Here's my take on whether HUBB should include ride reports. In a word, don't!

There are lots of other sites that provide folks with place to put their ride reports and photos - AusTouring, ADVRider, KLR650Net etc.

The HUBB seems to be focused more on the actual stuff of getting out there and back or not - gear (Matt's posts), carnet's (the never ending mystery), transportation (getting a bike to float or soar), and of course the 8th 9th 10th and so on wonder of the world - border crossings, among many others, which I think brings a unique and important quality to the HUBB.

And, the current Traveller's Stories section provides enough 'Ride Report' content and I like the 'newest on top' approach. (I have a quick look everyone once and awhle to see what Derek Fairless is up to and I don't have to scroll down the entire blog to see it anything's new (Derek - where are you in the new 3CV?)

Seems to me that rather than having the HUBB host more photos etc. it would be better if anyone who wants to post a ride report to do it on another site and include a simple link to it from an HU post.

If there was a desire to enhance this, you could simply include a new section (Ride Reports?) in the HUBB - that would allow a Title and one line for a link but screen out any posts with photos (don't know if this is actually possible, but...)

From my experience it seems that most folks who read the HUBB also use other forums and would not be significantly impacted by using another site for posting photos and yarns.
Stephen

Hi Stephen,

thanks for the thoughtful reply! I appreciate your comments, and they certainly made me stop and think.

So here's my take as a site owner on it:

Sure, there are other sites and a user can certainly post their travel story on them, and the HUBB is awesome for the real nitty-gritty how to stuff, and we could just link to them.

But - and here's the important but - every time someone reads one of THOSE sites ride report, they're not on HU reading it - and that means less traffic for HU, which impacts the bottom line - I need the traffic to be able to charge reasonable rates for advertising so that I can keep the number of ads to a minimum, but still pay the bills and eat. Remember HU is all I do - unlike some sites which are either small and part time hobbies of the owner, or traffic drivers for other enterprises.

Also as has been noted, why NOT have the "fun stuff" here? I'd like a one stop shop - we've been at it for 11 years now, and while we do have a one-stop shop, there is ALSO lots of great entertainment and pictures - which people love - out on the web on other sites - so why not get some of that entertainment here too? Nothing saying we can't do both - the forums are well separated so it shouldn't impact on the "important" stuff.

Re the "ordering" of posts in blogs versus the forums - I agree with you that the "newest" at the top is great if you're following someone, but it sucks if you've just discovered them and want to read the whole story! We have had MANY requests to do the blog posts in ascending - newest at the bottom - order.

Also, I don't know why, not as many people as I expected use the HU Blogs to post their ride reports - perhaps it's too hard - the forums are EASY to post a ride story.

Lots of people won't ever make a really big trip, or only one, so for them often a weekend ride is as good as it gets - so ok, since MOST of us can't do a big trip forever, and we eventually have to come home and do "normal" stuff - let's trade info on where the good rides are and share a little of THAT fun on HU. We all go for weekend rides or week long rides as part of normal life. I'm planning a couple of weeks in Colorado and area off-road next summer myself.

And finally, due to all the feedback, you'll see that there IS now a new "Ride Tales, Trip Reports and Stories" forum in the HUBB, for better or worse. And we will continue to have the "Travel Stories" blogs as well, for the serious big trips. They are now looked directly to from within the HUBB structure too, so should be easier to find - it's amazing how many people don't even SEE the left hand menu.

So I hope everyone will start posting more travel stories!

thanks for the feedback everyone! As usual, we listen and try to make it the best we can for all.

Grant and Susan

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Ride reports vs blogs ...

As I see it .. a ride report is done after the event .. a blog is done during the even .. part way through as it were .. so the 'reverse order' problem ..

........... umm Me?

I offer help (mostly I hope) on the HUBB forums .. I see that as the place to get quick advice when your on the road .. so something that is quick to download (no photos etc) is best. So I do read the bits where I might have something to contribute there.

I'd rather see the 'chatty' side of the HUBB in another area .. with ride reports if that happens? Keep one area for the 'essential' quick problem? No I don't know how to cut the line between the two - they will overlap form time to time, such is life.

