Hi Iain,

ordered, ta.

Regards

Reggie

Just popped up to say thanks to everyone who has volunteered to help since I posted my request. Brilliant!!!

We now need just 7 people who don't mind doing 2 shifts of just 2 hours! Any takers? PM Me please so I can have a natter about what's to do.

It's the best way to meet people and of course you'll get that warm glow that will come from helping for a few hours

Time to get planning how you'll spend your time at the event....

The presentation schedule is now complete and available to download as a PDF from the HUBB UK event page (look for the link under the list of presenters).

This is the final version and won't be changing before the event. However, please don't hold our feet to the fire (as Grant would say) if things change at the very last minute during the event itself - e.g. if a presenter doesn't turn up or if an outside session has to be cancelled/moved due to the weather.

Apologies by the way that the PDF may cause a little eye-strain when printed at A4 size. At the event we'll have it displayed big and bold and easier to read in various places around the site.

Thanks to you, Ian, Sam and everyone behind the scenes for the work on this. It's looking excellent. This is the first year I can come to every day; I'm not sure there will be enough time to look at everyone else's bike there's so much I want to go to!

Thanks again.

By this time two weeks from today, event setup will be underway at the Donington Park Farmhouse venue. We'll have everything up and running by 9am on Thursday 30th, with the first presentations kicking off at 2pm.

The Registration Tent will be open from 9am on the Wednesday for early arrivals, trade companies and all those with places in the HUBB Zone.

Don't forget that there are now just 10 days left to pre-register at the last of the discounted rates (£65) if you haven't already booked to be there. Online pre-registration will close at 9pm (UK time) on 23rd May.

If you've downloaded the presentation schedule you may have spotted a couple of bonus sessions....

In addition to the "Russia, 'Stans & Mongolia" open discussion on the Friday morning, there's also going to be session on "Central & South America" on the Sunday. Both these were voted for by those who participated in the online survey we've been running for people who've pre-registered.

We're also really pleased to have the mighty Austin Vince giving the first-ever UK presentation about last year's Mondo Sahara expedition on the Saturday evening.

When you're planning what sessions to attend, make sure you include some of the Pecha Kucha presentations (Friday and Saturday). I'm beginning to receive the slides for these from the presenters and they're looking fantastic.

The Raffle in aid of Prostate Cancer? We've had some great news from Stephen Holmes. He says:

'Managed to get a limited edition Carl Fogarty signed print (only 25) a signed 'Foggy' t shirt and a signed A4 copy...

And Stephen will be putting in a copy of his own book too.

Please bear in mind that the more prizes we have, the more money we can raise for the charity. Got anything you can bring? Bottle of plonk? Bake a cake? The most ridiculous bit of on the road kit you've ever seen, a...

All helps!

Phew! Another step in the right direction. The Volunteer Rotas have now been emailed out to everyone who has said yes to giving a hand.

Many thanks to everyone who has done so. Really happy! Looks like we are going to have some cracking Crew's on the case this year.

Anyone who has been thinking about getting stuck in for a couple of hours, it's not too late

Just go to this Volunteer Link. Tick all options and I'll slot you in

And received thank you.

Out of interest, if anyone happens to know, roughly, approximately, how many people have now booked to attend ?

Yep, I have one of those - I grabbed it out of the radiotherapy machine in Guildford, a Higgs boson, (before they found that one in Switzerland). Not many of THEM about, but don't know how I can get it to you. It's too heavy to carry on my bicycle.....

I've an Airfix Tardis. But have started glueing it up......

It'll have to be some bottles then....

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TTR250 - London to Cape Town

You may remember that I posted about Frogs Island 4x4 being with us this year, well I’ve had an email through from them in which they are making some pretty special offers available to HUBB UK attendees.

I would usually have picked out key sections from an email like this to post but there’s so much info I thought, stuff it, I’ll post the lot for you to see! There’s thoughts here for anyone coming to the HUBB UK, regardless of what wheels you use.

Here goes:

We wanted to share some offers with VIP/HUBB UK customers, and also some NEWS. We have launched a new website – Frogs Island 4x4 Landrover Specialists in Oxfordshire, and we hope you like the changes. At Frogs Island 4x4 we are proud of our heritage and our experienced staff, we are always here to talk through any ‘niggles’ with your car, or even a trip or adventure you would like to plan.

As a Valued customer we would like to offer you 10% OFF* your next SERVICE and some of the following deals;
• 15% off EVERYTHING in the Terrafirma Catalogue until 1st January 2014 – including Front Runner racks and Safety Devices Roll Cages
• 15% off all Old Man Emu and ARB products until 1st September 2013
• Adventure Fridge deal of £450 + Vat, including 45L fridge/freezer, cover and adaptor (RRP £700+) – Offer until 1st January 2014
• All Workshop repairs reduction of £10 per hour* (normally £60 per hour + VAT)
• Over the phone parts searching and email copies from MicroCat – helping you fix your car! Access to Genuine Parts and Allmakes PR2 (2 Year Warranty)
• 1-1 Help and Advice by phone or in person
• Adventure Mechanical Training at £30 per hour, which is 1-1 training with our Adventure Specialist Matt the mechanic, who has travelled to Libya, Mongolia, Africa and beyond, this is FREE of charge when you have an overland fit out with Frogs Island 4x4.
• Discounted labour rate on Overland Builds, talk to us for your free adventure consultation.
• We work with all makes and models of 4x4’s

As part of the Allmakes Group of companies we offer a wide range of experience and advice on all makes and models of Land Rovers. As enthusiasts ourselves we want to see you and your members safely on the road, without a burn on your pocket! Your just need to quote your surname and this code ‘VIPHUBB UK’ to claim the above offers.

Come and visit us at the HUBB UK event for your free goody bag and join us for our Bush Mechanics seminars on servicing on the road, the old age debate of Toyota v’s Land Rover and more.

See what I mean! And if you've had a look at the Presentation Schedule you'll have seen that Frogs Island are really getting stuck in with demos and presentations.

See you in a couple of weeks

We've got a great mix of motorcyclists, cyclists and expedition vehicle folk coming from 16 countries at the last count. Almost half the people attending have never been to an HU event before, and of course we've got a new venue and loads of new things happening, so there's going to be a really fresh, positive atmosphere. As for specific numbers, like a present that's best left alone until Christmas morning, we'd like to keep those under wraps. Rest assured though, it's going to be buzzy! Can't wait for everyone to see the set up.

One of the great advantages of co-organising the event with Sam, and running the volunteer 'Presentation Crew' (which could do with one or two more people by the way), is that I get to dip in and out of almost all the presentations. The downside is I rarely get to sit through a whole one and there are loads this year that I'd really like to see properly.

One of the presentations I may go AWOL from duties to see is "Claire's African Bikeabout" (Thursday 3pm, repeated Friday 1pm).

Claire Elsdon got back from her London to Cape Town journey (on a DRZ) at the weekend - and this morning I had the pleasure of announcing her as one of The Ted Simon Foundation's latest Jupiter's Travellers. Claire has a fascinating story to tell and I'd definitely recommend you go to one of her sessions if you can.

Planning for the HUBB UK event began over 10 months ago, so it's exciting to be able to say there's now only 2 weeks to go!

If you haven't already, there's still time to...

- Pre-register at the discounted rate (1 week left)

- Volunteer a little of your time to help things run smoothly (more folk needed on several crews)

Iain & Sam it's probably been mentioned already but, what would be the reaction to people arriving on the Wednesday? Aside from "Good, you're here. You can help us with...."

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