Noobs boosting the HUBB demographic
 

Just noticing a good trend over the past weeks, months, that we (the HUBB) seem to be welcoming a larger than normal proportion of new members to the HUBB. Well it could just be that there are a lot of lurkers that just all of a sudden joined but I think from trawling the site most days that there has been an increase in the noob/newbie demographic. It would be interesting to see if there are some stats available (hint to Grant to chime in if yes) to confirm the sorts of numbers of new people joining the HUBB.

I say a toast to all the new blood and that great spirit of adventure that is the epitimy of Horizons Unlimited. beerbeer

Does a big recession promote overlanding?
On the one hand people have more time so could spark some RTW trips, on the other hand people have less disposable money.... Could go either way.

One thing that was very noticeable with rock climbing in the UK during the 90's was that it got very popular, mainly due to the rise in indoor facilities. This was great at first (what, there are women at the crag now?!?) but had a big downside in terms of no longer being able to escape from all the people everywhere.

Will more overlanders mean that we stop being such a point of interest for the remote villages we ride into and become just another brand of tourist? Call me an ego-maniac but one thing I enjoy about going off adventuring is it transforms me from a small cog in a large machine to something a bit out-of-the-ordinary.....

doesn't mean they're all off on a RTW, they may have joined for the company :eek3: beer

I couldn't agree more, that overlanding is one of the best means to get off the beat track, but as you say, what happens when that track becomes beat itself.

I think that the likes of Mcgregor and their series probably turned for some the overlanding thing a bit more realistic. And the fact that we are here helping others do the same sure takes the mystery away from it. But after all the planet is a remarkable place and I think big enough (even if it is over populated) for all of us to have our very own adventure.

On that note I am a big proponent of ecologically minded travel. You may say it doesn't really fit with the overlanding thing, but in fact it is much more economical than taking a plane... but that's another topic :scooter:

Perhaps the new noobs (I know it's a tautology) can teach us a thing or two about travelling in our footsteps, time will tell. :D

That's how I felt when I first started "overlanding". You stood out when you rolled into a village covered in dirt and had to buy petrol in glass jugs from the village shop. These days too many bandwagon jumpers have diluted the experience. Who do these Johnny-come-lateleys like Ted Simon think they are, grrrr. (Mind you, my definition of "these days" is anyone who's started since about 1975.) :rofl::rofl::rofl:

It's quite possible that some of the new members have more travel-experience then most members on this forum.

What amuses me, is that anyone can register on the HUBB, and many members have quite openly posted where on their bike they hide money! What will be the next post, 'show us your garage contents' complete with postcode?doh

Noobs, firsts and well just read the damn post.
 

Well yes there's that, the money thing, but wait till they tell you where they hide their spare key, then things well start to get interesting :Beach:

Apart from the same old same old China, Tibet, Burma questions that get posted every second day, it's good to have the noobs joining because it helps remind me of what it used to feel like when I was planning the very first trip. To be honest I think it's like heroin, after the first fix, you keep coming back for more keep looking for that feeling, the feeling you had the first time... anyone get what I'm on about or have I taken too many drugs? :rofl:

I get you! You develop a tolerance quickly too, so you need to get a bigger and bigger hit. The first trip that blew your mind starts to feel a bit mundane so you have to plan something bigger, better, riskier to get the same rush.

Apparently it's a chemical imbalance in the brain that makes people prone to this sort of total addiction whilst 'most people' would rather have two weeks in the Costa del Sol. Maybe we could get Zammo to do a rendition of 'just say no' at Ripley.........

Pushing the envelop
 

Right on, that's the s*&t.

It makes us (well me at least) want to go out and take more risks. And I don't just mean with just the technical riding but also going places that haven't been ridden before. Or riding in hostile places that to better judgement should be off limits.

Noooooo.... Isn't it the imbalance on your bike? That makes it so adictive? Only having 2 wheels and all that. :mchappy:

.....With that, I'm shortly off for 3 or 4 weeks on the Costa del Sol........

(yes - honestly) :Beach: :blushing:

Hmm, I must be a bit odd. I just like riding my bike and the destination is just an end to the means.

I dont plan my rides much, just a few waypoints with a very loose, written in sand itinery.

'feeding the rat' is a popular phrase of mine (coined by Al Alvarez, great climber). The rat's inside you and you feed it by doing dangerous stuff. If you don't feed it it gnaws away at your guts, giving you that familiar crap feeling of lifelessness. Problem is the more you feed it, the bigger it gets, the more often it needs feeding.

I had a 6 year break from doing anything remotely interesting and thought the rat had died. The gnawing sensation had gone but it was more like it had hollowed me out, nothing left - that's when I started overlanding and it's back and bigger than ever now. The rat makes a damn good solo travelling companion as well!

Henryuk, Seriously I think that is the best analogy I have ever heard. But it could also have a lot to do with my current state of mind and a small amount to do with the number of beerbeerbeer's I've had.

No but I do empathise, with this and my rat inside is gnawing me hollow as we speak, I really am considering taking the bike out from it's winter hibenation to ride a couple of passes this weekend... but I think I might just not feed the rat and go snowboarding instead.

That's still feeding the rat!! Anything that shuts it up, even temporarily counts. Overlanding is just pure gluttony for the little fella, non-stop eating for months!