| Route and Miles: Approx 280 km (150 miles) from Bamberg to Gasthaus „Zur Schneeburg“
69509 Ober-Liebersbach
(30 min. north of Heidelberg)
Money: Euros €1 = $1.2527 USD or $1 USD = €0.7996 Fuel: €1.649/L = €6.242/US Gal = $7.81 USD/US Gal Weather: Mostly a dreary overcast day cloudy, and brief patches sprinkles. Glorious sunshine in the late afternoon
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| World Travelers |
| I’m at the Horizon’s Unlimited – Germany http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/meetings/Germany2012.php |
| This is a 3-day gathering of moto riders who truly ride the world! Horizon’s Unlimited organizes these gathering all over the world. A few of these individuals have been on the road for years! Around the world several times! This is going to be real interesting.
FYI – The Horizon’s Unlimited “UK Summer” gathering in Ripley – the big one! July 5-8, 2012 will have over 700 attendees! |
| At this event there are ~80 riders from all over Europe, the Americas, Asia. If they happen to be hear a HU gathering, they usually attend. Many to see ol’ road friends, all for meeting new ones, some seeking advice on an up coming countries/routes, or seeking help/assistance on mechanical issues. |
| This group is very similar to the Iron Butt family of riders. But the average age is much younger. Also many more female riders. All are brothers and sisters seeking far away horizons. |
HU PeopleJens Ruprecht – German HU organizer and Edelweiss Tour Director Kris – GS 650 Dakar, Polish living/working England. New to riding he said he has, “a a girlfriend, a mortgage, a dog and a motorcycle.” |
| Bertrand Sargisson – Very friendly, knowledgeable world traveler willing to share his experiences. Made presentation on modifying BMW650GS & GPS presentations. |
| Mario & Sylvia – FJR1300, Spain – On a ride through Western and Central Europe |
| Hanno Krusken (Spooky) KTM LC4, Germany – Presentation on paperwork – Immigration, customs, visa’s and border crossings.
Fern Hume, England, just started an 8-month ride from England to New Zealand. She just had her Suzuki DR-Z400′s engine rebuilt. There is something seriously wrong with her engine. She will have to ship it back to England and start over. |
| Phillip, Austria – tent next to Homer. Round the world with sidecar. Blown engine and had to ship engine back to Austria for rebuild. |
| Konstantin, Russian working in London . |
RidesAt least 50% of the bikes were BMWs. Most were mid-size 650 & 800GS Twins and a dozen 1150 and 1200 GS. Even some Airheads. |
| 20% were Honda mid-size 750 African Twin, 700 TransAlp, XR-650L |
The rest included 750 Super Tenere, Kawasaki KLRs, KTMs, Suzuki V-Stroms and 2 Harleys
 The stickered pannier's are a sign of a motorcycle world traveler.  A Dakar style GPS and paper scroll for directions.  Honda African Twin  Honda 700 TransAlp  Honda 700 TransAlp  Additional storage front and back of panniers.  Safe-Lok netting is a common deterrent but if the thief really wants it the Safe-Lok will slow him down 30 seconds. |
AccomodationsThe camping accommodations were somewhat disappointing. We were in a cow pasture that sloped to a creek. Fresh cow pies everywhere! Rain on Wed and Thu made the creek side of the pasture a bog – wet and slippery. |
 This was Thursday morning. By end of day the cow pasture was full of tents. |
 6AM hot coffee every morning started our day. Rest of the camp did not stir until 8AM. |
| The only toilet facility was the Gasthaus „Zur Schneeburg“ (Tavern “Snow Castle”) which was closed from midnight to 8:00 AM. The “cold only” shower was in a cow-retaining trailer wrapped in blue tarp. |
| The only onsite meals were provided by the Tavern Schneeburg which were quite reasonable. |
| The presentations were made inside the Tavern Schneeburg (internet) and in a small circus tent across the street from the Tavern. |
| Watt’s Happening?? |
| Bill and Susan Watt arrived at KnopfTours Friday June 8. We rode 30 minutes from the HU gathering to surprise welcome them. |
 KnopfTours, Heidelberg - Bill unloading their gear from the shuttle van. We surprised them at their arrival. |
 Stefan and Murf doing paperwork. Murf is holding the all important "green card" insurance. |
 Does all this actually fit on a KLR? No, most were stored at KnopfTours. That's the beauty of Stefan's operation. |
 A new European adventure for Murf and Bill. They have to ride back to the Franfurt train station where they load the moto and crawl into a sleeper and awake tomorrow in Italy! |
| HU Seminars & Workshops |
| Technical workshops on fix/maintenance on the road. Experience is one of the best ways to learn what you truly need in a tool kit.
