Find tracks

If you are an unregistered user, there is only one thing you can do, and that is search for tracks.

The 'Find tracks' link in the main menu takes you to the search page

When you first arrive at this page, it will show you a large listing of tracks in Australia, and display them in a list on the left hand side of the screen. On the right hand side is the map of Australia on which you can display any of the tracks to help you choose your ride.

To restrict the number of tracks shown in the list, there is a search function available.

Search form

To display the search form, which is normally hidden, click on the 'Search' label above the list of tracks. This will expand the search form and hide the list of tracks.

You can enter values into any of the search fields, either by selecting from the pull-down menus, or by entering a search term into any of the text boxes

State

Select a state from the list. Note, tracks can be listed in multiple states, so selecting one state will get you any track that goes through that state.

Name

This is the title given to the track. We recommend that users posting tracks to the site list all significant locations in the title. So you should be able to search for a particular location by entering the name in this field. Example, 'Simpson desert'

Description

Search for any text that you think might be in the longer description of the track. Example, 'water crossing'.

Type

Type describes whether the track is mainly dirt, mainly tar, or a walking track.

Level

Level is a grading from 1 to 5 ranging from easy to difficult. Note, your definition of difficult may well be different to others' definitions, so take this one with a grain of salt.

Tag

Tags can be allocated to tracks to describe something characteristic about the track. For example, we have tags for tracks that could be used in trans-Australia East-West ride. You can select a single tag from the pull-down menu.

Hints

You can enter values into more than one search field. To search for tracks in NSW that mention 'water crossings', select NSW and enter 'water crossings' in the description field.

When you submit your search, the selected set of tracks will be displayed in the list, and the search form hidden. If you want to change your search, click on the 'Search' heading to display the search form again.

List of Tracks

If the track list is not displayed, because the search form is being displayed, click on the 'Search' heading to hide the search form and display the track list.

For each track listed there are a number of options that can be done.

Display/hide the track on the map (check-box)

The check-box associated with the track allows you to toggle the display of the track on the map. You can select more than one track by clicking on their check-boxes. This enables you to see if you can string together a set of tracks to make a longer ride.

As a track is shown or hidden on the map, the map display will resize and pan so that all the selected tracks can be seen at once. If you want to look at one of the tracks in detail, the following icons on the line allow you to do that.

Show this track on the map

To see where this track is on the map, click on the first icon on the left of the track name. This will zoom and pan to this track, while still displaying all other selected tracks on the map. This can be handy if you have selected one large and one small track, and the small track is difficult to find when the map is zoomed out.

Highlight this track on the map

Sometimes, the previous option is still not good enough to find where the track is on the map. This can happen if you have selected 2 or 3 tracks covering the same area.

Clicking on the second icon will remove all other tracks, then zoom in to the track and flash it several times. After highlighting the track, the display will return to showing all selected tracks.

Download the track as a GPS file

GPX is a common format for GPS files that should be readable by virtually all GPSes.

If you click on the second icon on the track row, it will download the track. It should prompt you to save the file somewhere on your machine. It may display the XML gobbledygook on your screen. If it does this, just choose File -> Save As in the browser and save the file to your disk. Remember to ensure that the extension of the file remains as GPX as your GPS will probably require this.

More information about the track (hover over track name)

If you hover your cursor over the track name, you will see all the information that has been saved with the track.

This will show you the full description, the level and type of the track, how long it took, who posted it, and provide a link to a ride report if there is one.

On this information box, you can also download the track as a KML file. This is the format used by Google Earth and will allow you to view the track full screen in Google Earth.

Display all selected tracks (link at top of list)

If you end up with the map zoomed in on a particular track and want to get back out to seeing all tracks on the one map, click this link.

Show/hide all (checkbox at top of list)

If you have done a search, and there are less than 15 tracks in the result list, a checkbox will appear at the top of the list that will allow you to select all the tracks at once to either display or hide them on the map.

Map display

The map display can be controlled using the standard GoogleMaps controls. Drag the map across. Use the controls to pan and zoom to any area on the map.

For each track displayed you can display information about the track and any waypoints.

Click on a track

If you click on the track path, ie not one of the waypoint flags, an 'info' box will pop up showing all the information saved with this track. This is the same information that is displayed if you hover over the track name. To remove the track, either click on the track again, or click the close box in the top right hand corner of the info box.

Click on a waypoint

Waypoints are displayed as little flags on the track. They may or may not contain extra information entered by the poster, eg 'take sharp left turn here'. If you click on a waypoint flag, an 'info' box will pop up showing any associated waypoint information, plus all the information saved with this track.