1. Connect your GPS to one of the COMM Ports on your computer using the PC interface cable.  Note: If you are a Palm Handheld Computer user and intent to use only one COMM Port for both HotSync operations and GPS data transfer (using the appropriate interface cables, of course), you must temporarily exit the HotSync Manager before you will be able to transfer GPS data!!

2. Set your GPS receiver Interface Format to "GARMIN", and the Transfer Mode to "Host".  Setting the Transfer Mode to Host lets you control all data transfer functions from your PC (as opposed to using the buttons on the GPS).  Note: You should only have to do this step the first time you transfer data to or from your GPS.

3. In Topo USA 3.0, click MapFolio.  Either select an existing MapFolio under which to place your new trail, or create a new one.  This isn't totally necessary, but if you have a whole bunch of trails, scattered among several states, it helps to keep them organized in various MapFolios.

4. In Topo USA, click the Draw tab, then click the File button, and then the New button.  Give the Edit Layer a name; any name, cuz you will be deleting this track later, after you've created a route using it.  Next click the Exchange button.  Click the "Track" button under "GPS Download".  Note: download transfers data from the GPS to the PC, whereas upload transfers data from the PC to the GPS.

5. Monitor the status of the download on your computer monitor.

6. Press ENTER on your GPS to acknowledge completion of data transfer; then click Close on the Topo USA Exchange screen.

7. If you manually entered any waypoints while you were tracking the trail (see Step 3 on the Record Track Page), you must download those waypoints from your GPS III Plus as well.  Use Steps 4 - 6 above to download your waypoints.  However, instead of clicking the "Track" button in Step 4, click the "Waypoint" button instead.

8. Display the downloaded track on your computer screen.  In Topo USA 2.0, you were able to click the Navigate tab and then click the Directions button.  Highlight the track you just downloaded, and click the "Go To" button.  In Topo 3.0, however, the track and waypoints download as a "Draw Layer", for which there is no "Go To" feature.  Therefore, you must manually locate your track.

9. Print a color hard-copy map for future reference (optional).  I don't print my map at this stage.  Since I use the manual method (versus the "TracBack" method) to create my "Routes", I don't print my map until after creating the Route (see next page).   However, if you prefer using the quicker TracBack method to create your Route, and you want a hard copy of your map, this is when you should print it. 

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