|
Horizons Unlimited Ireland July 12-14, 2013
12-14 July, 3 great days of adventure travel!
As always, we're back in Enniskillen, where you never know what will be the surprise of the event :) A few comments from 2012: "...one of the best meetings I have ever been to!" "...sincere thanks for a truly fantastic weekend at HU. Norman and Maggie" "...I learnt so much, met some truly inspirational people and enjoyed an insight into the world of biking" More comments on last years thread at: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...d-2012-a-61824 So what are you waiting for? Sign up and be sure to get in! :clap: Pre-Register now at Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers' Meeting, Ireland 2013 |
I wish this was a month earlier as I will be in Ireland in June for a family gathering. I won't be on the bike though.
|
We're not fussy what you're on, we've had people walk, bus, 4x4, whatever to get to a meeting. As long as you have the thirst for travel, it's ok! Maybe you need to change your dates? :innocent:
|
I can't change my dates as they run in line with the family gathering which is the reason I am going to Ireland. I will be at one of the Australian gatherings in 2013 though. I will have to wait till 2017 to attend the Irish one as that is when I am planning to ship my bike over there.
|
This is always a great meeting, Though the inspiration is addictive!
Said he from Argentina... :-) Hoping I'm not home in Ireland by then, but if so, then I'll see you there. Merv and Sarah. |
will you and susan be there grant? i need yous to sign my dvds so i can sell them on ebay... or i mean cherish them cough cough
|
Quote:
|
Horizons Unlimited Ireland Gathering 2013
G8 summiteers eat your heart out. The only place to be in Fermanagh, Ireland this summer is Cavanacarragh Hall on 12/14 July!
The end of February and we have had a week of reasonable weather (well in Norn Iron anyway!) Thoughts are turning to summer, motorbikes and travelling. And that means the 4th Annual Horizons Unlimited Ireland gathering taking place on the weekend of 12/14 July 2013 just outside Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh. Same location as in previous years….how could we move away from that fantastically friendly welcome at Cavanacarragh Hall, the great food and the craic. A weekend with like-minded people is guaranteed …and did I mention the Guinness? Early days as yet here is a selection of the presentation panel to whet your appetite. Sam Manicom A traveller, writer and, though he won’t admit it himself, an all-round nice guy. If you have read any of his travel books you will want to meet him. If you haven’t, you certainly will after being enthralled by his presentation. Liam McCabe As with Sam, if you have experienced Liam’s presentations in previous years, you will be beating the door down to get in. If you haven’t, you are in for a treat. Paddy Tyson Born in Fermanagh, Paddy currently works for Motorcycle Action Group as the national campaigns co-ordinator, is an adviser to the Ted Simon Foundation and is the editor of OVERLAND magazine. He also drinks a lot of tea! Geoff Hill and/or Gary Walker Geoff and Gary will continue the Carl Stearns Clancy Centenary Run which started in Dublin on 23 October 2013. They hope to complete their RTW in New York in June 2013 and should be back on these shores by July to relate their adventures to us in Enniskillen. Brian Foster An Aussie who rode his yellow R100GS PD from Kathmandu through China, the ‘Stans” and Iran to finally reach his gaol, St. James’ Gate in Dublin (see, I told you there would be Guinness!) During his journey he rode the Karakoram, Pamir and Wakhan highways. Have a look at his blog to read more about his 15000km journey – The rider | briansworldtour Brian flew himself and his bike home from Dublin but we have persuaded him to come back and regale us with his stories and photos of his travels. Paul Burns Paul will be telling us about his recent trip around South West America and has titled his presentation “USA and PSA—From Folsom Prison to the Cancer Ward” The clue is in the title. Do come along as Paul has some great travel stories and also has some very important information to share with us all. Roddy Warriner Roddy works for James Cargo Services, a freight forwarding company which has a department specialising in moving 2,3 and 4 wheeled vehicles all over the world. Roddy is the man to talk to if you want to discover how to get your precious bike to anywhere in the world. There will be many other presentations. The arm-twisting and requests are already in progress (are you listening Kev?) to assemble an eclectic (like that word!) mix of interesting, inspiring and informative people to give us the benefit of their experiences. Watch this space! Overland magazine (arguably the best UK magazine on the market for those who travel, or dream of travelling, by motorcycle) recently introduced a subscription scheme (£25 for three issues and a rather nice t-shirt!) As an incentive each subscriber will be entered into a draw to win a set of Stahlkoffer luggage to fit their bike. The draw for the winner of this fantastic prize, valued at over £600, will take place at the Horizons Unlimited Ireland gathering in Enniskillen on 13 July. Co-incidentally this will also be Overland’s 2nd birthday so you might be able to cadge a cup of tea from Paddy Tyson, the editor! As many of you may know, Grant Johnson, joint founder of Horizons