HU Travellers Meeting Virginia - 2017

Kameran (Kam) Ahari Rockies Backcountry

While the dream of nomadic overlanding and globetrotting continents may be a bigger hurdle from the bondage of our daily lives and careers, a backcountry trip through the Rocky Mountains can be more within our reach. It was at the first Horizons Unlimited Virginia event that Kam heard about a couple of trails that criss-crossed the country through the backcountry. After doing some research, he was drawn like a magnet to explore the Rocky Mountains by following the Great Continental Divide Route (CDR). Join Kam in his journey through the backcountry of Colorado, Wyoming, and the Moab region of Utah. He shares some of the most beautiful and less-travelled places like the Great Divide Basin in Wyoming's Red Desert. Kam also shares his experience of outfitting a bike, discuss the pros and cons of a big adventure vs. dual-sport bikes, how to pack, some travel precautions, and available planning resources.

Kam considers himself one of the most recent Horizons Unlimited "graduates" who returned to riding only a few years ago. After attending his first HU Travellers Meeting in Stecoah, North Carolina, in 2013, overland motorcycling now courses through his veins. "Almost everything I've learned has been from attending HU events." (Aw, shucks, Kam!)

Beth Ann Hinnant & David Smith Touring the U.S., Canada & Europe by Bicycle

Beth Ann and David's 2016 epic bicycling tours included riding 4,000 miles across the U.S. for a second time, touring Quebec, and heading over to Europe for a cultural shock and the adventure of a lifetime. As Beth Ann says, "We get so much joy from seeing the world on the seat of a bicycle. Oh, the places we've been, the sights we've seen, and the people we've met on our self-propelled journeys!"

Jeff Davison Mechanical troubles cannot derail the exploration of Nine National Parks in the Southwest

Despite preparations in place for an ambitious journey, Jeff was not prepared for a mechanical failure and parts on back-order at T-minus two weeks. But when nine National Parks await discovery in the Southwest, creativity and pigheadedness pay off. Riding from his home in Ontario, Canada, Jeff makes the most of his annual pass to the National Parks by visiting Utah's Might 5 and Colorado's Colorful 4 in the space of four weeks, not to mention Bonneville Speedway, breathtaking Antelope Canyon, and Monument Valley in Arizona. Definitely a month to remember.

A beginner in 2007, Jeff has ridden in every province in Canada as well as half of the United States. He has written for both Motorcycle Mojo and Rider Magazine. During the long Canadian winters, he dreams of following the PanAm Highway from Deadhorse, Alaska, to Ushuaia, Argentina.

Mark Brown Small Bore, Big Adventure Explore the challenges and triumphs of small-bike overlanding.

Join me as I recount my journey on "El Burro", a 2014 Honda CRF250L. I will share my experiences of travelling solo from Georgia, south to Puerto Natales Chile, then heading north to Buenos Aires. Successful travel strategies from the perspective of riding a small-bore bike 14,500 miles through 13 countries.

Col. Ignatius "Buck" Liberto, USMC Retired Lee vs. Grant: Last Days of the Civil War The final year of the war and how the armies arrived at Appomattox Courthouse.

After three long years of fighting here in Virginia, the two best generals of the American Civil War finally faced each other across the Rappahannock River in an area known as the Wilderness of Spotsylvania, north of Richmond. Both were graduates of West Point and comrades together in the Mexican War, and in May of 1864 they squared-off in the final year of the American Civil War, from the Overland Campaign to the Surrender at Appomattox. We will relive those final arduous months of the War and discuss the greatness of these two American icons, explore their tactics and strategies, and share what became of them after the War.

Buck is a retired U.S. Marine Colonel who loves history, adventure riding, and meeting new people!

George Parker Join the Journey Getting Started for the Travel Curious: A full session Q&A.

Getting Started for the Travel Curious. Travel photos used as a catalyst for a full session of open discussion on getting started in motorcycle travel. If you are a novice or just travel curious, join in and ask your questions. This session will help you realize that the important thing is to get out of the driveway and ride somewhere, and just how easy, simple, and inexpensive that can be. Those early trips don't have to be to far-off places, "One Person's 10,000 miles is Another's 1000". Join the Journey!

George managed a motorcycle dealership and was a certified safety instructor in the 1970s. He has traveled long distance since 1970 and did his first cross-country on a 250cc. He has ridden multiple trips in the lower 48, Canada, and Alaska with trips in excess of 13,000 miles. George's goal is to help new travelers "Join the Journey".

Brent Carroll Traveling the World by Moto Changed Me Petrified, I took on a TransCan and PanAmerican trip by moto. It changed me.

I gave up nearly everything I had to chase the dream of traveling the world on my motorcycle; and I am so glad I did. After one year to the day travelling across the U.S., Canada, and the Pan-American Highway from Prudhoe Bay through 18 countries to Ushuaia and back, I observed strong evidence to confirm a few beliefs I had held: that the world is full of purposeful, striving, thriving, happy people; and that the world is also full of jaw-dropping beauty. But the most important things I learned were about myself: coming to know what happiness in life really means, how patience is totally relative, and how important it is to savor every moment in life.

D. Brent Miller Fly Fishing for the Motorcycle Traveler Discuss minimalist fly fishing gear for carrying on a motorcycle, and demonstrate fly fishing techniques.

Have you ever wanted to take a fishing rod on your motorcycle travels? This presentation will give you great tips on fly fishing gear and techniques. A demonstration will also be part of the presentation, because it will be lakeside. Maybe we'll catch a blue gill or two.

