HU Travellers Meeting Canwest 2026

LOTS of presentations to come! As people register to present we'll list them here.

How about you? We're all here to learn, and there's LOTS to learn! We want to do more presentations and seminars - 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. Please contact us here to volunteer.

Sam Manicom What About the Laughter? / A Mystery Country Full of Travel Magic? / Asia? Is it really a phenomenal land?

SAM MANICOM has travelled for much of his life. After many extended backpacking, cycling, hitch-hiking journeys, he looked for something different. He passed his motorcycle test in six weeks and, three weeks later, he set off to travel the length of Africa. This planned one-year journey turned into an eight-year RTW.

1. What About the Laughter?
Why travel? It's all about action and discovery, isn't it? What about the laughter?

Why travel? To learn about the world, and about ourselves. To face challenges, to ride the open road, to be surprised, to meet people, and so the list of travel magic goes on... I often think that our bikes are the oil in the engine of the moving parts of our travels, and as we roll, the landscapes, cultures, and the histories of each country bring the world into multicolour 3D life. Fantastic. For me, in addition to all those fantastic aspects and opportunities, it's the people we meet along the way that are key. This presentation is filled with tales of drama, but mostly those full of laughter. I hope you can join us.

2. A Mystery Country Full of Travel Magic?
What if I said there's a country in Europe that you simply shouldn't miss? It has some of the best scenery and the best riding in the world.

What if I said to you that this European country has some of the best scenery and the best riding in the world. Would your ears perk up? What if I then said that this country has had the same Influence on the world, historically, as Spain, France, the UK, and USA. Would your fascination senses begin to tingle? If I then went on to say that there are way more miles of dirt roads than asphalt, and the rules say it's ok to ride most of them. Would your mind flick straight to the possibilities? And then if I slipped in that the asphalt roads are some of the best condition roads in Europe, and that there are ancient castles, vineyards, white sand beaches.... Join me to find out where this country of overlanding magic is.

3. Asia? Is it really a phenomenal land?
Amazing Asia? Is it really? I mean, South America is magnificently spectacular, and Africa? An overlanding phenomenon.

Africa continent is going to grab you and thrust you into adventures from the moment you start to roll your wheels there. South America will challenge you and delight you. As for Aisa, well that's just full of curry, weird religions and a few craggy, snowy topped bits isn't it. Oh, and Delhi Belly is called that for good reason! For me it's a favourite. To begin with at 44.58 million kilometres it's the largest continent on earth. That's 4.5 times bigger than even the vastness of Canada. I think there's no doubt that it's the world's most diverse continent. Join me to find out just some of the reasons riding there is a complete buzz.

Steve Shannon, Steve Shannon Photography Photography Tips from the Saddle A look at some of my favourite motorcycle photos from the past 15 years.

I love riding motorcycles, especially in remote, beautiful locations well off the beaten path. From the rugged alpine peaks of British Columbia to the desolate black sands of the Icelandic highlands, this is a look at some of my favourite photographs shot over the past 15 years, and how I shot them.

As a former enduro racer and full-time professional adventure photographer, I've honed my skills to be efficient so I can capture the action, landscapes, and lifestyle that happen on these adventures. This presentation will blend stunning photography with helpful tips and the odd story to help inspire people to get out on their bikes and capture some photos along the way.

STEVE SHANNON is a professional adventure photographer based in Nakusp. My love of motorcycles started 27 years ago with an old XR100. I was immediately hooked and ended up spending a decade racing enduros, including the ISDE twice. I've travelled to over 20 countries and love incorporating two wheels into my travels.

Carrie and Glen Cullen One Month in Portugal

GLEN and CARRIE CULLEN have been slowly making their way around Europe since 2018, taking trips each year and then storing the bike until they return. 2025 marks the fifth trip of the journey. They ride two-up on a Suzuki 650 VeeStrom.

In the spring of 2025, we traveled back to Europe, picked up Pepe, then spent a month traveling south-to-north up through Portugal. Of course, we hit all the main stops like Lisbon and Porto, but we also took time to check out the lesser traveled areas to see more of the culture and life that aren't always experienced in the city--from the Algarve region to the Duoro Valley, and many stops between.

