The HUBB UK 2014 Overlanding event

Travelling Sam

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Hi All,
I wanted to give you the heads up on the HUBB UK overland travel event from Horizons Unlimited. Right now because there are just a couple of weeks left with the heavily discounted £45 - 4-days event passes being available.

I know that many UKGSers are up to speed on the event and that a stack of you guys come to either the Midlands or the Ireland events. This heads up is for you to bring you up to date, but also for everyone who’s not been able to get to the HUBB UK before. With new people in mind, this is a long post!

This is the link to what happened at the HUBB UK 2013 and below is a short film just to give a taste of the atmosphere....

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What’s happening for 2014?

The tradition is that over the 4 days of the event – Thursday 19th to 22nd of June 2014 - there will be a mix of presentations, practical demonstrations, competitions, and a stack of overlanding equipment companies will be along too.

Many of those companies are well known to you guys and it’s the perfect opportunity to link up with them for a natter – far better to do than at a big show. Last year we had just under 200 sessions of presentations which ran through 5 presentation rooms. You really are stuck to choose which to go and see! Some of them are put on by names and authors from the world of overlanding and some are by people just returned from the road. If you’ve been before you’ll know that each of the presenters has a great story to tell and really good information to share.

And that is a key point about the HUBB UK. The aim is to Inspire, Inform and Connect. The 4 - days on site allow for plenty of that! And the real ale bar is just a bit of an encouragement! :beerjug:

There will be loads of other things happening such as Danny and Fil with their Roadkill Cookout. Want to know how to catch food on the road? And then learn how to prepare and cook it? The guys will show you and you can actually get involved. Kev from Woodland Ways will be doing sessions showing how to make the hedgerow your larder. There will be sessions on photography, filming, GPS use and well, you get the drift. Live music on the Friday night by the Fire Drums and it looks as if we are going to have a ride out or too as well. The Skills Course and Slow Bike race are real favourites now - there’s masses going on. And we have a stack of new ideas for 2014. Of course you could just chill, chat with mates, look at how people have their bikes set up and…

The venue is the very pretty Donington Park Farmhouse Hotel next to the Donington race circuit in the Midlands. Bring earplugs! Sometimes there’s a bit of testing happening on the circuit and we are a few miles away from the East Midlands airport. That's a huge bonus for people outside of England. We had people from 16 different countries at the HUBB UK 2103 and some of them flew in especially for it.

I want to mention that it’s an event which is not aimed just at people who are back from a big trip or are planning to head off. I reckon that a third of people are stuck – for the moment! They’d love to head off but can’t right now. They come because of the really friendly atmosphere where everyone talks to everyone else, the presentations, the bikes and expedition vehicles, and the general buzz. :thumb2

Just a thought if you’ve been before - this is probably just the right time to give yourself and your mates a nudge.

Right time? As I mentioned there's just a couple of weeks left for people to snag a £45 4-day event pass before the price bumps up as usual at the end of the month. The passes are amazing value for a 4-day event. They include all of the above, camping (there’s loads of space so no one has to be crammed in) and parking if disaster strikes and you can only make it on 4 wheels. There will also be plenty to choose from in the restaurant at inexpensive prices – the portions are going to be much bigger and far better quality than last year too.

:type If you have mates who always say 'I keep meaning to get to that.' you might like to get them to take a squint at the HUBB UK 2014 Page.

And of course, don't you miss out either eh

If you have a look at the pages for 2014 you'll see that things are just beginning to fill up, and all the layout changes which are helping us all to make the 4 days even better. 4 days? That’s the idea and I’m sure you won’t regret booking the time out for the full event, but if you can’t get away for the whole thing then you could book in for Thursday and Friday with camping on the Thursday night. Or for the other 2-day pass which is Saturday and Sunday with camping on the Saturday night.

Day passes? We don’t do ‘em. They change the friendly get-to-know-everyone, ideas-swopping, brain-picking relaxed nature of the HUBB UK – surveys we carried out show that just a tiny percentage of people want them – everyone else doesn’t want to change what has worked well for 13 years. Yep this will be the 14th year!

