Bikes are clean again. All stuff, goodies and luggage stored away for next years meeting. Time to write just a little more than a short summary about this years 15th Varadero & Crosstourer International Meeting!
Like every year, this years meeting was different to its predecessors. I think that this is one of the most beautiful aspects of our annual meeting; and since I have been at all 15...
: Every year is different, different on aspects of location, accommodation, scenery and climate. Who could have guessed that, in what is now become the coldest (and wettest…) spring in Europe for the last 100 years, that our meeting would be blessed by temperatures near to 20 degrees Celsius (above zero…
) and SUN, sun, SUN? I think the Orgateam must have had a very good connection some where up in the clouds…
It was an expensive VCIM. Which was obviously from the beginning. Was it worth it? It was. The accommodation (read: the cabins in which we stayed) where beyond superb. Spacious and luxurious. Maybe it could have been a little less luxurious, but it ticked all boxes. The provided common areas where we could meet for diner, (full English!) breakfast where good, and the provided meals where sufficiently provided. No single participant had to wait before his/her food where served and that is one of the most important things to make a meeting like VCIM successful!
Tarragona brought our meeting a new tradition… The Friday Evening BBQ. But could we have a more STUNING location for this venture than Camp Smokey? Perfect and spot on again.
I only did the costal tour on Saturday; and some wine tasting (!) on a close bye winery (in Wales, yes you can!) on Sunday. But for the tour I have done, and the footage I have seen and stories I have listened to, they have been amazing. Well done, Orgateam and tour guides! I found it excellent that the road books where provided as GPS data. You could pick- and choose: either ride on your own or with some friends, or enjoy the hospitality of skilful Tour guides. BIG PLUS again!
All together Karinda and me enjoyed another wonderful VCIM. Loved the scenic landscape, loved the people, loved the Orgateam. I loved the prices on Sunday night… It was like sitting in the middle of the ‘Top Gear Awards’ granting… You simply have to love the British (éh, Welsh…
) sense of humor! (NO MORE SHEEP!)
Downsides…? What to say. Personally I have not felt any downsides. I do feel sorry that one of the earliest and most respected members of our community was forced to leave the premises; without making a judgement about the cause and reasons.
I did feel (very) uncomfortable with the strict park rules that I had to leave our two bikes on a big parking lot (far-) away from our accommodation, and expressed my feelings to Gareth and Stewart. But after the security officer insured me that the parkingplace is patrolled by night, and that they would even double up the number of patrols during our meeting I felt a lot happier. The fact that all- our participants from 16 (!) nations where spread over the entire park (stretching over several hundred hectares) was a downside to. Especially since the Orgateam indicated very clear that our participants should be housed together. A ‘change of Management’ was the faint apology from Blue Stone resort. Downside was also the absence of camping possibilities. It would have made this years event financial accessible if they would have been possible. Next year they will be available and that is a guarentee.
It proves (every VCIM is a learning process for the future venues, downsides are there to be bent to positive challenges!) that after making the arrangements, it is necessary to remain frequent contacts with the owner of an accommodation between the actual booking and the start of the event. An good opportunity to update the ‘guideline for future VCIM organizations’!
Anyway… we are looking forward to next years venue in Geiranger, Norway. Another year to go… A long wait…