HU Travellers Meeting Snowy Mountains 2017

Sarah Taylor Facing Fears Alone in the Simpson Desert Preparation & execution of a solo crossing

Have you ever felt like there was a destination, a route, a challenge that was beyond you and your abilities? For Sarah, that was a crossing of the Simpson Desert. Inspired by explorers in history, and the challenge and danger of an isolated, unforgiving desert, Sarah set about preparing for a solo crossing - from getting a bike set up for the ride, selecting the right gear, and preparing physically and mentally for the challenge that most people thought she would fail at. Sarah will discuss this preparation, and the highs and lows of crossing the Simpson Desert.

Sarah is an adventure motorcyclist, paramedic and part-time medic for The Great Australian Ride and Compass Expeditions. She has travelled by motorbike through Australia and parts of Asia, and has worked as a medic in remote Australia and Africa.

Stuart Ball, The Great Australian Ride The Great Australian Ride Prepare for a 21-day, 7500 km transcontinental off-road motorcycle adventure, Byron Bay - Steep Point.

Welcome to GAR - The Great Australian Ride. Are you ready for a true Australian Adventure? It's one hell of an exciting adventure that pushes the boundaries mentally and physically. Join a fantastic crew and ride from east to west, crossing the vast red centre while helping a great cause, Red Nose Charity. Stuart gives an in-depth view of the ride, how to prepare, how to fundraise to activate your adventure ticket, how to train for sand riding, and a discussion on bike setup.

"For some of us, when a huge reality gap opens, it actually helps us to clarify our purpose in life: we get in touch with 'the big picture', we reflect on what life is all about, we connect with our true core values, and we grow and develop. We may even discover a greater cause or create a mission, which ignites our passion and gives us a sense of vitality."

Stuart has completed eight crossings of Australia (Byron Bay - Steep Point), raising funds and awareness for Red Nose charity and other Australian charities. Founder of The Great Australian Ride, he organises a team of 16 who leave Byron Bay each year to ride 7500 km via four deserts, including the Simpson Desert, to reach Steep Point. These rides have raised over $350,000 since 2011.

Mal Cremer Building Confidence For Solo Travel Use short adventure rides to build confidence for solo travel overseas

Build your confidence for your overseas solo ride. Work and family issues can cause postponement of the overseas solo riding adventure that many attendees at HU events are keen to experience. You should not put off the important and necessary learning for such a ride. Planned time away from your business or negotiated time off from your employer for shorter adventure rides will help build the confidence and skills that will benefit your ventures overseas. Mal talks from personal experience in taking time off from his commitments during the last ten years to undertake adventure riding. He has covered over 200,000 km on his bikes (BMW R1150R, Suzuki DR650 and BMW R1200GS) in Australia and New Zealand, both on and off road. He'll cover: preliminary planning; time constraints – real or perceived; negotiations with your employer for time off; running your business remotely; necessary communications with employer/business/family; examples of useful communication devices; solo or group riding - advantages and disadvantages; and safety precautions for you and your equipment.

Mal's work and commitments have constrained long-term overseas riding, and yet, in the last ten years, he has covered over 200,000 km (road/off-road ) on his own bikes in Australia and New Zealand.

Jeff Luttmer, Someday May Never Be Inuvik to Ushuaia From the top to the end of the world

A devout traveller, explorer, and all-out adventurer, Jeff made his way from Inuvik to Ushuaia. The experiences in-between are revealed! With this adventure, plus others through Europe, Australia, and the Americas, Jeff still feels like he's "just starting"... and now he's got his sights on New Zealand.

Anne & Anthony Speed, 2slowspeeds U.K. to Oz and Back Iran & the 'Stans'

1. U.K. to Oz and Back
Buying motorcycles outside your home country & planning a RTW trip, from buying bikes to departure in six months

Anne and Anthony took early retirement to spend time with ageing parents and family in Europe and somehow decided to ride back on motorcycles. They bought two dealer demo F700GS motorbikes in the UK). UK-to-Oz ended up being a full round-the-world trip as the bikes could not be imported into Australia due to Australian Design rules. They travelled through Europe, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, the 'Stans', India, Myanmar, South East Asia, and then South, Central and North America. So 15 months, 34 countries and 52,000 km later, they were back in the UK, still needing to get home in Brisbane!

