Where are some veteran members?

[SabsP]

Of course no forummember must feel obliged to keep posting here. Real life is much more important than this virtual place...although very real too.

I do wonder though how the much appreciated " oldies " are doing and if they are walking new ( Camino ) roads.

So if any of you guys hear from @Smallest_Sparrow and @Wokabaut_Meri ( amongst others ) : tell them they are missed.

 

[dougfitz]

Good point. I also miss Mark Lee's pregmatism. He seems to have left the forum, which seems to me quite a shame.

 

[C clearly]

Good point. I also miss Mark Lee's pregmatism. He seems to have left the forum, which seems to me quite a shame.

I had some disagreements with Mark, mainly about bedbugs, but was sorry to see that he had left.

 

[grayland]

If you are missing a missing member...why not drop them a private message and tell them their posts are missed.

 

[peregrina2000]

So funny you should mention this! A recent discussion that brought up an old Salvador thread on the Puerto de Pajares made me miss @Susannafromsweden and @GunnarW, both of whom became good cyber friends (and who taught me all I know about the GPS -- in fact, once when I was all alone on the Olvidado and couldn't figure it out, Gunnar called me from Belgium, if you can believe that -- but I digress)

I just wrote them both to see how they were doing. Susana has given up on walking in Spain and focuses her attention on the north of Sweden. She is one serious camper, having dehydrated all her own food and bought some fancy 1.1 kilo tent. No recent news from Gunnar, but I do miss them!

 

[Kanga]

I think people come and go - and then come back. It does depend on what is happening in life. I joined the forum when it was young, but took a very long sabbatical. Then I went back to dreaming about and eventually walking the camino again, and coming back to the forum was a natural.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

If you are missing a missing member...why not drop them a private message and tell them their posts are missed.

I wondered about that myself, but then thought if they are no longer logging in to their account or viewing the forum posts, then how would they know a PM was waiting for them?

 

[Rick M]

I wondered about that myself, but then thought if they are no longer logging in to their account or viewing the forum posts, then how would they know a PM was waiting for them?

If someone sends me or you a message through the forum, it shows up in our main email account provided when we registered. This keeps your main email hidden from other users. As long as that email address is still being used by a member, they should get it!

 

[rba]

Looking for a Lady from Texas I walked with,are you part of this forum?

 

[C clearly]

I wondered about that myself, but then thought if they are no longer logging in to their account or viewing the forum posts, then how would they know a PM was waiting for them?

If they have deleted their accounts and show up as "Guests" then I expect they will not get PMs. Maybe some of them occasionally go online, to view this public forum, so they might read this thread.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

If someone sends me or you a message through the forum, it shows up in our main email account provided when we registered. This keeps your main email hidden from other users. As long as that email address is still being used by a member, they should get it!

Thank you! I didn't know PM's were tied in to our email. That's good to hear!

 

[nycwalking]

I miss Mark Lee's, ha, ha, ha's.

 

[SabsP]

If you are missing a missing member...why not drop them a private message and tell them their posts are missed.

I first did that and no response. Therefore this general post because it could be possible that members were in contact by other means.

 

[SabsP]

If someone sends me or you a message through the forum, it shows up in our main email account provided when we registered. This keeps your main email hidden from other users. As long as that email address is still being used by a member, they should get it!

Never shows up in my e mail account.
Always have to log in here.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

If someone sends me or you a message through the forum, it shows up in our main email account provided when we registered. This keeps your main email hidden from other users. As long as that email address is still being used by a member, they should get it!

Perhaps if your settings are to receive email notifications, otherwise no emails.

 

[C clearly]

Thank you! I didn't know PM's were tied in to our email. That's good to hear!

I'm not sure this is true. It depends on whether you have indicated that you want to get PM notifications by email. I don't. My PMs show up only when I log into the forum and see the flag by my name in the upper right.

 

[dougfitz]

I had some disagreements with Mark, mainly about bedbugs, but was sorry to see that he had left.

I do remember!

 

[HedaP]

Mark usually walks in July/August or is my memory playing tricks? Hoping he's on the camino having a great time.

