Looking for a good workflow from computer mapping to iPhone Nav

I'm taking the leap in the whole GPS thing, and trying to figure out a good workflow.

I'd like to make a route on the computer, looking at maps and such chart it all out. Then add it to my iphone and follow it.

From the computer end, I'm on a Mac. The phone is an Iphone 5

I have not been enjoying Google Maps very much lately. I find that every week it's different and I find charting anything fairly difficult and also saving maps is kind of difficult. What other desktop options are available.

I have tried MotionX Drive and MotionX GPS. I mostly ride pavement so I prefer MotionX Drive. I'm open to try Navigon or any others. I would like to have turn by turn.

My first attempt involved making a map in Google Maps then converting to GPX then adding to Motion X GPS. As far as I can tell there isn't a way to use Motion X Drive with your own GPX. Either way, it didn't work very well. It showed up in my phone as directions to each individual waypoint. I guess I needed to make my map in google without clicking the turns or anything. This seems kind of hard to too and tedious, thus my frustration with google maps. Motion X GPS doesn't seem to work very well for in town. It's hard to get it zoomed in to a way that would make sense, but Drive works great. Seems like just a different skin.

Anyways, what do you guys use?

To sum up simply: I want to be able to sit at my computer while I drink whiskey and chart a route. Transfer it to my phone and then go there in the morning.

Wow, so nobody does this?

I seem to see so many posts about making routes at home then using the iphone or gps. What do people use?

If Google Maps is the way to go maybe I just need a little kick in the right direction on how to more effectively use it.

It's functionally impossible. The only way I've seen to do that with an iphone & google maps

....is to switch to Android & get Osmand

I prefer my Iphone but I do have an HTC One sitting around somewhere with a cracked screen that could become my mc workhorse!

can't believe that despite always seeing threads about google maps and making tracks and the like and then putting them onto a gps or iphone or android that nobody has any advice on a good system starting on the computer and ending on the device. I really don't want to invest in a garmin or the like for over $500 that will be a high priced doorstop in a few years.

It's an industry thing. Google doesn't want you to use an iphone. They want you to use an Android or Google device. So they withhold some features.

Since iPhone has about half the market, Google prefers to make money, not inventing petty arguments that only exist in forums like this.

I am in the process of converting from the BMW Nav IV (essentially a better version of the Garmin Zumo 660). After researching all of the nav apps for the iPhone, I decided that Navigon was the best for clarity on an iPhone or even iPad Mini (I haven't decided which way to go). My most important criteria was to have all the maps loaded on the phone (it'll take 4-5GB, so beware) so that I didn't chew through my LTE data plan or have a useless device outside of a 3G/LTE area (and if you want to have fun, who wants to just ride through civilized areas).

Next I wanted ease of use, Lots of POI's and everything else we expect from our GPS systems.

Now, I can create waypoints (and subsequent tracks) in the Navigon App. I realize some people hate doing that, probably because you can't just point and click and move stuff around. The inherent conservatism of some people with regards to technology is amusing.

Nevertheless, if you really really insist that the only way you can ever create a waypoint then tracks is with Google earth or Google maps, then you could save the gpx file, rename it MyRoutetoAlaska.target, save it to dropbox (I think even iCloud). You could even email it to your iPhone.

When it gets to your iPhone, attempt to open it, it will say that no Apps on your iphone can open it, just choose Navigon to open it.

I've tried it, it works, probably better than Garmin BaseCamp. But honestly, I can set up dozens of way points on my Navi

And one more thing (to parrot Steve Jobs when he announced new things).

Motion-X is OK, but it's no Navigon. My biggest complaint about Motion-X is to keep their cost down, they don't allow you to store complete maps. So, you can, while you're in a WiFi area download all of the map details for your trip, and it's as good as anything. But if you decide you want to take that road up to a different mountain, then it has to download maps to your iPhone. It can even do it in EDGE signals, but you may as well have lunch while it does it.

However, Motion-X can import GPX files, just email them to yourself. Unfortunately, the cheap version of Motion X is limited to 9 waypoints (I believe). You can up that to 1000 or 2000 with an in-app purchase.

It probably is slightly (and I mean slightly) easier to use with imported tracks. But I think it's a terrible app. Unless you're going off road. Then the Motion-X GPS is one of the best, but you still can't own all the maps you want.

Depending on your needs, Navigon is still the best choice. But, I could argue for it, Tom-Tom, Motion-X and a few others for slight usability things here and there. But I want all of my maps on my iPhone, so that I can do what I want without chewing up data plans, or not having a signal and being up the figurative creek.

It's nice to see some people chiming in. Thanks!

I'm considering using Navigon but the price seems pretty high. That said i had a pretty hard time with MotionX GPS for street use and loading tracks.

Anyone have any tips for good mapping desktop software for the mac. I like google maps but the new version doesn't have My Places anymore. While you can still use that feature in Classic mode, I wonder how long it will last.

Also, someone on TWTex gave me a great route from Houston to Austin, which I want to switch to Austin to Houston in google maps but can't do this. When I press the reverse button it just shows me the standard highway route from Austin to Houston without the cool backroad app. This is the kind of thing I'd like to do. I really just like to daydream and make trips then try them out.