USA East, 2008: Fifth Annual HU Travellers Meeting

Robbinsville, North Carolina, USA, July 17-20, 2008

• Meeting Location - Where is it?
• Other Accommodation
• Information about the area
• Membership
• Rides
• Local hosts, information

Short History of HU Meetings

How you can help - put up a few posters! poster available! Please post it everywhere!

The Plan

The plan is simple. Show up on Thursday or at the latest Friday afternoon, meet people and setup. Travel Presentations and Tech seminars are planned throughout the meeting, starting Thursday night.

2008 Speakers:

• The Achievable Dream
  • Grant Johnson, Canada
    Learn from Horizons Unlimited's founder and 11 year round-the-world veteran everything you need to know to ride to the next country or the next continent. Sound scary? Get the inspiration and information so YOU can hit the road! In two parts:10-12 and 1-3PM.
• Backpackers, Baboons, BMW's and Bushcamps
  • Denis and Linda Blaise, USA
    4,000 miles on rented F650's through South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho
• Colonial Mexico, and Mexico's Copper Canyon
  • Merrill Glos, USA
    The Colonial cities of the Sierra Nevadas - awesome riding country with lots to see!
• Two Bikes In A Canoe
  • Denis and Linda Blaise, USA
    Florida to Guatemala via Belize and Mexico
• My one year around the Americas - in 2 years
  • Jacob Sherman
    My plan for one year around the Americas became an adventure of a lifetime when I broke my leg in Baja.
• 11,000 miles to see a sign
  • Curtis Nugent
    Solo to the Circle (finishing at the meeting!)
• Around the Block 2007 (Milestones for a 17 year old)
  • Toby (and Sara) Shannon
    The concept of RTW or shorter bike trips as a "coming of age" mile marker for a young man with his father. Luke turned 17 (in Cuzco) on this moto trip Peru-Brazil-Bolivia-Peru, 10,000 km in 42 days on a 250cc.
• 11 Years on the Road, RTW
  • Grant Johnson
    Grant and Susan's show of their RTW trip hasn't been seen since 2000, so due to popular demand - well one or two - it's been resurrected with loads of never seen before pictures. (if we have time)
• Central Mexico, 14,000ft mtn passes to 300ft coastal sand dunes
  • Lee Allison, USA
    Join Gerardo Ibarra, Bruce "gaspipe" Crawford and Leebob exploring central Mexico from 14,000ft and down down down to the sea we go.
• Central America
  • Jeff Munn, USA, presented by Charles Twyman
    Central America to the Darien Gap, Virginia to the Darien and back
• Mexico, Belize and Guatemala
  • Mike Kilpatrick, USA
    "Just because you've got the latest HU Meeting tee-shirt doesn't mean you're ready to cross borders."
• how about you?? Let us know if you have something to show! Volunteers wanted for these and any other subjects you'd like to talk about! It's easy and fun, and we'll help you out.
  

2008 Tech clinics, Saturday/Saturday night:

• Fix that flat! How to change a tire anytime, anywhere
  • Grant Johnson, Canada
    How to prevent flats in the first place, and fix them when you get one. Grant's changed thousands, and will show you all the secrets to make it easy. The best tools and how to use them for tube and tubeless tires. Hand's on practical and tire changing contest for beginners to experts!
• Prep your bike for the long trip!
  • Grant Johnson, Canada
    Is your bike ready for long distance travel? Grant will conduct a hands on assessment and discussion of bike set up and prep, looking at YOUR bike.
• Photo Composition for Travellers
  • Grant Johnson, Canada
    The one everyone SHOULD take, but no one does... We all want to take great photos of our trip - so why don't we? This easy clinic will transform your motorcycle travel photos from boring to fabulous! BRING your photos on a CD or Flash Drive, max 10, and we'll critique and discuss YOUR photos - what's good, and what's not - and how they could be improved.
• Laptops and How to Stay Digitally Connected
  • Jay Kannaiyan, USA
    Mini laptops that are travel friendly, how to effectively use internet cafes in 3rd world countries. SIM cards and other forms of communication like Skype for free calls back home.
• Health Tips for International Travelers
  • Stan Polanski, Physician Assistant, USA
    How to stay one step ahead of infectious diseases on your travels.
• Off-road Basics
  • Lee Allison and Grant Johnson
    We'll do a beginners session for those who've never ridden off-road, or had a bad time when they did. Low speed CONTROL, even for street bikes, will be the focus. Tight feet up u-turns with ease, and how NOT to hit the rock in the road.
• how about you?? Let us know if you have something to show! Volunteers wanted for these and any other subjects you'd like to talk about! It's easy and fun, and we'll help you out.