 

[Rick M]

Well ladies, I DO get emails from PM's via the forum server. Must be all the clean living, or perhaps my sunny disposition, or maybe I'm just plain clairvoyant.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Well ladies, I DO get emails from PM's via the forum server. Must be all the clean living, or perhaps my sunny disposition, or maybe I'm just plain clairvoyant.

I would be more willing to bet it's your settings.

 

[KinkyOne]

I missed a few also. @MarkLee is surely one of them.

I have speak or exchange e-mails with some of existing forum members and one thing came out. Sometimes we, the forum or it's core members are seen as a kind of a sect. I haven't really discuss that with anyone of them so I can't tell exactly what this "sectarianism" badge is all about. I can imagine though. OTOH if there weren't any rules or at least points of common values this forum would die as have many others.

The complaints were for "both sides". New members in a first post sometimes even without usual courtesy of saying Hello asking questions that are very easily accessible not only on this forum but also on the WWW (like "how to get from Biarritz to SJPdP") and OTOH experienced members don't really explaining the procedure and just posting the links to timetables etc.

I don't know what to say really... Just kind of sad as I like this community very much!

 

[KinkyOne]

Well ladies, I DO get emails from PM's via the forum server. Must be all the clean living, or perhaps my sunny disposition, or maybe I'm just plain clairvoyant.

Depends from which members.
You surely can't get PMs from non-members or guests which we are talking about here (as former members).

 

[wayfarer]

I miss Vicrev, he had a good sense of humour.

 

[SabsP]

Yes I too am in contact through FB , Instagram and regular mails with ( former ) forummembers who do not post on this forum for various reasons.
MY OP was not meant in a " stalking " way but was just a curiuos wondering how those others are doing.

 

[KinkyOne]

Yes I too am in contact through FB , Instagram and regular mails with ( former ) forummembers who do not post on this forum for various reasons.
MY OP was not meant in a " stalking " way but was just a curiuos wondering how those others are doing.

But wouldn't it be interesting to gather the info why are they become EX-forum members???

 

[SabsP]

But wouldn't it be interesting to gather the info why are they become EX-forum members???

No, I don't need to know. And I certainly would not want that it be discussed on an open forum.
Some gave me their reasons and that conversation is between them and me. Or should be discussed here through PM.

And the members I mentioned in OP are still members no "EX" or " deleted ".

 

[NualaOC]

Interesting thread, Sabine - thanks for starting it. I miss @Smallest_Sparrow and a few others too. I suppose we all come and go to some extent, depending on the time of year and our other commitments. I know that I'm at my most prolific when in my office and working at a computer (the forum is always so much more interesting than the project I'm supposed to be working on!).

New voices are good too; each year some newbies return to the forum after their Camino and add to the collective wealth of experience. Maybe that's the natural turnover of any forum; people come and go, but the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

 

[SabsP]

My fondest memories here are the talks about issues of life/ inner thoughts/ what drives a person to walk a Camino.

 

[Bradypus]

Never shows up in my e mail account.
Always have to log in here.

I think it depends on your personal settings. I disabled all the alerts because there were just too many.

 

[Annie Little]

I certainly was grateful to the forum before and after .... I hope to go again ..... I love the newbies concerned posts because I was one of them ... then ... been there done that .... just go .... happy to pass that on

 

[ivar]

I think the forum reflectes the pilgrims that walk the Camino. In 2004 when the forum started, pilgrims were different... the forum as well.

It is normal that people move on from the forum. If/when this happens I hope they got something useful out of their time here.

Buen camino!
Ivar

 

[linkster]

Good point. I also miss Mark Lee's pregmatism. He seems to have left the forum, which seems to me quite a shame.

A while ago, I realized Mark Lee had not posted in a while, and searched for his name. His profile etc. changed to “Guest”. I assumed he changed his status, and moved on. He did have a sense of humor.

 

[Deleted member 12253]

Some gone to camino in sky.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Okay, now my curiosity is piqued! What could that disagreement have been about? Permethrin or no? I searched for his old posts and could not find this fascinating disagreement!

I know that on occasion, members become disgruntled about issues and just decide to leave--I have had three people confide their reasons to me. I think that on occasion, it takes a hardy (hearty?) soul to bear up under internet scrutiny.

