Why I like "crazyguyonabike"
#26
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btw, I do appreciate Neil's work at Crazy Guy and I do use the site for planning tours not infrequently. Could it be purtier? Yea, but its functionality is what I appreciate. As to the photographic sites, fine, but I can see beautiful scenic shots anywhere on the web. It's all good.
#27
Slow Rider
Surprising to read the negative feedback about crazyguy site. It seems those who think negatively of it do so because of aesthetics. No doubt many web sites these days specialize in pretty pictures. The crazyguy site, however, provides more than just glitzy photo display, and it seems this aspect is lost to some who visit the site. In terms of useful information for learning about bike touring experience, crazyguy is the best site available. It works and works very well. For some the internet bike-touring experience is all about pictures, and pictures are certainly a key component, but for many the internet bike-touring experience is also about information beyond pictures, and crazyguy is tops in that.
#28
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CGOB is operated on a very low budget, almost a labor of love. It is not state-of-the-art web design and that's OK by me. When I am researching a bike tour or just looking for ideas or amusement, it's one of the sites that I always visit. The quality of the journals vary widely in content, writing and photos but that's part of the charm.
Periodically I send small donations to help Neil Gunton operate the site. He funds the site by donations, a limited amount of targeted advertising, and I presume some of his own money. As far as I'm concerned, he's one of the good guys.
Periodically I send small donations to help Neil Gunton operate the site. He funds the site by donations, a limited amount of targeted advertising, and I presume some of his own money. As far as I'm concerned, he's one of the good guys.
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****.
#32
Slow Rider
Surprised that half of BikeForums is quietly critiquing a website that has not seen an update since 2002, while the other half of BikeForums is forming a protest movement against basic principles of web design.
This is great.
If you want to see what CGOAB could be, go to Backpacking Light's website.
This is great.
If you want to see what CGOAB could be, go to Backpacking Light's website.
You point to this above site as what CGOAB could be? Ok, so you want to CGOAB to be a forum?
#33
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Surprised that half of BikeForums is quietly critiquing a website that has not seen an update since 2002, while the other half of BikeForums is forming a protest movement against basic principles of web design.
This is great.
If you want to see what CGOAB could be, go to Backpacking Light's website.
This is great.
If you want to see what CGOAB could be, go to Backpacking Light's website.
In contrast, I have been to many "well designed" websites that suck in many other ways. They change the design so often that it's hard finding content and various features don't work if you don't have the latest version of some software. The BackpackingLight site that you linked seems to be more of a commercial website with more advertising and writing/photos by professionals. There's nothing wrong with that, but I doubt if they would accept an article by Joe Schmoe about his bike trip along the C&O Canal or Katy Trail -- not edgy enough.
#34
Senior Member
Your landlord's in the prawn industry?
Last edited by alan s; 05-04-16 at 12:46 PM. Reason: Meant to say "prawn"
#36
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Edit: I think it's best if I keep my comments to myself and let everyone else do whatever they want with their own site. Sorry for causing trouble.
Last edited by mdilthey; 05-04-16 at 01:13 PM.
#37
Senior Member
In all honesty, CGOAB is a great site. Sure, it's not perfect, but what is? Somewhat amused that Neil's pride is hurt, and he feels the need to defend himself here. No hard feelings, I hope.
#39
Hooked on Touring
Mdilthey has been missing the point for some time.
He slings arrows and then claims to be Joan of Arc when they come back towards him.
His comment about CGOAB donations should get him warned at the very least.
He slings arrows and then claims to be Joan of Arc when they come back towards him.
His comment about CGOAB donations should get him warned at the very least.
#40
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I find a lot of the personal websites seem to be used mostly for personal promotion, self-aggrandizement and gathering sponsors. I usually look at them, evaluate, and exercise my prerogative of not going there again.
Last edited by Doug64; 05-04-16 at 01:14 PM.
#41
Senior Member
I like CGOAB. Not every journal is good reading, but that's okay. The site could look better, but really it's just a wrapper for all the user-generated content. Sometimes I'll read about trips I'd like to take. Sometimes I'll find a journaler I like and read their trips. Sometimes I'll see a random photo that intrigues me, and I'll find myself reading about an unexpected location. Sometimes I just want to see who's gone through a certain area and what route they took and what they noticed.
All those things I find easy to do on CGOAB. I can't spend all my time touring. I can't even spend all my time reading about touring, but I can sometimes get a quick fix on Crazy Guy.
All those things I find easy to do on CGOAB. I can't spend all my time touring. I can't even spend all my time reading about touring, but I can sometimes get a quick fix on Crazy Guy.
#42
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All,
I've redacted all my comments about Neil's site, in the interest of not contributing to negativity and unproductive argument on the forum (I'm very guilty of that today). If you'd like, you can picture me sobbing quietly and licking my wounds. Whatever.
I'm going on a bike ride.
I've redacted all my comments about Neil's site, in the interest of not contributing to negativity and unproductive argument on the forum (I'm very guilty of that today). If you'd like, you can picture me sobbing quietly and licking my wounds. Whatever.
I'm going on a bike ride.
#46
Member
CGOAB has a wealth of information about touring destinations all over the world. There are literally thousands of trip reports on the site. As a planning tool, it is superb. I have used it when planning tours in Asia and South America, for example. It's great to be able to get first-hand information from other touring cyclists who have been there. When I toured in Sri Lanka about 10 years ago, I could only find minimal information from other touring cyclists. I see that CGOAB now has quite a few recent trip reports about that beautiful country.
A lot of the negative comments I've seen in this thread have come from folks who only bike in the usual places. If those folks ever decide to venture to less common destinations, they'd probably appreciate CGOAB to a greater degree.
A lot of the negative comments I've seen in this thread have come from folks who only bike in the usual places. If those folks ever decide to venture to less common destinations, they'd probably appreciate CGOAB to a greater degree.
#47
Member
#48
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Looks like simply a place holder to me, as the dates for each of the pages are in the future.
In any case, this thread has served a helpful purpose, as I never knew of the bike trip portion of the site before! Quite a bit for me to look over, some of it has already been helpful!
#50
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Also sometimes folks format a journal ahead of time then don't take the trip or otherwise don't complete the journal for whatever reason and never delete it. I led an ACA TransAm tour one year and we had two members with journals on CGOAB. One fellow was a retired British English teacher. An excellent, witty writer and good photographer. The second fellow was neither. Both journals remain on the site. One was never completed beyond about 2 weeks.
Here's a good one on Mallorca. Lots of quality photos...
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/...c_id=8435&v=QQ
It's a cold rainy day here in NH, thus I'm posting a lot rather than being out on a ride!
Here's a good one on Mallorca. Lots of quality photos...
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/...c_id=8435&v=QQ
It's a cold rainy day here in NH, thus I'm posting a lot rather than being out on a ride!