They will go through their six-month planning process (how much or how little did they plan) and the pitfalls of starting a long trip outside your home country: motorcycle equipment and riding gear, travel and motorcycle insurance, carnet, Oz design rules, and visa application variations from country to country. Being relatively novice riders, they asked the bike dealership service manager if they could shadow their mechanic when they did the pre-trip service. The relationship with the service manager proved invaluable later in the trip. They will also go through the gear they found useful along the way in terms of bike equipment, clothing, maps and electronic gear, and what didn't make their 2nd RTW. Anne and Anthony hope they can inspire others to "just do it", whatever their dream.

2. Iran & the 'Stans'
The highlight of our first six months on the road: Iran, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

When Anne and Anthony were asked what their favourite country was on their 15-month round-the-world trip, they answered: Iran. They spent one month in Iran, the maximum time allowable on their visas, with zero time to visit the most important tourist site, Persepolis. Why not? Because people kept inviting them into their homes and asking thaty they stay for a few days. Friends of friends of friends were lined up to greet them at the next town and the same hospitality was shown. They will share the fun and amazing experiences with people, driving, social requirements, dress requirements, and hospitality. They decided embracing those experiences was more important than visiting tourist sites. Iran remains one of their favourite countries.

There are two of us. We're slow and our name is Speed - we are the 2slowspeeds! After riding small bikes in the early 1980s for two years in South Africa, we didn't get back into biking until 2009. Since then, we've done two round-the-world trips in the past three years on our two F700GSs. In our blog, in addition to sharing our personnal experiences along the way, we have documented every border crossing and visa application, plus product reviews. We are happy to answer any questions!

Lyn Williams and Alan (Curt) Curtis, Twoxtw Mesmerising Mexico Not what we expected

If we had to leave Australia permanently, this is our first choice after 65 countries. Mexico - what a pleasant surprise. The amazing scenery, "wow" factors on every bend, the mountain ranges (many at 3200 meters), the Topes. Mexicans are such warm and friendly people, not like the media portray them. Build the wall or don't build the wall, come and listen to our stories and decide for yourselves.

It started with "I have a plan...." Almost four years ago, we left Queensland Australia to travel the world on our Yamaha XT 660s. Since then, we have taken in many sights and over 65 countries. From Asia to Europe, British Isles to Scandinavia, Russia, The "Stans", and Mongolia to the USA. Contintuing from there through Central America to Alaska....Over 110,000 km and not an end in sight!

Tex O'Grady & Bundy The Adventures of Tex & Bundy We touch on our adventures, our charity work, a little about my 'Round Oz record and my endurance riding, AND our jet ski adventures

Come and hear the Adventures of Tex & Bundy (an Aussie bloke and submarine veteran and his Aussie stumpy-tailed cattle dog). The world's fastest and most-travelled motorcycling dog, just shy of one million km! Raising funds for much-needed local charities, Official Champions of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Ambassadors to Red Nose, Welfare Officer for Coffs Harbour Veterans Centre, and more. Hear about my successful attempt at riding 15,500 km in just under nine days for an Around Oz Record (1978). If we have time, you will hear about "Tex Does Europe!" (2017) - a 8,000 km quick squirt over a few weeks. Informative, sometimes serious, sometimes hilarious!

Each year, Tex and Bundy travel around 80,000 km for charity fundraising efforts all over Australia. Bundy is an Australian stumpy-tailed cattle dog who is just shy of one million kilometres old travelling on motorcycles.

Mick McDonald, Compass Expeditions The Biggest Mistake Of Our Lives Co-founder, expedition leader, author and veteran of the travel industry.

Mick used to be a truck driver and tour leader for an overland adventure company in South America when a client on his tour made a special impression on him. She was Cathy McLean who had been diagnosed with Friedreich's Ataxia at the age of 27. This disease, which attacks the nervous system and often causes premature death, sparked Mick to organize a fundraising motorcycle adventure in support. This is the story of how Mick and his partners began adventure motorcycle tour company Compass Expeditions and the rocky road to success. Ten years on and Compass Expeditions is going from strength to strength, forever increasing the long list of destinations that Mick and his team take riders to around the world.