I've found this forum to be the place for information. For travelers and pilgrims, and would-be's, this is the place! It's got something for everyone. The range of characters here is out of this world, too.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Some have posted here to say goodbye (which I found helpful) but were then given IMO unkind posts asking why they had bothered. Not helpful. Made me wonder if I would post if taking a rest/leaving etc.....
PMs work fine until someone becomes a guest, at which point I assume that Ivar will have deleted their link up - so PMs wil no longer work.
I always get an email when I have been PMd
I miss Al the Optimist's posts, among others ....

 

[grayland]

Then....there are some who are not missed..

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Then....there are some who are not missed..

What ever happened to the woman who had built a mule out of a shopping cart and was going to fundraise with it but was afraid dogs would pee on it?

 

[Bradypus]

Okay, now my curiosity is piqued! What could that disagreement have been about? Permethrin or no? I searched for his old posts and could not find this fascinating disagreement!

Nothing very earth-shattering or controversial I'm afraid Mark never had any major problems with bedbugs himself and he argued that a lot of posts on the subject were exaggerations and paranoia. Those who had been on the receiving end of bedbugs tended to disagree!

 

[SabsP]

What ever happened to the woman who had built a mule out of a shopping cart and was going to fundraise with it but was afraid dogs would pee on it?

Oh Anemone ...that was one hilarious thread.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/dogs-how-to-avoid-repel-them.32131/#post-284552

 

[JohnnieWalker]

I missed a few also. @MarkLee is surely one of them.

I have speak or exchange e-mails with some of existing forum members and one thing came out. Sometimes we, the forum or it's core members are seen as a kind of a sect. I haven't really discuss that with anyone of them so I can't tell exactly what this "sectarianism" badge is all about. I can imagine though. OTOH if there weren't any rules or at least points of common values this forum would die as have many others.

The complaints were for "both sides". New members in a first post sometimes even without usual courtesy of saying Hello asking questions that are very easily accessible not only on this forum but also on the WWW (like "how to get from Biarritz to SJPdP") and OTOH experienced members don't really explaining the procedure and just posting the links to timetables etc.

I don't know what to say really... Just kind of sad as I like this community very much!

Kinky I think this is a timely reminder to all of us that we need to welcome new members and do whatever we can to help them find their feet.

 

[KinkyOne]

No, I don't need to know. And I certainly would not want that it be discussed on an open forum.
Some gave me their reasons and that conversation is between them and me. Or should be discussed here through PM.

And the members I mentioned in OP are still members no "EX" or " deleted ".

No, no, no Sabine, I certainly didn't mean that we should know and tag each member that left the forum with the reason for leaving. I was thinking more about sort of statistics of reasons to leave.

 

[dougfitz]

But wouldn't it be interesting to gather the info why are they become EX-forum members???

Not really. I somehow doubt that there would be a complete understanding of what is likely to be a complex decision in the first instance, and in the second, what could, or would, we do about it?

 

[Jersey]

Nothing very earth-shattering or controversial I'm afraid Mark never had any major problems with bedbugs himself and he argued that a lot of posts on the subject were exaggerations and paranoia. Those who had been on the receiving end of bedbugs tended to disagree!

First off, personally I've never encountered a bedbug anywhere.
But a good friend was almost eaten alive (yes I'm exaggerating)
at a very nice hotel in Atlantic City last year. There was no way I could reason with him to go back to that hotel anytime soon.
He did go back eventually on his own accord but it took about eight months for him to get over it.

 

[Annie Little]

I think the forum reflectes the pilgrims that walk the Camino. In 2004 when the forum started, pilgrims were different... the forum as well.

It is normal that people move on from the forum. If/when this happens I hope they got something useful out of their time here.

Buen camino!
Ivar

Ivar , you hope people get something useful from the forum ?
That's like asking is the Pope a Catholic ?
There is not anyone here that isn't grateful for the forum .

 

[KinkyOne]

...what could, or would, we do about it?

That's exactly the reason I thought about it, Doug. If we would know the main reason(s) maybe the forum rules might change a bit (although I think they are really very good for now) or at least to bring that to attention to majority of members to act accordingly.
Well, it was just a thought...

 

[Former member 49149]

Kinky I think this is a timely reminder to all of us that we need to welcome new members and do whatever we can to help them find their feet.

