🗺️ PitStopper.net

Help & Documentation

Overview

PitStopper.net helps you discover Points of Interest (POIs) along your routes or around any location. Perfect for cyclists, hikers, runners, and travelers who want to find essential amenities, services, and attractions along their journey.

Key Features

  • Route-based search - Upload GPX files and find POIs along your route
  • Location-based search - Search around any point with adjustable radius
  • 60+ POI categories - Water, food, accommodation, services, and more
  • Quick presets - Pre-configured category sets for common activities
  • Interactive elevation profile - Visualize terrain with gradient coloring
  • Export to GPX - Save routes with POI waypoints for GPS devices
  • Multi-pass detection - Identify POIs on out-and-back routes
  • Dark mode support - Easy on the eyes for night planning

Getting Started

Welcome Screen

When you first visit PitStopper.net, you'll see three options to begin:

Upload GPX File

Drag and drop or click to browse for a GPX file containing your route. Supports files from:

  • Komoot
  • Strava
  • Garmin Connect
  • Ride with GPS
  • AllTrails
  • Any GPS device or app

Use Current Location

Search for POIs around your current position. Requires browser location permission. Perfect for finding nearby amenities when you're already on the go.

Paste GPX URL

Load routes directly from a URL. Useful for sharing routes or loading from cloud storage.

Interface Overview

Once your route is loaded, the interface consists of four main areas:

  • Header - Application title (compacts when route is loaded)
  • Sidebar (left) - Control panel for searches, categories, and settings (toggle with H key)
  • Map View (center) - Interactive map showing your route and POIs
  • Elevation Panel (bottom) - Elevation profile chart (toggle with P key)
  • Footer Bar (bottom) - Statistics and quick action buttons

Operating Modes

Route Mode (GPX Upload)

The primary mode for planning trips along a specific route.

  • Load GPX file containing a track or route
  • POIs are searched within a specified distance from the route path
  • View elevation profile with gradient-colored climbs and descents
  • Add distance markers at regular intervals
  • Export enhanced GPX with POI waypoints
  • Reverse route direction if needed

Location Mode

Ideal for exploring POIs around a specific location.

  • Use current GPS location or click map to set center point
  • Define search radius (circular area)
  • Find POIs within the specified radius
  • No elevation profile available in this mode
  • Useful for finding services in a new city or area

Core Features

GPX File Upload

Upload your route file to begin searching for POIs along your path.

Uploading

  • Drag and drop GPX file onto the drop zone
  • Or click "Drop your GPX file here" to browse
  • File is processed locally in your browser (not uploaded to server)
  • Route appears on map with animated drawing (optional)

Route Animation

When a GPX is loaded, the route animates from start to finish, giving you a visual preview of your journey.

  • Animation speed adapts to route length (1.5-4 seconds)
  • Click "Skip Animation" to display route immediately
  • Toggle animation on/off in settings for future uploads
Routes with many points (2000+) are automatically optimized for performance while preserving full data for export.

Map Interface

Map Controls (Top Right)

  • Zoom +/- - Zoom in and out of map
  • Layer Selector - Choose from 5 map types:
    • Streets (OpenStreetMap)
    • Satellite (ESRI)
    • Topographic (OpenTopoMap)
    • Cycling (CyclOSM)
    • Outdoors (Thunderforest)

Custom Map Controls (Right Side)

  • Center on Route - Zoom map to fit entire route
  • Toggle Route Visibility - Show/hide route line
  • Go to Current Location - Center map on your GPS position
  • Query POIs - Click any map location to search for nearby points of interest (zoom level 15+ required)
  • Settings - Access application settings

Map Interactions

  • Click POI markers to open popups with details
  • Click map to add manual POIs (when enabled)
  • Zoom with mouse wheel or pinch gesture
  • Pan by dragging

Search Radius

Control how far from your route to search for POIs.

