Well, I knew it was going to happen. Google finally pulled the plug on their old map engine we've been using for some time so I've spent the last six hours trying to decipher their new map engine. Right now all I can do is post the locations BUT the new map program doesn't allow you to automatically plan a route from the location! So for now you'll see the following link:
If you click on a marker, it will bring up the time, name, and address of the destination. You can use your mouse to highlight the name and address and right click to see if Google can "search for it" on another tab; however, some of the little places don't come up due to name changes or they are so new Google hasn't heard of them. In that case, just highlight the full address and again let Google search in a new tab. If it finds it, you can click on the new map marker and ask it for directions from your location. I know it's a PIA, but right now I have no solution.
I haven't given up yet and will keep trying to find a solution. If anyone has knowledge of another web map program that we could use and share on our website, please let me know.
but won't show any Romeo Rides at that link of course--riders wanting a route/mileage to a particular eatery will have to use old fashioned "cut & paste" and/or "hunt & peck"
Appreciate your efforts at this and good luck on hopefully getting it back to the way it was!
I know the map is still out there but for how long I don't know, plus it's lost all functionality so like you say, it's a cut and paste vehicle. I'm still working and hope to find something that will help.
Thanks!
Gary
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Gary D.
a.k.a. Romeo Map Genie
Parkville MO
2014 BMW K1600GT
I think this looks like an option that works. It doesn't give you a very good look at smaller roads as alternative routes, but it certainly gives you a couple of options and a great time and mile estimate. I say we go with this one for awhile and see how people like it. It's certainly better than Google Maps at this point, which I think has been rendered useless for our purposes at least. Thanks for working on this.
Mick
You are correct, it does not seem to show paved county back roads. If you think this is a problem and can find an alternative, let me know as it is all I can find at the moment that will work on our forum.
I asked why we can't create text hyperlinks (an easy way to link a location to a name or location) but Jerry tells me "In the forum app ("phpbb") they decided to be safe and not allow HTML code inside the text box." Ride coordinators can always place a Google link to your destination in your post which will allow riders to select a route which will include those county back roads. If the Google link is too long, you can always use TinyURL.com to shorten that long URL into a tiny URL.
Another point in MapQuest's favor, routes can be downloaded directly to Garmin GPS units as it uses the same file type, something Google has not done for some time.
Gary
Gary D.
a.k.a. Romeo Map Genie
Parkville MO
2014 BMW K1600GT
Gary, will you still do the "behind the scenes" work to add our ride locations if we include the url you listed above in our post? In other words, still business as usual only using Mapquest instead of Google Maps?
FYI - I did find today that if your location does not have a specific mailing address, you can't move a pin to the physical location on the MapQuest map like I could do on the old Google map. For example, look at next week's N Arkansas post:
Google finally pulled the plug on their old map engine we've been using for some time so I've spent the last six hours trying to decipher their new map engine. Right now all I can do is post the locations BUT the new map program doesn't allow you to automatically plan a route from the location! 
So for now you'll see the following link:
