Google Map API BackBoneJS Cannot read property 'offsetWidth' of null

I've been through as many StackOverflow/google groups as I can imagine trying to figure this guy out.

I'm using BackboneJS to render a map that has a start location and an end location. On a fresh page/page refresh, I don't get this error, and the map and stuff work fine, for I am using jQuery's $(window).load(.....) function; however, when I dynamically render my View, I get this error-I believe-because the DOM hasn't loaded the DIV yet (failing with document.getElementById). I have tried all manner of different methods other than the $(window).load(), but I can't get anything which works for both use cases (fresh page load -- BackboneJS view loading). Trying to call the function right after the template doesn't work, either.

Any help would be appreciated.

Robert

View:

    App.Views.MapShow = Backbone.View.extend({
      initialize: function() {
        _.bindAll(this, 'render');
        var self = this;
        $(window).load(function() {
          self.renderMap();
        });
      },

      render: function() {
        this.renderTemplate();
      },

      renderTemplate: function() {
        this.$el.html(JST['path/to/show/file']());
      },

      renderMap: function() {
        var from     = this.model.get('location_from');
        var to       = this.model.get('location_to');
        var geocoder = new google.maps.Geocoder();
        var map      = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('mapCanvas'), {
          mapTypeId: google.maps.MapTypeId.ROADMAP
        });
        var directionsService = new google.maps.DirectionsService();
        var directionsDisplay = new google.maps.DirectionsRenderer();

        directionsDisplay.setMap(map);

        var request = {
          origin: from,
          destination: to,
          travelMode: google.maps.DirectionsTravelMode.DRIVING
        };

        directionsService.route(request, function(response, status) {
          if (status == google.maps.DirectionsStatus.OK) {
            directionsDisplay.setDirections(response);
          }
        });
      }
    });

HTML:

    <div class="map" id="mapCanvas"></div>