HU Travellers Meeting North Carolina 2016

Merrill Glos Africa.....the "Dark Continent" and Mongolia, Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan

Southern Africa - A visual odyssey of the animals and landscapes of Southern Africa. Traveling with two friends on rented motos for 25 days thru 6 countries.

Traveling thru South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia & Lesotho (and walking across the Zambezi River for lunch in Livingston, Zambia!) on rented BMW 650's for 25 days and 6,200 miles. Making the best of Game Preserves and game drives and seeing the spectacular sand dunes at Sossuslvei. I traveled with two friends, Doug from Ohio and Uwe (who I met in Mongolia on my RTW) from Germany. Go now before the Africa of your dreams is gone.

Mongolia, Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzstan

Riding from Cincinnati Ohio to Eastern Europe on "Tarbaby Too", my Super Tenere. Navigating the Gobi Desert.

I've wanted to do an RTW for a long time..... at 68 years, it was now or never. I'm glad I made the effort. 6 months, 6 days and 29, 695 miles of challenges met and accomplished. I left the front door and traveled in a Westerly direction until I reached the back door. This presentation will concentrate on the rigors of Siberia, the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and the beauty of the people and the Altai Mountains of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Leave your prejudices at home.

Merrill Glos loves to visit foreign and exotic places....the more different, the better. He prefers to travel via moto because it adds a whole new element of confrontation with the locals. He has traveled thru 52 different countries on 5 continents on his moto.

Isabelle and Terry Porter The "Trans-Lab" as Training for South America

Two years ago Isabelle unexpectedly said, "So when do I get MY bike?". That changed everything! Join them as they take you from her first ride that spring to becoming a "GS rider", one that will be ready for a year touring South America starting next spring. They will cover rider preparation (on/off road) through formal and informal training and practice and two practice trips that included Newfoundland's "T'railway" and the Trans-Labrador road. Find out a little about climate, taiga and tundra pockets, trail and road conditions, gear, wild animals and wild camping in this harshly beautiful land that has been variously settled by the Dorset, the Viking, the Basques and the Innu peoples, to name just a few. There will also be lots of time for questions!

Isabelle and Terry are experienced wilderness campers but are new to motorcycle travel. In two seasons and 7 weeks of travel they have visited the White Mountains, New England states, Gaspe Penninsula, Cape Breton Island, Newfoundland, the Trans-Labrador road and Quebec's Northeastern roads as part of the "Great Northern Circle Route".

Chip Nelson and Ken Showalter RTW - East to West

Two longtime adventure junkies highlight their 2014 trip round the world via North America, Northern Asia and Europe on 1100GS bikes.

One quit his job and the other put his business on autopilot to be able to carve out the time for this epic adventure. There are countless approaches to RTW trips – the presenters will inform you of the how(s) and why(s) they did it the way they did. The presentation will take you through bike prep and logistical planning pre-departure, as well as what was experienced throughout the journey to include border, ocean and sea crossings. Although the ride touched 23 countries, much of the discussion, photos and learnings will focus on the monster landscape of northern Asia to include South Korea, Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan.

Chip Nelson lives in the mountains of Colorado, bought his first motorbike in 2012 and quit his island paradise job in the Caribbean to do this RTW trip.

Ken Showalter, an experienced rider and farmer, lives in rural Virginia. With the support of his awesome wife, he left the business in her capable hands to be able to head off on the trip of his dreams.

Mark Carrera Kazakhstan - Yesterday and Today

Mark Carrera, a world traveler, will give a presentation on adventures in Kazakhstan where he lived throughout the 1990's. His presentation will cover a little history, his travels from the Tien Shan Mountains to the Aral Sea, and what's currently going on in Kazakhstan's moto-adventure world. Mark will close his presentation with a very brief introduction to the GS Giants and a question and answer session. Lastly, as an average-Joe rider and adventurer, Mark has maintained that no adventure is without risk but the media sours the pool with too much fear mongering. Plan on attending his Round Table discussion on safety and security while traveling abroad, or at home!

Lastly, as an average-Joe rider and adventurer, Mark has maintained that no adventure is without risk but the media sours the pool with too much fear mongering. Plan on attending his Round Table discussion on safety and security while traveling abroad, or at home!

Robert Echard Beyond Siberia, Riding the ROB Part 1 & 2 (Video Documentary narrated by Charley Boorman)

After making presentations to several different groups on my RTW trip, I've found the audience to be much more thrilled at this movie, rather than me blathering on with still pictures.

This is a PBS quality documentary on DVD narrated by Charley Boorman, of a ride I was on with my trusty DR650, along with 14 others, London to Magadan Siberia. I star in the movie with two fabulous crashes. 17,400 miles, 14 countries, Silk Road, Mongolia, Siberian wilderness, deserts, snow capped mountains, torrential rain, and the famous Road of Bones (ROB). Two riders didn't make it.

Robert Echard has been riding 53 years. Raced MX, Enduros, drags, hare scrambles, and road races when young. Has ridden Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Alps, Ecuador, PA to Alaska and Prudhoe Bay. Began collecting books about RTW travel in the 90's. Met Helge Pederson and Ted Simon. Finally planned to go RTW himself.

Border crossings - How to get through borders with minimal stress and cost!

Packing light - Tips and techniques from experienced travellers to reduce weight and bulk.

Regional discussions - e.g. travelling in South America or Asia.

For Women Only - A must for the ladies, so be sure to plan on being there! A chance to talk to experienced travelling women without the men around!

Experienced Travellers Panel - ask the experts anything you want!

Walk arounds / Show and tell!

Tents and Bedding discussion (in the camping area) - What works, cheap vs dear and which ones keep you dry, warm and comfy!

Bike mods - Show off your best bike mods - homemade saddle bags, toolbox mounts, GPS mounts, seats, side stands, tank panniers, cup holders, etc.