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Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meetings

Eighth Deutschland Travellers Meeting

June 7-10, 2012

in cooperation with
Quality Touring equipment worldwide.
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Why Come to a Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Meeting?

You can meet people who don't think you're crazy for wanting to ride your bike to South America or Africa or across Asia, or even around the world! Admit it, all your 'normal' friends and most of your family fears for your sanity! So, this is your opportunity to meet the people who will encourage you in that craziness, share their experiences and advice on how to do it, and maybe you'll meet them again in Mongolia or Timbuktu!

Camping area.


How you can help - put up a few posters! NEW Poster available! Event poster available! Please post it everywhere!

Want to know what people thought of other HU Meetings? Is it worth coming to the Meeting?

"I'm so looking forward to another UK meet. My only problem is that I simply can't get to every talk I want, such is the amount of terrific presentations on offer. Each year I've been astonished at how articulate, intelligent, informative and entertaining the speakers are. I'm willing to help with anything that doesn't keep me from a talk - and my timetable will be full to bursting!" More comments here.

The Plan

The plan is simple. Show up on Thursday or at the latest Friday afternoon, meet people and setup. Travel Presentations and Tech seminars are planned throughout the meeting, starting Thursday night. More Detailed Schedule here.

We can always use some help! If you want to assist, please sign up to volunteer to assist on the day or here for advance work or to ask questions. Thanks!

2012 Speakers and Tech Seminars - Confirmed

  • South America to Ushuaia
    • Richard Winter, TravellingStrom, Australia, on RTW,
      Heading south, destination Dakar Rally and the southern tip

  • Social media on travels (Live Podcast),
    • Claudio Gnypek (muthoka) and Sonja Ritter
      Welche social media kann ich für Motorradreisen nutzen? Erfahrungen und Praxistipps von Teilnehmenden sind erwünscht.
      What can I use social media for motorcycle trips? Experiences and practical tips from participants are welcome.

  • Arizona to the Panama Canal
    • Lynn Brown (USA) & Thomas Beez (Germany) will share their eight-nation tour from Arizona to the Panama Canal. The trip lasted five weeks and covered 10,000 km (6,200 miles), exploring eight countries and negotiated nine international border crossings. Lynn and Thomas visited colonial cities, rode the Devil's Spine (one of the 10 best motorcycle roads in the world), explored old mining towns and ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. The trip also included Costa Rica, Belize, and crossing the Bridge of the Americas over the Panama Canal. We plan to continue the journey in 2012 into South America.

  • On 50 Euros to the Mediterrean Coast (as written about in Tourenfahrer)
    • Jens Ruprecht, Germany, HU Germany meeting organizer and Edelweiss tour guide
      Durchgebissen: Für 50 Euro ans Mittelmeer?

  • Patagonia
    • Jens Ruprecht, Germany
  • DIY tools workshop "help-your-self"
    • Hanno Krusken (spooky)
      With this DIY-workshop I would like to support other HU members to do their own service, show what minimal tools they need to be able to actually do their own service or emergency repair, not being worried about getting dirty or helpless in such situations.

  • Fix that flat! How to change a tire anytime, anywhere
    • Workshop
      How to prevent flats in the first place, and fix them when you get one. The best tools and how to use them for tube and tubeless tires. Hands on practical and tire changing contest for beginners to experts!

      Changing a tire.
      Tech session

  • How to write and publish your travel book!
    • Jens Ruprecht, Germany
      Want to get your story published and on Amazon? Jens did it, and here's how!
  • Women only
    • a very popular session - I'm told it's a must for the ladies, so be sure to plan on being there! A chance to talk to experienced travelling women without the men around!
  • Experienced Travellers Panel - ask the experts anything you want!
  • and more to come as they register with us.
  • How about YOU? We're all here to learn, and there's LOTS to learn! We want to do more presentations and clinics - but we need volunteers to give them! Any topic you can contribute having to do with motorcycle travel, maintenance, planning etc, lasting 20 minutes or more, would be great. Tell us about your trip, or area of expertise. Sign up here!

