msg87446
And a screen shot from the post....

Also, if you're organising a drive, it might be nice for people if you could add in a map of the route. This can be done in google maps fairly simply when you know how...
 - Open up google maps http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
 - On the LHS of the page, under the google logo, click on "Get Directions"
 - Now type in the start point of the tour, and the finish point, click on "Get directions", and google will map it for you. If there are places you're stopping at along the way, they can be added in by clicking on "Add destination" under the two boxes.
 - Now, these directions probably wont be where you're planning on driving, so, to fix this, zoom in on the map in the area you wish to change. When you put your cursor over part of the route, a white dot will appear, this can be clicked on and dragged, which will move that part of your journey to wherever you moved the dot to.
 - Keep moving your dots until the marked out route matches your intended route.
 - Once you're happy with the route you've mapped, click on the "Link" link on the RHS of the blue bar at the top of the page (next to "print" and "send")
 - Copy the link that it displays (you can paste this in to a new browser window just to check it's correct if you want)
 - Now, you could just use this link in your event post, but it's usually quite long and difficult, so I open a new browser and go to http://tinyurl.com/ - enter in your long google URL, and click on "Make tiny URL". Then use the shorter URL in your post.

Now people can see where they'll be going and can join you along the way, or make suggestions for route improvements, etc! 

I hope that all made sense, if need be I can do a bit of a "How to" with screen shots, but I'm hoping the instructions are easy enough to follow.

So, thanks to Apachie, we can look at each route and compare/debate 
Halfpint