HU Travellers Meeting Ireland 2016

Dylan Wickrama When the road ends - Beating the Darien Gap on a Boatercycle

Then you arrive at a point where there is no road to continue. Between Panama and Colombia, there is one of the most dense jungles of this planet: The Darien! Stretching from the Pacific coast from the West to the Atlantic coast on the East, the Darien is home to many different groups of guerrilla fighters, drug smugglers and randomly scattered but notorious tribal groups which makes it to one of the most isolated and dangerous regions on Earth.

A perfect challenge for Dylan! As the first man ever he sails, solo, 650km around Darien, on the Pacific Ocean from Panama into Colombia on a self-built raft propelled by a motorcycle and experiences one of a kind adventure! A journey that is not only takes him across country borders but also tests his personal limits.

Constant break downs, storms, currents and zero sailing experience were some of the challenges of his incredible journey. When things go from bad to worse, dolphins come to his rescue! Watch the video excerpt of his trip.

Dylan Samarawickrama has travelled around the world for three and half years and modestly says he has 'done some interesting adventures'.

Dylan's book 'When the Road Ends' has now been published in English! Ask him to autograph your copy at the meeting!

Paul French, Lemon Rock Bike Tours Ride the Wild Atlantic Way - Review of our 2015 ride from Killarney to Enniskillen on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way

A group of us intend riding The Wild Atlantic Way from Killarney to Enniskillen - and we'll present a review of our trip. A combination of video and photos taken along the way.

You can join this trip too with LemonRock Bike Tours in Killarney who can supply BMW rentals and necessary riding gear. Departing Monday 20th June - see website for more details and to sign up.

Paul says he's been a motorcyclist for ever - but new to overland travel experience, apart from trips to France. Used to race motorcycle sidecars and sold my business to take early retirement - which resulted in forming a new motorcycle rental and touring business with his old sidecar racing partner, Tiernan.

Jim Kelsey Riding the Eastern BAM

Having traveled Siberia's Western Bam Road in 2012, Kevin Emans and Mark Kemp decided to try the Eastern Bam in 2014.

Despite a number of recorded attempts, it had beaten all visitors to date. In 2014, the lads, along with Gary and Ned O'Keeffe and Jim Kelsey took up the challenge. 5 men and 5 bikes started the trip. Two and a half of each came back almost 6 weeks later.

Just before the crash...

The people, river crossings, bridges, trains, lots of water, maintenance, breakdowns, accidents, injuries, visits from the police, varied accommodation, vodka, socialising, mayors reception all contributed to make this an eventful trip from start to finish.

Billy Ward, Bike Truck Africa - Another axis of evil?

This prezo aims at sharing some of my thousands of kilometers across Africa with Charley Boorman and dispel the myth of the 'axis of evil'.

I'll share some road trip stories and images of rides with Charley Boorman, primarily in Africa, including South Africa, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Mozambique and even an illegal dash into Angola. I'll also share some insight into what it's like working with Charley, ten years on from Long Way Round and how the love of Africa just keeps drawing you back. This year I returned to Southern Africa for a few months living in the Bush to train as a Safari Field Guide - working with a leading educational organisation called "Eco Training" based adjacent to the Kruger National Park. I've now passed all my exams and field ops - and yep - I'm now a FGASA Qualified Field Guide! Oh yeah! http://ecotraining.co.za/

I've been adventure travelling in bike terms for the last 12 years. Africa, Central America, Australia, USA all on motorbikes. Working with several UK TV celebrities including The Hairy Bikers, Ross Noble and Charley Boorman, has helped me develop opportunities in adventure biking & Theatre / TV production. I'm lucky to earn a living from such activities. Finally, I'll update people on Charley's big crash early on in the year and his recovery, along with his controversial move from BMW to Triumph Motorcycles.

Billy Biketruck is one of the few people who's managed to make a career riding bikes! He works in the entertainment / media / travel industry alongside notables like Charley Boorman and Ross Noble. Rode the Heroes Dakar in 2007 and rides about 30,000k's per year in Africa, Australia and South America. He's also a qualified African Field Guide.

Frank McNelis Travelling the world on Limited Time

Always wanting to travel the world and experience as many of its cultures its people and its amazing scenery but with very little chance of taking a year off for a big trip I had to find another way.

