..@ HU Ripley

Good morning, it’s is 8 am and I am at the Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meeting in Ripley Derbyshire. Arrived on Wednesday afternoon – had a good journey up although Gertie Garmin did take me through the centre of Burton-on-trent – but that was informative: I now know where Marmite is made and where Coors Beer comes from !!

One set up on site (pitched me tent next to Sam Manicom and Mike O’Malley). The photo is of me with Sam's BMW. The rest of the time we spent unloading chairs for the presentations, setting up and testing the IT equipment, and generally being useful. Then it was Larger time and off the bed at 11.30 – very late for me…

Thursday was a little more setting up and the presentations started at 4pm.. I am looking after one of the presentation room and sat in on two good presentations – one for Tori on the subject of Yoga for Motorcyclists (might be good for my back) and another presentation from Ian Mutch on his Organised trip to Dakar – very amusing – must get the book. I also attended another forum on camping which was good. Then I was called to the bar for a well earned couple of lemonades !!

It is now Friday morning and the place is starting to get much busier. The first presentation is at 9am in my room. There are also demo of changing tyres and first aid that I would like to get to…

The are long queues forming now for the showers and breakfast.. I made boil-in-bag Beans and Sausage this morning (Army K Rations again – brilliant). I managed to persuade the cleaners to let me use the showers at 7am and therefore beat the queues…

Attended about 5 futher presentations during the event - even the "Road Kill" cooking !!!

Right – better go and sort out the laptops for the start of the day. This blog will be uploaded as soon as I can but there is no WiFi here… I will have to drop into a McDonalds on the way home !!!

.... India...

The decision has been made - delay Enduro India until 2011... that give me a little breathing space and the other chap a chance to pass his motorcycle test !!! So what now - well following this weeks trip to Ripley, I will have to start thinking about 2010 .... Lithuania or maybe Croatia !!! more later....

... the planning goes on...

All recovered from the trip to France and Andorra - the focus now is the Horizons Unlimited event at Ripley in Derbyshire http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ . I will be travelling up on the Wednesday afternoon and returning on the Sunday. Really looking forward to it. So many "overlanders" are going to be there - Sam Minicom, Austin Vince, Loise Pryce and Simon Gadofin etc etc.. I have volunteered to assist with the IT stuff for the presentations and have already received the Shift List !!

I need to get on a get the kit ready this weekend - I will have to pack the bike on Tuesday night as I will be leaving for "the North" at lunchtime on Wednesday. Another 500 miles round trip coming up.

The radiator on Mr Mugabe is still holding-up thanks to an injection of Rad-Weld. I have managed to locate a pair of radiators and fan on EBay for £68 (Including a rear brake disc).
I only had it services in late April and it now 4,000 miles done and another service is due - well maybe in July !!

The addition of a sheep-skip on the saddle has eased the SAS (Sore Arse Syndrome) and amused the members of the office were I work !!! I am working on the plan for Enduro India - I now have permission from "management" but I don't believe we don't have enough time to raise the required funding... I am suggesting that we go for the 2011 Enduro India.. which would leave the planning for Lithuania (or Croatia) for 2010 - watch this space....

.....and what next..

Well the next trip will be the Horizons Unlimited Meeting at Ripley Derbyshire on the 18th to 21st June - with tent of course. Mr Mugabe is having some problems with a leak in the radiator but Radweld seems to have stopped that for a while until I can get it sorted properly (new one is £250 !!!) so looking on eBay.

So best start looking at packing again and sorting out what to take... I think I had best take the stove and food as I won't be able to afford to buy food every day.... but will take a few largers just in case....

I know of a couple of people interested in a trip to Eastern Europe.... and I have been asked if I would like to go on Enduro India in Jan 2010 !!!! Not sure if I could ask anyone for charity money again !!! nor could I get permission from management !!! I am in enough crap through my travels already...