!aw,
I wanted to post the feet symbol but no luck...

 

[dougfitz]

That's exactly the reason I thought about it, Doug. If we would know the main reason(s) maybe the forum rules might change a bit (although I think they are really very good for now) or at least to bring that to attention to majority of members to act accordingly.
Well, it was just a thought...

Ivar runs the forum the way he wants to. I write to him when I have something to say about the rules and their application. If you think that the rules are okay, then you don't need to do anything. If Ivar is collecting this data, he might make changes, but I cannot see that the departure of one or two members is going to make any difference - the inertia is too great.

 

[KinkyOne]

OK, OK, I'm removing myself from this discussion.
Mods, please feel absolutely free to delete all of my posts in this thread as it is obvious that they don't add anything to the future of this forum

 

[hel&scott]

Can some one clarify for me what a Veteran Member is, is this age or experence rated?

Must read the shopping cart mule post sounds a hoot, I guess I missed it during my break from the forum. Ivar is right when he says some of us move on when they get what they want from the forum, but then some of us come back.

 

[Former member 49149]

For everything/one there is a season...

 

[SabsP]

And I like it very much how this thread keeps being civilised and constructive.

 

[Bradypus]

Can some one clarify for me what a Veteran Member is, is this age or experence rated?

I'm open to correction on this one but I think the automatic label "Veteran Member" that appears under someone's forum name and avatar is linked to the number of posts you have made. But I believe in the context of this thread the term is being used more loosely for people who have been members of the forum for quite a long time.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Last February, after becoming a forum member for only a month, all of a sudden I was turned into a "guest" and was totally locked out of the forum and my avatar was changed to a generic "question mark". I was totally baffled. Through googling and finding an email address for Kanga, she helped me and eventually I had to reenter myself as a new member again with a different password, with Ivar's approval, even though the rules say only one account per person. He had no idea how or why this had happened to me...so when Mark Lee has been switched to "guest" we really don't know if it was of his own doing. I really miss his posts and comments, too!

 

[alexwalker]

Many veterans are still in here. But people come and go. It is a matter of time in their lives, so to speak. All is well: If the forum can help people at a certain point; great. Then let them loose.

And then there are the forum junkies, who need a fix regurlarly. I guess I am one of them.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Can some one clarify for me what a Veteran Member is, is this age or experence rated?

Actually, neither. It's a self attributed title. Want to join the "elite"? Go to your profile tab on the top right of the screen, then click on Personal Details, and in the third section, custom title, you can declare yourself a veteran, or Camino Queen. It's what ever you want it to be.

 

[hel&scott]

Actually, neither. It's a self attributed title. Want to join the "elite"? Go to your profile tab on the top right of the screen, then click on Personal Details, and in the third section, custom title, you can declare yourself a veteran, or Camino Queen. It's what ever you want it to be.

Nah, I kinda like being "active" as it makes me think that I'm still up to another walk.

 

[grayland]

Actually, neither. It's a self attributed title. Want to join the "elite"? Go to your profile tab on the top right of the screen, then click on Personal Details, and in the third section, custom title, you can declare yourself a veteran, or Camino Queen. It's what ever you want it to be.

Maybe when @Mark Lee reappears after his hiatus...he can use the "Missing Veteran" title. Very appropriate!

 

[jsalt]

Actually, neither. It's a self attributed title.

It changes automatically to Veteran Member after so many posts, unless you have filled in the Custom Title under your Avatar yourself.
Jill

 

[wayfarer]

Can some one clarify for me what a Veteran Member is, is this age or experence rated?

When you join you are shown as a new member, after so many posts you become an active member and after so many more you become a veteran member. I can't remember the number of posts involved in each stage and as Jill states you can fill in your own custom title if you so choose.

 

[jsalt]

after so many more you become a veteran member.

I remember seeing when @CaminoDebrita became a Veteran Member before she had walked her first camino
Jill

 

[CaminoDebrita]

I remember seeing when @CaminoDebrita became a Veteran Member before she had walked her first camino
Jill

I did not change it myself.

Buen Camino de la Vida

 

[jsalt]

I did not change it myself.

