Adventure Overland Show, 26-27 Sept

[RMS]

Hi guys,

The Adventure Overland Show isn't a Land Rover show, but an "overlanding-by-any-means" show!

Please click on the logo for more info.



Cheers,
Robin.

[RMS]

Tom McGuigan, the powerhouse and whirlwind behind the Adventure Overland Show, has featured us on his website

Click HERE and scroll right to the bottom of the Clubs section.

Thanks Tom, that sums us up perfectly

Cheers,
Robin.

[TomMc]

No problemo!

Heard you've now got a S2 Dormobile on your pitch ... nice one!

[RMS]

Might have Tom - awaiting confirmation

[TomMc]

Opps! Jumping the gun, story of my life. Should have said ... "potentially".

[RMS]

Another great event - sunshine all weekend, plenty to see and lots of like-minded folk to talk to

We had 4 Carawagons, me, Patrick, Steve & Trev (Tarquin), Mick's Dormobile and Neil's 109" camper.

Thursday night there were only a few campers on site, so Neil and I joined the guys on the LRC (facebook group) around their firepit - thanks for the welcome guys

Friday night we had a full complement, though Toby Savage wasn't well (man-flu!) and so just drove down for his talk then home again, so we didn't have his Carawagon on the stand this year, and Phillip was supporting an ill friend so couldn't make it with his Carawagon.

An 'old' friend, author Simon Gandalfi, joined us on Saturday morning, in preparation for a talk he was giving entitled "Incompetence, Incontinence and Embarrassing my kids!" and decided to stay the night, sleeping in the back of his Toyota Corolla!! Luckily he survived the night, despite the temperatures.

Here's the stand set up for the weekend:


And the moon-rise on Saturday evening:


As well as the seminars, Steve and I managed to blag test rides on a couple of nice British built adventure bikes, CCM GP450, and spent an enjoyable hour or so riding around the racecourse track and the winding country roads around Stratford. As it's 30 years since I last rode (Honda 400 Superdream!) I was a bit apprehensive, but as they say, it's like riding a bike and within a couple of minutes it felt like I'd never stopped riding!
Perhaps our next expedition might include a bike or two slung on the back of the campers

Thanks for all who made it - another great weekend with friends

Cheers,
Robin.

[WhiteKnight]

Hello everyone.

It's some time since last I posted, but I'd just like to say thanks to Tom for putting on a great show, even bigger than last year, and also, of course, to my fellow chaps on our stand : Robin, Patrick, Neil, Trevor, Mick and William. Nice also to see John and Sandra with our next door neighbours, Classic Campers.

A great time was had by all, I am sure, so here are a few pictures to whet your appetite.
This show in particular is inspiring, meeting other Overlanders who have and are seeking out happiness in miles.

On Friday we were met by the renowned Toby Savage, who was to(o?) camp with us but for a horrific bout of man-flu, which all us chaps know is not far from the end as we know it. Despite this, Trooper Toby came and greeted us, took some pics of our stand, and then performed heroically by continuing with his talk, (see http://www.nexi.tv/landroverslive/2015/08/4371/ for an eventual episode) abetted by the inimitable explorer Sam Watson (see here http://www.tobysavage.co.uk/lrdg/team.asp for profiles of both guys when in Jeeps across the desert - sorry for blaspheming).

Here's Toby manfully speaking through tides of deadly man-flu



...and with Sam Watson, regaling us of tales of derring-do in front of the 'campfire'



With due deference to Toby, the star of the show was a young octogenarian called Simon Gandolfi, writer, adventurer, world traveller, Honda-Blinger and all-round good egg.

We had the honour of him joining us on our stand, sharing a copious breakfast (please note Simon's Honda-bling gear, which he wears because he likes it, and to embarrass his family)...



...signing books for his adoring public...



...wittily describing tales from around the world of some amazing places and people he has met ...



...and, of course, making everyone in the audience laugh. His talk was entitled "Incompetence, incontinence and embarrassing my children"...



Simon rides around on a Honda 125cc motorcycle. This time he came in his little old car, and on Saturday turned it into a near-classic camper. Well, he slept in the back anyway. Being married, he steadfastly declined offers from young ladies to keep him warm. Instead he chose to snuggle up to his trusty valise...



So why a snap of a case? Looks pretty ordinary, you may think. Until you know that this case is the one piece of luggage which Simon bungees behind him on his 125 to take him around the world. He estimates it has covered an astounding 60,000 miles and counting. He keeps testing its strength by falling off occasionally. I would say it's coped rather well, like the man himself.

I remarked on how small it was (about thirty litres) and he responded that it did, actually, expand. To about thirty five. The internal pull handle accounts for about five litres, he carries a laptop wrapped in a towel, so how he manages goodness only knows. It just shows we don't need a mountain of kit whilst we are on the road.

More to follow...

Cheers,

Steve

[WhiteKnight]

..continued...

As Robin has mentioned, we managed to get a test ride on a CCM GP 450 motorcycle (http://www.ccm-motorcycles.com/gp450.asp#.VgplI_m6eUk). The British firm had a stand at the show where they were peddling their bike. Despite this, it did have an engine.

It is a great all-rounder, and at only 125KG in weight, having 30K of power (around 40 horses to us old-uns), a fantastic power-to-weight ratio (0.31 HP/kg). Rather rapid.

Here are Robin and myself having got our leg over...





Our stand, meanwhile, was littered with a variety of stoves and firepits. Robin's self-made is legendary and, once again, drew much interest from travelling wilburys at the show.

Mick, however, was showing off his new rocket stove, a powerful number upon which he cooked and warmed himself and William during the star-filled but very sharp nights. It performed extremely well. Here it is at work...



Mick is selling the stoves, so they will no doubt soon feature on Mick's website... http://www.lrbits.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index



Meanwhile, Trevor was not to be outdone. As the moon arose above his carawagon, an idea flashed into his head...



Two blacksmiths were busy on the show-site, calling themselves the elf and dwarf, forging various items.
They made a fire-pit which Trevor could not resist, so Mick had more competition. Here's Trevor looking rather pleased with his acquisition...



With Neil's wood-stove, we were well catered for in the heat department, which was sorely needed as the temperatures plummeted below zero. Here are all four roaring away...



And finally some more pictures of the stand...





Note William's 'off-road' course being built...

[WhiteKnight]

Tom McGuigan, the powerhouse and whirlwind behind the Adventure Overland Show, has featured us on his website

Click HERE and scroll right to the bottom of the Clubs section.

Thanks Tom, that sums us up perfectly

Cheers,
Robin.

I'll second that.

Cheers Tom.



Top man

[RMS]

Nice write-up Steve, and great pictures.

Thanks

Robin.