Site Changes and Trip Plans
In light of the survey results and in preparation for this trip, I made some site changes. For instance, some asked me to make the pictures bigger. I discovered how to do that. Now when you click on a picture it will open in a new browser window and be full size. The subscription engine I was using wasn’t working properly, so I switched to a different engine. I put a small map in the sidebar that shows my current location when I’m not in a secure (hidden) location. The menu for selecting past stories is new and dynamic. It should make it easier to find an older trip.
More Content
I’ve added another trip – the 2014 Motor Maids convention is Kerrville, TX. For some reason I didn’t write that story or the Shark Week IV story. I’ll add Shark Week IV as time permits.
The “Maps” page has been updated. It shows small versions of trip maps and links to display each map in a new window. I added a “Videos” section. These pages display the videos I’ve posted to You Tube.
I wrote and “About” article relating the progression of my riding experiences. I also added an article, How to Track and Map Your Location. The article explains how to use smartphone apps or satellite tracking devices to plot your location on a web-based map. You can find the article under the “Articles” option on the menu.
Menus
I develop this site on my laptop, which shows the content on the left and the sidebar on the right. The main menu displays below the main picture. I spent some time viewing the site on my smartphone and discovered the display is very different. The main content displays first and the sidebar follows the content. I figured people never scrolled down far enough to find the Subscribe box.
The menu is not displayed until you tap the menu icon, which is the 3 horizontal lines.
I added a menu above the main picture. That menu has options to subscribe or send me a message.
Subscription
Any author wants someone to read what took a bit of time and lots of thought to write. Readers inspire authors to write more and better. I appreciate that people are interested in our riding experiences. To let as many people I know as possible, these posts are automatically posted to Facebook, Twitter and Google+, however, Facebook doesn’t include my posts on all my friends’ timelines. Facebook decides what is important to you, and you might not see my posts. People who aren’t on Facebook miss the notifications unless they have subscribed. The only way to be assured you are notified when I publish new content is to subscribe to this site. The subscription process is easy. You’ll receive a confirmation email after you enter your name and email address. There’s a link in the email to click to confirm your email address. Please be assured I won’t share your address with anyone and won’t spam you.
Contact Me
You can use this form to send me a message. Please use this if you are having difficulty with the site, find a typo, or just want to say, “Hi.”
On With the Ride
Beth and I leave for the Motor Maids convention in Santa Fe this Saturday. We’ll do some touring in Arizona and New Mexico before the convention. Afterwards Beth will return home with friends and I will head for Alaska.
It’s crunch time. It’s time to make lists, pack and re-pack, make final plans and stop making site changes. We are preparing for desert heat and I’m preparing for cool, wet weather in the far North. We have a fairly well-planed itinerary for the Santa Fe trip. For the Alaska trip I have a general route planned, but I’ll choose stopping points based on weather and my energy level. Check in and enjoy our stories over the next few weeks. I look forward to reading your comments.