MO hiker disappointed in Backpacking mag

“I subscribe to the Missouri Yahoo trails group and Danny McMurfy is the guru of the trails there. He just posted this:

Message: 5
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 16:27:53 -0000
From: "Danny"
Subject: Backpacker Magazine

FYI to MOTRAILS members - This week I received the current issure of Backpacker magazine (February 2005 issue) - titled across the top "Midwest Hiking Edition". After looking through the magazine twice to find the articles on midwest trails I sent this e-letter off to the magazine at letters@backpacker.com -

**************************************

Dear Editor,

I received the above subject edition of Backpacker Magazine this week and took it to work today to browse through and see what midwest trails you were displaying this month. Much to my disappointment the entire issue is about trails in the west and not the midwest. The only 'midwest' info that you have in the entire issue is the cutout waypoints between pages 80 and 81. If you are going to call it the Midwest Hiking Edition then why don't you have articles about trails in the midwest!

I'm going to post my disappointment on our yahoo website below in hopes that others might write to you to tell you that this Midwest Hiking Edition pretty well stinks! The trail that you do mention in
Missouri (at the USFS Silver Mines Recreation Area) is very well traveled and certainly doesn't need any waypoints to traverse the trail - what a waste of time.

I've been a subscriber for over 10 years now and this is one of the most disappointing issues that I have seen. I expect coverage of the midwest if you are going to call it a Midwest Hiking Edition!

Danny McMurphy (xxxxxxxx, MO)

Backpacking Magazine subscriber”

“if it makes you feel any better the southeast edition wasn't great either.”

“Wow! He's been a subscriber for over 10 years.

He's mad because of what they did not print and with that he critizes the entire edition without regard to what they did print.

I'm sure not going to follow this guy on a trail.

BTW, I've been a non-subscriber for over 10 years.
last edited: 11/30/04 5:48:40 PM”

“Ewker beat me to it.”

“Don't take it personally, I heard that the Northeast edition isn't too specialized either. I'm not exactly sure what they "specialize" in that magazine for the regional editions...”

“they specialize in big money advertisements.”

“Probably, since that's about the only thing I don't look at.”

“Oh sure, criticize backpacker for trying to make a buck!

How dare they!

Where's Y2?????
last edited: 11/30/04 8:56:59 PM”

“I use the magazine as toilet paper now.”

“I don't want backpacker or anyone else to publish info about my local trails.”

“I agree.”

“I agree with bacpac.






Does that mean the world is going to end?”

“... what's the deal with the subscription post cards on every third page? Some are attached others are just stuck in there. I guess they could be used to start a fire on a rainy morning, provide a paper trail preventing a lost newbie, or for emergency toilet paper. Come on Backpacker how many do we actually need or which one should I fill out if I actually did want to subscribe (yeah right!)?

I also can't understand why some of the cutout waypoints are less than 3 miles. I thought this was backpacker not dayhiker or carcamper. Ok I'm just getting started. The crap that mag slings too often ticks me off! And another question, has anyone seen a bad or truly in depth review? Every review is either good, great, or terrific.”

“I saw a bad review in Backpacker once. The editors added little "editors notes" throughout it that made it sound glowing. And in the end they rated the product as good. It was raingear and the reviewer got soaked. How good could it be? I'm surprised they printed it at all. But I guess they had already been paid for it so they had to print something.

Ever see them review a product that's NOT advertised in Backpacker? Ever notice that the products with the larger ads get better reviews?”

“I've been attempting to review the latest BP'er (the SE trails edition) to try and find what trails they're talking about.

Their highest rated trail in the Southeast? A damned dayhiking trail in Oak Mountain State Park, because some guy wrote an ooey-gooey letter about his sons' first "hike" on it, and about how they had a great time stopping at every tree and looking at every leaf.”

“Yeah, I know. I checked out that one at the local bookstore to see if I could get any new ideas for trips. The employees there are probably still pissed about the litter on the floor (all those dambed loose-leaf subscription cards).

I didn't really expect to find anything of value in it therefore I wasn't really disappointed. And I had some time to waste anyway which is convenient since it was certainly a waste of my time.
last edited: 12/01/04 9:20:16 AM”

“The teaser on the cover was something like "Is the best trail in the Southeast a little-known trail near Birmingham?" I was wondering if there was something special I didn't know about already. To say that I was pissed is an understatement.”

“Hey Bit...I've got the issue in question on my desk right now. Where does it mention Oak Mtn ? Jeez...I was disappointed too.”

“It's not even in a sidebar...it's in a little box on one of the pages, I think around pg 52-53? Can't remember exactly.”

“ok thanks”

“The only thing I miss about backpacker mag is Nigals monthly book reports. I haven't taken this mag in probably 2 years. What a waste of paper.”

“I still have the "Eastern Hiking Edition" that was printed about 8 years ago. It was really good. I stopped my subscription a couple of years ago because they've really gone to crap.

Rodale also publishes a bicycling magazine that makes Backpacker look great.”

“It's not a complete waste of paper, if you're at least using it to wipe your ass with.

Hey, maybe we should lobby Rodale to print Backpacker on tissue paper? Be a lot more comfortable, that's for sure.”

“The regional editions referred to are not specialized articles for each region. That would be WAY expensive.

It refers to the tear out card page that hs the little minimaps and trail descriptions. THOSE are tailored to the region”

“Aha!

well, Thinkbubelz & I are still relative "newbies"... I do agree that to call a magazine a regional issue, is a bit misleading....”

“While I understand your hurt pride, consider this: Do you really want your best, favorite, most special campsite/trail being advertised in Backpacker Magazine?”

“I agree with pinkbubelz...calling it a regional issue is misleading. A few trail cards doesn't make it a "Southeast Hiking Edition".

None of the trails I hike on are "mine".”

“If you're not backpacking the west, then you're not even really "backpacking". Any 'backpacking' article about the Midwest or Southeast or Northeast or anyplace back there would suck by default. Can an article about beer tasting possibly write an outstanding article praising the quality of Old Milwaukee? (ducking)

I love region bashing.”

“Loading up the catapult with kegs of Old Milwaukee to shower Buck with.”

“Can we run that Old Milwaukee through our kidneys first?”

“You can, the stuff tastes like piss!”

“OK we can drink a 6 of Beck's Dark first, then we won't care.”

“I like the ads in Backpacker mag....they let me know what new stuff came out. :o)”

“OK, sounds like a plan.

We can send the empty kegs over to Buck”

“hahahhhahahaha... Buck, you... YOU!”

“No, WK, we re-fill the kegs with what passes through our kidneys, dude...”

“Ha HA! Lizs”