Suzanne Jolly (Jolly Good Multimedia) and Cathy Watson From Patagonia to Polar Bears [It's a book!] Self-discovery in foreign lands, delivered by a Yamaha T7 and an open mind.

Come meet Suzanne Jolly and Cathy Watson to learn about boat and bike travel, the behind-the-scenes story, and enjoy a unique opportunity to see the documentary A Wilder Way.

Watch the trailer here.

A Wilder Way: Synopsis - Experienced adventure rider, Suzanne Jolly relearned to ride after a head injury and finally feels capable to take her dream trip - an adventure in a remote boat-access only area on British Columbia's west coast. She invites three other women with their Yamaha Teneres to join her, even though they've never ridden together. The crew loads their bikes and gear on a small boat, as they explore what it means to truly love adventures in the wilderness. They work together to deal with a number of surprises in a story likely never to be forgotten.

SUZANNE JOLLY, a Campbell River documentary filmmaker and adventure rider, has been off-road riding since 2013. She founded and ran the Squamish Motorcycle Festival from 2014 to 2018, which hosted the first regular group adventure and dual-sport rides in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor, as well as a festival for street, dirt, trials, and adventure riders. Her most recent film, A Wilder Way, premiered at Touratech West in June 2024 and has toured as part of the Toronto Motorcycle Festival. Woven into A Wilder Way's adventure story, Suzanne also shares insights on concussions and head injuries, drawing from her own experience of living with the impacts of a mild traumatic brain injury.

CATHY WATSON has been riding dirt for six years, but has packed a lot into those years, including some epic locations and injuries. She's ridden solo to Tuktoyaktuk on her T7, and rode in Guatemala, Peru, Alaska, and Nepal last year. She's known to many via Instagram to be hilarious and refreshingly honest. She currently lives in Calgary, rides a CRF300L, T7 and whatever rental bike is thrown at her. She even knows how to change a tire.

Nevil Stow, MotoExped Bikepacking the Carretera Austral / Bears and Moto-Camping!

1. Bikepacking the Carretera Austral
... Or the vast and not-so-vast differences between motorcycle and bicycle travel from the perspective of a rider familiar to both.

January 2025 saw Nevil leave the convenience of travelling by motorcycle and set out to cycle the southern part of the Carretera Austral road in Chile. Nevil learned a lot during his time without an engine and he'll be using this journey and slideshow to touch upon subjects such as packing/what to carry, camping differences, clothing choices, diet and much more. There will also be some gear items on display for comparison and discussion.

2. Bears and Moto-Camping!
Let's have some fun dealing with the myths and realities of what to expect when you're moto-camping in bear country.

We will explore the do's and don'ts of travelling and camping by motorcycle in bear country (basically, Canada and the USA). I'll give some advice on how to store food, where to camp, what deterrents to carry (and not to carry) and how to use your friends as bait... ok, I'm kidding. I'll also be sharing a few personal experiences from my previous days as a guide within the National Parks and inviting a few questions from you during our 10-minute discussion.

NEVIL STOW says: The last 40 years of motorcycle travel have been wonderful so far! I travelled extensively through Europe in my early days and the Americas in my later years. The highlight was riding Twiggy, my 2004 DR650 around the globe in 2013. In the last seven years, I have also found a passion for bikepacking.

Ekke Kok Round the World - One Year at a Time / The Two Sides of Everest / Riding Around New Zealand for Three Months

EKKE KOK is a retired civil servant who, along with his wife Audrey, has travelled the world on his motorcycle. All inspired by Grant and Susan Johnson in 1998.

1) Round the World - One Year at a Time
Audrey and Ekke took four year-long leaves of absence to travel the world

In 1998, Audrey and Ekke attended one of the very first Horizons Unlimited presentations by Grant and Susan Johnson. This inspired them to travel the world and share their experiences through Horizons Unlimited. This presentation describes the four year-long leaves of absence that they took, travelling through 83 countries.

2) The Two Sides of Everest
A trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal, followed by a ride to Everest Base Camp in Tibet.