I realised that at the time
Jill

 

[jsalt]

I realised that at the time
Jill

About the same time I also noticed that the number of posts increased from 700 to 1,000 (I think) before an Active Member was automatically changed to a Veteran Member
Jill

 

[grayland]

Just to alleviate any suspicion of nefarious doings in the background...moderators have no authority to tweak the software.
We are always as unaware and surprised as everyone else.

 

[simply B]

I missed a few also. @MarkLee is surely one of them.

I have speak or exchange e-mails with some of existing forum members and one thing came out. Sometimes we, the forum or it's core members are seen as a kind of a sect. I haven't really discuss that with anyone of them so I can't tell exactly what this "sectarianism" badge is all about. I can imagine though. OTOH if there weren't any rules or at least points of common values this forum would die as have many others.

The complaints were for "both sides". New members in a first post sometimes even without usual courtesy of saying Hello asking questions that are very easily accessible not only on this forum but also on the WWW (like "how to get from Biarritz to SJPdP") and OTOH experienced members don't really explaining the procedure and just posting the links to timetables etc.

I don't know what to say really... Just kind of sad as I like this community very much!

Speaking only for myself, I can understand the "sect" perception of some. I suspect that it might arise in that population of posters:

- impatient for the "right" answers
- seemingly requiring a "perfect" experience (because, you know, they're spending money for it)

But that is just a guess.

Personally, I backed off even my usual limited rate of contribution when I started to notice a lot of "locked" threads upon signing in some months back. Embarrassingly, I even got sucked into one that was going pear-shaped. (Thankfully, a mod stopped me from making it too much worse.) I realized that my post wasn't the real "me" (or the one I hope to become) and it was a very far stray from the Camino spirit that I love, so I took a time out.

Now, there are so many of the "core" here answering new questions so quickly that I have nothing really to add at the time I could log on.

So, yes, I love the community as well but will likely be part of it in spirit more than actual participation.

B

 

[Kanga]

We don't lock threads capriciously. Generally members don't see the nasty posts because we remove them or edit them once we become aware of them. If we have locked a post it is because it became too difficult to moderate. Which is a pity because I love to give people the chance to talk camino; to ask and answer questions, to share their concerns, fears and joys. My immediate family has banned "camino talk" so I have to get my dose somewhere!

 

[hel&scott]

My immediate family has banned "camino talk" so I have to get my dose somewhere!

For many years we basked in the silent glory of having "walked across Spain" and didn't have to talk about it, then one of the kids read our blog and decided that instead of being hard core pilgrims, we had merely "walked between bars" and that that Camino had been some sort of long pub crawl... This also explained, in their minds at least, why we kept on disappearing for a couple of months every few years. Then they walked their own Caminos, this led to a few strange phone calls when they got lost and would ring for directions to get back on the way. While it has given us all a new set of shared experiences, oddly extended family are not that interested in discussing why the albergue is always on the hill above the village, blister prevention, the meaning of life, pack weights and the oddities of road signage.

 

[simply B]

We don't lock threads capriciously. Generally members don't see the nasty posts because we remove them or edit them once we become aware of them. If we have locked a post it is because it became too difficult to moderate. Which is a pity because I love to give people the chance to talk camino; to ask and answer questions, to share their concerns, fears and joys. My immediate family has banned "camino talk" so I have to get my dose somewhere!

@Kanga -

Oh, dear! It was not my intent to suggest that the mods locking threads was off-putting.

Rather, I was disappointed by the number of threads that justifiably required locking. A Camino forum just seemed like a strange place to go looking for a fight. In N. America we have ice hockey for that sort of entertainment.

Carry on,

B

 

[Colette Z]

I think people come and go - and then come back. It does depend on what is happening in life. I joined the forum when it was young, but took a very long sabbatical. Then I went back to dreaming about and eventually walking the camino again, and coming back to the forum was a natural.

And I'm glad you did Kanga as you were my veteran helper this past spring

 

[MeganG22]

Good point. I also miss Mark Lee's pregmatism. He seems to have left the forum, which seems to me quite a shame.

There is a Mark Lee who responds to many many posts on the APOC group on Facebook. I wonder if it is the same gentleman!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

There is a Mark Lee who responds to many many posts on the APOC group on Facebook. I wonder if it is the same gentleman!

