Tour Trails Live Using Google Earth

A couple weeks ago I read about a new mashup Lijit had created called Lijit Live 3D. This mashup place marks searches done on the Lijit Network and flys you to the location on Google Earth. I downloaded the KML file and it was indeed entrancing for a couple minutes. I honestly thought, "That is cool! I don't understand why they did it, but it is cool." I envision it being one of those cool ways to display your success in an office foyer.

Much like Google would project all the searches currently being done on a wall. I imagine this to be a 2.0 version where those same searches are now being represented geographically. A cool approach to display information that is otherwise pretty boring.

While reading the blog post (Lijit 3D Live With Google Earth), it stated that development of this mashup was "trivial." That intrigued me. I don't necessarily know why that sparked my interest. I consider Google to be masters of simplicity. I've never known them to over-engineer the apps they allow hack developers like me to play around with.

After I closed the KML file for Lijit Live 3D I didn't expect I would revisit the mashup.

Throughout the next week it was business as usual, but every now and then I would think of the word "trivial" as used to describe the ease in which the mashup was created. Oddly, the term "trivial" turned into "How did they do that?" Finally, curiosity got the best of me and I decided to sit down on my computer and figure out how they did it.

A couple trips to the Lijit website, a few minutes reviewing the Google KML documentation, 2 cups of coffee, and 1 hour later I had it figured out and working on TrailCentral. I then spent another 5 hours making it pretty.

So would I call it trivial? Yeah, I think that was a good choice of words. The amount of work done for the amount of "cool" you get makes the development "trivial."

So imitation is the highest source of flattery, but in today's world you need to not just imitate, but build upon. Obviously my website is a directory of trail information, maps, and local bike shops, which is much different than what Lijit does.

Lijit has a large user base which makes the Google Earth map zip around the globe. TrailCentral is Colorado based and focuses on mountain biking. During the month of December it receives about 1/17 the visitors it gets during the peak seasons of Spring, Summer, and Fall. So currently it lacks the zippity-zip-zip that entrances visitors of the Lijit 3D map, but there is a silver lining.

The live map I created basically allows those who view the map to take a tour of TrailCentral, while being guided by visitors currently browsing the website. It will lack the zip, but in its place I've added information about the last trail or bike shop visited on TrailCentral.

This currently isn't live on my website (meaning not everyone can access it). I'm currently only giving those who read this blog the ability to take it for a spin. (read: Aren't you special....)

However, I can talk about it all day or you could just download the KML file and check it out yourself.

For those interested, here are a few details:

• When you click to download the KML file you will be asked how you want to open it. Open it with Google Earth. If you don't have Google Earth, download it here.
• You will be automatically taken to the last trail, map or local bike shop that was visited on TrailCentral.com
• Google Earth will check for an updated location every 60 seconds. Remember, this is a tour, sit back and relax. Nobody likes to be rushed while touring a place.
• While you are viewing the last location, click on the place marker. This will give you "Facts at a Glance." The most important information about the place mark as well as a link to go directly to that web page to learn more.

Don't believe it is real time? Have Google Earth open in one window and Visit TrailCentral.com in a second window. Visit a couple of the trail or local bike shop pages and within seconds you will be flown to that location. Here are a couple links to make it easy for you.

• Local Bike Shop - Dean Ultimate Bicycles
• GPS Map - Grays Peak
• Trail Page - Slickrock Trail

Finally, I gotta give my kudos to Lijit for making such a cool mashup. Cool enough for me to want to imitate it. For those that view the TrailCentral Tour, I'm sure you will enjoy it for a couple minutes and then never visit it again.

I on the other hand love to have the ability to view what is happening on my site in semi-real time while grounding cyberspace to specific place marks on Mother Earth.