Just saw Grant's email about the postponement. Understandable but I, for one, will likely feel safer, and maybe more inoculated, by next September.
See you then!

That's absolutely the idea - safer FIRST!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Hi everyone,

We're very sorry to have to write this, we really, really wanted to do this event, as we're sure you did too. We kept hoping things would improve on the Covid-19 front, but it has not gone in the direction we hoped. Although the Covid vaccination rate has improved, the case numbers and hospitalizations are rising everywhere, and there is a clear start of a 4th wave.

With the Delta variant, there is a greater chance of carrying / transmitting / being infected than ever. We know that events carry risk and have resulted in Covid spread far and wide as folks return home to their families and friends. We're all too aware of good friends in the HU community who have become severely ill from Covid, spent weeks in hospital and face months of recovery, and some have not survived.

As we consider risks and impacts, we are aware that the HU demographic skews a wee bit older, and our deepest wish is that your well-being remains intact. We know that the potential impact of the infection is higher as you get older, and that partially offsets the vaccination protection. A recent e-mail to one of our organizing team captures the concerns of many:

"My wife and I are signed up for the Virginia meeting. We are 77 and have had all of our COVID vaccinations. Still somewhat concerned about the virus and we're wondering what safeguards are in place for the meeting and presentations to help minimize our potential exposure? Any help is appreciated."

We know that this virus is airborne and indoor environments are at higher risk. We've looked carefully at our safety plans and considered all possible mitigations, including leaving doors and windows open in presentation rooms and dorms, requiring proof of vaccinations to attend, requiring masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.

However, our all-volunteer local teams everywhere are telling us they don't want to play "police" at the meeting, telling people to put masks on, keep their distance, check vaccination certificates, intervene in arguments about all of the above, etc. That takes all the fun out of the event for the team who have to run it and keep people happy AND safe while staying safe themselves, and for everyone.

In the end it comes down to health - yours, ours and the local community's. We aren't confident we can make this event a safe and fun experience for us all, so we've decided to postpone HU Virginia to April 21-24, 2022.

We appreciate that some of you will have made travel arrangements and incurred other costs, and we hope that you can change those plans.

Those of you who had previously registered as Presenters will also be contacted by Linda to see if you can still appear - we and everyone really hope you can. Anyone who would like to present is encouraged to fill out the HU Events Presenter Application. We'd love to have you help us make HU Virginia 2022 one to remember - in a good way!

What about my event registration?

If you want to keep your registration to the new date, we will carry it forward for you. No need to do anything. Many of you will be aware that the income from events helps to fund the website hosting and other fixed costs of keeping Horizons Unlimited going. Carrying your registration forward will help us out a LOT. Thanks!

If you need a refund, we will provide it as soon as possible, but please be patient. For refunds, PLEASE REPLY to your original Registration Confirmation email to make it easier for us to find.

Still have questions? Contact us here:

Thanks for your understanding in this difficult time. Positive outcomes grow from staying true to what makes the global HU community special: inspiration, information, and connection through shared experiences, tolerance, and mutual kindness. Please continue to listen to and follow the advice of your local health authorities. Stay healthy so that we can all catch up later.

We're desperately looking forward to seeing you next year!

Virtual hugs from Grant and Susan at HU, Steve, Jim and Linda in Virginia, and all the HU family


Online Registration for HU Virginia April 21-24, 2022

__________________
Susan Johnson

Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Totally understandable!

Thank you for keeping us updated. See you all in 2022!

Great post, Susan, and absolutely the right decision.


I'd planned to come this month as I'm really in need of some face-to-face inspiration right now, but still that plan was very much against my better judgment.
So the Grant and Susan wisdom has helped me out, and not for the first time...


Very much hoping to see you and all HU folk in April!

I had been putting off registering for the 2021 Virginia event and now I guess my mind is made up, isn't it?
As with anything we take on in life, we set a goal, analyze the risk/reward, and proceed accordingly. In this instance, Grant, Susan, and the team decided the risk outweighs the reward. None of us would want to be responsible for someone else getting sick, or carrying this wretched thing (COVID) on to other people, so this was a tough, but wise, decision. While ADV folks might be more willing to "Hang it out there" than some folks when it comes to risk taking, I'm sure that to a person, we feel that if that "risk" jeopardizes anyone else in any way, we simply don't take it.
This would have been my first HU event, but April will be here before we know it and hopefully the event can be held safely and will be well attended. Looking forward to it! George

We've received a lot of emails plus the posts here agreeing with the decision. THANK YOU for letting us know you agree. We hope to see all of you next year.
In the meantime, please, stay safe, and get out and ride!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Hi Grant & Susan,


I've tried to register for the VA event several times with two different browsers but am always stopped with a message saying I have to click on a camping / lodging selection. But in each case I had clicked on the three night RV parking option.


What to do?


P.S.
Would also like to bring my favorite pillion with me and ride my bike to the meeting. But we would really need some sort of accommodation with at least a double bed or two beds in the same room. If that's not possible we'll bring a camper down (hence the RV parking thing), which is a far less preferable option.
Is there any possibility of the former?
We want to stay on the site and not need to go back and forth to Appomatox.

Hi, VERY sorry for that - we made a change in what's available, and I broke it. Now fixed.

Two beds in the same room is possible with a cabin.

Bed in shared room, per person, maximum four per Cabin: THREE nights

Note that you're a couple and we won't put you in with anyone else.

Hope that helps!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Looking forward to being there and presenting. Always want to take Tom Asher's class but never want to miss the presentations. Ahh! Life's choices.

CALLING ALL EMT's!

It would be great to have a presentation on roadside first aid. One was spontaneously pulled together in Ontario a couple years back (really the last "normal" year), and very well attended.

Perhaps someone could contact local EMT's, Rescue groups etc?

We think good ideas people should get to implement the ideas!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com