Start a discussion about bed bugs and you will soon find out.

 

[C clearly]

There is a Mark Lee who responds to many many posts on the APOC group on Facebook. I wonder if it is the same gentleman!

Yes. The photo is the same as he used here on the forum.

 

[Deleted member 56069]

I am a member of numerous forum's and discussion boards for my other interests outside of my Camino life and not one of them measures up to the high standard of Ivar's site.
What I like about this site is the truly helpful replies given by experienced members that have multiple Camino's under their belts.
Every request for information or help with all things Camino related are always answered with truly helpful information and almost always in an encouraging way. No questions are treated as 'dumb questions.'
Some times discussions here get a little off track and some times you can see some hurt feelings, but overall the calibre of people that are part of this forum are extremely high. And overall the moderators keep things on track without being overly intrusive or restrictive.
Certainly, I always read my potential postings a few times before I post to make sure the tone is appropriate and helpful, although I am sure I have had a few lapses!

 

[C clearly]

I am a member of numerous forum's and discussion boards for my other interests outside of my Camino life and not one of them measures up to the high standard of Ivar's site.

I agree. The variety and depth of information is great on the forum. Furthermore, I actually enjoy the fact that we can have disagreements that even get heated upon occasion, and there is room for personalities and different styles of humour. If the posts were sanitized too much, it would not be so fascinating. The moderators do an excellent job of keeping things respectful.

 

[ginniek]

There is a Mark Lee who responds to many many posts on the APOC group on Facebook. I wonder if it is the same gentleman!

It is the same Mark Lee. The other day someone on APOC told him that he was missed here. His explanation about why he was not coming back--at least for now--wasn't too clear.

 

[PEI_Heather]

@Kanga -

Oh, dear! It was not my intent to suggest that the mods locking threads was off-putting.

Rather, I was disappointed by the number of threads that justifiably required locking. A Camino forum just seemed like a strange place to go looking for a fight. In N. America we have ice hockey for that sort of entertainment.

Carry on,

B

SimplyB,
Surely you MUST be Canadian?!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

SimplyB,
Surely you MUST be Canadian?!

But not from Qc: we like our sobre mesa discussions, even away from a mesa. Feench intellectuals, I tell you ...

 

[simply B]

SimplyB,
Surely you MUST be Canadian?!

Ah, no. Rather, many years ago (4 decades plus), I came of age as a Blackhawks fan in Chicago....now a distant memory. Did the "sandlot" hockey league and all that. But I have spent a lot of time in Canada over 50 years and always enjoyed the visits.

BTW, I seem to remember a "Heather from PEI" back in 2012, mid -October-ish, at St. Brigida in Hontanas.

If that was you, talking to a tall, rangy Yank and being offended by my offhand manner, I deeply apologize. There was a bit of sunstroke happening at the time. The beer/wine/paxaran/orujo is on me when next we meet.

B

EDIT: I would bet that I am unique (tho' not special) amongst the crowd here. I recalled, as I made dinner for my bride, that I have at least five bonspiels under my belt. From the Boundary Waters through Winnipeg then to Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Calgary through the late 80's. I am pretty sure that they were great times but the peppermint schnapps gets in the way of clear and complete recall.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

About the same time I also noticed that the number of posts increased from 700 to 1,000 (I think) before an Active Member was automatically changed to a Veteran Member
Jill

Probably a silly question, but when these numerical changes happen, is the status change done automatically or does Ivar keep track with a "ding" on his computer to let him know and then does he or a moderator physically make the change? Just curious.

 

[C clearly]

Probably a silly question, but when these numerical changes happen, is the status change done automatically or does Ivar keep track with a "ding" on his computer to let him know and then does he or a moderator physically make the change? Just curious.

It happens automatically, or you can do it yourself.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Yes. The photo is the same as he used here on the forum.

Good to know he is "still out there" contributing his camino related advise and opinions in helping others.

 

[Mike Savage]

I miss Albertinho. It seems he has left the forum.

 

[dougfitz]

I miss Albertinho. It seems he has left the forum.

His profile is still active, but I cannot see when he was last online.