Having very little time off work but by taking mostly one month trips and the occasional two over the years I have managed to traveled from Prudhoe Alaska to Ushuaia Argentina and from Nordkapp Norway to Cape Agulhas South Africa, solo by motorbike and had some of the most amazing adventures along the way.

Merv and Sarah Colton Heading North from Ushuaia

A photographic story of 18 months through Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil

This is the second half of the story of a couple on their 2 1/2 year trip. Too old to qualify as a gap year, too young to retire, too restless to stop, it's the tale of a dream trip come true. We told the first half at the Hubb Eniskillen when we got back from South America, and this is the second half of the tale.

This photo presentation will show what we saw along the way, as well as telling the joys of getting root canal treatment in Bolivia, shot by a blowpipe in Venezuela for uttering 3 stupid words and waking up in a hospital somewhere by the banks of the Amazon.

Merv and Sarah have traveled for 2 years around South America. They traveled pretty slowly in their Unimog truck which allowed them to stay in pretty remote spots, and to haul some heavy cameras with ease.

Right now they are back home and moving into their garage to rent their house to save money for the next trip!

Richard Le Sueur Chasing African Snow - The adventures of an actor/filmmaker around Southern Africa in search of snow

Winter – Chasing African Snow is a photographic book that follows the adventures of actor/filmmaker and entrepreneur Richard Le Sueur around South Africa and Lesotho in search of snow. The trip covered almost 15000km of mostly off-road riding through the winter on a BMW Dakar, while trying to run a business remotely with dodgy internet, battery draining cold (down to -20 degrees celcius) and of course the challenge of dealing with snow and ice on the roads. One of the highlights included riding through a reserve at night with lions. Some video included.

Richard Le Sueur currently runs a media company and also does some acting, writing, producing and directing. Recently published a photographic travel book called Chasing African Snow about a 15000km motorcycle road-trip around South Africa and Lesotho and working on a possible television series. The book is almost sold out after just 3 months of sales online.

Stephen Clark But I only have two weeks! - Getting the most out of two weeks without it turning into an "Iron Butt ride"

You can get much more than you think possible in two weeks in parts of Europe, and you don't need to ride 500+ miles a day! Meeting the people rather than just passing through their landscape is what makes the journey.

I have travelled to various parts of Europe, visited Morocco, Turkey and old Eastern Bloc Countries all on a motorcycle, during my travels I have to say very few of the the roads or even the views stay with you the way the people you meet do.

Grant and Susan Johnson, Horizons Unlimited How it all began. The story of Grant and Susan's 11-year trip around the world, without a plan or a clue!

Way back in 1987, before the Internet, two young and naive Canadians set out from Vancouver to ride around the world on a motorcycle. The plan (and budget) was for 3 years, but it didn't quite work out that way!

Mark Warrender Ditch that tent, sleep in a hammock! AND A Guide to Wild Camping

Ditch that tent, sleep in a hammock!

A practical demonstration of slinging a camping hammock, fly sheet and associated rigging. The absolute comfiest and lightest way to camp.

Having slept in a tent for 20 years I was very dubious about hammock camping, I'd never have even considered it if I hadn't seen my mates setup. After my first night I was a complete convert, right now I would take a night in my hammock over any hotel! Warm, dry and super comfortable, let me show you how to select your site, rig the hammock and fly, pack up and go in the morning. If that's too tiring, you can have a lie down in it too!

Don't knock it until you've tried it, come and see for yourself.

Kelly the Kettle (and other stoves).

A practical demonstration of the Kelly Kettle, an Irish made kettle and stove requiring no fuel to be carried. Free sip of coffee!

The Kelly Kettle is a classic design made in Ireland and something I thought would be good to carry on my round the world trip. It uses a real fire made of local materials to boil the water, so you don't need to carry any fuel. I took this along with a petrol burning stove and it won on almost every level. Come and see how it works compared with other stoves, including how to do more than just boil water.

If you're nice to me I might even make you a coffee!

A Guide to Wild Camping - How to camp where you're not supposed to be without getting into trouble.

It's late and you're tired with no place organised to sleep for the night. You don't speak the local language and can't find a handy campsite with shower block, toilets and electric hoockup. It's dark, and probably raining.

