1. Go to the three paws icon when ingame. You can create your group there.
2. To upload your map export your map and put it on a upload site, I use mediafire, but you can use whatever, and put it on teh forum or email people teh map.
3. To download simply click the download link people give you in forum or in email. You can't do it over the game itself though.
4. Maps show up in the cape because The cape is basically the custom map holder or whatever. It's a LOT easier than having to search through teh entire of Flourite plains or whatever just to find one map, keeps things in place and nice and tidy, a lot easier to find your maps.