Thank you Teva Joe!

[jeremy77777]

I just have to say thank you for this site! I don't know that many AZ hikers, but after finding this site, I realize that there are many other out there like me. I love reading thoughts and stories of other hikers. So thank you again!

Jeremy

[joebartels]

It's a small niche but I certainly like it! I feel very fortunate to be in company with all you great people. I truly love this state and all it has to offer. The forum is a living, breathing novel. It gives everybody the indivual right to "further" create their own universe and experience Arizona on their own terms.

My general feel is... Every hiking trip reminds me of the anticipation of going to camp as a kid.

You know it was a little lonely on-site those first two years I remember writing a guy that did a little write-up on Browns Peak. His response was more in the likes of "so what". I thought "what a shame", certainly somebody out there in this big old world shares my spirit!

[MaryPhyl]

Glad you hung in there Joe. When I first dixcovered the Grand Canyon hiking site I go to I was --and am--so excited to find peiole that shared the passion . Kindred spirit thing I guess.

[olesma]

Hey, this is what a user group is all about. It's one of the staples of good training. Get people who are considered "Subject Matter Experts" and have them available for mentoring the less experienced, and to share their mutual experience in advancing the field.

I'd say this forum exhibits the best in a user group. Info, advice, experimentation...and all for free and with good natured people. Joe has done a wonderful job setting it up - but much of the credit for the success of the site has to go to the contributors as well. They have set the tone and maintained a fun and informational atmosphere.

I could write a pretty good research article about user groups using this site as a prime example of success.

Kudos to Joe - and kudos to everyone who makes this site what it is.

[BoyNhisDog]

The forum is a living, breathing novel. It gives everybody the indivual right to "further" create their own universe and experience Arizona on their own terms.

My general feel is... Every hiking trip reminds me of the anticipation of going to camp as a kid.

That is so well said. Life is always going to interesting for you with that philosophy.

Viva HAZ!

[Snick33]

It's interesting that this site seems to clean itself. A few weeks ago I decided that someone had no right to object to the Forest closings. The subjects went out for discussion and I'll be damned, as old as I am, the responses made me re-think my statement and change my response. It takes a bunch to change my train of thought but the honesty of the responses did it.

[ck_1]

My wife doesn't get how I can spend so much time at this site...she says I neglect my wife and my dog ...now I disagree with that, but I will say that I spend more time online (and @ HAZ) then I do watching tv....which is were you can find my wife and dog.

Snick is right, every few weeks the site cycles, and it has been a few weeks since we all said "THANKS JOE"


Thanks Joe.

[CindyC]

My children laugh at me because I never used a computer except for email before I happened upon this sight. Now I don't own my own computer, I use my children's. While my children may not thank you for this wonderful website I certainly do. It is not only informative it can also be quite entertaining. So thanks Joe.

[snow22_5150]

Yup I get a lot of laughs as well as a wealth of information.

Thanks Joe!

[GeorgAZ]

Yes,Joe many,many thanks!! This is great! I haven't had the opportunity of going to all the great places that a lot of you have+I enjoy hearing about them+also the many diverse,interesting ,humorous comments+topics ! Yep! It's the first thing I log onto when I hit the door! Hopefully I can meet some buds here that I could do a few trips with! Never been to Bryce,Zion, Arches, Escalante,on+on!! Some places you just don't wanna do solo!!More fun to share! Kudos,Joe!!!!

[nealz]

If Joe's heads gets any bigger, it'll expold! But he deserves it.

I'm also pleased that this site seems to have very little in the way of conflict, trolls and general mayhem. There are a lot of other places, 'thebackpacker.com' comes to mind, where it seems all folks do is whine and complain with very little hiking info thrown in. Nice place you got here.

-Nealz

[Abe]

Although, I am the newby, I am impressed with the site. It is a shame to find it about the time the NF are closing. But I can wait; it always rains after a dry spell, and during the lull in hiking I can review all the trails on this site. And enjoy the Forum.

[kajjer]

Hello to all my friends at HAZ. Yes Thanks to all, especially Joe.
When I was hiking alone this past March and April in Az, I never felt alone.It was as if all of HAZ was with me. Just got my July Az highways magazine in the mail today. Needless to say I'm in an Az homesick blues.
Here in Pennsylvania we have had way too much rain lately, no flooding yet. Only reached 63 degrees for a high temperature today.......YUCK!!
Was happy to hear about the upcoming Rim to Rim hike. Possibly, I might join you guys. Would love to hike with HAZ members......Have fun at the chili shindig.......c ya.........Kevin

[montezumawell]

Remember those two basic rules of a successful business?
A) Find a need and fill it and
B) Location, Location, Location

Well, the internet took care of "location" but Joe's real home run ball was filling the huge need for a website like this. Not only did he fill the need, he filled it with class and style!
It would be difficult to imagine a more competent webmaster than Good Ol' Teva Joe.
His attentiveness and genuine interest in the content of this website is amazing. He's not a bit bashful about tweaking people's writing and pointing out when they have their mouse in their mouth.

Here's an example: A few weeks ago, we wrote up some gobble-de-gook about cairns and we went on and on and ON about them. Then we posted the message under a new topic category. Trouble was that we had spelled "carin" wrong in every one of the 100 times we used the word! Oh, oh. So Joe sends us this cute little message wondering if cairn is spelled differently in OUR dictionary because it isn't spelled that way in HIS dictionary. With any other webmaster we've ever experienced, they would have let you make a fool of yourself with your poor spelling and never mentioned a word about it.
Then Joe takes it upon himself to spiff up the writing and really make the post worth reading. After we read his changes we both said, "Gee, we wish we could write like that!"

We don't believe people can ever have too much positive feedback. If they are doing a great job they should get heaping, repeated doses of positive feedback. So don't be bashful in letting Joe know how much you appreciate this website.

As travelers we have found this website even more valuable in too many ways to discuss in this particular post. Maybe we will digress on that later. Suffice to say that this website keeps us really tied to home in a way that reading online newspapers simply can't match. We sure wish there were other similar hiking websites in every state and region in the west. You'd be amazed how hard it is to get hiking information in some communities. You know you're having a hard time when you stump a) the reference librarian, b) the parks and rec department, c) the chamber of commerce and d) the newspaper. If there was a HAZ-clone in the vicinity, poof, NO problem!
Trouble is, someone would have to clone Teva Joe because it's really not the website, per se, it's Teva Joe's management of it and the respect that all of us users have for each other and him. Somehow that equation makes this site special in a way that's really hard to describe. We will keep trying to figure out how to "say it" in future posts. But in the meantime, once again and always, THANKS JOE!

J&S in Sloughouse, CA, for a couple of days.

[thexpeditor]

Joe, I would also like to post a 'thank you' for the site, and an apology. I regret my posts to the thread on the lost hiker on Baldy, espectially the 'non sequitor' thought-not cool at all. Please consider re-opening the thread so updates on the search can be posted, or point me to another thread.