Xander Kabat, Overlander Adventure Equipment Two-Up on a Twin

Seventeen months, two-up around through Africa and Asia. Like so many, a long trip was the dream. After 10 years in the making, we did it. One weekend changed our lives. This is the story of Xander and Tam's 17-months-long, 26-country trip across Africa and Asia, two-up on a 2000 750cc Africa Twin. This will be a light-hearted talk about how we prepared, the decisions we made, what worked, what DIDN'T, and some fun stories from the road.

Xander has been riding since he was 5 yrs old and has never stopped for long. He started travelling on his bike as soon as he got his license at 16, travelling North America and Canada. He always travelled solo until he was 25 yrs old, when he met his wife Tam. For the last 15 years, they have been touring two-up, including in Australia, Europe, and a 17-month trip from the U.K. to Australia through Africa and SE Asia. Xander now ownes and runs Overlander Adventure Equipment in WA, a shop dedicated to overland two-wheel travel.

Sarah Goulopoulos and Tyson Clark The Ride of Our Life Walking a Mine Field with the Black Dog

1. The Ride of Our Life
Lessons learned, do's and don'ts, what's worked for us – what hasn't in our journey to get to the start line

New to adventure bike riding? Thinking of planning a trip around the world or even just an escape to the outback for the weekend? Then this is the talk for you! Ty and Sarah have started their RTW trip. First stop: HU Snowy. Sarah and Ty go through all the steps taken to organise this trip. They will cover what has worked and what hasn't, which companies and equipment they have used, and how they have gotten to the start line for their trip. Sarah will also be available to talk to any women interested in travelling and how she has gone about preparing for two years on the road. They'll return to HU Snowy in two years (2019!) to give a comparision talk, discussing further what did and didn't work whilst they travelled around the world. They will be honest and frank. They're always keen to discover new and better ways to do things, so feel free to say hi after the talk! Sarah and Ty will also touch on the charities that they are fundraising for whilst they travel.

2. Walking a Mine Field with the Black Dog
When a life-changing leg injury causes your whole life to stop and dealing with demons of the past.

Ty might be new to adventure riding, but that doesn't mean he hasn't had a few challenges in life. From riding his pushbike across the Simpson Desert as a 19-ear-old and fundraising for charity to the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, and to the jungles of Asia, Ty has always sought out adventure. However, just when Ty was getting ready to exit the army to ride around the world with Sarah, he accepted the offer to do one last deployment to Iraq. Whilst in Iraq, Ty was injured and returned home to Australia. With the prospect of having his leg amputated he spent nine weeks in hospital and then five months in rehab learning to walk again. It was at this point Ty met his greatest challenge. Ty "walks" you through a brutally honest and exposing story of how he has battled PTSD, major depressive disorder, severe anxiety, a life-changing leg injury, and how he walked out the other side. Listen first hand of the simple strategies Ty shares some of the simple strategies he used successfully in his battle against the "Black Dog" and how to cope when the going gets tough and, more importantly, how to keep the dream alive of achieving your goals.

*DISCLAIMER: Ty is not a qualified mental health practioner. He is one overlander talking to other overlanders - mates helping mates. Adult language may also be used.

Ty is new to adventure bike riding. He and Sarah are stepping off on a two-year RTW trip starting in November 2017. First stop being Snowys HU!! Sarah is a Level 1 yoga teacher who has been practicing yoga for five years.

Jo and Mike Hannan, Elephant Travel Travel Writing for Non-Writers Border Crossing: A Check List Gear Management

1. Travel Writing for Non-Writers

Most travelers hope to record their adventures in a travel blog or through travel stories. Unfortunately, many lack a clear narrative or get lost in personal detail and readers quickly lose interest. With a little forward planning and some practice anyone can write a travel story that captures the spirit of their journey and the hearts of the readers. The presentation includes just enough theory to provide context and focus attention on what makes a story work. Most of the presentation is given over to a simple "how to" guide aimed at those who are new to writing for a wide audience. Particular attention is given to avoiding common pitfalls such as over-committing and having your blog take over your journey. Attendees receive a handout with an outline of important points and a checklist to get started.

2. Border Crossing: A Check List

Jo and Mike provide a straightforward guide to assist in preparing for border crossings. It will help new riders approach their first international land border with confidence. A short formal presentation covering the listed points will be followed by a monitored discussion intended to draw on the wide experience of other travellers.

