How to plan a trip?

Please see this thread http://www.poi-factory.com/node/31262

Your 255 doesn't handle routes, but you can have it navigate from your starting point to the destination using 1 waypoint at a time to take your desired highways.

Pick the highway you want to use and then add waypoints and store them as favorites. If the waypoints are numbered, then you can just pick the next sequential one to keep you on the route adding it as a via point between your current location and the destination.

Just to make sure we are addressing your question, let us know why you care whether or not there are three routes you could take.

You have the option in your 255 to select either
faster time
shorter distance
less fuel

so that might be one way to cause the 255 to select a certain roure over another.

There are road type that you can avoid as well.

I like the idea of using Google. Will try it tonight. Thanks a bunch, guys.

Suggest that you first download Extra POI Editor available at http://turboccc.wikispaces.com/Downloads

If you have Mapsource loaded on your computer,
1. Enter you start and end points and set those as waypoints.

2. Use the Waypoint Tool (Looks like a Golf Flag) and create a few waypoints to force the Garmin to go the way you want. I went to Myrtle Beach and had about five of these waypoints, plus my start and end.

2a. It's important to make sure you make the waypoint in the right spot. e.g. My first point for Myrtle Beach was just south of Erie PA. The route would take me west on I90 and then south on I79. My first waypoint was just past the end of the ramp that takes you from I90 onto I79. I named this "1 Erie PA". The next spot was Summersville, WV to force my route onto Hwy 19 from I79. I named this "2 Summersville WV"

2b. I find it's very helpful to include a sequence number plus a name of the closest town. The gps sorts by distance and the numbers makes sure you can always choose the next POI in the sequence.

3. I save this file as a gpx file and then open in Extra POI Editor. Zoom in on each and then go to Satellite view to make sure that the point is on the correct side of the highway and in a good spot.

4. When you go on the trip, enter your end point first and let it calculate. Then enter the first via point, "1 Erie PA" and say Yes that6 this is a via point. As you pass each via point, enter the next POI as a new via in the same manner "2 Summersville WV".

5. Note: In my case, Summersville is often called the longest speed trap in North America, so I also entered a proximity alert using Extra POI Editor, just to make darned sure that I slowed down.

Tried Google and didn't work. Tested on stimulus mode from home to work on local only and it took me right on the freeway. Any ideas

Edit: At the page send, there is a small line says" only destination address will get send" What....

That's correct. Routes cannot be sent from Google Maps to the GPS unit.

And regardless, as noted above, the 255W does not have the ability to store routes.

You will need to create a series of Waypoints or Custom POIs and select them in sequence manually.

How many via points do you plan to have for the trip?

Use Google maps to send one via point at a time to
your gps.Once you have all of them in go to favorites and select all favorites.Selecting one via point at a time.Touch it and select edit at bottom of screen.Touch down arrow and touch change category.Select new at bottom of screen and name new category trip.Repeat steps for each via point for your trip.You now have all the stops under category for favorites as trip.Select each via point in the order you plan to drive to.You also have option to rename under edit option.You may want to put number in front of the name to make selection easier for the order you plan to drive to.

Now the reason I asked about how many via points you plan to have.The 255 can do more then one via point even though the manual states one.Just select your end destination and touch Go.Now select menu and then Go and put the next via point in and touch go.You will get screen to select Add as Via Point.Touch it and repeat steps until you have all via point.Make sure in order you want to drive to.

You have them all in favorites in case your via point gets deleted.