Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Listening Point - General Discussion :: Trust in BWCA.com information
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YaMarVa |
Moonbeam: "The list? Fox is just another liberal news network, the inclusion or exclusion of this network from his list has no impact on the point he was making. I only trust information from people with three or more pine trees in their avatar. |
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Someday |
Moonbeam: "The list? Yep |
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bobbernumber3 |
YaMarVa: " Good one!! |
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freeboard |
Thanks to all of you for everything you share on this site. It's a goal of mine to give back to the BWCA.com community start participating in more discussions here and share MY insights. Otherwise, I'll be obligated to ask Adam to change my handle from "freeboard" to "freeload" and I don't want to do that. |
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bobbernumber3 |
YaMarVa: ",,,I only trust information from people with three or more pine trees in their avatar. " Don't mistake activity on the internet for experience and skill in the field. |
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TuscaroraBorealis |
Moonbeam: "The list? Thank you for so adroitly illustrating the point I made about bwca.com. (See last sentences of my previous response) BTW I will freely add Fox or any other mainstream media source to that list which is clearly not comprehensive. |
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YaMarVa |
bobbernumber3: "YaMarVa: ",,,I only trust information from people with three or more pine trees in their avatar. " Since you have five pine trees I will trust you on this one. |
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LesliesDad |
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JohnGalt |
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Someday |
JohnGalt: "They sound butt-hurt about something. Why would I trust what they have to say? If I have learned anything over these past few years, it is that 'experts' should be looked at with a hefty grain of salt." Very lame response… |
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Someday |
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timatkn |
If I was a first time tripper…getting information from a book or an outfitter would probably be the most relevant. A book like Beymer where they tend to write in generalities is very valuable when starting out. Websites like this one are very valuable and have more information than any book, magazine, or outfitter could ever give, but when you are new to an activity you can’t disseminate opinion and personal experience as well. I’ve gone on over `50 trips now and approaching 25 years… what I might say is an easy trip, might be a nightmare for someone else. The gear I use now, is not for a new person that might never go on another trip. I might put them in bankruptcy:)… It took most of a us a lifetime to accrue what we have. The thing a website like this provides is further details/info beyond the basics to fuel a new or old passion and more importantly connecting with others who have a similar interest. We aren’t everywhere anymore :) They both have their place and value. T |
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nctry |
Moonbeam: "It is a "tell" when a person posts something he or she knows is political, and then adds that they do not want to start So what! TB has a point and you can take it how you want… seemed pretty straightforward and just fact vs political… I don’t see that has anything to do with his remark… But I do know TB is a great resource of info… he has a great writing style… if I write people thank me not for the info… but helping them go to sleep. Haha! Some very good photographers and writers here. I learned to just read and look at pictures… |
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YaMarVa |
rertel: ""Fox is just another liberal news network . . . ." Glad you laughed. Others took my trolling seriously. |
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tumblehome |
bobbernumber3: "YaMarVa: ",,,I only trust information from people with three or more pine trees in their avatar. " +1 Pine trees do not reflect experience or accurate writing. Now the bear claw… well… |
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uqme2 |
YaMarVa: "Glad you laughed. Others took my trolling seriously. " Was that a self own -er- a group own? |
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bobbernumber3 |
I changed a couple words in the paragraph (backpacking => canoe, trail => route) and pasted as follows. The best canoe routes are discovered through word of mouth—as in, you are lucky enough to know someone who has already been somewhere great, and has decided you are worthy of sharing that information with. However, if you have no canoe friends, the next best route guides are found in books. original article link |
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Hank |
I don't take anyone's comments as gospel, but if a number of members say that a portage is terrible, that Ensign is busy on holiday weekends, that blackflies seem to like running water in June, that a headnet and longsleeve shirts and pants beat smearing yourself with DEET, I being to believe them. Now when it comes to fishing spots... you are all a bunch of liars as we all know that there are no fish in the BWCA. It couldn't possibly be that I'm a terrible fisherman. Nope. I'm glad to be a member here, even though I don't post much. Thanks Adam and everyone else that continue to share your knowledge with a guy form Cinti. |