I had signed up for a trek to Everest Base Camp through Spirit West in Calgary in October of 2023. Then, less than two months prior to departure, a post popped up on Facebook advertising a ride with Himalayan Motorbike Tours to Lhasa, Tibet, starting from Kathmandu the day after the trek to Everest Base Camp ended in Kathmandu. It didn't take long to change to return flight by a couple of weeks to accommodate the motorbike tour.

3) Riding Around New Zealand for Three Months
Exploring both the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

Shipping my own motorcycle from Canada to New Zealand was prohibitively expensive and so was renting a bike for three months. So, I bought a bike in Auckland and toured New Zealand for almost three months.

Holly Ralph Unplanned Touring How a political situation led to touring Europe

A political situation led to me to representing Canada at a rally in Georgia (U.S.). That led to an invitation to attend the FIM rally in Belgium the next year. What could possibly go wrong? Lots, of course. Having survived all the mistakes I made with that one, I continued to go to their annual rallies in Poland, Austria, France, Germany, Sweden, and Finland. Plus, I got hooked on their mototours in Italy, Slovenia, Austria, France, Monaco, and Greece.

Who knew travelling in Europe could be so cheap and so much fun? Instead of being in a bus with a bunch of North American tourists, I was riding with motorcyclists, many of whom are now life-long friends. Their rallies are weird, though. Let me tell you all about it. You won't learn anything about planning, but travel by-the-seat-of-your-pants is fun in its own way.

HOLLY RALPH is the secretary-general of the Canadian Motorcycle Association (CMA), having previously been President, CEO, and Director. She has been riding motorcycles for over 60 years, mostly in Canada and the U.S., but started riding in Europe a couple of decades ago. She is a long-time member and contributor to the Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group and was chief timekeeper at most of the road racing events in Canada in the 1970s.

Chris Bragg, Get Lost Find Yourself Get Lost... Find Yourself If you're struggling, know that you're not alone.

I will briefly touch on my own story and how I found HEADS UP GUYS, then continue to explain what I've done to support, not only myself, but Heads Up Guys through my efforts in creating my YouTube presence and social media community, and my non-profit the Get Lost...Find Yourself Foundation.

CHRIS BRAGG is known online as Critter Moto. He is riding and raising funds and awareness towards Men's Mental Health and mental well-being. All of his efforts go to support Heads Up Guys out of The University of British Columbia - the world's largest online resource for men's mental health. He holds annual adventure/dualsport moto-campouts on northern Vancouver Island.

Krista Harris See the World Without Shipping Your Bike Try renting when you're unsure whether your bike is the right one for your trip in another country

Krista and Dan have travelled extensively on their own 650 touring bikes in North and South America, but shipping their bikes to Vietnam did not make sense for a number of reasons. Find out what it was like to have very little gear and very little bikes in a little, but amazing, country. There will also be bonus stories about the wonderful country of Vietnam, how to stay alive there, and why it should be on your list of places to ride.

KRISTA HARRIS and DAN van DALFSEN are a couple of semi-retired folks who came to riding later in life, but have worked hard to catch up on what they missed. In the summer of 2015, they went to Inuvik, and by the end of that year, they were in Ushuaia... but that was only the beginning.

Paul Saunders Definitely South America Indefinitely You can peruse 1000s of Instagram photos, so I prefer to answer 100s of your questions

People can view thousands of photos on Instagram, etc., of many world moto travelers, yet these same travelers often will not or cannot answer all the questions they receive about their journey. So I want to answer any questions about my two South American journeys (with photos alternating in the background, maybe) from wild camping spots to best food to how the locals helped me after getting knocked off a bridge by a truck on my moto (and how the bike still worked!). You have heard it before, the hardest part is beginning the journey, but, once commenced, the rest is easy and incredible.

PAUL SAUNDERS "retired' in his late 30s to travel the world by moto and, so far, he has loved South America so much that he rode from Colombia to Argentina twice, in 2016 and 18-19. He just can't get enough...