To give you an idea of what we plan to have for you, here's the seminars for last year's Meeting:

  • 2011 Speakers and Tech Seminars:

    Presentations in English or German as possible.

    • eMMenreiter - A high adventure with low 20 PS
      • Michael Linke and Susanne Hein
        An unforgettable ride on two old MZ-Bikes from Germany into the Himalaya and back.
    • Africa
      • "Betrand"
        3 Humanitarian Missions to Orphanages in Mali
    • Packing right
      • David and Heidi Winters
        A gear whore's tale, Tips on how to do more with less and what you shouldn't leave home without
    • Brasil De Moto
      • Claudio Gnypek and Sonja Ritter, Pegasoreise
        A motorcycle journey through Brazil from the south to the north in 3 months.
    • Lone way round
    • The Frog Princess - Germany to Nepal
      • Ben Frank, Germany
        The story of a little green motorcycle on the way from Germany to Nepal - via Iran, Central Asia, China and Pakistan.
    • The world is not a straight road (Movie)
      • Frank and Artur, Germany
        Through Africa with an 8 year old passenger - Artur
    • The slow way down
      • Florian Rolke
        On a Simson Schwalbe (50ccm) from Hamburg to Capetown
    • On 50 Euros to the Mediterrean Coast
      • Jens Ruprecht, Germany
        Durchgebissen: Für 50 Euro ans Mittelmeer?
    • Patagonia
      • Jens Ruprecht, Germany
    • Women only
      • a very popular session - I'm told it's a must for the ladies, so be sure to plan on being there! A chance to talk to experienced travelling women without the men around!
      • Kay Forwood will lead the session, with an introduction into travelling as a woman.
    • Three great GPS Technical Seminars:
      • "Bertrand"
        1 - Adding Google Earth IMGs to GPS
        2 - Getting and adding maps from OpenSource
        3 - Creating Custom POI's
    • KTM LC4
      • Workshop, by Ben Frank
        Hugely popular last year!
    • BMW F650 Modifications
      • Workshop, by Bertrand
        Can't let those KTM guys have all the fun!
    • Fix that flat! How to change a tire anytime, anywhere
      • Workshop
        How to prevent flats in the first place, and fix them when you get one. The best tools and how to use them for tube and tubeless tires. Hand's on practical and tire changing contest for beginners to experts!

        Changing a tire.
        Tech session

    • How to write and publish your travel book!
      • Jens Ruprecht, Germany
        Want to get your story published and on Amazon? Jens did it, and here's how!
    • GPS Tech clinic
      • Matthias Zörcher, http://www.rswolf.de/ (30 minutes from the meeting if you need anything for GPS, Ducati or Suzuki)
        Friday and Saturday presentations on using a GPS

        GPS Tech session

        Matthias at the GPS session

    • Experienced Travellers Panel - ask the experts anything you want!

There will be slide shows and talks Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night, as well as all Saturday morning and afternoon, so come early and make it a great weekend! We recommend planning on riding Friday, and leaving time for Seminars all day Friday.

Rideouts

Rideouts are limited to 6 or 10 people per ride, no exceptions.

All rides will be back on site at or before 5.00pm

Road Rides - two planned, details to come.

Off-road - we could use some help - any ideas, locations, routes, off-road tracks?

The cost of going on any ride is included in the registration fee.

All rides are "register on the day." There will be signup sheets for each ride posted the evening before. First in best dressed.

Travel Equipment Vendors

We're looking for Travel Equipment vendors to come and display your products, and sell as well. Please contact Grant in London or Jens Ruprecht in Germany.

2012 Vendors to come as they register.

2011 Vendors:

Kedo Performance Products "Heroes Legend Race to Dakar" support, travel goodies and more/
Petra Friedrich from OutdoorFieber will be there with motorcycle and outdoor products.