  • Adjust slider from 10m to 1000m (default range)
  • Use arrow buttons for fine adjustments
  • Display automatically converts to miles if using imperial units
  • Larger radius finds more POIs but may be less relevant

Quick Presets

Eight pre-configured category combinations for common use cases:

  • Water - Water sources only (fountains, taps, springs)
  • Water & Fuel - Water sources + gas stations
  • Water & Food - Water + cafes, restaurants, bakeries
  • Cyclist - Comprehensive set for bike touring (water, fuel, food, toilets, bike facilities)
  • Runner - Water, toilets, cafes, viewpoints, benches
  • Touring - Complete set for long-distance travel (accommodation, services, amenities)
  • All - Select all 60+ categories
  • Custom - Deselect all (manually choose categories)

POI Categories

Choose from 60+ POI types organized into 9 groups:

Water (6 categories)

Drinking water fountains, water points, taps, natural springs, fountains, watering places

Food & Drink (9 categories)

Restaurants, cafes, fast food, pubs/bars, bakeries, ice cream shops, food courts, biergartens

Accommodation (6 categories)

Hotels, hostels, motels, guest houses, camping sites, wilderness huts

Transport (7 categories)

Gas stations/fuel, EV charging stations, parking, bicycle parking, bicycle repair stations, bicycle rentals, car rentals

Services (10 categories)

Toilets, ATMs, banks, post offices, pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, veterinarians, police stations, fire stations

Shopping (8 categories)

Supermarkets, convenience stores, general stores, department stores, shopping malls, outdoor/sports shops, bicycle shops, grocery stores

Amenities (6 categories)

Libraries, community centers, places of worship, picnic sites, showers, laundry

Recreation (9 categories)

Viewpoints, picnic sites, parks, playgrounds, sports centers, swimming pools/areas, beaches, benches, information points

Landmarks (5+ categories)

Castles, memorials, monuments, museums, galleries, tourism attractions

Category Management

  • Click group header to expand/collapse categories
  • Click "All" button to toggle all categories in a group
  • Check/uncheck individual categories
  • Live count shows checked/total per group
  • Use "Select All" or "Deselect All" buttons for quick changes

Custom Search Distances

Set a specific search radius for individual categories:

  • Click the pencil icon next to any category
  • Enter custom search distance (meters, kilometers, or miles)
  • Useful for finding rare POIs further from route
  • Blue "Reset Distances" button clears all custom distances
Use custom distances to find gas stations within 2km while keeping restaurants within 500m.

POI Count Limiting

Control the number of POIs displayed per category to keep your map clean and focused.

Global Count Limit

  • Enable with checkbox in sidebar search panel
  • Adjust slider from 1-25 POIs per category
  • When enabled, shows only the N closest POIs for each category
  • Slider is greyed out when disabled, turns green when enabled
  • Use arrow buttons for fine adjustments
  • Default state: unchecked (unlimited POIs)

Per-Category Count Overrides

  • Click the three-dot edit icon next to any category
  • Set a custom limit for that specific category
  • Overrides the global limit when enabled
  • Blue label shows "(Top N)" when custom limit is active
  • Clear button removes the custom limit

Count Badges

Category badges show count information:

  • Single number (e.g., "12") - Showing all POIs found
  • X/Y format (e.g., "10/127") - Showing 10 out of 127 total POIs (limiting active)
  • Hover over badge for detailed tooltip

How Limiting Works

  • POIs are sorted by distance from your route (closest first)
  • Only the N closest POIs are displayed on map and in sidebar
  • Exported GPX files include only the limited POIs shown
  • Settings are saved with your projects
On long routes with hundreds of POIs, use count limiting to focus on the most relevant locations. For example, show only the 5 closest water sources per section instead of all 50+ along the entire route.