I read the eZine .. and follow some peoples bolgs from time to time. I see them as less 'quick help' more as tracking people you have meet, or getting 'on the road' information about places you might be thinking of going.. so they can be photo rich as download speed is not too much of an issue

The hard bit is organising the information .. there is a vast wealth of that here .. Maybe personal pages .. would help - say your past experiences/knowledge that could be a source of info for others and something about future plans/dreams.. ? Could be seachable .. with some dating of the info too? Links to any blogs/reports and hubb postings .. ? Don't know ..

--------------------------------------
On Copyright... as usuall the laws change from country to country ..

Basicly my view is - I will quote someone without permission .. upto around 10% ... but only to draw attention to what they said .. and I hope I give some reference to them! I'd not reproduce a photo or map. You can link to it and then if people want to look they can ..
An old boss of mine wrote a book - very narrow specialist field. It was translated into chineses and the chinese publishers want him to write a foreword, he contacted the original punblishers and they said something along the lines of "Congratulations, you are the first of our writers to be translated into chinese, of course you realise that they have no agreement with you or us and you'll probably recieve no royalties". He choose not to write a foreword...

If you choose to take a copy of something for later reading .. I think that is ok. Particularly if you own an original - just taking precaution not to damage it .. or loose on your travels. The issue is taking a copy and not makeing a contribution to the production of the information.. Up to your value judgements really.

Enough...

__________________
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Regards Frank Warner
motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S

Oops! Should have updated this ages ago - there IS a "Ride Tales" section on the HUBB now! Add YOUR story anytime!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

When I started inviting riders to stop by my bar in 2006 most of the connections were made right here on the HUBB.This year all the folks I,ve met have come almost exclusivley from ADV.
A sad turn of events!!!!
The other great pleasure is being able once I,ve met these cool folks is being able to follow them on their adventures.
At the end of the day business is business and you as the people who work day inday out to make a living from this,especially in these hard times need to do what pays the bills.
Get the ride reports section going as soon as you possibly can!
As I say I started here but I now tend to spend more and more time with the other guys!
I,m sure we,d all love to see a viable alternative and that you get a living out of all the hard work as well.
Al theturtleshead

That is sad. Any comments on WHY you're spending more time over there, please let us know, we can always use ideas.

And thanks for realising we need to eat too, it's a very full time job! They're supported by Smugmug, so it's a lot easier.

The Ride Reports is live now - see the Ride Tales, Trip Reports and Stories Forums!

Have a great 2009!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

What I do is keep an eye on the Ride Reports and when I see a title like Patagonia bound,whitch started today by the way on Adv.I,ll pop a post on there with a bit of info like the flight from Panama city to Medellin and how they,ll be able to pass through the Zona Cafetera rather than Bogota-Ibague-Cali or just let them know to give me a shout if they,re going to pass through Medellin or Quito as I seem to be living in both places at the moment and being a bike nut I know where to get tyres etc.
Then I get to see their travels as they head down,we meet up they get local info and I have a laugh!!! They then go on their way and I get to see how they get along,I love it and it was the Hubb that got me into this and if you have a look at my history both here and there-Adv I,ve meet and help a ton of folks out,if they want to come to the pub fine!! if not thats fine too,I,ll still help out!!
You really need to get yourself into the full ride report business as I can see Adv getting bigger and I tend to be finding more folks who need my sage info(bullshit)over there.
there must be someone in the same game as smugmug who would be willing to do a deal!
Al theturtleshead
ps I,ll be arrangeing an International Riders meetup in Cartagena Nov 2009 I,ll be pushing it here soon as the details start to come together.

for what it's worth here's my pennies, I also spend time over at Adv. the reason for that is for the ride reports with pics ! and info and modifications on the bikes Caf and me own, this part of the site is of great help to me as we a motorcyclists first, travellers second.
On a different note they say you judge a book by its cover and I find Adv much more pleasing on the eye and more importantly easier to navigate around.
HU is to me is a travel site and the people happen to do it on motorcycles, so it's great for " you can't cross there at the moment" etc. Adv is full of petrol heads that go travelling, if they show a picture of there latest add on, in the garage there is several other motorcycles, pickup truck, snowmobile.
If you want to have the best resourse for what we do why not make them an offer they can't refuse ( if there only doing it part time ) and combine the 2 sites.
www.horizonsadventured.com or www.adventuredhorzons.com

Like I said just my ramblings

Pete

__________________
Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand 2016
Buenos Aires to NYC 2012-2013: www.facebook.com/curryhunt
India and back 2009-2010:

Tough to do a straight across comparison of HUBB and ADV.

