TrekMe.com FAQ Help Page

What is TrekMe?
How do I create an account with TrekMe?
How do I create a trek?
How can I change my template?
What are Tags?
What are Categories?
How do I delete a Trek?
How do I attach photos a Waypoint?
Can I delete a comment I made on someone else’s trek?
How do I get my Trek listed as Featured Trek?
Can I have more than one profile?
Can I have more than one trek?
What is a Podcast?
How do I change my password?

What is TrekMe?
           TrekMe lets you share your adventures. It is an exciting and free GPS mapping, and blogging site designed to give users the ability share events in their lives using a mapping interface. Users input treks manually, upload GPS points from most popular GPS devices, attach photos and video to their treks and blogs.  Registered users can also comment on other user’s blogs, create and maintain a friends list, communicate internally with friends and other users, invite visitors and new users, and submit trouble tickets.

How do I create an account with TrekMe?
           Registering with TrekMe.com is a simple, 2 step process. Go to http://www.trekme.com/register.php, fill in the form and follow the prompts.  Enter a proposed User Name and make sure to enter a current email.  Log into your email account and verify that you have received a confirmation code.  Click on the link provided to confirm your email account or copy the code and enter it manually on the confirmation page listed in the email. Click “Continue” to enter the site.

How do I create a trek?
            In order to create a trek, you must be a registered user.  Once you have received your confirmation code, log in, check out your QuickStats and then take the following steps:

• Hit the “Add Trek” button on the right side of the displayed page under “Manage Blog”
• Enter a descriptive name for your trek.
• Enter Tags (separated by spaces) that describe the major features of your trek (i.e., hike hiking Baker, Washington snowshoe snowshoeing). Tags will allow others to find your site using the Search Function. 
• Choose Public or Private Trek.  A Private Trek may only be viewed by Users on your “Friends” list. 
• “Set Default” toggle allows you to specify this trek as the one that will be tracked live using a broadcasting GPS device and will also display this trek as default on your blog site. If none are selected, your blog displays without a trek.  You are not required to have a broadcasting GPS device (“Acceptable GPS Device List” link?) to display your Trek as default on your Blog site.
• Select “Show Treks” from the right menu
• Select “Map Interface” from new Trek.
• To create a point, DOUBLE CLICK on the map according to your location.
• Give a title to your point.
• Enter a series of points to display a Trek.
• Save your points by clicking “Save Points” in the right hand menu.
• Then Click on your saved points to upload pictures, edit information or delete that point.
• Points must be deleted from the end of your Trek; reverse the order that you used to bring them in. At this time a waypoint listed in the center of a Trek cannot be deleted

How can I change my template?
You must be logged in as a registered user in order to change a template.  Once you are logged in, click on “Change Your Template” under the “Manage Blog” heading on the right hand side of your screen. Select the Template you would like to use.  View your new template by clicking “My Blog” under the “User Menu” heading.
If you would like to create a new template to be included, please use the Contact form for template specifications and submission requirements.

What are Tags?
Tags are keywords that describe treks and allow users to search for a specific blog. For example, a Trek tagged with "sailing Puget Sound boats whale watching” will be displayed if users search for any of those terms.  Someone searching for the word “Sound” is possibly not looking for a sailing trek.  Users who enjoy sailing or whale watching can then search for any of those terms and that related trek will be displayed in the search results.   “Sail,” as a search query will not return this particular sailing blog unless you also enter that word as a Tag.
 
Enter as many words as you want and try to be as descriptive as possible. Make sure that your tags are separated by spaces—NOT commas. After successfully adding your trek, go to “Show Treks” (right menu) in order to add posts, map points or photos. Tags help you find new Treks you might like to view, and also help you label treks you post or upload so that other people can find them more easily.  

What are Categories?
Categories are organizational tools for you to use as you organize your TrekMe site. They are not used by site visitors for searching, but rather are a tool to help you keep your posts in order. In order to affect our search engine and how your site is found, you must use Tags that may be added to or edited through “Show Treks” / “Edit”.

How do I delete a Trek?
On the right hand menu under “Manage Blog” click “Show Treks.”  Under “Manage Treks” in the center of your screen select the action “delete” that is adjacent to the trek you would like to delete.  Click OK, to delete. Be careful! A deleted trek and associated images and or posts cannot be recovered.

How do I attach photos a Waypoint?
There are two ways to add a photo to a Waypoint. 

1. On your Links menu, click “Show Treks.” Under “Manage Treks” click “Map Interface” for the Trek to which you would like to add a photo.  Click the waypoint to which you would like to add a photo. On the pop-up menu, click add/edit Picture. Scroll down below any pictures already uploaded to the “Upload Pictures” table and click a “Browse” button.  Note that at this point you may also elect to switch waypoints (or treks) using the drop down selection tool. Navigate to the desired picture on your computer, select it and click it “open.”  At the bottom of the “Upload Pictures” frame, click “Upload” to begin upload of your photo.  Photos are currently uploaded in their original format. 
2. On the “Manage Blog” menu, select “Add Photos”.  Select the trek and the appropriate waypoint to which you would like to add the photo.  Then follow the upload process as noted above.

Can I delete a comment I made on someone else’s trek?
No. You can't edit or delete comments you make on other people's treks. Once you've made a comment, it can only be removed or moderated by the trek owner.  If for some reason you feel a comment must be removed, contact the trek owner and ask if that can be done for you.  To contact a Trek Owner, login, go to the My Network menu section and click “User Listing.”  Elect to send a message to the appropriate owner.
 
How do I get my Trek listed as Featured Trek?
We are scanning through users' treks on a daily basis, and we will collect those that we think are both interesting treks as well as informational and dynamic. Post pictures, blog posts and interact with your friends and family!

Can I have more than one profile?
Yes, you can have more than one profile, but you must use a unique user name and email address for each one..

Can I have more than one trek?
TrekMe does not limit the number of treks you can add to your account.

What is a Podcast?
A podcast is a digital media file that is shared over the web using syndication feeds, for playback on portable media players and personal computers.  The term "podcast" is a blending of the name of Apple's portable music player, the iPod, and broadcast.
Although podcasters' web sites may also offer direct download or streaming of their content, a podcast is distinguished from other digital media formats by its ability to be downloaded automatically, using software capable of reading feed formats such as RSS or Atom.
TrekMe users can upload MP3 formatted audio files that attach directly to a Trek, a Post, or a map point.  Adventure followers can automatically download additions or changes to a Trekkers Blog using their browser or email handling software to subscribe to the live feed.

How do I change my password?
You must be logged in to change your password. Under the User Menu, click “Change Password.”  Enter old password in the first box and new password in the second box.  Click “Change Password”.