Unlimited, was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in 2011. Thankfully, after many rounds of tough chemotherapy, followed by surgery, Grant is now continuing an optimistic recovery. Raising awareness of prostate cancer in our biking community is both important and timely and the Horizons Ireland team have therefore decided that our nominated charity for 2013 should be “Friends of the Cancer Centre” a local charity based at the heart of the Cancer centre at Belfast City Hospital. Friends of the Cancer Centre - Home This charity has one clear objective…to make a real and meaningful difference to the thousands of local cancer patients and their families. A charity raffle will be organised over the weekend of the event and you can make a donation on the day. In keeping with our anarchic spirit, this charity initiative will be known as “Help the FOCCers” Numbers we can cater for are, of necessity, limited so why not get the diary out, put the date in and register now. Registration form is here: Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers' Meeting, Ireland 2013 For those who would wish for a non-camping (or glamping ) weekend I have a list of all B&B accommodation within a 5/10 mile radius of the event. Contact me or check on the site if you need these details. Now that you have your diary out here are a few other UK dates for you. After many successful years in Ripley, the UK Horizons Unlimited gathering has been re-invented and is now known as HUBB UK. The gathering will take place near Donington Park from Thursday 30 May to Sunday 2 June 2013. The new format will encompass motorcyclists, cyclists and drivers of 4X4 and other expedition vehicles and is guaranteed to be a cracking and inspiring weekend. To register and for more information on this exciting event go to: HUBB UK 2013 Donington Park - 30th May to 2nd June The ABR magazine Ireland Rally will take place in the beautiful Mourne Mountains on 10-12 May 2013. Sure you know it makes sense. The registration thread is: ABR Ireland Rally 10 to 12th May 2013 - Official Sign up Thread |
Update
You may be interested in a wee bit more information on several of our intrepid Irish presenter's plans in the next few months!
Geoff Hill and Gary Walker will be continuing the Carl Stearns Clancy Centenary Run on 24 March by heading off from Belfast to Cairnryan on the 11.30 boat. Their journey of three months, which will retrace much of Clancy's original route, will culminate in New York in June when they will present the pendant and other memorabilia to a museum. En route they will meet up with many USA and other bikers who will join them on the road. A formal sendoff has been organised at Adelaide Insurance offices at 10.30 am on Friday 22 March and all are welcome to this. An informal "happening" will "happen" at 10.15ish on Sunday 24 March on the Fortwilliam roundabout over the Belfast M2. Those who can make it along will meet up with Geoff and Gary and "escort" them down to the boat and send them off with our best wishes. Why not take some time out and come along to either or both these events. Frank McNelis will also be off in the next few weeks on a two month adventure down to Zambia in Africa. Frank's focus will be bring the good wishes and donations raised by both himself and pupils in St Ciaran's School in Ballygaley Co. Tyrone to a similarly named school in Mulenga Zambia. All funds raised will be used to help fund a much needed school building project and, as would be expected from an altuistic individual like Frank, he is funding all his own costs thus ensuring that ALL funds raised go to the project. Frank will be back in time for the Enniskillen gathering in July and is a "must see" presentation. For any who are so minded, why not go to Franks Just Giving page and add a few shekels to the donations. The Just Giving page is Pascal Canavan is fundraising for DAFA, Direct Aid For Africa Now there are two great reasons to get yourself registered for the event of the summer in Enniskillen ( G8 summitters....who are they) Registration page is http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/mee...p#registration |
I have just received Issue 5 "subscriber" copy of Overland Magazine Without doubt one of the best magazines on the UK market if you are in any way interested in travelling on two wheels. The photographs alone make the cost of the magazine worth it! The articles are also inspiring. Am I biased? Probably not least because the editor is our very own Paddy Tyson but I still stand by my view bier Have a wee look at the Overland website
OVERLAND magazine : Adventure Motorcycle Travel and don't forget that anyone who takes out a subscription will be entered in a draw for Stahlkoffer luggage to the value of £600 at the Enniskillen gathering. Good luck! Are you keeping an eye on the intrepid duo of Geoff Hill and Gary Walker as they retrace the C S Clancy route? You can get regular updates direct to your email by going to Adelaide Adventures and entering your email address on the "Receive Updates" box. Geoff and/or Gary are hoping to be back in time for 12/14 July to give us the inside track on their adventures. Is it not time that you registered http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/events/ireland-2013 |
Many of you will have met Grant and Susan (founders of Horizons Unlimited) at previous Horizons Unlimited Ireland meetings and have been asking for an update on Grant's condition.This is the most recent information I have received.
