Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meetings

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!

The Plan
Reservations Required
Registration form
Rally Location - Where is it?
Camping
Other Accommodation
Information about the area
T-Shirt Deal
Membership
Local hosts, information
Meeting sponsors

Short History of HU Meetings

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

The Plan

The general plan is simple. Show up Thursday or Friday, have a drink, tell some lies, have another drink, eat at a reasonable hour, then slide shows are planned.

2006 speakers:

• Ramona and Uwe Krauss, Germany, 5 years on the road - so far; "Two years in South America - and what we learned about the best places to go"
• Lee Allison, NC, "Great rides in North Carolina"
• Lee Allison, NC, "Baja Asylum Ride 2006"
• John Therkelsen, "A first foray into adventure motorcycling, USA to Panama."
• Merrill Glos, "USA to Ushuaia and Back"
• Grant Johnson, "the basics - how to ride around the world - or just to the next country" 3 hour presentation. Yes I will be there! :)
• Gerardo Ibarra, Mexico/USA, the "Ruta de la Sierra Alta" the off road trail into Mexico he and several others rode last year, the Hachinera pre-event for the HU Creel Meeting, why go, and what you need to know to go and have a great time!
• Michael Jordan, USA, "Riding the Alps - what do you need, and why go?"
• Tom Presten, "Arctic Circle, Fulfilling a Dream" and "Atlanta to Cancun at 40, or How to Talk Spanglish"
• How about you? Let us know if you have something to show! Volunteers wanted! It's easy and fun, we'll even help you out.

Tech sessions, Saturday/Saturday night:

• Grant Johnson, Tire changing and flat prevention - we need a volunteer with wheel and tire! :)
• Ramona and Uwe Krauss, and/or Grant Johnson, "Photo Composition for Travellers - the one everyone SHOULD take, but no one does..."
• Merrill Glos, "heading south, border crossings and route tips"
• How about you? Let us know if you have something to show! Volunteers wanted! It's easy and fun, we'll even help you out.

• Volunteers for anything else? Some suggested subjects:
  • First Aid for travellers
  • Laptops, uploads, files, communications on the road...
  • GPS
  • If you have experience with any of the above, or any other subject of interest, and would like to talk about it informally, (no fancy presentation required) please let us know

There will be slide shows Friday and Saturday night, so come early and make it a great weekend! We will probably have a DVD or two for Thursday night as well.

Leaving on a big trip in 2006?

Plan on leaving from the Meeting! We'll make it a great send-off! Or coming home around the time of the Meeting? What a great place to arrive at!

Travel with others going to the Meeting

Don't forget to check out the HUBB to connect with other travellers en route to the Meeting

All times - and everything - approximate!

Thursday

CHECK-IN and sign up for Saturday and Sunday breakfast, Saturday dinner!

There will be at least a motorcycle travel video in the evening, and lots of opportunities to meet up with others and go for on and off-road rides.

Self-guided Ride details
Tail of the Dragon / Cherohala Skyway Loop ride

Friday afternoon/evening

CHECK-IN and sign up for Saturday and Sunday breakfast, Saturday dinner!

Self-guided Ride details
Tail of the Dragon / Cherohala Skyway Loop ride

A guided ride, led by Lee Allison:

"The ride I mapped out is 140+/- miles. It is very tight both gravel and paved roads for the most part except for a couple 6-8 miles sections. There will be a number of 'bail out' points to return to Ironhorse. Best suited for XR650, KLR, 640 Adventure, DR650, DRZ400. I have riden all these roads on 950 Adventure as well and the big Tigers, GS's etc should be fine for anyone but novice off-roaders. All on roads, no single track. Plan on min moving time of 4-5 hours. The roads are tight and mostly 2-3-4 gear stuff."

And there'll be more too! Book your place as soon as you get there, numbers will be limited.

Friday night

6:00PM
Dinner

7:00 pm
Speakers presentations

Saturday morning – late check in

8 – 10 am - Breakfast

10:00 – Self-guided Ride details (see sheets at check-in for times for guided rides) and tech sessions.

Local riders have put a lot of effort into planning some great rides, so get on the lists early!

We also hope to have a few travel oriented vendors there, so a great opportunity to have a good look at the latest goodies. Vendors please contact me for details.

Road Ride: "Tail of the Dragon / Cherohala Skyway Loop" - we did have a ride leader, unfortunately he's now going in for surgery the day before. If you want to ride it yourself or in a group the ride starts early Saturday morning, 9AM. Full Details on the Tail of the Dragon / Cherohala Skyway Loop ride, and route information.

Saturday afternoon,

Tech sessions:

• Photo Composition
• Tire repair
• ?? See the list at check-in!
• Volunteers wanted to conduct tech sessions - please contact me here

Saturday night,

6:00 pm Dinner (Buffet)

7:00 pm
Speakers presentations

Sunday,

Time to slowly ride off into the sunset, err, rise...

Miscellaneous notes:

Organisers will be there starting late Wednesday, if anyone wishes to arrive early and just hang out.

Accommodation and meals are NOT included.

Not everyone wants to camp, people have different budgets and comfort requirements. Also, some people showed up on Friday, some on Saturday. So this year, instead of us try to organize and require you to preregister for all these possibilities, we're making the pricing as simple as possible, and giving you the links to information about accommodation options, ranging from camping and hostels to hot springs resorts. We have negotiated special prices for the camping and hotel rooms for the weekend. For the most fun, you want to be at the "official HU Campground" - that's the IronHorse Lodge - so you don't have to go looking for people to talk to.

We learned last year that some people wanted meals organized, others preferred to make their own arrangements or bring their own food. So, there will be one main dinner on Friday and Saturday nights before the slide shows. The price is approximately $12-15. This meal is optional, if people prefer to make their own arrangements that's okay too. Be sure to sign up for meals on arrival.

Iron Horse will be serving for all meals, so no problem getting something to eat at the Meeting site.

Reservations and Registration

Entry fee is $25 per person PREBOOKED, $30 on the day. That includes ONLY admission to the slide shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, and other events during the day Friday and Saturday. Camping is NOT included with your admission to the meeting. Reservations for camping (not required, but requested) and cabins, bunkhouse, rent-a-tent, (REQUIRED) here.

Reservations SVP - THERE IS A LIMIT on the number of people - 300 is all the location can accommodate.

We have to let the facility know as soon as possible how many we're expecting so they can have enough staff on. If you haven't registered and you just arrive, you might not get fed! ;) NOTE: Food and drink is NOT included, but we're assuming you will want to eat and have a drink, or two.