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

The real deal is that it will simply be a business decision and little of the above has to do with business survival!
What counts in real life is numbers and that more and more of what was available only here at one time is now available there as well and it,s not a left or right wing thing or a how much money or a Bmw or Klr thing either.It is entertainment value!!!
I get Ride reports,I get Orange crush(an invaluable resource) I get Regional forums,I get old skool(with guys fixing old Bsa,s etc)and I get vendors(with riders selling some really cool stuff for my Ktm with most of the demand coming from the riders at Orange Crush)
As someone who has to survive in business(and I,ll need a shit lot more riders down here before I actually make any income from them,that and the leftwing president scared off all the folks with any cash.That being one of the reasons for starting the move to Colombia)
Adv could use a bit of direct competition and this is the place to do it,all the basics are in place.
It may be a case of no ride reports leaves this exellent resource to become increasingly marginalized.
As always in life it,s better to regret what you did do rather than regret what you didn,t do.
So go for it Grant workout how to get full ride reports as soon as you can,you won,t regret it!!!
Al theturtleshead

Al, not sure what you mean - we HAVE ride reports - have had since 2001 on the /tstories pages, well over 100 really good reports, PLUS recently added the Ride Tales, Trip Reports and Stories Forums which is growing fast! If I'm missing something here please tell me, 'cause I think it's all there - forum style reports plus full blogs with mailing system and everything!

I WAS lax on getting the ride tales forums going, it sat on my to-do list for many months - well ok, many many months - but it is there now.

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Thanks Patrick, easily the best comparo of the two sites I've ever seen, so thanks very much - it helps a lot!

Lots to digest...

A note - the search engine is new, went live a couple of weeks ago - still a few teething bugs but much better than what we had before. It searches the whole site, not just the HUBB, with generally excellent results.

Any "features" we're missing, please let me know and I'll do what I can. We DO have lots in the works, but on our budget it takes a long time.

Everyone: all comments welcome - feel free to chip in!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Just pop into ride reports, it doesn't feel right, white background no pics etc.
If I want that i'll sit down and read my book ! What I would like to see is a couple of paragraphs then a few pics, all in bite chucks so when i'm having my breakfast or waiting for the pasta to boil i've got something that's easy on the eye and 10 mins reading before I dash of to earn money to pay for my next trip
I can always pick it up were I left of the following morning

__________________
Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand 2016
Buenos Aires to NYC 2012-2013: www.facebook.com/curryhunt
India and back 2009-2010:

Give the authors time - it's just getting started!

Did you see the blogs? /tstories

And as a rule, black text on white is easier to read - try turning your screen brightness down slightly - most monitors are set too bright from the factory to they look good in the (bright) store!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Click ADV,Click Ride Reports and pics pics pics,Click Thread,South America,until our luck or money runs out,Click page 47,me and the boys at the Piedra de Peñol.
It,s the ease of getting to the page,the photos,the simplicity of posting and the ease of following the journey.
I,m currently following one guy who started a couple of days ago from the states heading my way with his thread,Patagonia bound! also I meet up with Sp4ce in Medellin,2up to TDF and a bunch of Colombian guys with Bogota to Buenas Aires and everthing in between!
It,s a right there,laziness is a big factor and the idea of picking my way though someones blog is simply a pain in the ass.
Ride reports at the top of the Hubb with photos.It,s the way to go! and as far as copying someone elses idea,for me it,s more like the choice between a Ktm 950 Adv or a Bmw 1200 gs.
Each will develop it,s own kind of people.
Perhaps most importantly,we as the consumers will have a choice!
Al theturtleshead