Week 2 Progress: User Preferences and Activity Logging

Week 2 brought significant improvements to the personalization features of Cycle My Way.

User Preferences System

We've built a comprehensive system for users to tag streets:

• Street Tagging: Users can now mark streets as "loved" or "avoided" directly on the map
• Preference Storage: Preferences are stored and used to influence route calculations
• Visual Feedback: The map now shows color-coded indicators for user preferences

Activity Logging

The activity logging system is now functional:

• Strava Integration: Connected with Strava API to import cycling activities
• Activity Storage: Activities are stored with full GPS tracks and metadata
• Route Matching: System can match logged activities to existing routes in our database

Route Discovery Improvements

We've enhanced the route discovery algorithm:

• Preference Weighting: Routes now prioritize streets users have marked as "loved"
• Avoidance System: Routes actively avoid streets marked as "avoided" when possible
• Freshness Factor: The system considers how recently a user has visited certain areas

Performance Optimizations

This week also included important performance work:

• Database Indexing: Added indexes to improve query performance
• Caching Layer: Implemented caching for frequently accessed route data
• API Response Times: Reduced average API response time by 40%

What's Next

For week 3, we're planning:

• Building the route simulation system with physics calculations
• Implementing time-based routing (quick routes vs. scenic routes)
• Starting work on the mobile-responsive UI

The platform is really starting to take shape!