Search Results

POI List (Sidebar)

Search results appear in the sidebar with detailed information:

  • POI Name - Editable by clicking
  • Category - Type with emoji icon
  • Distance from route - How far off the path
  • Side - Left (L) or Right (R) of travel direction
  • Compass bearing - Direction from route
  • Elevation - Height above sea level
  • Opening hours - If available from OpenStreetMap

Filter Options

Narrow down results by distance from route:

  • All POIs - Show everything found
  • Within 100m - POIs within 100 meters of route
  • Within 500m - POIs within 500 meters of route
  • Show return pass POIs - Toggle visibility of POIs encountered on out-and-back routes

Map Markers

  • Color-coded by category for easy identification
  • Emoji icons represent POI types
  • Click marker to open popup with actions:
    • Edit POI name
    • View full details
    • Delete POI
    • Center map on POI
    • View on OpenStreetMap website

Multi-Pass POI Detection

For out-and-back routes, the system automatically detects when you'll pass the same POI multiple times:

  • Badge indicator shows pass count (2x, 3x, etc.)
  • Distance calculated to closest pass
  • Toggle "Show return pass POIs" to hide duplicates
  • Useful for loops and out-and-back routes
On an out-and-back route, the same water fountain will appear only once in the list, with a badge showing you'll pass it twice.

Query POIs - Location-Based Search

The Query POIs feature works like OpenStreetMap's "Query Features" tool, allowing you to click any location on the map and discover ALL nearby points of interest within a 100-meter radius. This search is completely independent of your sidebar category selections.

How to Use Query POIs

  1. Zoom In - Zoom to level 15 or higher (the Query POIs button is disabled at lower zoom levels for precision)
  2. Click the Query Button - Click the question mark icon (bi-patch-question) in the right-side map controls
  3. Click the Map - Your cursor changes to a question mark; click any location you want to explore
  4. View Results - An orange pulsing marker appears with an expanding circle animation, and results display in a new "Query Results" section at the top of the sidebar

Query Results Section

Results appear in a distinctive orange-bordered panel with the following features:

  • Location coordinates - Exact lat/lng of your query point
  • Search radius - Shows 100m search distance
  • Results count - Total POIs found
  • Organized by category - POIs grouped by type (restaurants, shops, parks, etc.)
  • Distance from query point - Each POI shows its distance from where you clicked
  • Orange markers - Query results display with distinctive orange markers on the map

Adding Query Results to Your Project

  • Individual POIs - Click "Add to Project" button next to any POI in the results list
  • Add All - Click the "Add All to Project" button to add all query results at once
  • Clear Results - Click "Clear Results" to remove the query results section and orange markers

Key Differences from Standard POI Search

  • Independent of Categories - Finds ALL named POIs regardless of sidebar selections
  • Single API Call - Uses one fast Overpass API query instead of 50+ category-based calls
  • Fixed Radius - Always searches 100m for precision (not adjustable)
  • Location-Based - Centered on a specific point you click, not along an entire route
  • Name-Based Query - Returns anything with a name tag in OpenStreetMap data
  • Zoom Required - Only works at zoom level 15+ to ensure precision

Best Use Cases

  • Exploring unfamiliar areas - "What's at this location?"
  • Finding specific services - Click near a town center to see all available amenities
  • Discovering hidden POIs - May find interesting places not in your selected categories
  • Quick local search - Faster than selecting multiple categories for a small area
  • Urban exploration - Dense city areas typically return 50-500 POIs
Pro Tip: Use Query POIs when you arrive in a new town and want to quickly see everything available nearby - restaurants, shops, parks, ATMs, and more - without having to manually select categories.
Note: Query mode can be exited by pressing the ESC key or clicking the Query POIs button again. New queries replace previous results, but you can add POIs to your project before running a new query.

Elevation Profile Chart

Chart Features

  • Gradient coloring shows terrain difficulty:
    • Green - Flat (0-3% grade)
    • Yellow - Moderate climb (3-8%)
    • Orange/Red - Steep climb (8%+)
    • Blue shades - Descents
  • Hover crosshair - Shows distance and elevation at any point
  • POI markers - Click to view POI details
  • Click anywhere - Center map at that location

Elevation Statistics

Detailed terrain analysis displayed above chart:

  • Total distance
  • Elevation gain (total climbing)
  • Elevation loss (total descending)
  • Maximum elevation
  • Minimum elevation
  • Average grade
  • Steepest section grade

Panel Controls

  • Click expand/collapse button to toggle full panel
  • Use P key to toggle panel
  • Mini widget - When collapsed, shows thumbnail in bottom-right corner
    • Click thumbnail to expand
    • Quick visual reference

Powerful location search feature that helps you find and navigate to any place on the map using multiple search methods, with enhanced geocoding, intelligent filtering, and productivity features.

