I have to admit that I have long been a fan of Microsoft’s Local.Live.Com for mapping.  There are just some features that I like a lot more than Google Maps.  One of the major features (of Local.Live) is the ability to easily add my own pins to the maps – just by right clicking and adding text – and then being able to send the marked up map to a friend using the URL.

Tonight, I read this great blog post from Google LatLong and I have to admit that I am impressed.  There is now the ability to create “drag and drop” routes on Google Maps … and to easily send them as URLs to other people.  For example, it took me only a few minutes to create this map of my motorcycle ride in the Utah mountains last weekend.

There are still some real limitations in my opinion … but it’s getting better.  Here are a few UI features that still bug me:

• I placed the start and end near each other, and then began to “drag” the route as described … but the map did not scroll as I got near the edges.  So I had to keep stopping – and Google would add an interim destination pin – and then manually scroll the map.  I later had to go back and delete all of the extra interim destination pins.
• I still can not find a way to add my own text to the various pins … so I can’t figure out how to label the start, interim, and ending pins.  I actually saw on the right pane the ability to ‘edit’ the interim pin label … when I did that it blew away my whole route!  Ugh!

It is a cool new set of features for Google Maps.  I did a little experimenting and created this other route of another motorcycle ride off the Mirror Lake road in the High Uintahs that I really like to ride.  Not only was this simple to create, it also allowed me to discover and look at alternative routes like this one that I have never been on!

It is amazing where these technologies are going … now if only Google would add the ability to label the pins … then I would be happier with their product!