Scott Collins and Stephanie Arias, The Adventure Coop Realities and Lessons Learned on the Road / Canada to Panama Roundtrip for Two

1. Realities and Lessons Learned on the Road
The emotional, physical, and adrenal stress that will leave you feeling like you've hit a wall

After embarking on our biggest trip yet, we realize that life on the road isn't as easy as we thought. Join us to discuss our realizations about travel stress, getting a good nights sleep, and team work.

2. Canada to Panama Roundtrip for Two
Our first long road trip - during a pandemic and broadcasted to the world... how will we do?

Chasing the life long dream, in a world gone pandemic crazy, because there is no time but the present. If riding to Panama and back isn't complicated enough, start a YouTube channel and document your travels while on the road. Come see how we manage to pull this off.

STEPHANIE ARIAS grew up in Canada and attended circus school in Europe for five years after high school. She loves to travel and discover new things and the beauty this world has to offer. Being on a motorcycle brings you closer to everything.

SCOTT COLLINS is a motorcycle mechanic, racer, and traveller who has travelled by motorcycle in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, North America, and Central America. He enjoys riding with groups and friends.

Denise and Normand Fortier Deep Dive in Central America If you had to leave on a bike trip in January, where would you go?

We opted to start in BC and go as far south as we could!

After our carefully planned trip from Kamloops to Ushuaia got squashed by COVID months ago, we decided one November morning, "That's it, we need to go. Any destination is a good one". In mid January 2022, we left BC two-up on our trusted Suzuki DR 650. Amongst lingering snow and residual Omicron fears, we rode south to see what we could make happen. This allowed us to travel slower without the drive to reach "Tierra del Fuego".

We took time to discover more, about Mexico for sure, but also about the Central American countries that are often neglected in our quest to reach Ushuaia. Colourful Guatemala, surprising Nicaragua, beautiful Costa Rica, and unassuming Panama were all a pleasure to discover. Border crossings were not nearly as bad as anticipated. Latest info for long-term bike storage in Panama will be discussed. In the end, the best trip is the one you can do now.

DENISE and NORMAND FORTIER have been travelling two-up for the past 10 years on a variety of motorcycles ranging from 125cc(!) to 1000cc in over 40 different countries in Europe, North America, Central America, and a small foray in Asia.

Angela and Michael Greer, Twonie Project Slow Rolling the Americas / The Underappreciated Element

1. Slow Rolling the Americas
Oh, the things we've learned taking two years to travel from Canada to Peru.

We hit the road with the philosophy that we never wanted to leave a country thinking we can always go back to do/see anything that we missed the first time around. So, we decided to roll slow and have been taking our time. As a result, we believe we've managed to get a good feel for each country. Our presentation will include country highlights and specific details on finance and all the other data we've collected, an assessment of the Honda CRF300L Rallys we're riding, and the value of the advice (good and bad) that we received prior to setting off on our trip.

2. The Underappreciated Element
Amateurs talk tactics; professionals talk logistics.

We thought we were well prepared for our grand voyage, and in many way we were. But my, oh my, the things we've learned! From border crossings to money management, obtaining food and doing laundry, avoiding bribes, sourcing parts and information, communication and navigation, we have learned so much in our first two years on the road. In our presentation, we will share the lessons we've learned and review the resources that have helped us along the way.

When ANGELA GREER (real estate developer) and MICHAEL GREER (naval officer) first met, their shared love of travel and passion for riding motorcycles made for a great match. Now retired, they departed Victoria, BC in March 2023 to ride around the world as the Twonie Project. Along the way. they visit orphanages and projects operated by the NGO ADRA to see how they can support these humanitarian projects through their fundraising efforts.

Olivier Preston How I Fell in Love with Riding Riding in Vietnam and the Himalayas

No one plans to fall in love. That's how it was for Olivier. At 23-years-old, with no plan, no prior experience, and even less money, he's just back from a solo motorbike trip in Vietnam and India. He learned to ride a bike in Vietnam... after he bought the bike... and travelled 4000 km from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi. He then rode along the border to China for 10 days, followed by a trip through the Spiti Valley in the Himalayas in India for 20 days, having rented a Royal Enfield Thunderbird in Manali and traded some items for a tent in India. He's big on inspiring people to ride and travel as they are "by far the coolest experiences of (his) life."