 

[Deleted member 36903]

I miss Albertinho. It seems he has left the forum.

Me too @Mike Savage. He posted to announce that he was leaving the forum - I assume that something had offended or upset him, I don't know what - and when I sent a PM to ask if he would reconsider his decision, it was returned as not deliverable. He was a great contributor to the forum providing so many of us with useful advice about the Camino Portuguese. If you are reading this @Albertinho please come back.

 

[domigee]

Oh Anemone ...that was one hilarious thread.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/dogs-how-to-avoid-repel-them.32131/#post-284552

@SabineP I actually met her and spent a day in London with her. One very interesting lady!

 

[Karen Cap]

Good point. I also miss Mark Lee's pregmatism. He seems to have left the forum, which seems to me quite a shame.

I liked Mark Lee's posts. Nice guy. Thoughtful too

 

[Karen Cap]

Looks li

Mark usually walks in July/August or is my memory playing tricks? Hoping he's on the camino having a great time.

It seems as if Mark Lee is well liked on this forum. I hope he comes back.

 

[Kanga]

Just curious: if it's not a software glitch, can a forum member actually leave the forum for good on their own or is it like the Hotel California, you can log out any time you like but you cannot leave?

You can ask Ivar to delete your account but most people just stop logging on. I did for several years, not because I had any problems with the forum, but external things took my attention elsewhere. I really like my original username so am glad I did not "resign".

 

[susanawee]

Some have posted here to say goodbye (which I found helpful) but were then given IMO unkind posts asking why they had bothered. Not helpful. Made me wonder if I would post if taking a rest/leaving etc.....
PMs work fine until someone becomes a guest, at which point I assume that Ivar will have deleted their link up - so PMs wil no longer work.
I always get an email when I have been PMd
I miss Al the Optimist's posts, among others ....

I miss Al the Optimist's posts as well....I always looked forward to reading what he had to say.

 

[PEI_Heather]

But not from Qc: we like our sobre mesa discussions, even away from a mesa. Feench intellectuals, I tell you ...

Bwahahahaha!
Indeed, Anemone, indeed!

 

[PEI_Heather]

Ah, no. Rather, many years ago (4 decades plus), I came of age as a Blackhawks fan in Chicago....now a distant memory. Did the "sandlot" hockey league and all that. But I have spent a lot of time in Canada over 50 years and always enjoyed the visits.

BTW, I seem to remember a "Heather from PEI" back in 2012, mid -October-ish, at St. Brigida in Hontanas.

If that was you, talking to a tall, rangy Yank and being offended by my offhand manner, I deeply apologize. There was a bit of sunstroke happening at the time. The beer/wine/paxaran/orujo is on me when next we meet.

B

EDIT: I would bet that I am unique (tho' not special) amongst the crowd here. I recalled, as I made dinner for my bride, that I have at least five bonspiels under my belt. From the Boundary Waters through Winnipeg then to Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Calgary through the late 80's. I am pretty sure that they were great times but the peppermint schnapps gets in the way of clear and complete recall.

Hmmm. St Brigida at Hontanas. It could have been, could have been. I can't remember what I had for breakfast yesterday so can't remember back to all the happenings back in 2012, even on the Camino (I know--how in the world could that happen?!?!)!
If I was walking with a tall gangly young German doctor, and I seemed a wee bit on the surly side, that would have been me...my now Little Camino Brother Sebastian and my continuous lack of sleep--and probably lots of blisters (stupid boots).
No worries about either the apology--none needed--or the wine/beer, when next we meet, I'll just have a cuppa tea and chat!
Hockey has seemingly moved down to the States (well, the NHL) (Really, NHL--hockey in Florida? California? Seriously...) but the majority of the players on all those teams are from Canada. Then Russia and Scandinavia and the States--primarily the northern states, like Illinois, where it gets cold and snow bound in the winter, and where playing hockey makes sense.
My family as well are big curlers. My cousin was part of the Bill Jenkins rink that won the International Junior Championships in the late 70s. His sister has been to the Scott Tournament of Hearts (Canadian?) bonspiel 3-4 times as part of the PEI rink. My sister used to curl as well. However, when you and I were chatting in Hontanas, she was returning a stone to the rock box, stepped off the pebbled ice and fell quite soundly on the back of her head. She's still dealing with the post-concussive symptoms. Curling certainly changed her life... I'm more of a snowshoer than a curler myself. I appreciate, however, that attending five bonspiels is quite the feat! Congratulations on that! You must be a very skilled player.

