Update 2 / Mobile device Google Earth view of 4 Boise River Walks

 I have been able to view kmz files on my iPhone in Google Earth and decided to try to load the new file combining kml files from 4 Google Maps and 4 kmz files from the EveryTrail app produced for the Idaho River United Boise River Walks for Health, Habitat and Heritage.  In addition I added polygon shapes around the 4 different walk areas and placed a name for each. 1.  Barber Area; 2. Julia Davis Park;  3  Willow Lane; and 4. Garden City.

Below is a Screen shot from Google Earth showing the 4 Boise River Walk areas.

Amazingly it works the same as it does on the desktop Google Earth Browser.

The easiest way to use the file below on your mobile device that has Google Earth (iOS and Android at least) is to send the file via email and open the mail on your mobile device.  Clicking on the file will allow you to open it in Google Earth on your mobile device.

BoiseRiverWalksHealthHabitatHeritage4.kmz

I am interested in how this works because it seems that it could be considerably faster,  less complicated  and more customizable to create a mobile virtual tour this way than to try to create a stand alone app.

One issue I see right away is that the EveryTrail tours do not automatically run from photo point to point as they do in the stand alone EveryTrail map.  However, the tracks and all of the photos are available to look at individually.  It would be easy to create a direct link to each EveryTrail file in order to be able to run the slide shows.

One assumption I would have to make is that people use Google Earth enough to feel comfortable exploring in this 3 D virtual world environment.

I would appreciate any comments about this idea.

Thanks,

Gary

Update / Boise River Walks for Health, Habitat and Heritage

I decided to try to add the Google Map kml files for each of the 4 Boise River Walks organized by Idaho Rivers United in the spring of 2013.

While doing this I also added a polygon line around the area of each walk and added a visible name to identify these areas from a distance in Google Earth. Now the pop up information windows from Google Maps show up in Google Earth.

 This is still a work in progress as images could be added to these windows and more detail could be added to the EveryTrail photos. It would also be possible to add video clips and other information to the tours.

 Here is a link to the new kmz file with new features noted above added.

"Boise River Walks for Health Habitat and Heritage"

Note this is a work in progress that will be improved as time permits.

I Collaborated with Liz Paul, Boise River Campaign Coordinator at Idaho Rivers United to create Google Maps and EveryTrail iPhone maps with photos for 4 walks along the river during the spring of 2013. The IRU web page below contains Liz's written description highlights of each of the 4 walks, her Google Maps identifying specific locations with pop up windows that provide the same information, and the EveryTrail maps with photos I produced for all 4 walks.

http://www.idahorivers.org/news/?id=342

Here is a KMZ file that provides a 3D Google Earth view of all 4 walks and related photos.

Free Landsat 8 Data Now Available

KML Tool on the following page provides overlay with transparency slider on Google Earth. (Via USGS Landsat Missions)

http://landsat.usgs.gov/LDCM_Landsat8.php

Data collected by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) and the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) onboard the Landsat 8 satellite are available to download at no charge from GloVis, EarthExplorer, or via the LandsatLook Viewer.

Photo below is a screen shot of Google Earth showing April 27, 2013 Landsat 8 imagery near Boise, Idaho.

Mid 1980 to 90's Mountain Visions Multi-image productions

On the Internet Archive Wayback Machine from 1997 I found mid 80's to mid 90's listing of 23 Mountain Visions Northwest and Idaho Multi-image productions. http://web.archive.org/web/19971013085544/http://www.mtnvisions.com/MMShows.html

Boise River Morning Bird Walk. GPS tracking route and photos.

Using the EveryTrail Pro iPhone app I created a walking GPS tour with photos on the Boise River. This is the third "Boise River Walk for Health, Habitat and Heritage led by Liz Paul, Idaho Rivers United Boise River Campaign Coordinator. On this walk Liz described waterfowl, a heron rookery, talked about river channel dynamics, floodplain and native and invasive plants. Bring your binoculars. Below is a link to a Google Map with descriptions of locations of Interest that war visited:

http://goo.gl/maps/d2gFb

1. New Dry Creek Irrigation Diversion built in 1879. 2. Head of Eagle Island 3. Gravel Quarry 4. West Boise Wastewater Plant 5. Sensitive Bird Nesting Area

Boise River Morning Bird Walk at EveryTrail
EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Boise, Idaho

Monarch Butterflies Migration Google Earth Tour

Watched this very nice  Encyclopedia of Life HD Monarch Butterfly Migration Google Earth Tour.  Included in this YouTube video are citizen science projects and personal stories about the migration.  Also  a Google Earth KMZ file you can download is found in the Description area under  "Show More."