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Hi all--

On the heels of my average tank temperature (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/fuel-economy/t-finding-average-temperature-for-a-tank-3182.html) calculator discovery, I have found another resource on the web to help improve fuel economy. This was in the process of finding a resource for planning longer runs for my wife (I'm the coach).

The website is called Gmaps-Pedometer (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/), and at first blush appears to be a place to produce simple running path maps with a mileage calculator. Except the author has mashed it up with the USGS topo database, which allows you to perform quick and dirty elevation maps for a path, say for your commute. I know Topo-USA does the same in probably a more user-friendly way, but for free, it ain't bad. Here's how:

1) At the top of the page, enter your starting address (a ZIP code helps).
2) Click "Start Recording." Thereafter every double-click places a point along your route. You are not limited to a maximum number of points.
3) At any point on your path, you can click Elevation: Large and the path you've plotted will cross-reference the USGS topo map for that lat/lon and produce an elevation graph.
4) If you make a mistake, you can erase the last point in the path by clicking "Undo last point." (Duh.)

That's about it. There's a link to Usage Instructions below the control panel for more tools. While designed for runners/walkers/bikers, this helped me analyze a part of my commute where two possible uphill paths could be taken.

Anyway, I hope it's useful. --RN

You found another gem. Nice Job!

The pedometer site is great, and I've already got wunderground bookmarked for my tank posts. Thanks!

Here's another one which I find helpful. It does not graph out trip elevation, but it does give you instantaneous elevation for any one spot.

http://www.earthtools.org/

The website is called Gmaps-Pedometer, and at first blush appears to be a place to produce simple running path maps with a mileage calculator. Except the author has mashed it up with the USGS topo database, which allows you to perform quick and dirty elevation maps for a path, say for your commute. I know Topo-USA does the same in probably a more user-friendly way, but for free, it ain't bad.

This is pretty neat, thanks for posting! It's also along the lines of an idea I had when mparrish first posted the earthtools link. I delved into it a little deeper and found that earthools has a web service where you put lat/lon in the URL and it gives you height back. From there it was several hours of google maps API and javascript hacking to get an elevation profile view of my commute.

You can see the image here: elevation profile (http://jdp.sent.com/elev.jpg) (height in feet on left axis, distance in miles on bottom axis)

I'm in the process of cleaning up the code and interface for this and posting it somewhere so it can be available online for you guys. The only thing that would REALLY kick a** that I wasn't able to do so far is use driving directions - google doesn't let me do that directly. (So you can't just give a start/end address and get a route and an elevation profile, you have to click turns along the way.)

Sorry if I got too much into technical details, I'm just really excited about this. :Banane03:

Hi Jerad:

___Your commute Topo profile looks very similar to the Prius Marathon Attempt’s elevation profile although much shorter in length. Nice job on the conversion by the way!

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/medium/Marathon_Profile.jpg

___Depending on your traffic and lights, those 30 - 60’ rollers could be the beginning of some seriously stupid FE this summer!

___If I give you my normal commute track, can you create the same for me ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

___Depending on your traffic and lights, those 30 - 60’ rollers could be the beginning of some seriously stupid FE this summer!

That's my hope. :) Actually I was looking back at my data for last summer for this route and I had a few north of 70 when it was 70-80 degrees out. With judicious use of my "fas-switch" and improved technique since then I should be able to top that. :eek:

Some of the things I want to add to this route profiler thing I'm working on is the ability to tag stop signs/lights and speed limits. Then we can get into some hard-core potential MPG analysis.

___If I give you my normal commute track, can you create the same for me ;)

Sure, PM me your route if you want and I'll send you the profile pic, or give me a week to get something online and you and others will be able to do it for your routes as you wish. Or both. :D

Out of curiosity, how'd you get that graphic for the marathon route?