 

[VNwalking]

Coming late to the thread, to echo the sentiment in the OP about both Meri and Smallest Sparrow. It just goes to show how this forum is a bit 'different.'
People come and go, of course, but when they are very active and suddenly disappear without warning, then I also get concerned. When members are not replying to a PM and seem truly 'gone,' there's not a lot any of us can do without other means of contact except to wish them well and hope the reason is innocuous. I do hope it is so!!

 

[HedaP]

Happy to see @highlandshiker is back.
It's walking season. I still like to imagine they are all out there enjoying one camino or another or even more than one.

 

[Jersey]

I did see one former member on another forum for the Camino.
Out of respect for privacy I won't mention names.
But some run out of gas. Some are walking I assume.
Some might have a new BF or GF.
A new hobby? It can be one of a thousand reasons

 

[Kanga]

I have deleted a whole raft of posts. The occasional off-topic remark is fine and understandable, the occasional remark about sport is also often fine where appropriate - but to hi-jack a whole thread into a discussion about ice hockey - is not fine.

 

[peregrina2000]

I miss Albertinho. It seems he has left the forum.

Me too @Mike Savage. He posted to announce that he was leaving the forum - I assume that something had offended or upset him, I don't know what - and when I sent a PM to ask if he would reconsider his decision, it was returned as not deliverable. He was a great contributor to the forum providing so many of us with useful advice about the Camino Portuguese. If you are reading this @Albertinho please come back.

Another great contributor to the Portuguese side of things was @amsimoes. He was so so helpful with all of the Portuguese routes, including the interior, the coastal, etc etc. I know he was offended by a particular post and then left. I have been hoping that with the passage of time, he will reconsider and return to the forum (and "undelete" all of his many helpful threads!). This is particularly sad for those of us who have met with Aurelio and Rita and enjoyed getting to know them in Lisbon.

 

[trevorcc]

I think people come and go - and then come back. It does depend on what is happening in life. I joined the forum when it was young, but took a very long sabbatical. Then I went back to dreaming about and eventually walking the camino again, and coming back to the forum was a natural.

Hi Kanga, I agree I have been missing since my last walk in 2016, but this year has been full of other things (praying to be able to walk again in 2018) after selling the house and moving to the country in 2018. I still communicate on other forums most days and catchup with this forum every few days,,,BUT so many of the post are angry and negative, I tell all those that ask to logon and donate to find all they need to know and prepare for their Camino as Ivar site is the best for info. But I do not need downers telling me about the greatest experience of my life to all the good people out there Buen Camino. Hope to be back in 2018.

 

[VNwalking]

Good to see you back, Trevor.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Of course no forummember must feel obliged to keep posting here. Real life is much more important than this virtual place...although very real too.

I do wonder though how the much appreciated " oldies " are doing and if they are walking new ( Camino ) roads.

So if any of you guys hear from @Smallest_Sparrow and @Wokabaut_Meri ( amongst others ) : tell them they are missed.

I was a Veteran Member I think, and a moderator for a while, but don't post here often now. I guess life has largely moved in other directions. In 2015 I walked ten days in Italy near Assisi, on trails of St Francis- beautiful countryside to walk in. I still find myself in Camino-land every so often though, when local people contact me when they are planning to do some part/route of the Camino. They hear about me from a friend of a friend...
I first 'discovered' the Camino while traveling and cycling in France in 2006. Recently my mind has turned to more cycling in France, and I have started exploring the possibilities. I am older now though- just turned 60- so I need to get out on my bike locally over the upcoming summer here in New Zealand, and rebuild some cycling fitness! Who knows, I may recross some parts of the Chemin in France on my velo- though I imagine I will be searching out some of the flatter routes!
Margaret

 

[JohnMcM]

I'm still here and hope to be for a long time.

I haven't been posting much lately because the questions I could answer had already been answered, or, I've had nothing to contribute to discussions that would help progress the issue.

Buen (happy-posting) Camino