Che Wei Lee
2021-PresentCo-Founder & DesignerGone

Gone — A Storytelling Platform for Outdoor Adventures

We set out to build a space where any bikepacker, trail runner, or hiker can combine vivid images, personal reflections, and real-time route data—turning outdoor adventures into interactive stories that inspires and fuel the next journey.

A detailed trip of a story – combining photos, text, and route data.
A detailed trip of a story – combining photos, text, and route data.
The best of Gone, handpicked by the team. These are the stories that moved us — the epic rides, quiet moments, and unexpected turns that capture the spirit of adventure.
The best of Gone, handpicked by the team. These are the stories that moved us — the epic rides, quiet moments, and unexpected turns that capture the spirit of adventure.
Saved is your personal stash of inspiration — a place to bookmark trips you want to come back to.
Saved is your personal stash of inspiration — a place to bookmark trips you want to come back to.
Profile is your personal archive — a living record of all the trips you’ve published on Gone. It’s where your adventures come together, building a story that’s uniquely yours, one trip at a time.
Profile is your personal archive — a living record of all the trips you’ve published on Gone. It’s where your adventures come together, building a story that’s uniquely yours, one trip at a time.
A wall of wanderlust — real trips, real stories, each one a window into someone’s adventure.
A wall of wanderlust — real trips, real stories, each one a window into someone’s adventure.
Browse lets you explore stories by location — see where others have gone and what they’ve discovered along the way. From hidden trails to iconic routes, the map is your guide. And if you’ve got a story to tell, help us fill the globe.
Browse lets you explore stories by location — see where others have gone and what they’ve discovered along the way. From hidden trails to iconic routes, the map is your guide. And if you’ve got a story to tell, help us fill the globe.
Story builder wizard. This is the step we ask you to upload all your GPX files.
Story builder wizard. This is the step we ask you to upload all your GPX files.
Various brand assets for Gone.
Clay model illustrations inspired by Charlie Clark's Thiings collection.
Various brand assets for Gone.
A playful campaign idea for Gone that nudges the limits of big names like Strava. “Because Strava’s not the whole story” frames Gone as the place for moments, memories, and spatial texture — the full adventure beyond just the stats.
Various brand assets for Gone.
Various brand assets for Gone.
Various brand assets for Gone.
Various brand assets for Gone.

Overview

I co-founded Gone to give outdoor enthusiasts—bikepackers, hikers, trail runners—a dedicated space for richer, more immersive storytelling. Unlike standard social feeds or scattered apps, Gone combines photos, written narratives, and GPX routes into a single shareable format. It’s a passion project that morphed into a full-fledged platform where people can record, inspire, and connect over their outdoor adventures.

The Challenge

  1. Fragmented Memories

    • Most of us document trips across multiple tools: photos app, GPX files from mapping apps, and loosely typed notes.
    • Important details get lost or buried in multiple chat threads and social posts. We needed a single source where stories could be preserved in a cohesive, visually appealing way.

  2. Limited Social Platforms

    • We felt that mainstream social media platforms don’t handle maps or GPX data in a user-friendly manner. Mapping social media like Strava or Komoot focus on the activity itself, not the story behind it.
    • We wanted to offer an experience that spotlighted the journey rather than athletic achievements or stats alone.

  3. Bridging Inspiration & Resource

    • Outdoor stories can spark ideas and confidence for others to try the same routes. However, a static blog post or a forum thread often lacks the interactive components (like map overlays).
    • We wanted to build something that empowers the community to both document their adventures and provide actionable data to help others replicate or customize those routes.

My Role

As co-founder, product designer, and front-end developer for Gone, I wore multiple hats to ensure the platform’s success:

Approach

  1. User-Centered Discovery. We talked to fellow bikepackers, hikers, and trail runners, gathering pain points and showing them early prototypes to get feedback.

  2. Seamless Story Creation. We built a wizard interface allowing users to dump routes, photos, and minimal information to create an interactive story.

  3. Map-Driven Design. Maps are at the core of Gone's reading experience. We hero the route previews and elevation profiles, and let readers explore the story at their own pace.

The Solution

Gone is now a powerful storytelling platform where adventurers can easily combine text, photos, and GPX data into dynamic, shareable stories. Everything comes together in one place, making it effortless to capture memories, inspire others, and share useful route info for future trips.

We’re setting a new bar for how photos, words, and routes come together in a seamless adventure narrative. Readers can now discover epic journeys from around the world, sparking curiosity and cross-cultural exploration.

A vast collection of stories from our users.
A vast collection of stories from our users.

Impact & Learnings

For me, Gone is a great example of how niche platforms can thrive. By honing in on the real needs of a specific community—in this case, outdoor adventurers—we created something impactful. One key takeaway: deep integration of GPX data, map overlays, and photo galleries enhances storytelling with a level of fidelity that mainstream platforms lack.

If you’re curious to see Gone in action or want to chat about how we’re growing it, reach out! I’m always up for conversations about design, community building, and the outdoors.

Credits – Sam McEwan, Jack Harris

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