Having been in this situation too many times, I'd like to share my tips on how to survive the night. Where do you go? What do you do? What do you eat? What if you're discovered?

What do you do when you live in Australia and love it, but your family want to return to England? There were no options for staying but I wasn't ready to just roll over and fly home either, so I got up one day and decided I'd ride home. Simple! In fact it was, pretty much. Once I'd planned the route and sorted the visas, the rest of it was – well, like riding a bike!

After riding half way around the world, from the Tropics to the Arctic Circle, conquering language and cultural barriers, breaking down, falling off and being arrested I finally made it home. And do you know what? The only real problem I have is deciding where to go next!!

Merv Colton Travel Photography

The usual gotchas with travel photograph - a few tips on how to get the best photos that you can while on the road, and what not to do.

We've all done it, taken a crap photo of the most amazing scene or situation and wished we had done better. With many scenes we never get a second chance. The sun has set and you've to move on, or the old woman smiling at you with more gums than teeth has disappeared.

I'll try go through a few tips to try help get decent photos faster, not to let that shot get away. How to prepare your camera, what to look for and what to adjust to help get the best results from any given situation. This will be more about what to do, and less about the features on any given whizzbang camera.

I've worked as a weekend sports photographer for my local papers, and got used getting 10 shots per match of 6 different matches in 6 locations in the same day. I've also put down roots and stayed in the one spot for hours to get the shot I wanted.

Grant Johnson, Horizons Unlimited Fix that flat! How to change a tyre anytime, anywhere!

Grant's tyre changing seminars are always well attended and appreciated. This seminar covers: how to prevent flats in the first place, and fix them when you get one; the best tools and how to use them for tube and tubeless tires; hands-on practical for beginners to experts, optional tyre changing contest.

Grant's tyre changing seminar at HU California meeting.

Daithi Wright Bodging Session and Slow Speed Skill

The Bodging Session includes a tyre removal and puncture repair & talk on how to get a bike going in the event of a journey stopping mishap.

An interactive presentation on "bodge" type repairs to help travellers get on the move again following any mishaps to their bikes, from broken engine casings, punctures and repairing broken chains to electrical gremlins, carburettor/fuel problems. The presentation relies heavily on suggestions/advice contributed everyone in attendance.

Last year we had a group of about twenty-five and it was very enjoyable with a fair share of banter, I was pleased with the amount of helpful hints and suggestions I got from everyone there, well worth a look in.

Daithi says: "I appreciate the journey sometimes has nothing to do with the destination, I suppose most of the fun is in getting there. I'm into off-road and enjoy the challenge of getting to places that are difficult to get to."

Grant and Susan Johnson, Horizons Unlimited 4 Easy Steps to Overland Travel! You can do it - we can help! Finding your way around Horizons Unlimited, other resources. Lots of great pics and video clips.

"Grant and Susan Johnson are icons in the round-the-world (RTW) motorcycling community. The Johnsons host - or more appropriately write, edit, produce, manage and coordinate Horizons Unlimited - a global network of motorcycle travelers... and a bona fide adventure motorcycling phenomenon." Dan Hilton, Rider Magazine

This seminar will be an overview of 'How To' travel overland topics. Includes content from the Achievable Dream series and great pics from HU Photo Contest winners!

Grant Johnson, Horizons Unlimited Bike mods and ergonomics!

Grant will host a bike 'Show and Tell' - bring your bike and show us your favorite travel mods. Critique and discussion.

When you picked up your new bike, did they take the time to make it fit you? You'll learn the amazing difference a properly setup bike makes to your riding fun.

Ergonomics demonstration at HU Canada West meeting.

Border crossings - How to get through borders with minimal stress and cost!

Packing light - Tips and techniques from experienced travellers to reduce weight and bulk.

Regional discussions - e.g. travelling in South America or Asia.

For Women Only - A must for the ladies, so be sure to plan on being there! A chance to talk to experienced travelling women without the men around!

Experienced Travellers Panel - ask the experts anything you want!

Walk arounds / Show and tell!

Tents and Bedding discussion (in the camping area) - What works, cheap vs dear and which ones keep you dry, warm and comfy!

Bike mods - Show off your best bike mods - homemade saddle bags, toolbox mounts, GPS mounts, seats, side stands, tank panniers, cup holders, etc.