Topics include: doing the research; the paperwork; picking the border; deciding the time; fuel; gear security at the border; food and drink; the common process and the variations; currency exchange problems; finding your way around; how to use a helper; what to do about bribes; what to do when things go wrong; insurance; and getting out of the border town fast.

3. Gear Management

Getting the set up and packing of a motorcycle right is vital to safety and comfort on the road. There are plenty of options for bikes and luggage, but a little forethought will keep you bike properly balanced and your gear safe. Jo and Mike provide a check list to help clarify and simplify what they call Gear Management for both ON and OFF the bike, including: GVM and what it means for your chosen bike; managing weight distribution; practical steps to improve mass centralisation; equipment problem solving; practicality; and gear security; gear organisation off the bike; emergency planning; and decoys/back-ups. Several rally bikes are used to show examples and demonstrate various options to balance the conflicting needs of volume, mass and distribution. Jo and Mike don't attempt to offer a single solution to this compromise, but provide a check list to assist riders to manage their gear so that it remains safe and secure.

Team Elephant consists of Mike and Jo Hannan and their aging BMW R1150 GSA which has covered more than 200,000 km through 46 countries over the last 10 years. They have had more than a few "border experiences" including a four-hour interrogation by Russian officials when attempting to cross into Mongolia.

Claire Girard Best Places to Ride in Canada Riding Australia: a Canadian Perspective

1. Best Places to Ride in Canada

Claire gives an overview of the best roads and spectacular scenery found in National Parks in Canada. She and partner Richard Moore have been riding for the last ten years all over Canada, from the east coast to the west coast, as well as to Yukon and Alaska. They are particularly interested in visiting all national parks. Claire will speak about their experience, where are the best roads, what time of year you should visit and spectacular scenery you will find in national parks throughout Canada. They will also talk about camping and lodging facilities in Canada, comparing with the way of doing things in Australia.

2. Riding Australia: a Canadian Perspective

Claire and Richard had been riding in Australia for 3.5 months from April to mid-July 2017. They started in Melbourne (Victoria) and rode over 20,000 km visiting six states or territories, including the Northern Territory, crossing Australia from the Top End (Darwin) to the southern part and along the Great Ocean Road. They visited the major national parks and experienced the outback as well. From their Canadian perspective, Australia is very attractive, special and unique for motorcyclists. How does this compare with their previous experiences of riding, camping and visiting national parks throughout Canada and the U.S. during the previous ten years?

Claire and Richard have ridden all over Canada and the United States, from Newfoundland to Yukon, and from Alaska to California and to Louisiana. They started riding oversees in New Zealand as well as in Australia in 2017, now that they are both retired.

Axel Leonhardt, Curious Meandering Curious Meandering Impressions and experiences of 25,000 km and 7 months solo: Vladisvostok to Cape Finisterre

Axel shares his experiences of a life-time trip: 25 000 km, 22 countries, 7 months in the saddle... and a 600 km walk to top it all off! In 2016, he finally put into practice what he had gleaned from attending several HU meetings. Axel set off solo on his trusty BMW 1150GS to meander westwards. He experienced a lot, learned a lot, and had a lot of fun. He will tell you all about it, and perhaps even inspire you to do something similar. Bring all your questions.

After having attended HU events several times, Axel is a known (positive) heckler. ;-) He's been a motorcyclist for 40+ years in Oz and Europe. He can finally share his experiences with past and prospective RTW motorcycle travellers.

Maggie Wolfenden & Dave Milligan, Get Routed Motorcycle Shipping Dos and Don'ts

Dave and Maggie share their best dos and don'ts of shipping your bike overseas, specifically from Australia to and from the USA, the UK, Europe and New Zealand. Maggie also shares some stories about touring throughout Spain.

Maggie and Dave have been riding bikes for over 55 years - throughout Europe, UK, USA, Canada, and New Zealand. They have been shipping clients' bikes internationally for 20 years to USA, UK, Europe and NZ.

Rupert Shaw Filming Your Adventure Making a travel movie your friends won't have to pretend to like.

