Thinking about changing our site... your thoughts?

[friedel]

Hi all --

We have kept a blog of our bike travels since we started our long trip and now that we're coming up to the end of our first year, we thought about changing things around a bit. But then sometimes you think "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" so we're kind of split as to whether to change anything at all..... which is where you come in. We'd like your opinion.

Right now we upload daily journals with the title "xxkm from townA to townB" and these are most often what is on the front page, at the top. We also upload video and podcasts and other bits and bobs but the journal entries are the most numerous and frequent. I think this is a bit boring and sometimes pushes the interesting things like videos to the bottom where they're not seen.

Sometimes the journal info is useful if you plan to cycle through an area but if I were a reader, I think I'd like to see a little story of a funny encounter or theme from the past week or so and not necessarily just a string of semi-interesting daily entries.

For this reason we were thinking of moving the journal entries off the front page altogether (they'd still be on the site, but maybe just with a link from the front page) and instead on the front page have the videos, podcasts and occasional entry about someone we met or some great scenery or the crazy people in a region or whatever.

What do you think? What would you like to see most on a cycle trip blog?

 

[HJ]

Looks good to me...

 

[Brock]

Hi Friedel. My good lady and I have been following your adventure since you woke up to ice on your tent in Germany, I bet that seems like eons ago? I've always found your site to be nigh on perfect. Easy on the eye, easy to navigate etc, and the Wordpress/gallery integration is great. I'm astonished that you manage to cover so many miles whilst keeping your blog so lucid and up to date, as well as producing the great podcasts and vids.
Regarding the front page, perhaps a sort of 'weekly summary' or 'highlight of the month' might be more immediately accessible to new readers, but actually I feel that the journal is the greatest asset of your site, and having the latest entry on the front page gives visitors a real connection with your adventure the moment they arrive. Perhaps a 'videos' link up with the 'podcasts' link would give them a chance to click straight onto some moving images without having to think about anything much if that's what they want.

Whatever you do, keep it up and thanks for the inspiration. Whenever my girlfriend Kerry is struggling on a hill I point out helpfully that 'Friedel would be able to cycle up it', which often instills enough aggression in her to make it all the way up and avoid the embarrassment of having to walk.

 

[friedel]

Whenever my girlfriend Kerry is struggling on a hill I point out helpfully that 'Friedel would be able to cycle up it', which often instills enough aggression in her to make it all the way up and avoid the embarrassment of having to walk.

Ha! You better not tell Kerry that I often walk up hills partway!! How else are you supposed to eat the peanuts and chocolate to get the energy to make it to the top??

Thanks to both for some feedback. We are now swinging towards not changing anything, although we may have to switch to a weekly entry or just accept the daily entries may be somewhat delayed going through more remote parts. We have been so lucky this far in having internet access and we are not sure what the next year will bring in terms of being able to keep in touch.

 

[Shaun]

What can I say ... wow!!!

I'm both incredibly impressed, and equally envious of you both - what an absolutely crazy but amazing thing to do!

I've just spent the best part of an hour on your site this morning and I can't really think of much that could improve it.

Oh, and thanks for the link to CycleChat.

 

[Dayvo]

What do you think? What would you like to see most on a cycle trip blog?

A very interesting and well-planned website/blog.
10/10

In reply to your question, I think I could (almost) safely say that I would be speaking for the vast majority on here by saying I would like to be the one on/featured in the blog.
I did a six-week trip, but yours is something else altogether.
Good luck, we'll be following you very jealously, and maybe you'll inspire us to follow suit.

 

[Keith Oates]

I think the site and the content is fine, I wasn't aware of your trip until now but will certainly try to follow your adventure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[videoman]

Excellent just as it is and I could not find any way of improving it. Just more of the same please.

 

[friedel]

Okay, we get the message We won't change anything.... too much to do anyway trying to figure what route we'll take from Turkey. It is a really big ball of red tape, coupled with our desire to go absolutely everywhere and not miss a thing!

Thanks for all the feedback guys and if any of you want to join us, well, just do it! We've got a three-person tent

 

[starseven]

Great site, I will be reading for days just to catch up!

"Living the dream" , very jealous!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Cathryn]

No don't change it. I like it lots...it inspires me too!