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jemshome

We plan to spend 6 to 8 weeks touring France from end of August accompanied by our two setters. We are new to MH, but are encouraged by our first three mini breaks over the winter. Heard that dog passports are now ready, so let serious planning commence.

We only had a vague notion of what we wanted to do - some time in Herault visiting relatives and meeting up with friends, then a week or so in the Pyrénées.

Had that is, until Pusser asked forum members for their top ten awesome destinations

hilldweller

First one, html, does not seem to be any use.

Second one opens with GE.

jemshome

Destination file was saved as a kml from GE v. 4.2.0205.5730. The routes file is actually a zipped kmz file from the same version of GE, that I renamed as a kml file. Both work on my version.

Reason for the need to rename is here

hilldweller

Suenliam

I couldn't open either of them - at least not to make any sense of them. Could you let a completely non-techie using a Mac know how to make them work?

Sue

jemshome

Sue - I have no experience with a Mac and I cannot be certain that the Windows files I have attached will work with the Mac version of Google Earth (GE). They probably will - but other Mac users should be able to confirm.

I would first make sure you have the latest version of GE installed (from here

jemshome

I have continued to use Google Earth as a means of collating information for our proposed trip later this year.

Attached is a KMZ file that contains what I have done so far. It includes modified versions of the destinations and routes files I posted earlier. To these I have added the camping sites that are the basis of the high level route.

Currently I'm adding local information into the camping sites locations, e.g. place to visit and distances.

I have also exported the camping sites into a spreadsheet together with distances.

Current expectation is 3000ml + local travel in 65 days.

Despite what it may seem, it is only a high level route. We may miss out some of the sites and although for planning purposes I have allowed 2 nights at most sites, again this is likely to change. I'm hoping that the relatively short distances proposed between sites, will enable us to retain this type of flexibility.

Given, that I'm taking a laptop, the GE approach seems to have a lot going for it: all the files will be available even without a connection to the servers.

I wonder just how much satellite imagery a really large hard drive cache could store - could it hold say 150ml route? For $20 per year GE Plus gives real time GPS tracking - I wonder if that works with the hard drive cache, if you're not logged into the GE servers?

Not expecting any answers, but rather for me to investigate.

If there is sufficient interest, I will continue to post an account of this approach - as well as what we actually did!

As always constructive feedback, much appreciated.

jem

DollarYen

Jeez, they invaded Iraq with far less of a plan than you have. Buy a map, have a look decide where you want to go and bimble down there. Oh, and relax.