D. Brent Miller has been motorcycling since age 15. He is the Program Leader for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing—Cincinnati. The program teaches Veterans with disabilities how to tie flies, cast a fly line, build their own fly rods and provide opportunities for the Veterans to go fishing.

Tom Medema, Rally for Rangers Rally for Rangers - Mongolia (with film) An off road adventure in Mongolia bringing new motorcycles to park rangers.

Documentary film and presentation: In 2014 and 2015, 35 riders embarked on a rally across northern Mongolia to bring new Yamaha AG200 motorcycles to park rangers who desperately needed them. These rangers are attempting to protect some of the last pristine land in Asia from development, poaching, and mining. They were doing so on horseback and 40-year-old Russian motorcycles held together with baling wire and duct tape. All 35 bikes were delivered and are now in use helping rangers stop poaching, illegal mining and other detrimental activities in Lake Hovsgol National Park and the Darkhad Valley. These rangers can now cover vast territory without fear of breaking down, all through the efforts of the Mongol Ecology Center's Blue Waves Motorcycle Rally and the 20 volunteers who raised the funds to purchase the bikes, fly to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and ride 1000 miles through the vast steppe of central Asia to personally deliver the bikes.

Rally for Rangers is gearing up for another delivery in 2017 and is seeking interested riders. Join RfR founder Tom Medema for this inspiring film and information about next year's Rally. In addition to showing the adventure of the first two rallies, Tom plans to recruit riders for the 2017 and 2018 rallies in Mongolia and Patagonia.

NOTE: This presentation is given a second time, but with an abbreviated film and more time for Q&A.

Tom Medema is a park ranger and founding member of the Rally for Rangers Foundation. He has worked as a park ranger in the U.S. for over 25 years and his foundation is bringing new motorcycles to help rangers protect national parks around the world.

Chris Smith, Chris and Cami Photography A Thousand Words and Mastering Your Mobile

1. A Thousand Words

Create travel photos that speak a thousand words. Your friends think you are NUTS for traveling around the globe on a motorcycle. You try to describe these destinations to them, only for it to fall short. Why is that? The human brain is highly driven by visual stimulation. In order to truly convey the EXPERIENCE of being there, you need great visuals! In this presentation, we will discuss all the ingredients that make for beautiful photography. Composition, light, color... Yes, you too can learn the "magic" that makes images reach into our hearts and "speak a thousand words"!!!

2. Mastering Your Mobile

Round-table discussion on tips, tricks, and apps to master our smart-phone photography. In today's fast-paced world, more photos are taken with smartphones than with any other camera! They are small, light, and durable. They provide excellent quality in a convenient package. And they can multi-task! In this program, Chris will lead an open, round-table discussion, about how to improve and fully utilize these amazing devices. He will share his favorite apps, cloud storage systems, and social media systems. Bring your questions. And bring your own favorite apps and ideas to share with everyone in this lively discussion about all things social & mobile!

A true Third-Culture Kid (TCK), Chris was born and raised by his American parents living in the Congo (DRC). His parents were missionaries at the time, affording him a childhood full of wonder and curiosity at the marvelous planet we inhabit, and the diversity of people, places, and creatures we share it with. Growing up overseas imbued him with a healthy dose of travel lust coursing through those veins. From Tanzania to Jamaica, Canada to Costa Rica, Romania to Guatemala, Chris is always searching for that next great adventure! A second life-long ailment struck him in high-school when the photo bug latched on and never let go. Returning to the US, Chris obtained his photography degree in New York, and now operates one of the most highly rated studios in South Carolina with his wife, Cami. Barack Obama, George H. W. Bush, Steve Harvey, Serena Williams, Pete Sampras, Karch Kiraly, and Martha Stewart are just a few of the names he's had the privilege of photographing in his 25 year career. From riding dirt bikes in the African plains as a teenager, to carving corners on the Blue Ridge Parkway, riding is the third great passion in Chris' life. He looks forward to sharing all three with everyone at the HU Meeting in Virginia!

Andrew Pain, The Minimal Motorcyclist FOUR high-value presentations covering packing light, budgeting, mental preparation for extended trips, and prepping for injury or illness.

1. Going Small

Does it always seem like you have too much stuff packed, while at the same time you can't seem to figure out what you should be leaving behind? With years of experience traveling on a small motorcycle, Andrew goes over luggage choices, and what to pack versus what to leave behind.

2. Anatomy of a Budget

It's one of the most common questions overlanders are asked - "How do you pay for it?" Starting with the choice to go, all the way through prep, planning, time on the road and returning home (if you ever do!), Andrew walks you through how to budget for your long overland adventure.

3. Finding the Time To Go

It's one of the most common questions faced by overlanders, and perhaps the biggest hurdle that prevents people from taking long journey of their dreams. Leaving work, home, and loved ones to travel is a huge change, and Andrew works on how to approach finding the time to travel, dealing the obstacles and delays, and how to come home and start again after the trip is over.

4. Medical and Trauma Preparedness on the Road

No one wants it to happen, but injuries and illness happen while on the road. Packing all the gear and medications to face every possible scenario is impractical at best and impossible at worse. Andrew Pain has worked as a paramedic in Milwaukee for 17 years, and traveled around North, Central, and South America on a small motorcycle. He explains what you don't need, what you should have, and where you should get it, as well as a few simple tips for dealing with the things that go wrong.