One of the things we try to do each year is to support a charity. In the past we have supported the excellent Motorcycle Outreach, Prostate Cancer UK (we all raised over £4,000) and in 2014 we are going to be supporting Shelterbox - there's a link on the site to see what they do.

Fancy presenting? Please sign up - share your experience or quite simply, the fun of the road. You’ll see the link on the page.

Want to see a particular company who stocks overlanding kit exhibiting? Please show them the 2014 page. We'd be really pleased to hear from them. It’s the chance for all of us to have hands on with kit and to talk face to face with people who know what they are doing.

People sometimes ask me where the money that the event tries to earn goes. It is earned to keep the hugely helpful Horizons Unlimited site going and to underwrite new HU travellers events. It's that Inspire, Inform and Connect ambition. Many overlanders have set out with their routes, visas, paperwork, shipping etc based on what they have researched on the site.

Well I hope you’ve made it this far. Sorry – a huge post! It’s called enthusiasm! :bounce1 Why me posting this? After going for years, then volunteering to help on the day, I’ve now ended up with helping to organise the event. My chance to share and encourage - lots to do, but fun. :)
 
UKGSers have such a wealth of experience. We’d love to have you share the fun of the road, experience and knowledge. Anything that can help to inspire and inform. Pure travel entertainment too!

Have a look at the Presenter’s link to find out more. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never presented before. We’ll help you – there’s a presentation crew to help with timings and so on. And, you’ll always have a really appreciative audience. :thumb2
 
UKGSers have such a wealth of experience. We’d love to have you share the fun of the road, experience and knowledge.

......................and when you've gone, get back to taking the piss out of you......or have things changed? :D
 
Now there's a thought Timolgra. 'Mongolia Siberia Pamir Highway' Come up and do a presentation!!! Share some of that knowledge. That'd be brilliant! Click on the 'Be a Presenter' link in the first box down on the right of the HUBB UK 2014 page. :thumb2
 
Brill Sam! I'd love to go to this one :D (Who knows....) Do you think I could get an audience for bike fixing again LOL

Timolgra Seriously it's great crack Honestly I'd really recommend doing a presentation

BUT the other talks alone are worth it

Campsites are well chosen with facilities close to hand and everything you could need for a good couple of days (note to self New bed thing for next year no more exploding mattresses!)

I've shown it before but this one takes me to the fair :D

Basically Sam hanging on my every word rather than me hanging on his :aidan

IMG_5390a.jpg

( there were actually more people in attendance than can be seen in the photo! :pullface whether or not they were listening is another thing)

Click here and go to post 89 on to see photos form the small gathering at Enniskillen this year

Excellent I'll be back and If theres a spare slot I'll do a presentation again (maybe I'll just take Sam's gearbox apart for a real time demo) :aidan



.
 
This is the one event in the biking calendar I try to make—and generally succeed. Expanding it this year to cover 4x4s was really interesting at the time and seeing as I've since bought a Discovery, even more so now.

Many of the attendees each year are new to adventuring and mostly don't have more than a couple of weeks holiday to apply to this, so whilst RTW presentations are always interesting, what's also needed are talks on less exotic and closer destinations.

For anyone thinking of Morocco I'll be updating my two-hour marathon presentation for HUBBUK 2014, but at the other extreme will be supporting one of my friends who will be giving a presentation about our recent trip to Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. Now that was an adventure!
 
Brill Sam! I'd love to go to this one :D (Who knows....) Do you think I could get an audience for bike fixing again LOL

Excellent I'll be back and If theres a spare slot I'll do a presentation again (maybe I'll just take Sam's gearbox apart for a real time demo) :aidan

.

I hope you can get over and do sign up to present. Even me, mechanical numpty, thoroughly enjoyed your session - learned shed loads. Everyone needs to know more about how they can get themselves out of trouble when on the road. Your presentation was spot on for what people can actually do! More please! Libby's gearbox? She'd enjoy the attention... :D
 
This is the one event in the biking calendar I try to make—and generally succeed. Expanding it this year to cover 4x4s was really interesting at the time and seeing as I've since bought a Discovery, even more so now.