Several GPS sessions – Using OMS-Open Map Source and creating Custom POI. Motorcycle modification for RTW-Round The World rides – shocks, external fuel filters, research common failures on your particular motorcycle. |
 Hanno Krusken (Spooky) KTM LC4, Germany demo's his tool kit and explains how he packs for lightness. |
| Locations presentation were made on trips around Tunisia, Arizona to the Panama Canal, Cuba, Germany to Nepal – via Iran, Central Asia, China and Pakistan, Mediterranean Coast on €50, South America to Ushuaia, Round the world on no money (2-1/2 years, stopping to work). |
 Every night starting at 9:00 PM (sunset) there are two presentation on rides/locations. |
“Nostrovia!”The Cuban brother’s Luis and Carlos Saez show up! These are the guys we met at the Bertl’s Harley-Davidson, Unterhaid, Germany a month earlier. Last year they helped Edelweiss & Jens Ruprecht do a moto tour through Cuba. The only motos available are old Harley’s! Some riders were touring on a foot-clutch and tank-shift Harley. |
 L to R: Kris (Poland), Dean (USA), Louis (Cuba), Homer (USA), Carlos (Cuba), Konstantin (Russia) |
| In the early evening, there was a lot of beer drinking and international toasting. According to our new Russian pal Konstantin, “Nostrovia” is not a Russian toast! It is a miss-pronunciation of Russian word Na Zdorovie (На здоровье) which is traditionally used as a common toast meaning To good health or simply Cheers.
Didn’t matter … we Nostroviaed all evening. Horizon’s Unlimited USA/Canada GatheringsThe next U.S. gathering is North Carolina USA, Stecoah, September 7-9, 2012. Registration open now! Ontario, Canada California – 18-21 October – 3 very full days, Thursday noon to Sunday noon! Cambria, Central Coast near Big Sur. Camp Ocean Pines in Cambria, CA is set in 13 acres of Monterey Pine forest overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We’ll have over 25 presenters, plus lots of useful ‘how to’ sessions! Numbers are strictly limited! Registration is open now! We leave Saturday afternoon to get to Bamberg that evening. We need a day to prep for our Monday ride to Slovakia. I’m gonna go visit family. |
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Horizon’s Unlimited Gathering8 comments to Horizon’s Unlimited Gathering |
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– Details still being finalized, planned for September 13-16 2012 (NOT confirmed 100%).
Dean,
Looks like a fun gathering! I am with you on the early mornings, before most folks get up. Nice time to enjoy the dawn and reflect on the experience. Also with you on prefering not to camp near cow pies…
Bill and Murf look to be traveling in style. Would not expect any less from my Canuck friends! I am sure they were very pleased to have you surprise them on their arrival! Good show!
Will you see Andrea, Derek and Layla in Slovakia?
A lot of new friends. That’s so cool. Are you planning on these rides here as well for HU this year?
Just to correct the photos. We had to buy new bags to meet Lufthansa’s luggage requirements. Of course no one measured our luggage and the three free bags each, maximum weight 70 pounds each we were told on the phone by Lufthansa as recently as Monday was incorrect.
Apparently being Star Alliance gold and getting this allowance is not in fact tree. Lufthansa charged us for the extra bags and tires cost us $270.00 reduced to $200.00
The 4 bags required to meet their standards were another $500.00
I would share the events of today’s riding but we sat around on the Italian Rivera. The train ride redefined two words “restful ” and “spacious” The photos of our “suite” will wait till Denver.
Enjoy your trip Bill. remember that 2013 is the “HOMECOMING” year in Ireland
Best
Richard
Thanks for all the updates Dean. It seems as if you are having a great trip!!
Richard
ps Don’t mind “Lumpy”, the weather reports are great
We have as m,any ways of describing levels of rain in Ireland as the Eskimos do for snow…..
Hey Dean
Just came across your page
Thought I had lost you
write me amigo- it would be good to hear from you
Bertrand, my apologies! I have not checked into my blog for some time.
I’m planning to attend the HU Germany, May 17-20 event again this year. I’m staying in Europe till July 27 just visiting places I’ve never been.