Spain 2008: First Annual HU Travellers Meeting

Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meetings

First Annual Spain Travellers Meeting

12-14 September 2008, Malaga, Spain

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!

Meeting report and photos here

 

What WAS On

The plan was simple. Show up on Thursday or at the latest Friday afternoon, meet people and setup. Travel Presentations and Tech clinics are planned throughout the meeting, starting Thursday night.

2008 Speakers and Tech Clinics

  • The Achievable Dream
    • Grant and Susan Johnson, Canada
      Learn from Horizons Unlimited's founders and 11 year round-the-world veterans everything you need to know to ride to the next country or the next continent. Sound scary? Get the inspiration and information so YOU can hit the road!
  • Photo Composition for Travellers
    • Grant Johnson, Canada
      The one everyone SHOULD take, but no one does... We all want to take great photos of our trip - so why don't we? This easy clinic will transform your photos from boring to fabulous! There may also be an advanced class if enough interest - bring 10 photos on a USB key, CD or SD card for discussion and evaluation.
  • The Roof Of The World
    • Sean Howman, Australia
      High altitude motorcycle travels in India, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgystan.
  • Fix that flat! How to change a tire anytime, anywhere
    • Grant Johnson, Canada
      How to prevent flats in the first place, and fix them when you get one. Grant's changed thousands, and will show you all the secrets to make it easy. The best tools and how to use them for tube and tubeless tires. Hand's on practical, and tire changing contest for beginners to experts!
  • Biker First Aid
    • Geoff Shingleton
      My mates just crashed... what do I do? A brief introduction to primary and secondary first aid
  • 11 Years on the Road, RTW
    • Grant Johnson
      Grant and Susan's show of their RTW trip hasn't been seen since 2000, so due to popular demand - well one or two - it's been resurrected with loads of never seen before pictures.
  • Prep your bike for the long trip!
    • Grant Johnson, Canada
      Is your bike ready for long distance travel? Grant will conduct a hands on assessment and discussion of bike set up, ergonomics and prep, looking at YOUR bike.

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

There will be slide shows and clinics on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, and all day on Saturday. Come early and make it a great weekend! We recommend riding on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, and participating in the clinics on Saturday.

Up to top of pageLeaving on a big trip in 2008?

Geoff Shingleton, UK, Yamaha Tenere, left for Africa, and who knows where from there, from the meeting! Good luck, Geoff!

Up to top of pageRideouts

Rideouts - will be limited to 10 people per ride per group.

Ride leaders and sweep riders wanted! Contact Alison below.

Do-it-yourself Ride information.

to come - if you know of a good ride let us know!

Up to top of pageSchedule

All times - and everything - approximate! grin

An up-to-date schedule will be posted at the Meeting.

Thursday morning

CHECK-IN and sign up! You MUST be registered to go on a ride or for entry to any events, clinics etc.

Info for Thursday rides will be available on-site.

Friday

CHECK-IN and sign up! You MUST be registered to go on a ride or entry to any events, clinics etc.

9:00 Ride briefing. Be gassed up and ready to ride if you're going.

Friday night

7:00 pm Speakers presentations start

Saturday morning

9 am - Breakfast

9:00 Late Check-in.

9:30 Ride briefing. Be gassed up and ready to ride if you're going.

Rideouts - off-road runs details to come.

Saturday Lunch

2 pm :) Feed yourself...

Saturday afternoon,

Rideouts

On road runs - we'll post a sheet of paper up for you to add your name to a destination, volunteers to lead appreciated!

Tech Clinic, details to come. If you want to volunteer to lead a clinic or breakout session, on any appropriate topic, please contact us. We have had lots of interest in clinics, ranging from 30 minutes to several hours, on subjects from GPS to packing lists to tire changing.

Saturday evening,

7:00 pm sharp:

Speakers presentations

9:00 Door prizes - you have to be there to win!

Sunday

9 am Breakfast

Head for home, hang around and chat, or head out for a last ride!

Miscellaneous notes:

Organizers will be there most of Thursday, hopefully Wednesday too, if anyone wishes to arrive early and just hang out or go for a ride in the area.

