From your experince at HUUK 2007; if there was something you thought could be done differently next time round which will make the meeting an even more exciting and pleasurable experince then have you say here...

Picked up from other threads:
Should women talks be open to men?
Should the inidividual tent pitches be marked out beforehand?
Should the showers be open earlier?
Pets: Stay at home, add to roadkill cookout, tolerated?
Early morning drunken shinanigans. Just some fun or public nuisance!
Should scratch patch be donation free?
Should alternative catering be available eg massive BBQ?

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If there's a will there's a way so I will anyway!
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1: Yes, I'm fascinated by what moon-cups are. Is it some kind of biscuit?
2: No, but 'clear runs' could be marked out to ensure people can get there bikes in and out. Pitches removes the individuals right to choose a site that suits them.
3: Is there earlier than 8.30 in the morning?
4: No dogs, unless the owners can GUARANTEE theirs will not bark/piss on tents and bikes. Perhaps a £100 deposit placed behind the bar?
5: Quietness in the evening is just good manners. Say between 11pm and 9am? There could also be a designated 'quiet zone'.
6: Scratch patch should be without any strings whatsoever. Just a gift from one biker to another.
7: Mmmm, BBQ...slaver.....

JMHO

Matt

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*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!

1) Latex re-usable alternatives to tampons, panty-liners etc. Already mentioned before in the HUBB. That's how I learnt about them and brought them to other's attention. They're on the shelves of larger Boots stores so they're not exactly 'underground' but nevertheless more a girls-only topic.
2) I agree. Some football-pitch marking spray lines wouldn't hang around too long after the event & wouldn't have the potential for misshap that tape could.
3) To us early risers, yes.
4) I still think it's easier to have a blanket 'no dogs' rule.
5) It's just unfortunate. I think everyone understood the idea of 'take it over by the fire', just occasionally getting carried away late at night.
6) I don't see why a donations pot and the concept of freely given, freely taken can't go hand-in-hand. No-one should be left feeling obligated to make a donation, however.
7) .

After my initial comment regarding the venue, I did a bit of google-hunting. The only sort of places I could locate in the UK that had both camping and 100+ attendee conference facilities had some religious link: both christian and islamic. Whilst they did advertise their conference facilities I have no idea how open any would be to a completely non-related gathering. It seems (at least at a cursory glance) that Lumb Farm is uniquely suited to our needs.

1. Feedback has it this was thorough informative. Maybe have two talks: one specific for ladies only; thene a more general on to be attended by anyone. Option two could always just be a break-out session.
2. If you got there first put your tent where you want. If someone comes along and wants to put their tent up in a "not so sensible" way, don't just sit their, tell him his being a daft git and help him find a good place. If you are the daft git that block a route then use you common sense and move, even if you have already set up your little comfort zone.
3. It's three days...who needs a shower
4. Allow them. If you brought your dog and your dog barks or is a nuisance then you stop what you are doing and go sit with the dog and keep it quiet day and night.
5. Trying to teach someone even more drunk that you how to use a dual fuel stove at 3am isn't a nuisance, it's plain daft stupid and made me very very nervous seeing huge flames licking at my tent.
6. Give and take freely, with no strings attached. Put a donation pot at the bar or at the entrances to the various lecture halls. I dumped 3 bags full of stuff which vanished within one talk. I didn't expect anyone to make a donation.
7. fair enough no hotdog stands etc but an evening BBQ is always great; but for 500ppl might be a bit of a catering headache.

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If there's a will there's a way so I will anyway!
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Maybe just giving a very broad hint at the list of topics that might be covered would suffice, rather than just saying "Women only". Even just titling it 'Intimate Issues for The Female Traveller' might have helped.

Individually, these things are fine. Collectively they are too organised, rather as Youth Hostels used to be. Too many regs kill the feeling of freedom. It's a bit like the Ten Commandments.

Good stuff Matt - I really liked 1 and 3!!!!!!!

Hi to all

1) I think the women only talks are a good idea especially as there are always new women there and not all of us are hardened travellers. I think this years could eaisily have run into another hour with all the questions. It might be good to have a mixed talk as well to give people ideas (border crossings etc) or maybe a female panel for guys to fire their questions at....
2)Just use sense and leave a path
3) Please open the showers earlier
4) Dogs able to attend but if white yappy dog and owner turn up then roadkill cookout stew!
5) Didn't hear any - but show some consideration
6) I think donations are a good idea but optional
7) Designated BBQ area for all to use maybe a good idea....