How about you??

• Let us know if you have something to show! Volunteers wanted for these and any other subjects you'd like to talk about! It's easy and fun, and we'll help you out.
• Let's hear about YOUR trip!

• Volunteers for anything else? Some suggested subjects:
  • First Aid for travellers
  • Laptops, uploads, files, communications on the road...
  • GPS
  • how about you?? Let us know if you have something to show! Volunteers wanted for these and any other subjects you'd like to talk about! It's easy and fun, and we'll help you out.

There will be slide shows Friday and Saturday night, so come early and make it a great weekend! We will have a DVD or two and loads of opportunity to talk Thursday night.

Leaving on a big trip in 2008?

Plan on leaving from the Meeting! We'll make it a great send-off! Or coming home around the time of the Meeting? What a great place to arrive at!

Travel with others going to the Meeting

Don't forget to check out the HUBB to connect with other travellers en route to the Meeting

Schedule

Miscellaneous notes:

Organisers will be there starting late Wednesday, if anyone wishes to arrive early and just hang out.

Accommodation and meals are NOT included.

Not everyone wants to camp, people have different budgets and comfort requirements. Also, some people showed up on Friday, some on Saturday. So this year, instead of us try to organize and require you to pre-register for all these possibilities, we're making the pricing as simple as possible, and giving you the links to information about accommodation options, ranging from camping and hostels to hot springs resorts. We have negotiated special prices for the camping and rooms for the weekend. For the most fun, you want to be at the "official HU Campground" - that's the IronHorse Lodge - so you don't have to go looking for people to talk to.

We learned last year that some people wanted meals organized, others preferred to make their own arrangements or bring their own food. So, there will be one main dinner on Friday and Saturday nights before the slide shows. The price is approximately $12-15. This meal is optional, if people prefer to make their own arrangements that's okay too. Be sure to sign up for meals on arrival.

Iron Horse will be serving for all meals, so no problem getting something to eat at the Meeting site.

Membership - Show you're proud to be a Horizons Unlimited Traveller!

T-Shirt Deal

You can help!

If you have a few minutes, please download the poster (Adobe pdf format) and print off a few and hand them round your club or your local bike shop or anywhere seems like a good place.

2008 Poster in pdf format (886kb) full colour 2008 poster. (You may need to right click and choose "save target as...")

Thanks for the help!

The Meeting Location for 2004-8

Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge, Cabins and Campground
1755 Lower Stecoah Road,
Robbinsville
North Carolina 28771

For more information:
Telephone: 1-828-479-3864
Email Ironhorse Lodge

More info on their website, and a review of Iron Horse in "Motorcycle Consumer News." (128kb .pdf)

Getting There - GPS, Maps

Other Accommodation Possibilities

Note: Camping is NOT included with your admission to the meeting. Reservations for camping (not required, but requested) and cabins, bunkhouse, rent-a-tent, (REQUIRED) here. Book EARLY!

Other accommodation possibilities are a little ways away - details to come.

Suggestions anyone?

Information about the area

Local Hosts

Jim and Liz Donaldson are co-organizers of this event. The Horizons Unlimited events couldn't happen without the support of the local organisers and other helpers, and we greatly appreciate their assistance and support - please be sure to thank them too!

If you have any questions, they can be contacted here:

live in the area, so have lots of "local knowledge" if you have any questions.

And a special thanks to all the local sponsors and supporters!

• Ghost Town Harley-Davidson "Western North Carolina's only source for authorized Harley-Davidson® sales, service and accessories."
• Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, NC - "rare American motorcycles and automobiles"
• Bluemoon Cycle in Norcross, GA. - "one of the largest volume BMW motorcycle dealers in the Southeast."
• Fraziers Harley Davidson in Buford, GA. - "Our goal is simple. We want to keep everyone happy."
• Atlanta Triumph Ducati in Atlanta, GA. - " a haven for motorcycle enthusiasts to hang out and discuss bikes with like minded fanatics."
• Precision Cycle & ATV Sylva, NC. - a full-service shop - "Mechanics are the backbone of the business"
• Smith Power Sports "products to make your outdoor living easier and more enjoyable. We offer experience, fair prices, and a friendly atmosphere." Kawasaki and KTM.
• Mortons BMW, Fredericksburg, Virginia. Mortons have been a long-time Horizons Unlimited supporter, so a special thanks to them, and for coming all the way to the meeting! Say hi to Steve, he'll be wandering around...
• BMW Motorcycles of Atlanta, "the leading BMW dealer in the southeast, with all the latest models, genuine BMW accessories and your exclusive source for BMW clothing in Georgia"

Please drop in for a visit and thank them for their support.