Accessing Location Search

  • Click Tools → Search Location from the footer menu
  • Modal opens with three input methods via tabbed interface
  • Press ESC to close the modal at any time

Search Methods

Address Search (Default Tab)

  • Enter any city, address, landmark, or place name
  • Examples: "Paris, France", "123 Main St, London", "Eiffel Tower", "Central Park"
  • Dual geocoding system with automatic fallback:
    • Primary: Nominatim (OpenStreetMap data)
    • Secondary: Photon (OpenStreetMap Photon service)
  • 10-second timeout per service with automatic failover
  • Loading spinner shows search progress
  • Search button disabled during active searches
  • Press Enter in search box for quick search

Decimal Coordinates

  • Enter latitude and longitude in decimal format
  • Format: 51.5074, -0.1278 (latitude, longitude)
  • Useful for precise coordinate-based navigation
  • Accepts negative values for South/West coordinates

DMS Coordinates

  • Enter coordinates in Degrees Minutes Seconds format
  • Format: 51°30'26.5"N 0°07'39.5"W
  • Supports both N/S/E/W notation and symbols
  • Automatically converted to decimal coordinates

Search Results & Intelligent Filtering

50-Mile Route Filter

When a route is loaded, search results are automatically filtered to show only locations within 50 miles of your route.

  • Prevents irrelevant distant results
  • Results sorted by distance from route (closest first)
  • Warning message if no results within 50 miles
  • Filter only applies when route is loaded

Enhanced Result Display

Each search result shows comprehensive information:

  • Location name - Full address or place name
  • Coordinates - Latitude, longitude with copy button
  • Metadata - City, region, country (when available)
  • Type badges - Location type with emoji icons:
    • 🏙️ City • 🏘️ Town • 🏡 Village • 🏛️ Administrative
    • 🌍 Country • 🌎 Continent • 🗺️ State • 📍 Region
    • 🏢 Amenity • 🗿 Tourism • 🌳 Natural • 🛣️ Highway
  • Distance from route - Shows how far from your path (when route loaded)

Recent Searches History

  • Automatically saves your last 10 searches
  • Click search input to view recent searches dropdown
  • One-click to re-execute previous searches
  • Shows search type icon (📍 address, 🎯 coordinates)
  • "Clear History" button to remove all saved searches
  • Duplicate searches not saved consecutively
  • History persists across browser sessions

Action Selection Modal

After selecting a location, choose what to do next:

Create POI (Green Button)

  • Opens Add Manual POI modal pre-filled with location details
  • Name, coordinates, and metadata automatically populated
  • Choose POI type (Info, Alert, Danger, Event Sticker)
  • Add custom notes or descriptions
  • POI saved with exact coordinates (no route snapping)

Show in Map (Orange Button)

  • Displays temporary orange pulsing marker at location
  • Map smoothly zooms to location (zoom level 15)
  • Marker automatically disappears after 10 seconds
  • Perfect for quick location reference
  • Success message confirms location name

Preview Markers

  • All search results displayed on map with blue teardrop markers
  • Different appearance from POI markers (easy to distinguish)
  • Click marker to select that result (opens action modal)
  • Hover over marker to highlight corresponding list item
  • Markers automatically cleared when modal closes
  • Markers removed when new search performed

In-Modal Search Radius Control

Adjust POI search radius without leaving the Search Location modal:

  • Click "Search Radius" button to expand controls
  • Slider adjusts from 50m to 5000m
  • Current value displayed dynamically (e.g., "500m", "2.5km")
  • Automatically converts to miles/feet if using imperial units
  • Changes sync instantly to main sidebar radius slider
  • Chevron icon indicates expanded/collapsed state

Keyboard Navigation & Shortcuts

Result Navigation

  • ↓ Arrow Down - Highlight next result
  • ↑ Arrow Up - Highlight previous result
  • Enter - Select highlighted result (opens action modal)
  • Ctrl+C or Cmd+C - Copy coordinates of highlighted result
  • ESC - Clear result highlighting / Close modal

Highlighted results show with colored background for easy identification.

