Wow!. I've been a paying member (voluntarily, I might add) for only about 3 years now. The main reasons I joined QJ are:

(1) the information posted here is generally very useful and deals in detail I can find nowhere else with one of the few areas in North America I truly love - namely, Quetico.

(2) compared to other boards I have visited or participated on, QJ appears to be well moderated and VERY civilized. I've have had personal PMs with a number of the members and found them to be very generous and helpful and pleasant to converse with.

Yes, QJ is very Quetico (or further north) centric - as Linda says - but that is exactly what I'm looking for. I would have no problem with more posts dealing with the Boundary Waters, by the way.

For what it's worth, that's my perspective.

My thoughts.
1. Checking QJ is part of my daily morning routine, have to have it.
2. Yes it it seems to have more content related to Quetico. I like.
3. I don't feel like I'm part of the clique, that's ok by me.
4. I didn't even read any of the political/religious postings - I avoid that BS when ever I can - it probably would have made this place less enjoyable if I'd read them.
5. The banter I read when a couple of folks get their shorts in a bundle is sometimes enjoyable. Personalities come through in the posts, I like reading MT and PJ as well as other QJ celebs. Just seeing their name on a post sparks my attention.
6. I have noticed traffic seems to have slowed considerably in the past year or so, that I don't like.
7. I try to make a contribution, although on the light side, to this forum (pics, trip reports, comments, $), but never felt pressure to do so.
8. I've been attacked on another forum so ferociously for what I thought was an innocent that a moderator shut down the thread in just a few hours. That has never happened (to me) here.
9. the QJ reputation is good with me.

I guess I should have been paying attention.  Should have known that if a discussion on ticks and poison ivy goes 4 pages, something else is going on.  Geesh, not even the courtesy of it's (my?) own thread.

I call a thing what it is.  I'm gonna go fill my bird-feeders.

I look at this site as a valuable resource that if you want to get something from, you should try to give something back.

I don't go to bars/coffee shops to discuss issues that don't pertain to paddling/camping etc, so I like the BTC forum and think now that it's opt in only, people especially visitors shouldn't be offended unless they choose to get into that mix.

IF any partisan/personal rancor comes out of the BTC and intrudes on the other forums, it's the Moderators job to stop it anyway they see fit.

I'm sure I've offended some, maybe many, but 99% of that wasn't intentional, the other 1%, I plead guilty as charged.
I pride myself on being the same in person as I appear to be here.  I also know that isn't necessary a plus in a PC world. Anyone who understands that not everyone is going to like/approve of them shouldn't have to PC think every post/comment because others are offended unless it's so egregious and then it's the Moderators job to police those problems.

I think the Moderators do/have done a remarkable job trying to balance someone's free speech rights without offending others, a near impossible task especially on-line.

I've been taken to task by the Moderators and respected their concerns even if I didn't agree with them.

Cliques, well every site has them. QJ seems to have more than a few people, myself included who don't feel the need to be in a "clique" but are not offended/ intimidated by people in a certain "circle".

I understand how some new to site feel they're treated harshly when they post a question, but IMHO that's a 2-way street. When I first became aware of QJ, I "lurked" for awhile to get the "lay of the land".
I took the time to check out ALL the links. I don't think it's being rude/harsh for someone to chastise a guest/newbie who asks for specific info that is readily available IF you do your homework instead of asking/expecting others to plan your route/tell you the best fishing holes etc.
I'm of the opinion that you should make a "deposit" no matter how small in the QJ "bank" before you ask for a large "withdrawal".

As a whole I think this site is a good or better than most. People here are very generous once you establish some familiarity with them and I've gotten and sent numerous PM's that prove that point.

I do think the emphasis is more on the Q, but there is more and more emphasis on other paddling destinations for those who want to expand their boundaries.
Maybe we need to look at someway to separate the BWCA/Q specific info in the General Discussions forum?
That might make BWCA people feel more welcome and consolidate that info.

All in all this is a great site/family, but like any social group, someone is bound to be mad/upset with someone/something.

Hell, if I quit every time I got pissed at someone at work, I'd be walking the unemployment line.
I liken this site to cable TV. Lot's of "channels" some maybe offensive, but you don't drop your subscription, you just don't turn to that channel.

kypaddler wrote on Oct 22^nd, 2013 at 1:55pm:


(I had to look up 'halcyon days')