A simple A to Z of generating comprehensive *.KML/*.KMZ files... Anyone?

[Nick V]

Hi, all,

Okay, so the situation as it stands is this.

I - and two friends, all of whom use Garmin GPSs - want to do a 1000-miles-in-24-hours Iron Butt run around the Southern Cape.
To do this successfully, we need to navigate a rather circuitous route.
To be able to do that, I need to generate a detailed *.GPX map file.
It all sounds so easy... until you open Basecamp, and take half an hour to discover that you can do f*ck-all with it.

I'll leave out the details of my tedious and frustrating experience. In essence, what I need to do is this:
- Generate a *.GPX map file using Basecamp, or a map file using any other map editor, in a format any Garmin GPS unit can understand.
- The map needs to contain the roads in the Southern Cape region of South Africa.
- The map must contain A) the trip route, B) all filling stations along that route, and C) certain in-town waypoints, such as local landmark buildings.

In desperation, I've resorted to trying to build an exportable *.KMZ map using Google Maps.
I've got the route right. But I need filling station locations, next. Someone, please tell me there's an easier way than looking up filling stations through manual internet searches?

Is there a way to do all this that doesn't involve a Master's degree in geospatial studies? Basecamp is seemingly designed by software devs with a pathological hatred of anyone who doesn't work two desks down from them.

[sussamb]

Hmmm ... I could do that in BaseCamp with relative speed, but I've been using it for years. Even so hoping that every petrol station etc location is correct is a big ask as it depends on HERE, who create the maps for Garmin, having the right data. Once I've created a route I load it into Google Earth and check with that using Street View, but even that isn't always correct.

I can't think of any way that you can be 100% correct so you need to build in some flexibility and redundancy.

Note programs don't create map files, .gpx files contain routes, waypoints etc. Your friends will need the appropriate maps already installed on their Garmins.

There's a good BaseCamp tutorial here https://www.newenglandriders.org/learn-basecamp/

[Peobody]

Basecamp can indeed produce what you need. It takes some time to figure out but once you do, you'll be fine. Lots of help is available here.

FWIW, I have ridden numerous +1000 mile routes created in Basecamp (not Iron Butt though). Something to consider is break the route up into legs. When I long distance tour I create one route per day. Each day has a coffee/breakfast stop, a lunch stop, a fuel stop or two, and the destination hotel. You could to yours in legs with the destination being a break of some kind. When mounting up you would load the route for the next leg. You may find that creating multiple shorter routes will be easier. Don't try using the Trip Planner function in Basecamp. It is OK for a point A to point B route but it adds an unnecessary level of complexity when you want to control the roads you ride on.

The tutorial @sussamb referenced is excellent place to start learning Basecamp

The sticky post at the top of this forum category may prove valuable as well.

[Nick V]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys!

I managed to work around this issue by plotting the route and searching for and adding filling stations and waypoints in Google My Maps (https://mymaps.google.com), while checking leg distances with Google Maps on the second screen.
At the end of that, I generated a usable *.KMZ file in Google My Maps. I've verified it, and the file works perfectly in Basecamp.