Many of the attendees each year are new to adventuring and mostly don't have more than a couple of weeks holiday to apply to this, so whilst RTW presentations are always interesting, what's also needed are talks on less exotic and closer destinations.

For anyone thinking of Morocco I'll be updating my two-hour marathon presentation for HUBBUK 2014, but at the other extreme will be supporting one of my friends who will be giving a presentation about our recent trip to Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. Now that was an adventure!

Well said Tim! Really chuffed you'll be back with us again!!!!! :thumb2 Anyone who hasn't seen your presentation has a huge knowledge gap! And the closer to home Orkney and the Outer Hebrides presentation sounds great. I've been meaning to head that way myself - you've just nudged it higher up my 'to ride' list.
 
Nice to see the vid of the event - brought it all back!

Really liked the new venue, some tweaks to be made (as you'd expect on the first year of doing something new) but the venue combined with the new 4 x 4 and pedal power crowd made this years event for me. Not that the old one was bad, but sometimes it's good to shake things up a bit and get some new faces along to stop an event from getting stale.

I'm already booked in :thumb2
 
This is the one event in the biking calendar I try to make—and generally succeed. Expanding it this year to cover 4x4s was really interesting at the time and seeing as I've since bought a Discovery, even more so now.

Many of the attendees each year are new to adventuring and mostly don't have more than a couple of weeks holiday to apply to this, so whilst RTW presentations are always interesting, what's also needed are talks on less exotic and closer destinations.

For anyone thinking of Morocco I'll be updating my two-hour marathon presentation for HUBBUK 2014, but at the other extreme will be supporting one of my friends who will be giving a presentation about our recent trip to Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. Now that was an adventure!

Completely agree Tim. Not many people get the chance to head off Round the World but shorter trips are more likely.

I was supposed to give a presentation this year but unfortunately I was stuck in Jersey due to family commitments.

My presentation was to be on a trip to The Gambia. I have done this route on four wheels and two and have a few amusing stories. More importantly, this trip can be done in a short time frame unlike a RTW trip.

I'll definitely be there next year. Love these events. You can always find some interesting characters to talk to over a beer.:beerjug:
 
All booked up and will hopefully be able to turn up on my new CCM 450.

Can't wait.

Mark
 
Bring earplugs! Sometimes there’s a bit of testing happening on the circuit and we are a few miles away from the East Midlands airport. That's a huge bonus for people outside of England.

now don't get me wrong..EAR PLUGS..Naw bring full blow Ear Defenders!!. it was a great do, I`ve only missed two in eight years and both times I was out of Europe on the bike(made the one in BC tho) but bike testing was nothing it was the 3AM transport planes taking off then all the regular air traffic up to Saturday afto that got peoples back up. iwas in the "quiet"site and we did a poll, well..that was inbetween being drowned out by aircraft, and this was the thing that everyone complained at. So do carry on with the good work and do promote a fantastic event but admit the planes were a feckin` nightmare and what was told to people that it was going to get quieter was wrong, a shame but wrong. I will not be at next years, not because of the balls up with the planes but a little trip to the east is in order and I met my inspirational figure this year that made me lap the planet a few years ago, shook his hand and said "thanks for putting the idea there 35years ago":thumb2
 
I likes the video :thumb

I'm involved with the Irish Meeting (2014 date to be announced very soon !) and, having been to Ripley a few times in the past as well as a Meeting in Morocco a few years back, I can only echo Sam's comments about Inspire, Inform and Connect

We've had people doing presentations before going on trips & obviously after the event too but this year one of the attendees started her travels as a direct result of information gleaned during our Meeting. As far as I'm concerned that's what it's all about & is the reason we put in the effort.

It's great to see this event going from strength to strength and I think the diversification into other forms of travel other than just powered two wheelers is welcome & timely. Long may it continue :thumb2

I'll be keeping an eye on developments both here & on HU and I'll hopefully be there in June :beerjug:
 
Sam, I feel so privileged, my first event HUMM 2013 and I make a entrance on my SYM Fiddle 11 the only way to travel.

