All summer I was using a SPOT device to have my crew check-in with my supervisor. I quickly saw the potential of the SPOT and the ability to have an embedded google map with all of the SPOT markers together labeled by date on my website. It would be an easy way for anyone to check my progress.

Getting to that stage is a little trickier though...

1. Get email to scripting languange

The easiest way seems to be using a pop3 class with php run with a cron job at designated times. Other methods involve directly piping emails to the script.

2. Insert lat, long and date data into mySQL database

3. Put data on embedded google map

Check out an example of a cdt trail map that I put together for my thruhike.

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