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!
Porto, Portugal, September 22-25, 2005
The Portugese "Federação Nacional de Motociclismo" ran this article on the 2005 Meeting.
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!
There will be a rideout or two for Saturday. Mostly we just want to let people meet other travellers, share stories, and for those people actively planning a trip, get some practical how-to tips, so plan on attending workshops and seminars.
Saturday afternoon
Workshops/seminars, possible subjects:
Tire changing
Tools and spares discussion
Paperwork
Tips on packing your gear
How to cross a border discussion
Photography - composition - the one everyone should take and no one does...
Picking up your bike
and more! Volunteers to lead seminars would help!
Saturday night
7:30 pm
Speakers presentations
Miscellaneous notes:
Organisers will be there all of Friday September 22 , possibly Thursday, if anyone wishes to arrive early and just hang out.
You can help!
If you have a few minutes, please download one of these two posters - (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...")
António Caldeira is the organizer for this event. Thanks António! If you want to help make this an even better event, please contact António. He could use some assistance!
If you have any questions, he can be contacted here:
António Caldeira
Rua Marques de Oliveira, 22 - 1º
4250-280 PORTO
Short History of the Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meetings
Susan and I started the Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Meetings in May of 2001 while we were living in the UK, with an event held in our backyard in Slough. That first event had almost 40 people show up, and we were especially pleased that some came from as far away as Norway!
In 2002 we had moved back to Canada, so we organized a meeting in Nairn Falls, British Columbia, and also asked Chris Bright and Glynn Roberts if they would organize a second UK meeting since we couldn't be there. We had a small but enthusiastic turnout for the Canadian meeting, with folks coming from as far away as Missouri (almost 3,000 kilometers!), Alberta and California, as well as two round the world travellers, from Switzerland and the UK.
But the Brits really exceeded our wildest expectations. Almost 100 people came to the HU UK 2002 event, and had a great time. No rock bands or beer bashes, just motorcycle travellers and would-be travellers getting together to share experiences and tips - what a concept! For the HU UK 2003 event, just finished, almost 200 enthusiastic folks came together over several days and this is now well established as an annual event, with Glynn and Chris continuing to provide superb organizing, and a host of volunteers.
Ken and Carol Duval hosted Australia's first HU travellers event in 2003, and they had almost 60 people. The meetings in New Zealand, Argentina, Mexico and Portugal in 2003 were also big successes, and we look forward to many more in the years to come. It's wonderful for us to come to the meetings and visit with the many friends we've only met over the internet, and of course for everyone meeting up and sharing stories - and planning to meet in Ushuaia next year!
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Thanks!
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.
