Sometimes, when you reach a pinnacle, or cross a threshold, you need to take a step back, look closely at what you’re doing, and decide how much farther you want to take it.

Crime Rant has just celebrated its 2 millionth unique visitor and its 34,000th comment.

What we’re undecided about at the time is where to take Crime Rant next—if anywhere.

Here’s what we’re thinking:

“The Internet is such a volatile place, unstable, unreliable, and, well, at times, pretty damn creepy,” Matt says. “It’s steeped in the unknown. For me, Crime Rant has been a place where I know true-crime fans can come and get not only entertaining content, but news in a way that no one else can deliver with such gusto, integrity, and honesty. The problem is, where do you draw the line? There are so many Web sites and news sites and places to go for crime, how do you stand out? A Web site is nothing more than a billboard. How do you get beyond that and make it worth your time?”

“Besides working with Matt,” Gregg says, “the very best part of this experience has been getting to know our regular readers – too many to list here, but you know who you are. You’re smart, funny, and, yup, some of you are on the edge. And we love that. The bottom line for me, that as a book author, I’ve never been sure running a blog matters much to the success of my career. Is the drama worth it? Is the time spent posting, checking comments, responding, helping me to sell my books? Our stats tell me it does a little. But really, there are probably things I could do that advance my professional goals better than blogging on Crime Rant.”

So Crime Rant is saying goodbye.

Sure, Gregg and Matt will be thinking where CR will ultimately go: in the electronic junkyard forever, or back up, with a fresh new look, new faces, and its top crime presence on the Internet back where it belongs.

No promises though. Sometimes vacations away from home clear your head and send you in new directions.

Thank you, Crime Rant Nation, for everything you’ve done to make this such a fun place. Rant on.