Note the foot down on the off pieste Donnington Trail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CK9Xtl7SUg&feature=player_detailpage

me here in the opening of this video from The Cross Egypt Challenge with the blue trousers bike #24, back
there again in NOV 2013.
 
I was in the "quiet"site and we did a poll, well..that was inbetween being drowned out by aircraft, and this was the thing that everyone complained at. So do carry on with the good work and do promote a fantastic event but admit the planes were a feckin` nightmare and what was told to people that it was going to get quieter was wrong, a shame but wrong. I will not be at next years, not because of the balls up with the planes but a little trip to the east is in order and I met my inspirational figure this year that made me lap the planet a few years ago, shook his hand and said "thanks for putting the idea there 35years ago":thumb2

'Quiet site'? That was bollocks wasn't it! What a daft thing to say it was going to be eh. :blast First time at the new venue and it really surprised us. What we'd been told was quite naff wasn't it. They did say that every day or so the flight path changes because of all the people who live in the area - they also said it was dependant on the wind though. We seemed to have lucked out on that eh! Needless to say there won't be any suggestions of such a thing for 2014! What we have done though is to arrange a field which isn't directly under the flight path. It'll be classed as the 'No Talking' field between 11pm and 7am.

Quite a few people camped in that area this year and they have told us it was good. Bloomin' hope so. As for the other fields, the Feedback survey from people and the Feedback box on the bar have let us know that beer and earplugs are the combination to go for. No worries for motorcyclists eh :thumb If anyone reading this took the time to complete either, Cheers!!! Everyone's thoughts have been brilliant at helping us to move things forward.

Other feedback told us that:
The shower electricals need to be sorted. They will be - have actually. What a pain that the issue popped up just as we got there. Thank goodness we'd got the separate shower unit. Life saver! That unit will happen again next year too!

Sometimes the food portions were too small. That wasn't supposed to be the case at all. Sorted for next year!

The real ale bar wasn't open long enough. Ha! Sorted that!

One of the things I really like about the HUBB UK event is that so many people get involved and help to make the event so good.

BD, on a personal note, brilliant news about your trip!!! Shame you can't be with us again but hey, what a fantastic reason. And the person you met? I'm guessing that'll have been Ted. It was excellent to see him again and looking good too eh.

And, thanks for the thumbs up on everything else. I/we really appreciate that! Cheers :thumb2
 
I likes the video :thumb

I'm involved with the Irish Meeting (2014 date to be announced very soon !) and, having been to Ripley a few times in the past as well as a Meeting in Morocco a few years back, I can only echo Sam's comments about Inspire, Inform and Connect

We've had people doing presentations before going on trips & obviously after the event too but this year one of the attendees started her travels as a direct result of information gleaned during our Meeting. As far as I'm concerned that's what it's all about & is the reason we put in the effort.

It's great to see this event going from strength to strength and I think the diversification into other forms of travel other than just powered two wheelers is welcome & timely. Long may it continue :thumb2

I'll be keeping an eye on developments both here & on HU and I'll hopefully be there in June :beerjug:

Cheers! :thumb2:thumb2:thumb2 Some of you guys will know that I was at the Ireland Meet this year and I have to tell you that it was spot on. I really enjoyed it. Wasn't the news from the person you are referring to brilliant! She's going to have great fun out there isn't she.

I managed to get in to quite a few of the presentations too and they were all excellent. I learned loads - and if my feet don't itch enough as it is, they made them do so even more! Some of the guys I met there have really helped Birgit and I to plan our next ride - we are heading out for a month as of next Sunday - Bosnia here we come! Thanks for all the help mates.
 
Bakerman, you really raised some eyebrows didn't you.:thumb It was fun watching the expressions on some people's faces as you 'scooted' around the site. I hope you can make it again - and on the mini wheels!

Are you still out on the TAT? Must look at your thread. That is firmly on my 'must ride' list! Thanks for taking the time out to pop up a post here - especially if you are still on the road.
 


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