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prelude
16th June 2017, 06:25 AM
Gents,

Just a report, I guess it is unlikely that any of you will ever attend in europe but hey :) here's trying!

I am currently at the (claimed) largest overland expo in the world, the abenteuer und allrad messe (german for adventure and all wheel drive). Since this is my first time I am easily impressed I guess but impressed I am! A lot of the worlds larger and smaller vendors, though mostly with a european base, are represented here. What can I say about the messe (expo), it is very nice to see 250+ vendors in one spot to do some serious comparison and even outright pitch them against each other :)

The coolest thing however is the camp area. From wednesday afternoon a large area of land, right by a river, is opened up for visitors and my word. That is an event all in itself. There are, without exaggeration up to a thousand vehicles here with a few thousand like minded people. All globe trotters in the most diverse set of vehicles and builds I have seen, and probably will see in my life. From tatra and MAN kat.1 trucks to people with (I'm trying not to laugh :P) prius hybrids are represented. (if it starts raining, someone will need to skull drag that thing out of this field...)

One can literally walk from the beginning to the end over defenders, by far the most represented vehicle, followed by the 70 series landcruiser. p38's though, I have seen only two. My own and a brit. A great many people visit just the camp ground never to set foot in the messe, just to meet other overlanders. The skies fill with blue smoke from fires and bbq's. The spirit is... just... wow :)

The facilities are way up there. Portable loo's get cleaned and emptied at least twice a day, hot decent showers for a few bucks, drinkable water is free, there is fresh baked bread at the entrance for normal bakery prices and so on.

If anyone is ever near here around the messe, I can really recommend it. My intention is to attend more often from now on. I'll buy you a pint, or two if you do happen to be around.

Cheers! from a warm and positively great bad kissingen germany!

-P

Don 130
16th June 2017, 06:58 AM
Well Prelude that's a very good report, but where are the pictures? we can't possibly believe a word you've written without the proof of a great many photos :rulez:[bigsmile]
Don.

Tins
16th June 2017, 03:16 PM
Well Prelude that's a very good report, but where are the pictures? we can't possibly believe a word you've written without the proof of a great many photos :rulez:[bigsmile]
Don.

Prelude's report prompted me to go and look on the interwebby...

abenteuer und allrad messe - Google Search (https://www.google.com.au/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x47a2fce717f10e6d%3A0x6764d8d7762af563!2m19 !2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i20!16m13!1b1!2m2!1m1!1e1!2m2! 1m1!1e3!2m2!1m1!1e5!2m2!1m1!1e4!3m1!7e115!4shttp%3 A%2F%2F4x4schweiz.ch%2F2015%2F04%2Fabenteuer-allrad-2015-bad-kissingen%2F!5sabenteuer%20und%20allrad%20messe%20-%20Google%20Search&imagekey=!1e1!2shttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.auf-tour.info%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F06%2Frollender_palast.j pg&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwib95m22sHUAhVCErwKHVqnAuMQoioIhQEwCg)

prelude
16th June 2017, 07:01 PM
Due to the huge number of people on one cell-tower, uploading pictures is nearly impossible, also, I simply do not have the disk space on my macbook air to empty my 32gig memory card from my camera :( It'll all have to wait till I get home guys...

Anyway, the link above gives a very good impression. If you search for it on youtube you'll find drone captures from the camping grounds as well ;)

-P

Bytemrk
16th June 2017, 07:10 PM
Some fun toys there! [bigsmile]


....now where is that bucket list........[bighmmm]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/06/211.jpg


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/06/212.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/06/213.jpg


And I thought a 130 had a crap turning circle :eek2: :eek2:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/06/214.jpg


more here:

Abenteuer Allrad 2014 - outbackway.de (http://www.outbackway.de/abenteuer-allrad-2014/nggallery/page/1)

Don 130
16th June 2017, 07:19 PM
I had a look on the inter web too, but I gave Prelude a friendly dig about some personal shots as well. I hope he's coming back with some. I'd like to go to that expo, but most probably won't ever get there.
Don.

prelude
20th June 2017, 05:03 PM
Here goes :)

The landcruiser fanbase (or it's reputation) is big around here but we can't get those buggers through normal channels. Of course, there will always be people willing to fill such a gap... We even getthe V8 diesel in LHD, as long as you pay through the nose I guess...

http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1252.jpg

Also came across a tired looking land rover which had a sticker I can relate to :)

http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1231.jpg

I found this to be worth some investigation since getting around by walking only gets one so far and biking through soft stuff can get pretty hard:

http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1193.jpg

(http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1193.jpg)It's battery assisted and with those wheels I'd reckon I need it!
For the misses (who has a bad knee) I came across this beauty :)

http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1191.jpg

No more excuses that she can't run out the winch cable! With that thing she can go where I can't even walk anymore [bigwhistle]

and finally a few impressions of the camp site. First the queue that went on deep into the night of people coming in and second a small snap of the terrain filled with the smoke of many camp fires :)

http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1180.jpg
http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1187.jpg


(http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1187.jpg)and last but not least, the only other P38 I came across:
http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1169.jpg

mtb_gary
21st June 2017, 09:30 AM
Here goes :)

The landcruiser fanbase (or it's reputation) is big around here but we can't get those buggers through normal channels. Of course, there will always be people willing to fill such a gap... We even getthe V8 diesel in LHD, as long as you pay through the nose I guess...

http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1252.jpg

Also came across a tired looking land rover which had a sticker I can relate to :)

http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1231.jpg

I found this to be worth some investigation since getting around by walking only gets one so far and biking through soft stuff can get pretty hard:

http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1193.jpg

(http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1193.jpg)It's battery assisted and with those wheels I'd reckon I need it!
For the misses (who has a bad knee) I came across this beauty :)

http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1191.jpg

No more excuses that she can't run out the winch cable! With that thing she can go where I can't even walk anymore [bigwhistle]

and finally a few impressions of the camp site. First the queue that went on deep into the night of people coming in and second a small snap of the terrain filled with the smoke of many camp fires :)

http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1180.jpg
http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1187.jpg


(http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1187.jpg)and last but not least, the only other P38 I came across:
http://www.leviathan.tv/IMG_1169.jpg

Not too sure about that electric assist bike there Prelude. Personally I'll be sticking with my Rocky Mountain ETS-X with dual adjustable air suspension (sound familiar) 😆 but without the electric assist

prelude
22nd June 2017, 04:57 PM
Although I fully agree with getting a workout :) my girlfriend has a condition with her right knee so I need to take the load of that leg. Cycling over bitumen is already a challenge for her so, if I want to get around with her without having to take the car everywhere I need an alternative. A road bike won't cut it off road so I was pleased to see electric assist on a MTB :)

I looked up your bike, that air suspension DOES sound like a hoot :) Well worth looking into.

-P