Grant continues his recovery from prostate surgery, with some setbacks. He woke up in early February thinking he was having a heart attack! After a full day in the ER getting various tests, it turned out that the unbelievable pain (he was on a morphine drip for much of the day!) was pericarditis - an inflammation of the muscle surrounding the heart! This condition, which we can't determine a cause for, seems to take a long time to completely resolve. He's still on prescription anti-inflammatory medications, and unfortunately the doctor has said he needs to avoid any exertion that causes his heart rate to get too high, as the inflammation could damage the heart. We were starting to get into serious walking but have eased back on that now. On the bright side, his PSA continues to be undetectable, and his testosterone levels are back to normal.' Fantastic news!!! And for those who haven't linked up with Susan and Grant Johnson yet, Grant was hit badly by Prostate Cancer. He is in part the reason that the charity of the Ireland event this year is "Friends of Cancer Centre" in Belfast. |
May 1 and 72 days to go.
We have a few more confirmed presenters on the running list for the weekend. Claire Elsdon is currently on a wee jaunt down through Africa. She is in Malawi at the moment and will be returning to UK for a few weeks in June/July. Then back to Malawi to continue her travels (as you do!!) Have a wee look at her blog Claire Goes Bikeabout This is what Claire wrote on her presentation summary ! "A tale of rejecting all that is normal, convenientional and socially acceptable and choosing life instead! Quitting my dreaded job, moving house, rehoming the cat and generally breaking loose all just to feel the wind in my hair, experience real life and remember what really is important. Choosing hardships over an "easy life" and reacquainting myself with the joys of deprivation - like not having Marmite! Meeting incredible people who blow me away with their even more incredible generosity, kindness and hospitality...mixed with a few deviants here and there of course too! Learning to trust my instincts (even if I can't always explain them) as well as the Universe." Interesting eh? Bernard Smith is equally interesting. He and his blind partner Cathy (you did read that correctly!) rode round the world on "Bertha" an 18 year old BMW R100RT. The story of this inspirational trip is now in print and is an absolute "must read" . The book title is "Touching The World" and, for me the unique aspect is the insight given by Cathy into how she experienced and "seen" the world on the journey. Cathy sadly died in January and Bernard thought long and hard before agreeing to come over to Enniskillen to tell us about the trip. I am hoping that he will bring along copies of the book and, if so, I definitely recommend you buy a copy! Lets all give him a really warm Irish welcome. Have a wee look at Bernard's blog http://worldtour.org.uk/ Not registered yet? It's about time you did bier Register here http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/eve...gistration.php |
is there a ride out after if so where to?
|
You picked a heck of a weekend!
|
UPDATE !!!