Copy Coordinates Button

  • Each result has a copy button (📋 icon)
  • Click to copy decimal coordinates to clipboard
  • Format: "latitude, longitude" (e.g., "51.5074, -0.1278")
  • Visual feedback: button briefly shows "✓ Copied!"
  • Also works via Ctrl+C keyboard shortcut
  • Useful for sharing locations or external app integration

Usage Workflows

Quick Location Reference

  1. Open Search Location modal
  2. Type city or landmark name
  3. Select result from list or use Arrow keys + Enter
  4. Click "Show in Map" for temporary marker
  5. Map zooms to location for 10 seconds

Adding POI at Known Location

  1. Search for the location (address or coordinates)
  2. Select result and click "Create POI"
  3. Add Manual POI modal opens pre-filled
  4. Choose POI type and add notes
  5. Save POI with exact coordinates

Exploring Cities Along Route

  1. Load your GPX route
  2. Search for cities along your path
  3. Results filtered to within 50 miles of route
  4. Select city and adjust radius in modal
  5. City location set for POI searching
Use the recent searches feature to quickly switch between multiple cities along your route. For example, search for "Paris", then "Lyon", then "Marseille" - all saved for one-click access later. The 50-mile filter ensures you only see relevant results near your route.
Geocoding services may have rate limits. If searches fail repeatedly, wait a few moments before trying again. The dual-API system maximizes reliability, but both services may occasionally be unavailable.

Advanced Features

Manual POI Addition

Add custom points of interest by clicking the map.

POI Types

  • INFO (blue) - General information, points of interest
  • Alert (orange) - Warnings, cautions
  • Danger (red) - Hazards, dangerous sections
  • Event Sticker (purple) - Event markers for printing on bike frames

Adding Manual POIs

  1. Enable "Add POI to map" mode from settings
  2. Click anywhere on the map
  3. Choose POI type
  4. Enter name/description
  5. For multi-pass routes, select which segment
  6. POI is automatically attached to nearest route point

Distance Markers

Visual markers showing distance along your route.

  • Auto-generated at regular intervals (km or miles)
  • Toggle visibility via Tools menu
  • Click marker to view distance
  • Can be deleted individually

Clock Time Settings

Configure actual clock times for your trip to see when you'll arrive at each POI. Perfect for coordinating meeting times, planning meal stops, or ensuring you reach destinations before closing time.

Setting Up Clock Time

Access via Tools → Clock Time Settings from the footer menu.

Configuration Options

  • Start Time - Set departure time for your journey
  • End Time - Set arrival time at destination (calculates backward)
  • Date (Optional) - Add date for multi-day trips and daylight tracking
  • Live Preview - See calculated time range as you adjust settings

Quick Setup During GPX Import

When importing a GPX file containing timing data, the Import Summary modal includes optional clock time fields:

  • Start date auto-fills with today's date
  • Start time field for quick configuration
  • Skip these fields to use the app without clock time
  • Can always configure later via Clock Time Settings

Clock Time Display Throughout App

Footer Time Range

  • Shows trip clock time (e.g., "9:00 AM - 11:15 AM")
  • Click to open Clock Time Settings modal
  • Displays overnight indicator for multi-day trips
  • Moon icon badge appears if route extends past sunset

POI Popup Display

  • Shows "Est. Time from Start" for each POI
  • Calculated based on average speed from GPX timestamps
  • Updates dynamically when clock time settings change
  • Displays daylight status badges (☀️ Daylight, 🌆 Twilight, 🌙 Dark) when date is set

Manual POI Tool

  • Displays estimated arrival time when adding custom POIs
  • Helps schedule alerts or waypoints at specific times

Daylight Tracking & Sunrise/Sunset

When you set a date in Clock Time Settings, the app integrates with the Sunrise-Sunset.org API to provide comprehensive daylight information.