Charity

Last year we raised almost €2000 for Riders for Health or Motorcycle Outreach, through the sale of raffle tickets and the generous donation of prizes from all the vendors on site and from afar at our HU Meetings worldwide. Many thanks to everyone, let's hope we can raise even more this year. And if you'd like to donate a prize, please contact Grant or Jens in Germany.

Free stuff - A 'Scratch Patch'

We all know how expensive these overland travel dreams can be, but also how you often manage to accumulate travel equipment and bits and pieces that just end up gathering dust. That thingamabob that you have been meaning to give away for ages could be exactly what some broke newbie is in need of before a first trip.

The 'Scratch Patch' is a place where people can put those extra inner tubes for the bike that they already sold but forgot to give to the new owner (clearly labelled as to size of course ); that jerry can that you bought that doesn't fit your mountings; that Lonely Planet for Mongolia - anything that might be a big help to someone else.

(of course, anything that does not find a home by the end of the weekend will need to be reclaimed)"

Bring your left-over/unwanted junk - oops, I mean, Good Stuff! :)

Camping

Camping is INCLUDED in your registration fee. NO 4 wheeled vehicles in the main camping fields, there will be an area specifically for you.

Dogs - Noisy dogs will be ejected.

Books - get your signed copy direct from the Author!

Jens Ruprecht

anyone else?

Schedule will be posted here, with a print version as well, when it's ready...

...so check back and plan what you want to see. The schedule is subject to change, so don't hold our feet to the fire - stuff happens! But we will try very hard to ensure that it goes off as planned. Check the latest schedule to be posted at the meeting on the day.

All times - and everything - approximate!

An up-to-date schedule will be posted at the Meeting.

Thursday morning

CHECK-IN and sign up! You MUST be registered to go on a ride or for entry to any events, seminars etc.

Friday

08:00 - Breakfast, all morning, €5

CHECK-IN and sign up! You MUST be registered to go on a ride or entry to any events, seminars etc.

09:00 Ride briefing. Be gassed up and ready to ride if you're going.

Friday night

21:00 Speakers presentations start sharp at 2100, so be sure you've eaten early!

Saturday morning

8:00 - Breakfast, all morning, €5

8:30 - 9:00 Late Check-in.

9:00 Ride briefing. Be fueled up and ready to ride if you're going.

Saturday Lunch

From 11:30, served all day. Payable to the venue on the day. Range of specials from the blackboard served all day, various excellent prices. Vegetarian meals available.

Saturday afternoon,

Rideouts - details here if you're riding on your own.

On road runs - we'll post a sheet of paper up for you to add your name to a destination, volunteers to lead appreciated!

Tech Seminar, details to come. If you want to volunteer to lead a seminar or breakout session, on any appropriate topic, please contact us. We have had lots of interest in seminars, ranging from 30 minutes to several hours, on subjects from GPS to packing lists to tire changing.

Saturday, dinner

See Saturday lunch above.

19:00 sharp:

Speakers presentations

21:00 (not sharp) - Door prizes - you have to be there to win!

Sunday

Breakfast served from 8:00, €5

Miscellaneous notes:

Organizers will be there most of Thursday, hopefully Thursday evening, if anyone wishes to arrive early and just hang out or go for a ride in the area. There is no problem arriving even a couple of days early, our hosts will be happy to see you and feed you, and camping is free. Please LET US KNOW you will be arriving early.

Pre-Register and save €10!

  1. Register and PAY before 1 June, entry fee is €35. Includes admission to all slide shows, and other events. Camping is also included in your entry fee for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. If you arrive early there is generally no problem finding a spot to camp, no charge. Just eat there and they're happy! Accommodation (other than camping), and meals are NOT included.
  2. At the door, admission is €45.

 

How to Pay

Please PRE-BOOK by filling in the form below and click the "Count me in" button below it. NOTE: Use one form per person!

