Forms in general are dead. Old-school websites and forums don’t get the traffic anymore.
...though a couple of fora (for which I pay for ad-free axis - oh there's a thought
) are hopping - bike forums (Ok - primarily a bunch of old folks - but a really really big bunch of old folks) and Adv rider.
Though motorcycle oriented,
Adv Rider ("Ride the world") has a mission similar to the current ACA. In fact it has a bicycle thread that is up to 5534 pages with about 20 posts/page - right,
100,000 forum posts about adventure cycling by motorcyclists. This is the group that has probably bought as many maps of the ACA GDMBR as ACA members. (Still considered a 'must do' route by off-road motorcyclists.)
Stuff like that should stimulate the creative juices among our youthful leadership here at ACA - or maybe they just don't have the passion it takes to get back up the hill and git 'er done. Sorry, negative thought, but jus' sayin'.... Any one receive words of inspiration or reassurance recently from folks we've hired for communications? Anyone see the 50th anniversary swag and merchandise for sale? Anyone recently see passionate ACA leadership jumping onto their forum to help their brother and sister cyclists with questions about routes, the organization, general cycling and map or routing questions, as they have in the past?
Like the drop in membership, can't blame the drop in forum participation on ageing out and lack of youth participation. We simply spend our time chatting with folks who've maintained their love of 2-wheeled travel on different sites.
HOW CAN AN ORGANIZATION USE ITS FORUM AND GET THEIR MONEY'S WORTH.
BMW MOA is getting ready to elect some of their board members. (What a lame idea, huh?) (Oh - and a thread entitled "bicycle thread" is up to 49 pages.) Found this note at the top of the forum:
Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2026 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is a post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.There's a(nother) thought - use the forum our dues and donations maintain as an efficient means of communication with the membership.
There was a recent and quite active thread entitled, "What does the MOA mean to you?" Wait - Narrative feedback from the heart instead of a multiple choice questionnaire from an uninspired consultant that doesn't have a personal or financial interestin the success of the orgainization? (Or as Catbert, the old evil consultant in the Dilbert cartoons once said when asked what happens if his recommendations lead to financial ruin of the company - "Let me check my contract.... I get paid the same.")
The most popular threads at the moment share i
nformation about seminars, music, and local riding at the upcoming national rally in Essex Junction, Vermont. (Should ACA recruit sponsors to do national or regional rallies for intro to adventure cycling seminars, product exhibits, rides, camping, fund raising?)
FWIW - MOA is only 25,000 members, all employees of the non-profit, membership based organization are at the headquarters so that contagious enthusiasm and passion can infect more than one person at a time. Diverse, elected board represents the diverse group of city and country folk, cafe riders, adventure riders, road riders, trials terrors, racers, and "anything on two wheels" demons that have counterparts in the bicycling community. Huh.
'nuf said. It's a beautiful day; gotta go ride.
OH - and y'all should note - since Westinghouse's midnight post (ya think any of our leadership are checking out forum activity at midnight?), 334 people (or bots) have read his post..., so.)