Daylight Information Display

  • Sunrise - When the sun rises at route end location
  • Sunset - When the sun sets at route end location
  • Civil Twilight End - When it gets dark (30-40 min after sunset)
  • Day Length - Total hours of daylight available

Darkness Warnings

If your route extends past sunset, the app provides prominent warnings:

  • Time After Dark - How long you'll be traveling in darkness
  • Distance in Dark - Approximate distance covered after sunset
  • Visual Indicator - Moon icon badge on footer time button
  • Print Reports - Darkness warning section in printable reports

Daylight Status Badges in POI Popups

Each POI popup shows whether you'll reach it during:

  • ☀️ Daylight - Between sunrise and sunset (yellow/orange badge)
  • 🌆 Twilight - Between sunset and civil twilight end (blue badge)
  • 🌙 Dark - After civil twilight end (gray badge)
Sunrise/sunset times are calculated for your route's end location. For very long routes spanning multiple time zones, times may not be accurate for the entire route. Daylight data is cached locally for faster subsequent lookups.

Multi-Day Trip Support

  • Automatic overnight trip detection
  • Day markers show when crossing midnight
  • Time calculations account for day changes
  • Useful for bikepacking, long-distance hiking, or ultra-endurance events

Project Integration

  • Clock time settings saved with your project
  • Automatically restored when loading saved projects
  • Settings persist across browser sessions
Use clock time for planning meal stops by seeing which restaurants you'll reach during lunch or dinner hours. The daylight tracking helps ensure you have proper lighting equipment if your route extends past sunset.

Route Management

Tools Menu (Footer)

Access route management options via the wrench icon:

  • Reverse Route - Flip direction of travel
    • Recalculates all distances
    • Updates POI side (L/R)
    • Re-animates route
    • Can be undone
  • Toggle Distance Markers - Show/hide km/mi markers
  • Clear All POIs - Remove all found POIs (route remains)
  • Clear Route - Remove route and start over
Clearing the route will remove all POIs and reset the application. Use "Clear All POIs" if you want to keep the route.

Export Options

Export GPX

Save an enhanced GPX file containing:

  • Original route/track
  • All POI waypoints with names
  • POI descriptions with opening hours
  • Distance and elevation information
  • Compatible with GPS devices and navigation apps

Generate a comprehensive print-friendly report perfect for offline reference during your trip.

Accessing Print Report

  • Click Export → Print Report from the footer menu
  • Customize report sections and columns
  • Preview before printing or saving as PDF

Report Customization

  • Custom report title
  • Select sections to include:
    • Summary with route statistics
    • Daylight information (when clock time with date is set)
    • Elevation chart image
    • Original GPX waypoints
    • Looked-up POIs
    • Custom alerts/dangers
    • Event markers
    • Distance markers
  • Choose table columns:
    • POI number, name, category
    • Distance from start
    • Elevation
    • Distance from route
    • Side (L/R)
    • Compass bearing
    • Opening hours
    • Notes/description

Daylight Information in Reports

When clock time settings include a date, print reports automatically include comprehensive daylight information:

  • Sunrise Time - When the sun rises at route end location
  • Sunset Time - When the sun sets at route end location
  • Gets Dark Time - Civil twilight end (30-40 min after sunset)
  • Day Length - Total hours of daylight available

Darkness Warning Section

If your route extends past sunset, the report includes a prominent warning section showing:

  • Route end time vs. sunset time comparison
  • How long you'll be traveling in darkness (hours and minutes)
  • Approximate distance you'll cover in the dark
  • Reminder to bring appropriate lighting equipment
Print reports with daylight information are especially useful for bikepacking and long-distance rides where you need to ensure you have lights and reflective gear for sections traveled after dark.

Event Sticker Generator

Create printable circular stickers for bike frames:

  • 100mm diameter design
  • Customizable event name and location
  • Optional logo/badge
  • Distance and date display
  • Export as SVG for printing

Settings & Preferences

Distance Units

Toggle between metric and imperial units:

  • Click KM/MI button in footer
  • Switches between:
    • Metric - Kilometers, meters
    • Imperial - Miles, feet
  • Affects all distance displays, search radius, and elevation
  • Preference saved in browser

Dark Mode

Reduce eye strain with dark theme:

  • Toggle in settings menu
  • Automatic detection of system dark mode preference
  • Affects entire interface including map controls
  • Preference saved in browser

Display Options

  • Route animation - Toggle animated route drawing on/off
  • Show return pass POIs - For multi-pass routes
  • Route visibility - Show/hide route line
  • POI visibility - Show/hide POI markers

Saved Presets

Save your favorite POI category selections, search radius, and custom distances as named presets for quick access. Perfect for recurring trip types like bikepacking, hiking, or road trips.