Option 1. Pay by PayPal

a. You will shortly receive an e-mail confirmation. Check to ensure the details are correct. If you don't receive an e-mail confirmation within a few minutes, it means your e-mail address wasn't correct, (or the Internet has eaten your e-mail). Try again. A human being will actually get a copy of the e-mail, and we promise we won't sign you up multiple times. ;-)

b. After you have filled in the form and submitted it, you will have an opportunity to pay by Click to go straight to the PayPal Payment link.. Please be careful calculating the amount, the form isn't that smart yet!

OR:

Option 2. Pay by cheque

a. You will shortly receive an e-mail confirmation. Check to ensure the details are correct. If you don't receive an e-mail confirmation within a few minutes, it means your e-mail address wasn't correct, (or the Internet has eaten your e-mail). Try again. A human being will actually get a copy of the e-mail, and we promise we won't sign you up multiple times. ;-)

b. PRINT THAT EMAIL (or write out the important bits by hand if you don't have a printer) and MAIL it with a cheque for £31 OR €35 Euros, made payable to Grant Johnson, and mail to:

Grant Johnson
102-15910 Fraser Highway
Suite 472
Surrey, BC   V4N 0X9
CANADA

OR:

Option 3. Pay by Bank Transfer

a. You will shortly receive an e-mail confirmation. Check to ensure the details are correct. If you don't receive an e-mail confirmation within a few minutes, it means your e-mail address wasn't correct, (or the Internet has eaten your e-mail). Try again. A human being will actually get a copy of the e-mail, and we promise we won't sign you up multiple times. ;-)

b. Make your Payment to:

Jens Ruprecht
Konto-Nummer: 20562200
BLZ: 553 900 00

 

Payment and Registration Details AFTER 1 June

a. Please fill in this form to let us know you're coming. NOTE the registration fee is + €10 at the door!

b. You will shortly receive an e-mail confirmation. Check to ensure the details are correct. If you don't receive an e-mail confirmation within a few minutes, it means your e-mail address wasn't correct, (or the Internet has eaten your e-mail). Try again. A human being will actually get a copy of the e-mail, and we promise we won't sign you up multiple times. ;-)

c. Print the emailed confirmation form and bring it to the meeting.

IF you have ALREADY registered for THIS event, and just want to pay, go here!

Meeting Registration

Couples, groups, buddies etc - One registration form per person please! EVERYBODY must register.

Your details

First Name * (*=required field)

Last Name *

Email *

HUBB User Name

City, State

Country

Are you a Contributing Member? *(HUBB or Ezine doesn't count)

Mobile or Phone number (in case we need to find you)

Meeting Options

Please choose your Meeting package
Prices are for PAID PRE‑Registration, €45 on the day

Package Description Camping Slide Shows Tech Sessions Stickers Membership Price Choose *
Meeting only yes yes yes yes   €35

Annual HU Membership         yes €10

Food

NOT included.

Served all day, breakfast €5 from 08.00 every day, then hot meals from 11:30 till 22.00, a wide and varied menu - typical dishes of the area (Odenwald), including vegetarian, at reasonable prices. Try the Odenwald Äppelwoi! (applewine)

Accommodation

Camping IS included in your registration. There is lots of room for camping!

 T-shirts

NOTE: We have now placed the order for the t-shirts, and of course we may not have guessed what YOU wanted! Registering early and ordering your tshirt in advance is always the best, as we will have VERY few extras.

Help us plan future Meetings! (optional)

Also used to print your meeting badge/conversation starter :)

Which travel bike do you use?

Past bike travel destinations?

(For more than one location hold down the
control key and click on your choices)

Future trips planned? Where?

(For more than one location hold down the
control key and click on your choices)

Volunteer! (optional)

Why volunteer? Because it's a great way to meet people if you're new, Volunteers make the meeting possible, and it only takes a couple of hours, or more if you like, and you'll have a great time!

I would like to Volunteer and help out at the
Meeting, and meet lots of people!
(Options, times etc on the next page)

Agreement

I have read and agree to Horizons Unlimited's terms and conditions for entry to this event. I understand I will also be asked to sign a written waiver at the event before I can participate.
*
Yes spacer No

Comments, special requirements, notes?