Even more exciting presenters signed up There's no expense spared getting the best bier Kevin Emans and Mark Kemp The highs and highers of an 8 week ride from Magadan to Dublin via the Road of Bones (including the old summer road), the western BAM road then down into Mongolia before turning west towards home, both of us on KTM 690 Enduro's Here's the RR : http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthr...hlight=siberia Neil Laughlin Belfast to Kathmandu on a Diesel Bike. A software engineer by trade, Neil has an interest in electronics, travel, alternative fuels and motorcycling. Hence the project of a diesel motorcycle was born. Taking the machine on a long journey seemed the next illogical thing to do. But what would possess someone to build a diesel motorbike in their garage and ride it to Kathmandu? Come along and see… The blog is here : SuckinDiesel.com | A state of wellbeing or good progression. Only 6 weeks to go. Time to register here : http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/eve...gistration.php |
Quote:
|
Quote:
|
22 days to go :scooter:
Have you ever wondered how you would react if you were confronted with someone injured or needing first aid? Would those half remembered instructions from the First Aid course you were on years ago help? For me the answer is a resounding "no" Recognizing that we all would benefit from a wee refresher Brian Byrne has agreed to do a presentation at Enniskillen which will cover the basics of First Aid. It will be hands-on, practical session which is highly recommended and may just help you to make a real difference in such situations. It might even save someone's life. Have you registered yet? http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/eve...gistration.php |
Tried registering but the linky is buggeredy
Will be home, so may just turn up,, is this allowed ? possible ? |
Quote:
If you went from Liams link on the previous page, yes, he copied it wrong. (I have now fixed it) If you went to the event page, and then registration link from there you'd get this, which works fine. Is this what you tried? http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/eve...gistration.php If you couldn't get to the above page, try again and you'll be good to go! You CAN just show up on the day, but it costs more! And it helps us to plan and organise better if you register online. have fun! |
Cheers Grant, thanks or that bud
|
Not long to go and we are still adding to the list of presenters
Sean Dillon If you haven't been following Sean's blog of his trip through the Americas on a Honda Cub then where have you been this last year. Sean is between adventures (next stop Africa) and will be along to spill the beans of the Americas leg. I cannot better his own description of his presentation. "Sean Dillon set out from Ireland in August 2011 to ride from the Arctic Circle in Alaska to the Southern most tip of Argentina, his mission to prove the humble Honda Cub is the king of motorcycles. After thoroughly thrashing the bike through 46,000 km avoiding the Pan America highway like the plaque, riding through asphalt,dirt,mud, salt, sand, snow and ice the little Honda heroically finished the trip and even added a world record to its accolades for the highest altitude achieved on a Honda Cub at 5706m above sea level on a volcano in Chile. Along the way Sean had encounters with rebel groups in Mexico, slept with homeless in the united states, slept under bridges, in tree houses,abandoned sheds, boat and houses. The presentation covers the deranged thoughts of a frustrated Irish man that drove him to pack in his job and go in the search of adventure. It also includes some funny stories, videos, photos and a few road poems to boot." Peter Francon Peter will be accompanying Paddy Tyson and has offered to give a "speed talk" on a four week unsupported solo ride into the tribal regions of North East India on a Royal Enfield (as you do!!!) Should be entertaining Check out Peters webpage www.freespiritadventure.com - FreeSpirit Adventure Tours - Motorcycle Adventure Across India Nepal Tibet Bhutan There are still places left on the weekend. If you want to come along you can find more information on some of the presenters here http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/events/ireland-2013 then register as soon as possible http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/eve...gistration.php |
Really looking forward to this - my first HU Ireland!!! 2 nights to go and I'm heading out!!! And just look at the weather forecast!!! That'll do very nicely thanks :thumbup1:
|
Yes the weather is unbelievably good at the minute, great stuff!
We're planning to arrive on Saturday morning and hopefully camp at the event for the night - is camping included in the £35 day fee does anyone know? |
Guys I live 5 miles away and can only attend for a few hours on Friday afternoon, will full price apply? I have a wedding on Saturday so cant stay unfortunately.
Happy to come down early and help out in some way if I can though!! |
What a fabulous weekend!!!
I had a ball at this meeting and am already looking forward to the one next year.
It was the third time I attended the Ireland meeting and every time the organisers out-do themselves. Big Thanks Liam, Naomi, Jochen, Brian, Geraldine and everybody else, who put so much effort and detail into this event. The food was delicious (without a doubt the best I ever had at a rally or meet up), the entertainment fabulous and the presentations mind-blowing. I'm gutted that I can't just drop everything and head off again myself. My own little adventure is becoming a distant memory. For once the weather was good all weekend ... :Beach: leaving many people wondering what country they were in :confused1: It was great to meet all the regulars again and also to meet all the new people, who I'm sure will be returning next year ... Liam and Naomi I hope you'll have a wonderful trip and I'm looking forward to your presentation in 2015! I'm sure somebody will be along shortly to make with the pics ... Claudia |
Claudia, great to hear you enjoyed the event and it went well!
