What would make BCP better?

I'd like to be able to see new trip reports more easily. Right now, I see that there are 16 "new" reports according to the counter at the top of the front page, but when I click on "Trip Reports" it goes to the trip reports forum and then you have to click each of the individual sections to see what is there. I'd like to be able to click the trip report button and have a page open with just the new reports.

I suspect it is more work, but I'd like to see more trip reports end up "featured" on the front page. I find that I always read those reports and find it is easy to ignore the non-featured reports. People might write more reports if they get a little more readership.

I like the idea of trip reports getting discounts on swag
 
As a small business owner and having employed many over the years
I've tried and failed many times at incentivizing people. Not that I'm an expert
but in my attempts to get it right, I've tried learning the psychology of gaming
and motivation. One of the best examples I believe is found in the great American
novel, Tom Sawyer.

Tom gets his friends to whitewash his aunt's fence because he convinces them
of what a great time they'll have. Trying to pay his friends would not have produced
the same result for Tom or his friends. The boys paint the fence to meet an internally driven
desire - have an adventure.

It's why we refer our friends and family to a restaurant or movie. I had such an
amazing experience, I want you to have the same.

And I suspect when one writes a trip report, they do it for similar reasons. I think
we hurt the very fabric of BCP if we tie incentives directly to participation. Now, that's not
to say there can't be incentives, they just can't be directly linked. Incentives need to be more random.

When Nick recognizes some particular person who is doing a lot and sends them an email,
"Hey Ned, we appreciate all you contribute to BCP, here's a redemption code for $10 on the
BCP store. Thanks again." Or maybe you frame it as the BCP member of the week or month.

Anyways, that's my experience. Your mileage may vary.
 
wsp_scott said:
I'd like to be able to see new trip reports more easily. Right now, I see that there are 16 "new" reports according to the counter at the top of the front page, but when I click on "Trip Reports" it goes to the trip reports forum and then you have to click each of the individual sections to see what is there. I'd like to be able to click the trip report button and have a page open with just the new reports.

I suspect it is more work, but I'd like to see more trip reports end up "featured" on the front page. I find that I always read those reports and find it is easy to ignore the non-featured reports. People might write more reports if they get a little more readership.

I like the idea of trip reports getting discounts on swag
Click to expand...


in the individual categories of trip reports you can always click 'start date', to organize them by how recently they were posted. but this still wouldn't solve the problem of seeing all new trip reports from multiple categories.
 
MVS said:
What would be nice, and I am unsure how this could happen, is if there was a wider geographic representation of members. I came here to learn more about outdoor life in Utah (and this site is great for that) because I like traveling in that state, but I would also like to hear about outdoor life in other areas. I have found no other web site which is comparable where such wide variety of activities is covered related to other areas of the country, but perhaps this site can't do all of that.
Click to expand...

www.adkforum.com
www.adkhighpeaks.com
www.vftt.org

These three sites cover a variety of topics regarding hiking & backpacking in the northeast.
VFTT covers more of Vermont & New Hampshire .... adkforum covers the Adirondacks, less concentrated on the high peaks region, offers a hunting/fishing section, etc. ... adkhighpeaks concentrates on the high peaks region of the Adirondacks with a few other things thrown in
 
There are sites out there covering just about every part of the earth, but I think it's still a valid thing to want more geographic diversity here. The best way to accomplish that is to post trip reports from those regions and talk about areas in those regions instead of just linking out. Then other people find them here.
 
I plan to try to do more reports of some of my more mundane trips in my "flyover" state. It's tough to do more than an overnighter backpacking trip here, since we have very little public land. I do a lot of car camping and day hiking though.
 
I am probably one of those members you refer to that contributes here and there to threads, but I have never posted a trip report. There's a few reasons:
1. Some of you are not only great photogs, but also great creative writers. I am neither. My photos are "ok", but I am certainly not a great writer, and don't always feel like my trip reports would do justice to this site.
2. A lot of my trips are just short day hikes, so I don't feel they're really "worthy" of a trip report.
3. I drop in here every now and then while at my work computer, but don't really have the time to post a long, elaborate trip report.
4. The album threads like "Winter Sports", "summit pics", etc. are perfect for just posting 1 or 2 pics of a quick trip. That's part of what I love so much about this site.

With that said, I will do my best to try and post a few TR's this summer when I've gone on some better trips.
 
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I think the majority of people who view the site probably have a lot of similar feelings, @MikeM. I also really like the album threads because it does allow another venue for people to share without going to full TR mode. So do what works for you, we like having you around either way.

With that said, the feelings that 'my trips aren't trip worthy' is just a feeling. The beautiful thing about this here website is that we have unlimited space to post any and all trip reports that anyone feels like posting. No one scoffs at the idea of having smaller reports and day trips in the mix. Trip reports are kind of like pizza. It's always good, even if it's not an epic, once-in-a-lifetime type trip with pro-grade photos and writing. If anything, it's those average reports that often feel the most authentic.
 
Trip Reports don't have to be long either. In a lot of ways, less is more. Three photos and a couple of paragraphs are often quite entertaining - and they're always better than nothing at all!
 
For what it's worth, my opinion on the quality of trip reports. For me, there is no minimum standard. I don't care if there're no pictures and you just write a brief description of your experience. I don't care if there's no writing and you just upload a few pictures from your trip. If you've been some where I haven't been I want to see it. If it's some where I haven't heard of I'll be excited. If it's some where I've been a dozen times I still think seeing your experience there is valuable. Post it up. Put as little time as you've got into it. Hopefully @Bob doesnt mind, but I'm including one of his as an example of a stellar trip report. https://backcountrypost.com/threads/west-clear-creek-ruins.4186/ straight to the point, 'this is what I saw there'. I love it. What ever you've got, let's see it.
 
Any chance of adding regions under the trip report categories? Then if they are tagged right, they would be under that region? Or maybe I may just need to admit I SUCK at searches when I come here to look for information on some areas I want to backpack or hike in.

I'd also say I look forward to a non-BCP member calendar! Please no kilts on a windy day.

Reading these suggestions makes me realize I need to be better at posting TRs.
 
Hey @MikeM , I'm not a very good writer myself. I tend to get right to the point without any natural flow and my descriptiveness leaves a lot to be desired. But I certainly enjoy sharing places that I have seen.

As for picture taking, I can always find a reasonably good shot after taking hundreds of images. :) Why my little point and shoot Canon squeaks at me when I turn it on now but I think I'll keep it.
 
I am pretty much in the same boat as @MikeM, I mainly just go on day hikes and feel like a lot of places I go are already covered well on here, and that I am an average photographer and writer. I do enjoy this site even though I pretty much just play guess the spot and occasionally comment on other threads. I will try to post more trip reports and contribute to the site.
 
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