Tuesday 29 June 2010

Horizons Unlimited Event Jun 2010........

What brilliant event - high recommended to all motorcycle travellers and all wanabees...

I left home on Wednesday morning as I had volunteered to assist with the setting up – well someone has to do it – unloading chairs, setting up IT equipment and even erecting at very very large projection screen in the Marque. This is now the biggest Motorcycle Travellers event in the world but with being over-powering.

I meet with a great number of people from previous events and 10 Members of Solent Advanced Motorcyclists (SAM) also attended.

I was so good just to sit and chat to such noted travellers as Peter and Kay Forward, Austin Vince and Lois Pryce, Ted Simons, and so many more... and to meet some of the authors of the books that I have read. So my thanks go to all of them, to Grant and Sue or organising the event and to Lumb Farm for hosting it, and not forgetting all those that took the time to answer my questions and share a moment and a beer with me…

They had three camping fields available this year and plenty of room for all, and I really did not want to pack up and travel home on the Sunday. So on the return I visited the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire and then delayed it further by riding to a relatives house in deepest Gloucestershire for a coffee before taking the long way home.


Next trip is the SAM Camping weekend in July but in the meantime back to the maps and plan for next year’s trip !! Spain/Portugal or Italy/Slovenia ?? mmmm we'll see…

Thursday 10 June 2010

After the holiday.....

Mmmmmm been back from the trip nearly three weeks... bugger.  Thought I had better blog again - got to keep it going.

Now planning the next short trip which is the Horizons Unlimited Annual Meeting at Ripley in Yorkshire for 5 days and then a weekend camping trip for Solent Advanced Motorcyclists on Dartmoor.    .... and of course looking towards next years road trip - thought it would be good to good somewhere warm and dry !! but where - it has to be possible within a two week period (16 days) - which would be between 3000 and 4,000 miles.  Spain and Portugal is favorite at present - possible Italy and Slovenia !!

The bike is ready for it's service next week (having ridden 38,000 miles in just over 2 years) which will be just in time for the trip to Derbyshire,  and the heated grip problem now sorted out with a new controller and the Garmin glitch sorted with a replacement power cable.

I met with Lois Pryce on Tuesday night, when she gave a presentation to SAM on her recent trip with Austin across the USA driving a Ural motorcycle and Sidecar !!  I am so envious - not only for the adventure but for be able to go for three months !!!   Maybe if I retire at 65 !! Who knows....