Last presentation Saturday night will be a panel discussion with all the presenters - so this will be the last chance to ask all those questions that have been bugging you!

Up to top of pageMembership - Show you're proud to be a Horizons Unlimited Traveller!

Just to clarify the membership situation: Currently there is no requirement to be a member to access the website, the HUBB or to receive the monthly e-zine. For now, what you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive.

We will also upgrade your status in the HUBB to Member. In addition to recognising your contribution through your status, this will allow you to upload a custom profile picture and custom avatar, store up to 50 private messages, upload more pictures (10 MB maximum storage) and create polls.

Another benefit we can provide is if you decide you want a t-shirt, mug, fleece jacket or other Horizons logo product from the Souk, you can purchase Member logo products at the basic price. Just let us know and we can arrange access to the Members Private Store.

Up to top of pageT-Shirt Deal

Top quality heavy cotton t-shirts in black, or grey. We will have a range of sizes available, but quantities will be very limited, so if you wait till the day, there might be none left in your size.

The new Synthetic t-shirts are in a beautifully made wicking material, and make great travel / riding t-shirts as well as all-round wear t-shirts. Available in black or grey at most meetings. MUST be pre-ordered.

Note that we will have a few black cotton t-shirts extra at each meeting, but anything else must be pre-ordered and paid in advance.

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Up to top of page

You can help - Put up a Poster!

If you have a few minutes, please download the poster ( Adobe pdf format) and print off a few and hand them round your club or your local bike shop or anywhere seems like a good place.

Poster in pdf format (890kb) full colour poster. (You may need to right click and choose "save target as...")

Thanks for the help!

Up to top of pageThe Meeting Location

Near Malaga, Spain.

The "Official" Campground / Meeting spot / Rooms:

Camping La Viñuela

La Viñuela (Malaga)
Tel: 95 255 45 62
Fax: 95 255 45 70
Email: camp...@hotmail.com

Facilities:
  • Quad rentals
  • Archery
  • Kayaking
  • Swimming pool
Up to top of pageLocation:

MAp to the Camping La Vinuela meeting site.

Location Map

Here's a Google map to the Camping La Viñuela.

Up to top of pageAccomodation options:

Rooms:

PRE-Book your room with the hotel! Be sure to tell them you're coming to the HU Meeting. Details on their site.

Up to top of pageCamping

Daily prices are €20 per pitch which would include 2 people, one tent and 2 motorbikes. In order to keep the camping as cheap as possible, share a pitch so the only additional cost would be for one tent at €4.40. With the addition of IVA (tax), and 10% discount, that works out at €11.75 per person per day for one pitch with 2 tents, 2 people and 2 motorbikes. Confusing, I know. The pitches are huge and some will accommodate 4 small tents.

Food

We've learned over the years that some people wanted meals all organized, others preferred to make their own arrangements or bring their own food. So you can either eat in the restaurant or bring your own.

Food Information for NON-Spanish:

Breakfast & meal times - meal times are much later than in the UK. The restaurant does not open until 9am so if people want an early breakfast they should bring their own food. Lunch is generally served from 2pm and evening meals from 8pm onwards.

General food information

Tapas (snacks) are available all day. The restaurant at the campsite is very flexible about serving food as there is a large international community living in the area. Typically the cost of a main course is from €6 (for chicken fillet) up to €20 (for a whole leg of lamb). Roast goat and whole suckling pig are also on the menu, but for a loin of pork for example, expect to pay around €7 and for half a rabbit, €9.

Up to top of pageOther Accommodation Possibilities

La Vinuela Hotel
Hotel La Viñuela - Hoteles con encanto, en la Axarquía, Málaga, Costa del Sol
The hotel has recently been refurbished and upgraded to a 4 star hotel. 5 minutes away.

Alojamientos Huetor
Self-catering units by the lake with shared swimming pool, no more than 5 minutes drive from the campsite.

Up to top of pageInformation about the area

Great riding!

Up to top of pageLocal Hosts

Contact Alison Makin - alis...@funky-software.net - for questions on presenters and local questions, meeting logistics etc.

To book accommodation, please contact the Hotel.

See you at a meeting this year!

Grant and Susan



 

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