Would you like to put on a Tech Clinic or slide show?

NOTE: We may not read these comments until shortly before the meeting!
If we should see your comments sooner please use the Feedback form.


Greyed out? Click YES to the Terms and conditions - yes, again!


Membership - Show you're proud to be a Horizons Unlimited Traveller!

Just to clarify the membership situation: Currently there is no requirement to be a member to access the website, the HUBB or to receive the monthly e-zine. For now, what you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive.

We will also upgrade your status in the HUBB to Contributing Member. In addition to recognising your contribution through your status, this will allow you to upload a custom profile picture and custom avatar, store more private messages, upload more pictures, add events to the calendar and create polls.

You can also get a t-shirt, mug, fleece jacket or other Horizons logo product from the Souk, and purchase Member logo products at the basic price. Just let us know and we can arrange access to the Members Private Store.

Note that new Memberships with your Meeting Registration are applied as of the Meeting date or shortly thereafter, not earlier, unless you make a special request in the Comments box when you register.

T-Shirt Deal

Cotton: Top quality heavy cotton t-shirts in black or grey.

Synthetic: (Dri-Fit) t-shirts are in a beautifully made wicking material, and make great travel / riding t-shirts as well as all-round wear t-shirts. Available in a variety of colours at most meetings, and always black or grey. The order section will list the colours available.

Note that we will have a very few t-shirts extra at each meeting, but very limited - we can't carry many! So please pre-order and pay in advance so you can be sure of getting what you want.

2012 Tshirt slogan "The open road is calling, and I have a world to ride!"

Back:

(large, full back)

The open road is calling, and I have a world to ride!

Front:

Front 'Pocket patch' logo on all tshirts

You can help!

If you have a few minutes, please download the poster (Adobe pdf format) and print off a few and hand them round your club or your local bike shop or anywhere seems like a good place.

(You may need to right click and choose "save target as...")

Poster in pdf format, English (300kb) full colour Event poster.

Poster in pdf format, Deutsche (300kb) full colour Event poster.

Thanks for the help!

The Meeting Location

Gasthaus „Zur Schneeburg“
69509 Ober-Liebersbach
(30 min. north of Heidelberg)

Getting There - GPS, Maps

GPS-Koordinaten „Zur Schneeburg“
N49 36.422
E8 42.421

Restaurant/Farm website, with details on getting there: www.zur-schneeburg.de

Map to the Meeting, click for more details.
Map to the Meeting - click for more details.

If you have any links or details for the area please let us know.

Other Accommodation Possibilities

If you have any information for the area please let us know.

Pretty nice hotel:

Der Watzenhof
69502 Hemsbach/
Balzenbach

Tel: 06201 70050
Fax: 06201 700520
Email Hotel:


Information about the area

The Odenwald Region, a little bit south of Frankfurt, east of the Rhine river is a very nice area for motorcyclists because of its pretty little hills, forests, romantic villages and perfect motorcycle roads! If you have never been here – you will love it! A ride in the morning – an afternoon coffee somewhere in an ancient castle and then back to our campground with all these beautiful people – what else do we need? We are only 15 min. away from the nice little towns of Heppenheim and Weinheim. Once you are here in the region – don't miss visiting the old town of Heidelberg.

If you have any links or details for the area please let us know.

Local Hosts

Jens Ruprecht is the lead organizer of this event. Thanks go to Jens for volunteering to bring Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meetings to Germany, and all his hard work!

Christina and Jens.

Christina and Jens

If you have any questions, contact with rideout registration, vendor, venue and speakers questions.

See you at a meeting this year!

Grant and Susan

Editors note:
We accept no responsibility for any of the above information in any way whatsoever. You are reminded to do your own research. Any commentary is strictly a personal opinion of the person supplying the information and is not to be construed as an endorsement of any kind.
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All text and photographs are copyright © Grant and Susan Johnson, 1987-2011, or their respective authors. All Rights Reserved.