When we can't be at a meeting ourselves we always sit at home and worry err.. wonder how it went! We're looking forward to the photos too! :) A HUGE thanks to all the organisers and volunteers and presenters from Susan and I too, we know it's a lot of work, and you guys always excel and make it a very special event! :) |
1 Attachment(s)
Liam's suggestion about arriving a tad early and leaving a bit late? Took him up on that. Amazing area! I was blessed to have the chance to ride with Paddy Tyson and Nich Brown from Overland Magazine and with Peter Francon. Paddy knows the area like the back of his hand and took us to some cracking spots along some brilliant roads. And the bike he was on? Watch that space! :innocent:
The sun? So glad I'm an optimist and took hot weather gear as well as wet. Guess what I wore all the time. What did I think about the event itself? Wonderfully organised, terrific presentations, the venue is simply perfect, the camping and showers spot on and even the council get involved in a very positive way! A special mention is needed about the food! I wanted to take cookie home with me! But the thing that topped my first visit to Ireland off wasn't any of the above or the fact that Guinness doesn't travel but is sublime on home shores. It's the atmosphere at the Meet - fantastic! Great bunch of people. Nice one everyone!!! Thanks to all the organisers and volunteers, and all the very best to Liam and Naomi as they hit the road. |
Had a great & varied weekend in Enniskillen - again.
Went to the LOL (Loyal Orange Lodge - not the other LOL) parade in Ballinamallard. One tribe celebrating its heritage with panache. The HU event edged it out in that cultural diversity was more evident & as ever the hard working core crew made it look like something that just happens organically. The weather was unbelievable - good that is; global warming comes to Ireland. The presentations were good but the bits between the presentations were equally good - mixing with great folk in a brilliant setting or is that brilliant folk in a ...............whatever. Wishing Liam & Naomi a great trip in S America - :alucard: A few H U photos http://s248.photobucket.com/user/ger...%202013?sort=2 |
Just a quick note to say thank you to all that attended the 4th HU weekend in Enniskillen. We were blessed with fantastic weather, excellent food and local entertainment. It was great to finally meet Sam Manicom and listen to his presentation's. Kev and Marc were great and already looking forward to part-two next year.
Wish I could have been able to go to all the presentations, but hey, I was a busy helper. Fair play to young Darragh Riehn for given us all a well presented pillion ride report of his recent European trip. Looking forward to next years event. Best wishes to Liam and Naomi embarking on a new adventure (stay safe and enjoy) Regards to Grant and Sue Hope to see you all next year Brian and Geraldine http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...psbd1541c7.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps100de5dd.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps9216bfcc.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps90913e01.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps936f57aa.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps731f9521.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps15c8cc02.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...psb977386b.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...pscebb6eb9.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps5dcd78b8.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps4808ff3e.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps4210d751.jpg http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps3edd59c6.jpg |
Looking back...
Hi everyone!
Just wanted to say I enjoyed my first HU meeting a lot! I am so glad I decided to come to Ireland, it is absolutely beautifull and I felt very welcomed everywhere I went! The :Beach: weather was a nice extra. Definitely visit Ireland again in the future! The meeting was very nice, interesting presentations, good laughs, lovely people and even some nice dancing... Looking forward to and happily planning my first big trip, I have a lot of insecurity and questions as well, but the presentations and talking to everyone has given me more confidence... Good to talk to people with the same interests and ideas on (the definition of) adventure and travelling. Very encouraging... Go girl go! :) Big thanks to everyone! Greetings from Belgium! Heidi |
Having reached home after almost 11 000 kilometers, and taken a little breather to clean up some work and service the bike, a belated big thank you to the organizers, presenters, cooks and attendees for the wonderful everything!
Not insignificantly, big thanks to aos sí, or whoever it was responsible for the fantastic weather during my stay in Ireland. Looking forward to meeting all of you on the road someday somewhere! |
Any dates for next year yet? I was gutted this year when it clashed with the Stella Alpina rally, had great time in 2012 :thumbup1:
|
Quote:
Registration will open by end November, after we get home from over two months on the road to events and get a little caught up. |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:44. |