Ride Reports - what do YOU want?

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Since I'm on a bit of a roll with new stuff to write about, I thought I'd ask you guys what you like. I mean, if I'm going to take the time to write something up, it might as well be something that you'll want to read. So pick your top 5 choices and let's see what the consensus is!

You can also post up other suggestions here, or expand on your choices above. Thanks!  

[Sport-Touring]

[Orson]

The pictures should be self-explanatory so, no need for geographical references  

History and culture iz Gud.

Seems a bit strange advising one of the most prolific ride reporters on ST.N  

[greench440]

Pictures, pictures and more pictures.    I hear they are worth a thousand words each.  

[Mrs. DantesDame]

The pictures should be self-explanatory so, no need for geographical references  

Well, I was thinking more so of when I say which road I'm on, or which town - or even which country - I'm in. Then again, I try to include a map with every trip, so... possibly redundant  

[bluepoof]

Stalking the results as I've wondered the same thing.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Stalking the results as I've wondered the same thing.

 

I like your sense of humor  

[Skee]

YES - I want it all!

I like road pictures that give a perspective of scenery with a caption that gives the location.

I bookmark the roads and locations I like best in a file I keep for future trips.



Especially when I see a picture that makes inner voice say "You wants to ride that"!

Don't you feel the same thing when you read a ride report by someone else?



Now that I've made that clear, tips on hotel locations, hiztstory and culture, cultural observations (yours will be entirely different from mine), places to avoid, bad fashion and food shots - especially food pics - are all welcome additions.

[bubba zanetti]

Lately, I have been partial to ...  



 


I do love to read a bit and gleam some knowledge of the area. Pics of the roads and scenery yes, but it is also great to learn a bit about local history and culture as well.

[JReazor]

• Personal perspective
• Observations on people
• Pictures (of anything you find interesting)

In that order.

I want to know what the ride means to the author, if anything. I want to see the stuff that you find interesting. I want to know what you learned about the people there, about the place, your bike or your self. It doesn't have to be overly philosophical but it should be personal to some small degree. In other words, just keep doing what you're doing.

[R Doug]

Interesting poll.  Nicely done.

[Kneescrubber]

Only 1 vote for videos so far. Interesting.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Only 1 vote for videos so far. Interesting.

Yeah, I put that in there only because two people desperately wanted me to add them. Personally, I don't care for videos (and it seems like a lot of work to edit them later), but I thought I'd toss it out there

[Chuck 500]

Maps are good.  Out around the country, a litany of hwy numbers has little meaning.  I also like pictures of points of interest especially if you and/or your bike are in them.

[garry]

I voted for vids because it gives me more of a sense of what it's like to actually ride the road.

+1 on maps and detailed description of road quality. I find that getting first hand reports of where the "not to be missed" parts is one of the more valuable parts of ride reports as I can try to play "connect the dots" when planning my route through the region in the future.

[BigH]

• Personal perspective
• Observations on people
• Pictures (of anything you find interesting)

In that order.

I want to know what the ride means to the author, if anything. I want to see the stuff that you find interesting. I want to know what you learned about the people there, about the place, your bike or your self. It doesn't have to be overly philosophical but it should be personal to some small degree. In other words, just keep doing what you're doing.

+1  

To travel is lot more than just pile up kilometers.
It is also to stop, to seek, to meet, to discover, to listen and to understand!
''The Jura mountains'' RR you posted is a very nice example to continue with.
Pictures always seems to be never enough.
And, Mrs. DantesDame, thank you for this

[Nodaclu]

With all the hype lately about Go Pro's and their ilk, I find it interesting that so few people want to see video in the ride reports. I'm the same way. I do like to watch really short video snippets (30 seconds or so) of something really unique or interesting. But most of the time, I get more out of a well shot photo, than 20 minutes of video of just riding down the road.

[JReazor]

With all the hype lately about Go Pro's and their ilk, I find it interesting that so few people want to see video in the ride reports. I'm the same way. I do like to watch really short video snippets (30 seconds or so) of something really unique or interesting. But most of the time, I get more out of a well shot photo, than 20 minutes of video of just riding down the road.

The problem with 20 minutes of video is that it takes 20 minutes to watch it. If there's an audio commentary that accompanies it, that might keep my interest but long POV videos just don't do it for me.

[MisterSmooth]

This is my personal take on ride reports.  Worth, of course, exactly what you paid for it (nothing).  



A good ride report takes us somewhere we haven't been.  I will probably never ride in Corsica, and it's damn shame.  But thanks to Orson, I have an idea of what it would be like.  Pictures are his best medium, and not just because he's an excellent photog but because his pictures tell a story and knit together the sense of the trip.  So I am amongst the majority who voted for "pictures," but with the caveat that one should avoid posting up fifty shots of the Blue Ridge Parkway that look pretty much the same.  Pictures should be chosen so that each one tells.

History and culture, I love that stuff.  Especially as seen through the eyes of a motorbiker.  

Through the eyes of a specific motorbiker...that's the primary thing.  Personal perspective gives a report unmatched depth and interest.  It's like...placing a personal ad.  If your ad says that you like walks on the beach and travel and movies, that's actually pretty useless.  Everybody likes that stuff.  You're never going to meet your soulmate by tossing out bait like that.

However, your obsession with and collection of Chris Vermuelen memorabilia, including the description of having a Foster's with him in a pub in Prague, or a shot of you riding across the Albanian border so flat broke that you are wearing a helmet fashioned entirely out of duct tape, or analysis of riding past the Canadian mental institution where you used to live, these might be the fuel for an epic ride report.

I like food.  But again, a food shot should tell.  And there aren't many that do, so I didn't vote for that.

Video is only good if it is shorter than one minute and/or narrated by British racer Guy Martin.  



All that said, creativity is king here.  We have a superbly gifted membership here at STN and I bet someone could come up with a ride report that only consisted of food shots or cultural references that would be awesome.  If you want to do something really creative and cool, not listening to the focus group is absolutely key.

[Mastros2]

I really like to see examples of the local culture; art, food (yes, more food!!!), people, etc.  

[jfman]

A mix of all of it.  

Mrs Dantes Dame: Personaly I like when people tell us the specific roads and towns they gone thru and post google maps as it helps me use that info to plan a trip (kind like you did when I asked for a route thru Oregon and California) Your track delivered btw! In a big way! Many thanks!