Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[ivar]

... we just passed 3000 members in the forum and 25 000 posts.

The challenge of growing is to try to keep the "quality/helpfulness per post" ration high, and despite the number of members I think we are doing quite well.... and this is thanks to all of the great contributors that we have!

So, a big thank you to everyone that contributes their camino experiences. It really helps our new members of the class of 2009 (and do no forget the class of 2010).

Graciñas a todos!
Ivar

[Red Kite]

Wow. This is a totally amazing site...

Well done everyone.

Much respect and buen camino.

Keith aka Red Kite

[Gareth Thomas]

... we just passed 3000 members in the forum and 25 000 posts.
Graciñas a todos!

Thanks to you Ivar. Very much thanks to you, and I'm sure all will agree. In July, after walking across France, and at the end of my third day walking on the Camino Frances, I was in the refugio in Puente la Reina. Early in the morning, while I was still waking up, an American pilgrim - a guy in his sixties, all kitted up and ready to depart - tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Hey, I just seen your badge!"

"Oh yes, good," I said, half-awake.

He was pointing at the Pilgrim Forum badge on my rucsack. "So who are you?"

"Gareth," I said.

"Hey!" He slapped me on the shoulder. (What a great way to wake up, I thought.) "I know you! I'VE READ YOUR STUFF! You and Arn! And all those other guys..."

(I think 'guys' is inclusive in US parlance, folks, so that's you girls too...)

"And you?" I asked. He told me his name... and due to my half awake state, I'm sorry I cannot remember... but he said that he read the Forum regularly but did not contribute.

So while we are celebrating a very good Forum, and an excellent coordinator, let's raise a glass to all those who look at the pilgrimage-to-santiago site, enjoy it and identify with it, but whose names we don't yet know. Buen Camino to all of you!

Gareth

[ivar]

let's raise a glass to all those who look at the pilgrimage-to-santiago site, enjoy it and identify with it, but whose names we don't yet know.

That is a nice story. According to my stats, in the last 30 days there has been over "7000 Absolute Unique Visitors" to the site, so there are a many "lurkers".

....and there is nothing wrong with lurking by the way

Saludos,
Ivar

PS! Since I live by the forest, about 10KM out of Santiago (far from traffic an all) we often get birds and animals close to the house. Just now listening to an Owl out there in the dark somewhere... Galicia is great!

[brendan nolan]

Hi Ivar et al,
Just thought to add to this line. I found it great to meet 2 members from the Forum when working as hospitalero in Rabanal in June this year, ie Kiwinomad and Clarissa. Having read on the Forum of pilgrims anxieties and hopes it was great to be able to meet in the flesh 2 pilgrims who were overcoming anticipated problems and were getting there despite their fears.
Regards to all,
brendan

[KiwiNomad06]

I found it great to meet 2 members from the Forum when working as hospitalero in Rabanal in June this year, ie Kiwinomad and Clarissa. Having read on the Forum of pilgrims anxieties and hopes it was great to be able to meet in the flesh 2 pilgrims who were overcoming anticipated problems and were getting there despite their fears.
Regards to all,
brendan

Yes, Brendan, it was great to go to Rabanal, knowing that I was going to meet you there. And it was an incredibly warm welcome that I received there: I heartily recommend a night at Rabanal to all!

Another side of the forum that isn't immediately obvious to passers-by, is the valuable PM system. Brendan had walked the Le Puy route, and was able to answer specific questions that I had prior to departure. He then sent me encouragement as I began walking from Le Puy. And when I began to panic that I was going to find it too hot in Spain, he also had some wise words of advice. (It wasn't a very warm June as it turned out so I needn't have worried anyhow!)
Thanks to Brendan and all those who gave me ideas, help and encouragement before I walked, and some of you, while I walked as well.
Margaret

[Rose Louise]

Thank you Ivar for hosting this great forum. To all those folk who contribute daily to it and those who encouraged before, during and after our recent camino a big thank you too. I agree that the pm system is a great facility for all those niggling questions that some don't wish to air in the public domain .

Well done.

[William Marques]

Ivar

Congratulations on the success of your forum.

There is a blog Camino Junkie http://caminojunkie.blogspot.com/ which follows all the Camino groups and forums and he seems to be of the opinion that you are now number 1. I for one would agree, for both quality and quantity.

William

[Javier Martin]

It's a great new, Ivar. Thanks to all of you who make it possible.

Muy buen foro and muy buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

[bedbuggerDOTcom]

Congratulations!

It's an excellent community forum.