Google Mapplets and some changes to this blog

I decommissioned my cyclinginboulder.googlepages.com site by redirecting its home page back to http://cyclinginboulder.blogspot.com. I did this because of Google Mapplets.

From the Google Mapplets page:

Google Mapplets are mini-applications that you can embed within the Google Maps site. Examples include real estate search, current weather conditions, and distance measurement. Mapplets are Google Gadgets that can manipulate the map using Javascript calls that are derived from the Google Maps API.

Mapplets are currently only available in a special Developer Preview version of Google Maps at: http://maps.google.com/preview

I created a Google Mapplet today for the Boulder Bike Paths. This is a bit cleaner than using My Maps because Google Maps will soon support Mapplet overlays while you are doing a map search. That means you can have the Boulder Bike Paths (with legend) visible on the map while you are doing a search for the location of your cycling destination. The Mapplet references my cyclinginboulder.googlepages.com site because that is where the Mapplet XML definition file is located. But I don't want to maintain that website, so if people try to navigate to that site, they will now be automatically redirected to this blog site.

I have submitted my Boulder Bike Paths mapplet to the Google Mapplets Gallery. Until the mapplet is (hopefully) accepted by Google, you can always add it manually by:

1. browse to http://maps.google.com/preview
2. click on the Mapplets tab
3. click on Add content
4. Towards the top of the Google Mapplets Gallery page, there is a Add by URL link. Click it.
5. When prompted, add the following URL: http://cyclinginboulder.googlepages.com/MappletBoulderBikePaths.xml
6. return Back to Google Maps
   
7. Now you should see Boulder Bike Paths in your Bookmarks list. If you select the box immediately to the left of the Boulder Bike Paths, the bike paths should show up on your map and then you can keep that data visible as you proceed to perform additional Google Map searches.
   

This is one step closer for me in my quest to have Google provide bike transportation maps as part of their network maps offerings.