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YetiJedi |
LesliesDad: "I rely on the trip reports by TuscaroraBorealis. ;-)" +1. I think his reports should be published in a book! :) |
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TrailZen |
BWCA.com forums, especially most of the trip reports, give details that (with some insight to the authors paddling preferences) help me plan better visits to Canoe Country, something I never got from an AllTrails post. TZ |
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MikeinMpls |
Mike |
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HangLoose |
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bhouse46 |
BWCA.com is more than a trip planning go to. Gear input where butthead is the stove guru is another real benefit. And again is the camaraderie. Lying is a subjective concept. I am pretty sure I have posted something later to learn I was incorrect. |
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bobbernumber3 |
KawnipiKid: "Interesting stuff. I think the concept of "lying" is misused lots of communication.... I really don't think there's much lying going on here.... " I agree. I think most people here are posting in the best interests of the community. And very little, if any, posting to mis-lead others. The author of the original article seems to have an odd life-view... "I got into backpacking to indulge my hatred of society" and "Backpacking is a great way to run away from your problems, while convincing your friends and family you are actually very responsible." I enjoyed reading her article and thinking about how her comments apply to this forum. I won't be buying her book. |
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KawnipiKid |
In all the great stuff I've learned here and a few things that weren't exactly factual, the mismatched stuff has always been based on differing opinion, confusion or misremembering. Maybe some over or understating at worst. God help me, I can mix up my own kids' names, let alone lake names. I really don't think there's much lying going on here. It's just not this community's style. I may mistakenly say Alice when I meant Agnes. I wasn't lying and I know you're smart enough to check the maps yourself before taking my word as fact. |
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plmn |
Sounds to me like she's shilling for her own profession, which has been dying for some time now due to the proliferation of click bait over actual journalism. With any information source you need to do your due diligence. Just because it's published does not mean it's infallible or comprehensive. Far from it. |
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Moonbeam |
LesliesDad: "Okay . . . now I had to go look up "adroitly" just to keep up (insert smiley face here)." Perhaps some of you folks should also look up the correct definition of "liberal" and not rely on "the current negativity and bullying" so prevalent in our culture today. |
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alpinebrule |
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TuscaroraBorealis |
I'd also be remiss if I didn't forward credit to Adam & the moderators for creating & maintaining such a user-friendly atmosphere that is so conducive to sharing information/experiences etc. And to the many friendly and knowledgeable members who inhabit this wonderful online universe. With regard to the OP... I've done no official research but, I would put more stock in the authenticity of the information provided here than most other venues. Ex. Does anyone trust or take anything they hear on mainstream (or most other) media sources seriously anymore? If so, why??? CNN, MSNBC, the list goes on etc. have all been successfully sued for hundreds of millions of dollars in the past few years for falsifying or misrepresenting the truth. (Not trying to start a political debate and fervently hope my comments here don't begin a devolution into that.) The point being most places that provide information these days have an agenda they're trying to promote which usually supersedes whether the facts support their position. Which includes the linked story! I don't see that on BWCA.com. For me BWCA.com is a breath of fresh air. I seldom see that misinformation playing out on here and the rare occurrence when it does surface, it's usually so obvious that it's easily ignored. And, in my online experiences, it seems if a detail or something of that nature is unwittingly/or otherwise forgotten there are those who are only too willing to point out any deficiency (whether real or perceived) in an assessment - 'Most' of the time in a good-natured way. :) |
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YaMarVa |
tumblehome: "bobbernumber3: "YaMarVa: ",,,I only trust information from people with three or more pine trees in their avatar. " You both know, my comments were a joke. Just a little light trolling. |
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rertel |
Good one. Made me spit my coffee out laughing. |
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izzy052 |
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bhouse46 |
Well said, particularly the part about fueling a passion. Having multiple trips over 47 years I feel the energy in stories and memories brought back. Thanks to all of you and you can trust in that. |
