2008 Speakers were:

• 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.

All times - and everything - approximate!

An up-to-date schedule will be posted at the Meeting.

Thursday

CHECK-IN and sign up for Saturday and Sunday breakfast, Saturday dinner!

There will be at least a motorcycle travel video in the evening, and lots of opportunities to meet up with others and go for on and off-road rides.

Self-guided Ride details
Tail of the Dragon / Cherohala Skyway Loop ride

Friday afternoon/evening

CHECK-IN and sign up for Saturday and Sunday breakfast, Saturday dinner!

Rideouts

Self-guided Ride details
Tail of the Dragon / Cherohala Skyway Loop ride

A guided ride, Saturday:

"The ride mapped out is 140+/- miles. It is very tight both gravel and paved roads for the most part except for a couple 6-8 miles sections. There will be a number of 'bail out' points to return to Ironhorse. Best suited for XR650, KLR, 640 Adventure, DR650, DRZ400. I have ridden all these roads on 950 Adventure as well and the big Tigers, GS's etc should be fine for anyone but novice off-roaders. All on roads, no single track. Plan on min moving time of 4-5 hours. The roads are tight and mostly 2-3-4 gear stuff."

We'd like to have a volunteer to lead this ride. Let me know here if you can. Thanks!

Russ Corn has volunteered to lead a ride! Thanks Russ!

And there'll be more too! Book your place as soon as you get there, numbers will be limited.

Friday night

6:00PM
Dinner

7:00 pm
Speakers presentations

Saturday morning – late check in

8 – 10 am - Breakfast

10:00 – Self-guided Ride details (see sheets at check-in for times for guided rides) and tech sessions.

Local riders have put a lot of effort into planning some great rides, so get on the lists early!

We also hope to have a few travel oriented vendors there, so a great opportunity to have a good look at the latest goodies. Vendors please contact me for details.

Road Ride: "Tail of the Dragon / Cherohala Skyway Loop" - we did have a ride leader, unfortunately he's now going in for surgery the day before. If you want to ride it yourself or in a group the ride starts early Saturday morning, 9AM. Full Details on the Tail of the Dragon / Cherohala Skyway Loop ride, and route information.

Saturday afternoon,

Tech sessions:

• Photo Composition - maybe
• Tire repair
• See the list at check-in!
• Volunteers wanted to conduct tech sessions - please contact me here

Saturday night,

6:00 pm Dinner (Buffet)

7:00 pm
Speakers presentations

Sunday,

Time to slowly ride off into the sunset, err, rise...

Too late!

and before August 17

1. Please fill in the form below and pay by (or any credit card) and you will still get the Pre-registration price! After you have filled in the form, you will get a new page with the (or any credit card) link to pay at.

OR:

after August 17

1. Please fill in this form below to let us know you're coming. NOTE the registration fee is + $10.00 at the door!

2. You will shortly receive an e-mail confirmation. Check to ensure the details are correct. If you don't receive an e-mail confirmation within a few minutes, it means your e-mail address wasn't correct, (or the Internet has eaten your e-mail). Try again. A human being will actually get a copy of the e-mail, and we promise we won't sign you up multiple times. ;-)

3. Print the emailed confirmation form and bring it to the meeting.

Just to clarify the membership situation: Currently there is no requirement to be a member to access the website, the HUBB or to receive the monthly e-zine. For now, what you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive.

We will also upgrade your status in the HUBB to Member. In addition to recognising your contribution through your status, this will allow you to upload a custom profile picture and custom avatar, store up to 50 private messages, upload more pictures (10 MB maximum storage) and create polls.

Another benefit we can provide is if you decide you want a t-shirt, mug, fleece jacket or other Horizons logo product from the Souk, you can purchase Member logo products at the basic price. Just let us know and we can arrange access to the Members Private Store.

Top quality heavy cotton t-shirts in black, or grey if pre-ordered. We will have a range of sizes available, but quantities will be very limited, so if you wait till the day, there might be none left in your size.

The new Synthetic t-shirts are in a beautifully made wicking material, and make great travel / riding t-shirts as well as all-round wear t-shirts. Available in black or grey at most meetings. MUST be pre-ordered.

Note that we will have a few black cotton t-shirts extra at each meeting, but anything else must be pre-ordered and paid in advance.

If you're heading there, check out the HUBB for current threads, who's going etc.!

GPS Co-ordinates: N35 deg 23' 20", W83 deg 40' 38"

Iron Horse is located in Graham County, North Carolina, on Lower Stecoah Road just north off Highway 28. A short 30 minute ride to the Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap and the scenic Cherohala Skyway, two of the best motorcycle destinations in the United States.

more maps here

Can you supply us with links, and other info on the places to ride, and interesting things to see in the area? Let us know here.

• Ian Schmeisser has written a great article on the best roads and backroads of North Carolina and Tennessee - enough to keep you well occupied for a couple of weeks!

• Ironhorse is in Graham County, NC. www.grahamchamber.com promotes the county and has driving directions to Graham County from Asheville, Atlanta and Knoxville. Even though the directions are not directly to Ironhorse, this site might be useful.

• Great information on the "Tail of the Dragon" - otherwise known as US129, near Deal's Gap, with 318 curves in 11 miles, can be found on the "official" Tail of the Dragon website. An awesome road! We will have a few maps from the website, but it would be wise to print your own in advance. Available here. There is also info on Deals Gap, Cherohala Skyway and 2 Dual Sport rides.

• North Carolina's 'Scenic Byways' website has a lot of great information on various scenic roads in North Carolina. They also sent Karen a book she says is great. It will be on display at the Meeting. Viewable online in pdf format or can be ordered from their website for only $5.00 each.

• Great whitewater rafting is available nearby at Wildwater Rafting, and also at The Falling Waters Adventure Resort there's whitewater rafting, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, canoeing and kayaking.

• Wheels Through Time Museum a "35-year collection of rare American motorcycles and automobiles...230-vehicle collection in the lovely community of Maggie Valley, North Carolina, located just a few miles off of I-40 and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Maggie Valley is a quiet community of 400 people nestled in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains." Owner Dale Walksler has very generously donated door prizes for our meeting, and wants to invite you to come visit the museum - he'll be delighted to meet you!