A succinct presentation with anecdotes covering the do's and don'ts of telling the story of your adventure. Rupert is the organiser of the Australian Adventure Travel Film Festival and has square eyes from watching too many films to prove it. Loves two wheels, Range Rovers, Unimogs and reading historical plaques. Seen a few things. Big proponent of shorter intense travel is better. Is here to share what makes a good film from a viewer's perspective.

Janine Nicholas, Rider Down FAST AID for Motorcyclists Motorcyclist lifesaving techniques not normally taught in other first aid courses

In mid-2015, Janine created the Rider Down® program which has a core focus of reducing fatalities through the international 'Stop the Bleed' program. Over the past decade pre-hospital care has undergone a transformation toward evidence-based medicine. Advances in research have changed the way we do things including how to control major bleeding in the event of an accident. A person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within 3-5 minutes. Therefore, it is important to quickly stop blood loss. Rider Down® Fast Aid for Motorcyclists includes steps to control major bleeding, including the use of haemostatic dressings and commercial tourniquet application. Other skills include emergency helmet removal (when to and how to) and practical first aid kits (when size matters). Rider Down® was a finalist in the 2017 Australian Road Safety Awards.

Janine has a background as a paramedic and is an internationally certified emergency medical service (EMS) provider and educator with experience in Australia, North America and the Middle East. With a career spanning well over 25+ years, she holds numerous instructor, instructor trainer, and program development and coordinator qualifications. Janine founded one of Australia's first companies to open up formal vocational paramedic education to all individuals. Her company went on to become one of the largest private paramedic education providers in the Australia and is Western Australia's second largest private emergency ambulance service.

Xander Kabat, Overlander Adventure Equipment Packing Smarter / Fix that Flat! Mechanical Maintenance Workshop

1. Packing Smarter

'Overweight is underprepared' has become an anthem for overlanders. However, the debate of what to bring, and how much to carry is as enduring as what is the best bike. It is agreed that the 'lighter the better', but what does that mean? What do you need to 'live on the road'? We will explore some of the advances in Camping and Motorcycle gear that is designed to be lighter and more comfortable than ever before. Be it a week end, a week or year the advances in gear may make your travels more enjoyable (or at least easier).

Xander Kabat packing workshop

2. Fix That Flat!

In the style of Grant's tyre changing seminar, Xander covers: 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 tyres; hands-on practical session for beginners to experts.

3. Mechanical Maintenance Workshop

So you think about travelling the wide open (unpopulated) spaces, but the travellers who have done it seem so blasé about the subject, which is ok if you can overhaul a motorbike in the middle of the Simpson Desert with an old boot, a Swiss army knife and a pair of pliers... but not everyone is a mechanic. This interactive workshop session will focus on the main mechanical aspects of motorcycle preventative maintenance and minor repairs. Although this is not a hands-on session, Xander will demonstrate some items on a bike. Topics include: oil change; air cleaner maintenance; daily and weekly checks; chain tension and adjustment; tyre pressures and wheel inspections; wheel bearings; chains and sprockets; clutch and brake adjustment; electrical fault finding; basic fault finding methodology (i.e., she's not going, and where do I start).

Xander has been riding since he was 5 yrs old and has never stopped for long. He started travelling on his bike as soon as he got his license at 16, travelling North America and Canada. He always travelled solo until he was 25 yrs old, when he met his wife Tam. Since then, they have been travelling two-up through Australia, Europe, Africa, and SE Asia.

Sarah Goulopoulos Yoga for Adventure Riders, with Sarah Learn some simple techniques on how to warm up/down for a day of riding

Sarah leads you through a sequence of stretches that will help you strengthen and stretch those muscles. The key to less pain is strengthening those core muscles and lengthening the rest. Reduce lower back pain and tight hamstrings. Learn how to stretch your wrists, shoulders, back and legs in a safe way so you don't wake up sore! All you need is a willing attitude, comfortable clothes and a towel/deflated air mat or a patch of grass to practice on. See you on the grass! NOTE: No previous experience in yoga required, just a positive attitude.

Sarah is a Level 1 yoga teacher who has been practicing yoga for five years. Sarah and partner Ty Clark ride BMW 650s and have found that after a day on the bike, their muscles can be tight and painful. She and Ty are embarking on a RTW trip in November 2017 for TWO YEARS, so yoga is definitely on the "gear list".