Marcie's Disco
Adventurer
Not to diminish that epic trip report, but it shouldn't be a suprise that the thread has so many hits. The power of the internet is pretty amazing. Cross posting the story to jalopnik.com and other places is the expo version of a superbowl commercial. Sure, there is a spike in membership and viewing, but that doesn't add to the quality of community, as I imagine the majority of these new members joined just to read the thread and will disappear. It's a clever way to boost circulation/membership statistics for whatever purpose.
This clearly illustrates the shift in focus from a community of travelers to a traffic generating/advertising venue that so many complain about. Stunts like this have the potential to destroy an online community, but it can be good for business. Has Expo just jumped the shark?
agavelvr, I am beginning to see what you cautioned in your post. The past couple of weeks have seen a rise in spamish posts. I suppose it isn't as bad as it could be but it does introduce the negative side to cross posting and stunting to boost membership.