Creating a Preset

  1. Select the POI categories you want
  2. Set your search radius (and custom distances if needed)
  3. Click the Save Preset button
  4. Enter a descriptive name (e.g., "Bikepacking Setup", "Hiking Essentials")
  5. Click Save

Loading a Preset

  1. Click the Load Preset button
  2. Select from your saved presets
  3. The preset will apply immediately and automatically search if a route is loaded

Managing Your Presets

Below is a list of all your saved presets. You can view details, load, or delete presets from this page.

No saved presets yet. Create your first preset in the main application!

Features

  • Active Preset Indicator - Shows which preset is currently active
  • Auto-clear on manual changes - Indicator clears when you manually change categories, radius, or distances
  • Overwrite protection - Warns before overwriting existing presets
  • Browser storage - Presets saved locally in your browser (no account needed)
  • Timestamp tracking - See when presets were created and last used
💡 Tip: Create multiple presets for different trip types. For example, "Day Cycling" (water + cafes), "Bikepacking" (water + accommodation + bike shops), or "Road Trip" (fuel + restaurants + hotels).

Project Save/Load

Save your entire work session - including route, POIs, settings, and map view - as a named project. Return later and pick up exactly where you left off!

What is a Project?

A project is a complete snapshot of your current work, including:

  • Route Data: Complete GPX route with all points and elevation
  • POI Data: All discovered POIs with their categories and custom distances
  • Search Settings: Selected categories, search radius, custom distances
  • Map View: Current map position, zoom level, and layer selection
  • Application Settings: Distance units, dark mode preference
  • Statistics: Route distance, elevation gain/loss

Saving a Project

  1. Load a GPX route and search for POIs
  2. Configure your settings (categories, radius, custom distances)
  3. Click Tools → Save Project
  4. Enter a descriptive project name (e.g., "Wales Day 2 Planning")
  5. Optionally add notes/description
  6. Click Save

Loading a Project

From Landing Page (Quick Access):

  • When you visit PitStopper.net, saved projects appear as cards
  • See the 3 most recently used projects
  • Click Load on any project card to restore it instantly
  • Click View All Projects to see your complete list

From Tools Menu (Full Management):

  • Click Tools → Load Project
  • Browse all saved projects with details
  • Click Load to restore a project
  • Click Delete to remove unwanted projects

Managing Your Projects

Below is a list of all your saved projects. You can view details and delete projects from this page.

No saved projects yet. Save your first project from the main application!

Important Notes

⚠️ Browser-Specific Storage: Projects are saved to this browser's localStorage and will only be accessible from this browser on this computer. Projects are not synced across devices or browsers.
💡 Storage Limits: Browsers typically allow 5-10MB of localStorage. Large routes with many POIs may approach this limit. The app will warn you if a project is very large.

Use Cases

  • Multi-day trip planning: Save each day as a separate project
  • Alternative routes: Compare different route options by saving each as a project
  • Work in progress: Save your current work and come back later
  • Shared computer: Keep multiple users' projects organized

Keyboard Shortcuts

Speed up your workflow with these keyboard shortcuts:

Navigation & Interface

  • H - Toggle sidebar visibility
  • P - Toggle elevation panel
  • ESC - Close modals and dialogs
  • ? - Open help documentation in new tab

Undo/Redo

  • Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z - Undo last action
  • Ctrl+Shift+Z / Cmd+Shift+Z - Redo (Mac)
  • Ctrl+Y - Redo (Windows/Linux)
The undo/redo system tracks all POI management operations including category toggles, search radius changes, POI deletions, and custom settings modifications. History is limited to the last 50 actions.