1) I would have like to attend, as my wife had to work this weekend and it would have been nice to relay some information.. BUT as it can make some woman uncomfortable having a man there and as it is more important for them to understand and I say have maybe the talk 2X 1 woman only, 1 all welcome. (other talks were multi times)


2)No tent sizes are too varied and it will just end up going over the lines any way.. Did all 500+ show up..(my guess is no) if people started to defend space it would remind me of my childhood.."MOM!!! he crossed the line!!, "

3)yes please... it would lessen congestion as well.

4)I like dogs.. dont know how they got them there on a bike though??
in truth don't care..most were fine it was only one or two that were a pain..but isnt this always the case!

5)I though people were really good.. maybe i was just lucky even the drunken stumbling back to the tents near me was not bad..
I know issue water pistols with ice cold water in them.. that 'll sober them up fast.. and put out the fuel stove thing too.(which is very scary to read)

6) I also put stuff on the scratch table.. and 2 seconds later it was gone..
I say: have the table free and clear and have a box else where.. Two different charities (poor bikers and Rider for health) so have two different areas?

7) I brought a stove and cooked most of my own meals anyway.. so I dont see any need for more catering (maybe a easier access point ... e.g. not directly in front of the big meeting hall).
But a burger and snag (sausage to most of you) bbq (say a 1-2£ each profit goes to RFH?) one night would be a good social thing.. nothing gets blokes together like a bbq'd meet and ...

hope this was helpful.

it was a really good time, so if nothing changes then it will still work
in other news next year if i am in the country i put up my hand to help out.

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Well living under the 10 commandments does give you freedom; but this is not the forum for such a debate.

I agree that too many rules could stifle any occasion but jambing 500 people into a play pen the size of a football field does require that certain paramaters/restrictions be put in place to ensure everyone has a pleasant time in what every form that may take. Evidently and unfortunately common sense does not previal over stubborness, selfishness, arrogance and ignorance.

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If there's a will there's a way so I will anyway!
http://www.buyaikhaya.blogspot.com

1. About the suggestion that the talk should happen twice, the thing is that it wasn't a "talk" that can happen twice. It was a group of women sitting in a circle (as women do) yakking on a bit or a lot (as they do) and asking each other the kind of questions that some women feel awkward to ask in front of blokes. And it got quite ... detailed. If it's open to men it won't be the same event, it would be something else. I thought the current format was useful for those of us there and didn't harm anyone except those with over active Masonic conspiracy theories.


4. Not sure which dog was the miscreant? If it was the white jack russell with the R 80g/s.. he is a biker not just a dog. He rides two up. I'm not sure why a barking dog is seen as a problem. Dogs bark, it's what they do. Kids scream. 2-strokes whine. Very uncomfortable with the idea of rushing to ban things that you're irritated by. It seems very unfair on the 5 non-annoying dogs.

Picked up from other threads:

Should women talks be open to men? Nope, wheres the need ?? Why do we need to know about Tampons etc ?

Should the inidividual tent pitches be marked out beforehand? Not marked out but maybe a camping plan of some kind would make things easier. Just 2 clear tracks up the field would do. Perhaps marked out with cones.

Should the showers be open earlier?

The showers were completely empty after lunch. Camping is meant to be smelly

Pets: Stay at home, add to roadkill cookout, tolerated?

Im cool with dogs as long as they are quiet. If you have a barking mutt, DONT bring it or be prepare to be evicted.

Early morning drunken shinanigans. Just some fun or public nuisance!

I didnt have a problem with it. Its a fun meeting and people are having a good time. if you want to be in bed with bovril at 9pm, book a B&B. If you go to other meets and rallys, music and bands play all night. Ear plugs are cheap and effective.

Should scratch patch be donation free?

Donations are cool as long as its not compulsury. I have no quarms about throwing lose change into a jar.

Should alternative catering be available eg massive BBQ?

I luuuuurv BBQ so yes. I cant say I was impressed with the food availabe but i guess its the best they can do with soo many people. Greasy food and chips with everything got very dull and not good for my hollywood figure

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Generally leave it as an open, friendly, flexible venue anything more will start to become a bit anal and may kill the spirit of it all.

A big mutha of a BBQ - mmmmm!

Showers should be open from 7/7.30.
Water tap should be a little more accessible. I don't think a stand pipe in the campsite is too much to ask.

The mention of a travellers jumble, second hand area is a good call.

Phil

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650 Transalp

Hi Clare

For centuries women have rightly pointed out that many aspects of society are male dominated and exclusive to men.

It is disappointing therefore to see some women repeating the same mistakes as men did in the past. Open societies are healthy societies; special cliques and groups lead to schisms and splinter movements. Open, liberal thinking free from secrecy is what's needed - dont you think?

In very general terms I agree with you but in the specific instance of the HUUK meeting you come across as trying to force women into publicity over subjects that quite often are kept between themselves and their GPs or very close friends. That's not right or fair.