New Blog Transition

I am changing my main blog from “Florida Nature Adventures” to “On Rappel!” The former is inadequate in several respects. First, it does not match the blog’s URL (www.FloridaDayAdventures), which makes it a little harder for someone to find my blog using a web search. Second, the three words, “Florida,” “nature” and “adventure” are commonly used words, which also render web searches cumbersome and slow. “On Rappel!” should be much easier and quicker to find and be found by more people as it is a lesser used phrase. Thirdly, the new name has more pizzazz!

Unfortunately, I cannot simply change the name and URL of my old blog, but must instead create a new one from scratch. It means that my readers will have to make some link changes in order to continue to read my writ. Hopefully you will all do so, altho I’ll be the first to admit that if you wanted to clean house and throw me out, this is a perfect opportunity. Gulp! For some period of time, I will post a note to the Florida Nature Adventures blog whenever I post to the On Rappel blog to assist in the switch-over.

Already having about 40 years experience at technical writing, I began my original blog with the intention of learning how to write in a popular style. Over the years, it has become evident to me that I do far more outdoor day adventures than the vast majority of people. Mostly, I go canoeing, kayaking, caving, single-track bicycling, day hiking and, more rarely, whitewater kayaking, rock climbing and backpacking. Occasionally I am asked to write about these experiences, and a blog seemed like a good vehicle for that.

There are appx 70 daily views of my old blog, yet it has become apparent that many more might occur with some changes in blog design. An important way for a blog to get more “pageviews” is to have a snappier name that is uncommon or unique, hence “On Rappel!” Another way is a more assiduous use of labels and links, on which I have so far been lax. A third way is for groups of blogs to cross-reference each other, which I have been doing along with other nature bloggers.

As for the new blog’s name, “en rappel,” is French for “on rope.” American cavers and other English-speaking adventurers have hybridized it into the half-English-half-French wording of “on rappel.” Technically, one can be “on rope” and be planning to either descend or ascend, but we use it only to mean that we are about to descend. For me, it also means adventure, an independent attitude, anticipating something daring and exciting while immersed in an unfamiliar yet splendid natural environment. When I think of being on rappel, I think of freedom, adrenalin, self-sufficiency, courage, competence and mental strength, and I am reminded of the final words of William Ernest Henley’s poem, “Invictus,”

“I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.”

Ok, enough of that! Here’s the new blog’s link:

http://onrappel.blogspot.com/

I have had five outdoor adventures since my last posting here, so I gotta go write ‘em and put ‘em into On Rappel. Thanks for your previous support, and I’ll see you on the other side!