Hoping someone on here can make recommendations for a specific type of mapping app I’m after:

I have challenged myself to get off my arse and ride more in 2018 and I have an idea to help inspire me… I want to see how many towns / cities I can reach from home by bike.

To document that (and to keep me motivated) I want an map that works like an old paper & pin board map with strings from a central pin (home) out to pins in the cities / towns I have been.

The result should look like a explosion of lines radiating out from home. I don’t want to record the route on this (I have that covered through Garmin etc.) but just a straight line out.

Having had an explore of lots of mapping apps I can’t find one that does this. Doesn’t necessarily have to be able to be dropped into social media (FB/Twitter) as its for self motivation not bragging rights.

Can anyone offer any suggestions? Thanks

Garmin Basecamp

Plot a “Direct” route from your start point to your end point and it’ll give you a straight line.

You can save as many of these routes as you want and view them all at once.

Here’s one showing some of my ride history, but using actual GPX tracks instead.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/hxE37m]BC-2013-11[/url] by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

Scotroutes: Thanks.
Yes basecamp is my backup option and also where I currently store my routes and tracks etc. so I already have it installed and to hand.

I was wondering if anyone had seen a simpler little online destination mapping app before I go with basecamp. If no-one has then Basecamp will be what I use.

This might sound a bit anti-tech but why not stay traditional and buy a nice big paper map, mount it on some wood or cork and use pins and string (or cotton). It’ll be something you see every day to keep you motivated, it’ll look great on the wall (you might want to keep it more than a year!) and you won’t have to open an app which you might get bored of/forget about and end up not using.

If you record the route on “insert tracking app of choice here” then there is no need for anything more.

Actually I reckon I might do the paper one…. maybe with this…. http://www.mapsonline.co.uk/wall-maps-and-posters/british-isles/british-isles-physical-wall-map-1-to-1-million/p11531.aspx#

Never seen an actual map used in the way described, so you might struggle to find an app to replicate such a niche use! Basecamp sounds easiest option, real map sounds best. You could even setup an IP camera pointed at it for the “online” version. 🙂

Lol! Paper map with a webcam = online mapping. That is oddly attractive as an idea. All the more so for being totally counter intuitive. I like!

If you just want a straight line to each town then Google Maps is good, just start a new map (if you’re logged into Google go to Your Places>Maps then create a new map), and draw lines out.

If you’re going to be using Strava then you can use the multiple ride mapper to compile all your rides over a certain time period, looks pretty good when it has all compiled.

http://www.jonathanokeeffe.com/strava/map.php

Thanks kbomb. I’ve just been having a bit of a read around the google maps API and the coding I could do to get mymaps to do what I want.

Only just signed up for Strava (Garmin connect’s segments not working has finally annoyed me enough) so hadn’t seen that mapper before. Looks like Strava is using the google API as well to create the multiple ride mapper so I’ll have a play and see what I can get to work.

Google MyMap – works easy, no api needed, just postcode or lat/long.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/

E.G.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?hl=en&page=explore&mid=1OVDo2UhsRhXKfpNc1TD0K3UCGbM&ll=10.908514542744301%2C21.89685485778807&z=2

I use it for work like this:
https://www.ltl.org.uk/spaces/PlayTreeMap.php

uMap. https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/
It’s a nice alternative to Google My Maps. Let’s you add markers and lines etc, and tweak the styles to look how you want. Can import/export in various formats, or share the map online.