It doesn't have to be that complicated to make a trip like this happen. Olivier didn't plan his trip in India until he arrived there, and relied on meeting people and asking questions. He firmly believes riding a motorcycle is one of the best ways to visit a country now and is very excited to do some more travelling by bike. While he encourages people to ride in the Himalayas in India or Nepal, he's a huge fan of the Spiti Valley which is a hidden gem for motorcyclists - a popular recommendation based on conversations with many motorcyclists from India.

Olivier just graduated university and is totally smitten with riding. Now that he's back in Canada AFTER his travels, he'll be getting his motorcycle license soon!

Francis Walsh, VanIsle ADVenture Moto The Adventure Starts... When The Plan Falls Apart 5 friends + 5 KTMs + 5 months... London to Seoul. What could possibly go wrong??

With plenty of collective experience and loads of preparation of both ourselves and our bikes, a plan was carefully put together to travel in 2017 to Mongolia and beyond. Unplanned events (interestingly enough, all of them happened after participation in an exorcism) such as a head-on collision, denied border entry, expiring visas, and a lost passport resulted in formulating Plans B, C, D, and more. How did it turn out? How many letters are in the alphabet? It was quite the Adventure!

Like most first-generation Irish-Chinese Canadians, FRANCIS WALSH was bitten by the travel bug early. He's been fortunate to have visited 60+ countries on six continents in the past 30+ years, traveling by motorcycle or sailboat whenever he has the chance. His wife tells him his insatiable wanderlust is due to this being his first time on this planet (as far as he knows).

Bob Forster Fly Your Bike - Quick Trip to Europe 2-up on an R1200GS, Air Canada's 'Fly Your Bike' program, and the costs + experiences

In June 2017, Bob and Tracey flew their R1200GS bike from Calgary to Frankfurt to start a 26-day trip through Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and the Italian Dolomites before returning home. They'll share the pros and cons of shipping your own bike vs. renting, the costs involved, and the documents required. They'll talk about their planning, what went right, what went wrong, and what they'll do differently next time. And, of course, their experience of the places where they stayed, the people they met, and the roads they travelled.

Maria Schumacher and Aidan Walsh, Following Tarmac Kangaroos and Corrugations The length of India - Not on an Enfield

1. Kangaroos and Corrugations

You'd think riding around a first world country like Australia would be plain sailing. And in a way it is: spare parts are easily available and everyone speaks English. It's the rhythms of nature that will pull you this way and that, taking you on a wonderful rollercoaster ride of adventure, survival, and riding fun. The twisties in the snowy mountains will have you lose all track of time while lusciously green Tasmania seems like a world of its own, with wild Tasmanian devils and Pademelons wandering the mushroom carpeted fields. Australia's centre is so vast that a house number like 13501 is not unheard of and people have to drive for miles to mail boxes of any shape and size they fancy. You'll have to bring extra fuel, water and rations just to make it between neighbouring cattle stations, and Jackeroos heard cattle by horseback, motorcycle or helicopter. Bikers across the country will warn you that you shouldn't watch the helicopter in the sky, but flee the inevitable stampede it forebodes. We'll be telling tales of riding through Australia's eastern mountains, exploring Tasmania, traversing the dry and dusty centre, avoiding crocodiles in the north, enjoying encounters with the locals, and - if we have time for it - the wonderful west, too.

2. The length of India - Not on an Enfield

We'll tell you how to go about buying a bike in Delhi that isn't an expensive Enfield (it can be done even without the help of the famous Lali Singh). Then we'll share tales of our 6-month adventure riding around India. First, the freezing cold and stunningly beautiful Himalayas, through the recently flooded Srinagar, where we lived on a boat. The deserts of Rajasthan and the Pushkar camel fair. Bootlegging in Gujarat with its dried up salt planes that flood in the rainy season, almost cutting it off from the rest of India. Christmas amongst the ruins of Hampi and living with a tribe in the tea mountains, and the stunning hippie beaches of Goa and the waterways of Kerala. And, finally, we'll tell you how to sell the bike again.