Time to travel
 

Hi forum, I have recently passed my planned retirement age of 60 !! and looking to do some travelling by bike. I have road biked for many years and have some off road experiance. Whats the best way to link up with others who may have free time coming up or who are retired and would like to get away for a few weeks / months??
I am very tempted with the TAT route in US but don't fancy doing it alone. Any ideas for that or Morroco or travel closer to home ( which is Cornwall in England) would be much appreciated. I just feel the need to get going before real old age sets in !!!
many thanks
Stephen

Welcome Stephen

60 is the new 40. Go for it!

With loads of free time + the necessary funds, and presumably still fit and healthy .. well, the world is your proverbial oyster.

Have you got a missus? If so, it's important that she agrees with whatever travel plans you decide upon; either as your pillion, or as a stay-at-home supporter (or something in-between) .. especially if you're away for weeks or months at a time.

There's lots to see around the British Isles of course .. and the near, or not-so-near, European continent. For example, the west coast of Scotland is my most favourite place in the whole wide world to ride a motorcycle.

Slightly more adventurous and 'off the beaten track' but still in this region, I have to say that Morocco and Iceland are starting to grab my attention.

Whereabouts in Cornwall do you live? Maybe we could meet-up for chat sometime. I'm just outside Newquay (.. and the same age as you too.)

Proper Job

Keith
.

Time to travel
 

Hi Keith , we are based near Boscastle and incredible but we are going to Iceland in Feb!! It was part of my birthday surprise. Only to see lights etc but handy to assess bike trip credentials. Perhaps we can meet up sometime as you suggest.

Excellent, less than an hour up / down the A39 between us.

Please do not hesitate to send me a private message anytime to arrange something (although I think you need to have accrued at least 5 posts in open forum before PMs are allowed), or

alternatively send me an email at: keithooper[at]yahoo[dot]co[dot]uk

cheers

Keith
.

Hello from Spain, you are welcome to visit it., :thumbup1:

Welcome Stephen, this is my first "welcome" in HU and I'm happy that it is for a biker from UK because me and my wife are enamoured of your country.
We travelled there five times on motorcycle: England, Northumberland, Northyorkshire, Scotland, Ireland... In the future we would like to visit Wales and Cornwall.
We really appreciate the environment, the wild nature and the atmosphere of small villages (people and their homes. pubs).

Our last travel was Morocco. We come back few days ago and stayed there for 13 days of Christmas holidays. Great travels, 2850 km of great places very different of theirs. I'm 47 years old (very far from retirement) so we prefer take a flight from Italy to Marrakech an rent a motorcycle there so we saved 6 days needed for transfer.

I apologize for my english and I hope that you understand me.

I wish you all the best.
Andrea

Have a look at the International Motorcyclists Tour Club (www.imtc.org.uk). The club has been running since 1932 and has many members in your age group touring near and far.

I'm in the same boat as you. If your interested in going in to Europe. Give me a shout.
John933

Travel in 2016
 

Hi Stephen.
Got your message . Could I suggest an e-mail to breeks58@gmail.com to continue conversation

Ride safe

G

Hi Stephen and Keith
 

It really is a small world! I am a bit further up the A39 at Bideford and regularly ride down to Bude / Padstow etc as well as going north

I am looking to do a good ride next year (2016), loosely planning to go north to the Arctic, south to the Med, cross (or go round) the Himalayas, then south to Oz. Maybe fly home from there as it will take a bit of a while to get that far!

certainly looking for someone to go with, if not on that trip then on some other long distance jaunt. Just trying to rationalise my garage at the moment and trying to determine what should be the right bike for a long distant haul at reasonable price

Anyway, if you guys do decide to get together for a cuppa, then please let me know and i would love to join you both

best regards

Graham

Time to travel
 

Hi Graham that sounds like a little plan. Can you post or pm your contact details and we'll sort a date to get together

Come ti Incredible India

Don't miss out on coming to the USA. There are some great people and great wild places here. We welcome world travelers at our place here between glacier and yellowstone parks in montana. Check some info here.
Nate's Solo TAT 2014 - ADVrider
Or the route I enjoy riding portions of after work.
A Father and Son Trip Down the Great Divide - Page 3 - ADVrider

Surprised no one has mentioned the obvious ... Horizon's Traveler's Meetings!
Best event I can think of for networking with others and learning all the ins and outs of bike travel.

I think there are something like two or three meets in UK, no? And in the USA there are meetings all over the country from early Spring through to late Fall.

Look to the right on any HUBB page and see the HU Events Schedule!
or click here:
HU Events, the place to meet and be inspired by other travellers! | Horizons Unlimited

bier

Sadly nothing in the UK in 2015 - or no big one anyway (and I'm not aware of any smaller ones atm). Grant's trying to find a new venue with a better balance between cost and facilities and it doesn't look like anywhere's turned up yet.

I have to admit I've always been in two minds about big meetings like the HU one. I've never been sure exactly where they're pitched - whether they're centres of self promotion for the worldly well travelled or an overlanders open university where you can learn at the feet of the masters. :confused1: But then I've never been much for big bike show, exhibitions etc either. It's probably best to put all that out of your mind and don't overcomplicate things - just get drunk and enjoy the weekend.

The nearest I'm likely to get to a HU meeting this year is the Iron Horse Lodge one in North Carolina on Oct 8-11 but I'm going to be there three weeks earlier. Just starting to plan the trip in detail - so far we've got a start point! :rofl:

Maybe us oldies should do our own get together - I've got friends in Bideford and go there from time to time - might even be able to come up with a small campsite in Littleham if the weather looked good!

Oldies get together
 

Sounds like a great idea. A low key get together at some point this year in devon / cornwall . Are there anymore takers out there?