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andym |
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LesliesDad |
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iwegean |
Go out and experience the BWCAW for what it is, a wilderness. Every day is different. Conditions change. The unknown, that challenge to adapt, is what draws many people to experience this jewl we call the BWCAW. |
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nctry |
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Deeznuts |
I will also say that not everyone is a great author, but has experiences they can share with the world. The trip reports and searching the forum topics on here gave me way more info than any book I read. |
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LesliesDad |
YetiJedi: "LesliesDad: "I rely on the trip reports by TuscaroraBorealis. ;-)" It would have to be a "coffee table book" so as to include all those great photos. |
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thegildedgopher |
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straighthairedcurly |
YetiJedi: "LesliesDad: "I rely on the trip reports by TuscaroraBorealis. ;-)" Just thinking the same thing the other day. BWCA.com is a lot different than something AllTrails or some other forums. Many of us get to know each other personally. I think that creates incentive to provide good information and build a good online reputation...at least it does for me. While I do research via books as well, I find that conditions on many routes can change year-to-year or even month-to-month (as in the case of the Long Portage out of Rose) so bwca.com is a great place to keep up with recent happenings that a book would never be able to provide. But I avoid basing my route decisions or campsites based on subjective ratings such as "that was the hardest portage ever" unless I have come to know that paddler's style/experience/competency. |
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RMinMN |
straighthairedcurly: "YetiJedi: "LesliesDad: "I rely on the trip reports by TuscaroraBorealis. ;-)" Your comment on subjective ratings is spot on. One of the portages I took when I was in my 30's gave me no problems. It was much more difficult now in my 70's. I have had to give up some areas because my body (and my wife) refuse to make some of the portages. |
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analyzer |
As a couple have mentioned, routes, and portages can change significantly from one season to the next, even one month to the next. I've done some portages that were listed as the "portage from hell", and didn't think it was that bad. But then, I realized it's a dry year, and a particular portage would be significantly worse if it were a wet year, or even had a recent heavy rain. There's a big difference between walking on dry rocks/slabs etc, and walking on a slippery surface, or walking on dry dirt, versus sinking in mid shin, in wet muck. I've often been paddling through some very shallow areas, wondering how I would get through them if the water was any lower. If you happened through there a month later, when you cant float through there, you might hate the same route. In some cases it might be virtually impossible to pass. Lots of fishing reports are circumstantial. Time of day, weather, barometer, weed growth, water temp, oxygen levels, feeding patterns all change from day to day, week to week, month to month. I've fished the same lake for 50 years, some times spots are very productive, and other times you get nothing. You learn patterns over time, but they're not 100%. It doesn't mean someone is lying about a particular "hot spot", the conditions just changed, and it wasn't good at that particular time. I love the information that is available on this site, and am very thankful to the people that take the time to provide it. |
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Moonbeam |
a political debate. Interestingly enough, both CNN and MSN were mentioned regarding news sources that have been sued, and yet one prominent "news" station was not. Hmmm? |
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LesliesDad |
Moonbeam: "It is a "tell" when a person posts something he or she knows is political, and then adds that they do not want to start Well . . . in TB's defense (not that he needs any help from me), he did say " . . . . the list goes on etc. " |
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Moonbeam |
Ok But why were two named? A glaring omission of Fox IMHO. |
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mcsweem |
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OldGuide2 |
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bfurlow |
Hank: "I find BWCA.com to be a fabulous resource. I read about people's trips, the gear that they use, the sights and sounds they experienced and I am grateful that they took the time to to share it with some internet strangers. I have to say, this is pretty much how I approach it too. I've gotten a ton of info here over the years. And I find that people are actually pretty forthcoming with fishing information around here :) |
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treehorn |
plmn: "Sounds to me like she's shilling for her own profession, which has been dying for some time now due to the proliferation of click bait over actual journalism. With any information source you need to do your due diligence. Just because it's published does not mean it's infallible or comprehensive. Far from it. " Bingo! |