Mobile Experience

Mobile Optimizations

  • Hamburger menu - Sidebar accessed via menu button (top-left)
  • Touch-optimized controls - Larger tap targets for buttons
  • Full-width sidebar - Slides in from left on mobile
  • Simplified footer - Shows essential stats only
  • Responsive elevation chart - Adapts to screen size
  • Gesture support - Pinch to zoom, swipe to pan

Mobile Tips

  • Use landscape orientation for better map view
  • Collapse sidebar when viewing map for maximum space
  • Tap mini elevation chart to expand
  • Use Quick Presets instead of scrolling through categories

Tips & Best Practices

Planning Trips

Start with a Quick Preset (like "Cyclist" or "Runner"), then customize by adding or removing specific categories.
Use custom search distances for specific categories. For example, set gas stations to search within 5km while keeping restaurants at 500m.
Check opening hours for businesses, especially in rural areas where services may have limited hours.
For long routes, use the "Within 100m" filter to focus on POIs very close to your path.

Performance Tips

  • Large routes (2000+ points) are automatically optimized for chart rendering
  • If map is slow with many POIs, use filters to reduce visible markers
  • Close unused POI category groups for a cleaner sidebar
  • Wider search radius isn't always better - be selective

Common Workflows

Planning a Bike Tour

  1. Upload GPX from route planner (Komoot, Ride with GPS, etc.)
  2. Apply "Touring" or "Cyclist" preset
  3. Adjust search radius to 1-2km
  4. Review POI list and check opening hours
  5. Add custom alerts for road conditions or hazards
  6. Export enhanced GPX with waypoints
  7. Print report for offline reference

Finding Water on a Hike

  1. Upload trail GPX
  2. Select "Water" preset
  3. Adjust search radius to 500m
  4. Review results and note distances
  5. Export to GPS device

Exploring Around Current Location

  1. Click "Use Current Location"
  2. Set search radius (e.g., 2km)
  3. Select categories of interest
  4. Browse map and POI list
  5. Click markers for directions or details

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

No POIs Found

Solutions:

  • Increase search radius
  • Try different POI categories
  • Check if area is well-mapped in OpenStreetMap
  • Remote areas may have limited POI data

GPX Won't Load

Solutions:

  • Verify file is valid GPX format
  • Check file contains track or route data (not just waypoints)
  • Try re-exporting from original source
  • Ensure file isn't corrupted

Elevation Not Showing

Solutions:

  • Check route has sufficient points (needs 2+)
  • Wait for elevation data to load
  • Check internet connection
  • Only available in Route Mode (not Location Mode)

Map Not Loading

Solutions:

  • Check internet connection
  • Try different map layer
  • Refresh page
  • Clear browser cache

POIs Missing Opening Hours

Opening hours come from OpenStreetMap data. Not all businesses have this information available. You can contribute to OpenStreetMap to improve data quality.

Browser Support

  • Modern browsers required (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
  • JavaScript must be enabled
  • Geolocation permission needed for current location feature
  • Cookies/local storage needed for saving preferences

Glossary

GPX
GPS Exchange Format - XML-based file format for GPS data containing routes, tracks, and waypoints.
POI
Point of Interest - A specific location that may be useful or interesting (restaurant, hotel, water source, etc.).
Track
Recorded GPS path with timestamps, showing where you actually traveled.
Route
Planned path with waypoints, showing where you intend to travel.
Waypoint
Named location marker with coordinates, typically important points along a route.
Search Radius
Distance from route or location center to search for POIs.
Multi-pass
Feature detecting when you'll encounter the same POI multiple times on out-and-back or loop routes.
Overpass API
Service for querying OpenStreetMap data, used to find POIs.
Elevation Gain
Total amount of upward climbing on a route (cumulative).
Elevation Loss
Total amount of downward descending on a route (cumulative).
Grade
Steepness of a slope expressed as percentage (rise over run × 100).
OpenStreetMap (OSM)
Free, editable map of the world created by volunteers, source of POI data.
Scrollspy
Navigation feature that highlights current section as you scroll.

PitStopper.net - Discover Points of Interest Along Your Route

For more information, visit the main application or contact support.