The Details - Poles of Inconvenience: Europe Edition
This a whole new form of overland adventuring stupidity.
Everything you need to know can be transmitted direct to your peepers right here in this 90 second in depth guide.
But you might have some other questions, like when things happen and where. All that stuff is below in this here nifty guide.
If you’ve arrived here first check out the main website.
1. What are the Poles of Inconvenience?
The un-route is up to you and stretches from the top of Norway, to the bottom of Western Sahara and across to Turkey. You can launch from anywhere after joining the live launch broadcast online with all your fellow teams. The festival style finish line and closing party is at a former missile silo just outside Prague.
But it's the Poles of Inconvenience that really bring the stupid. Think of it as a curated network of chaos.
Instead of driving straight to the finish line you can join like-minded fools in seeking out totally ridiculous POIs along the way. Each carefully selected locational nonsensical nugget will force adventure upon you and your tiny steed.
Some of the Poles may be inconvenient in the classic sense of being nestled in remote corners of wilderness areas. Others might be topographically inconvenient, like the top of a mountain, or in the middle of a sea of sand dunes in the Sahara. Some will be logistically inconvenient, and all of them will be comically unsuitable for your tiny vehicles.
It's totally up to you which POIs you tackle but your chances of winning the overall Champion of the Poles trophy will vastly increase if you bag at least a few along the way.
2. Where are the Poles of Inconvenience?
Clusters of Inconvenience
British Bone Bruiser
Scandinavian Nipple Twist
Eastern Eyeball Gritter
North African Face Slap
... or go with Pick & Mix POIs
3. How it works: bagging POIs
4. How to win the POI Champions Trophy
Rather, the judging committee take a holistic approach to the entries. This doesn’t mean they’ll light some incense, and smother you in ylang-ylang oil whilst banging the gong of truth, but that they’ll take the whole picture of your adventuring search for inconvenience into account.
Teams who have incredibly unsuitable vehicles, make that little extra effort (serve high tea to some locals each day at 5pm for example), or just somehow add a touch of panache and style, will all get boosted in the rankings.
What are the prizes?
The Champions of Inconvenience
Runner Up
Best Adventure Vehicle
Charity Champions
5. The Dates
14th July
3rd August
7th August
6. The Rules
Rule 1: Small, shit and unsuitable
You need to drive a small, shit vehicle to have a proper adventure. It's no fun if it's too easy. If you want easy go for a spa weekend.
Rule 2: No set route
Rule 3: You're on your own
Rule 4: Raise £500 for charity
If you'd prefer to raise money for other registered charities too that's all good. Anything over the £500 minimum for the official charity can be donated to your own causes.
7. Entry fee and what you get
A motorbike entry is £325 per bike. You can travel as teams but each rider pays the entry fee and registers online separately.
Here's what you get for your dosh...
Launch broadcast hosted by Mr. Tom
- Join in from anywhere with all the teams and Mr. Tom, founder of The Adventurists
- The Poles of Inconvenience network of chaos will officially open during the live broadcast
Live tracking map and rolling online coverage
- Tracking on the live Poles of Inconvenience map using the handy tracking app supplied by Wayward Travel (iOs & Android). Live from the start of the UK convoy on.
- A rolling newsfeed of coverage including your teams updates and photos posted for the world to be jealous.
Epic Finish Line
- A finish line to mark the end of your adventure and a free beer on arrival from the crew.
Official Finish Party
- A suitably enormous and chaotic party to finish an adventure.
- Overnight camping on the 3rd August included.
- On site catering for survivors breakfast (pay cash on site).
Adventure Swag
- POI decals for your car or bike.
- Poles of Inconvenience patch for each team member.
- Team t-shirt for every inconvenience seeker on your team.
The Poles of Inconvenience
- The sprawling network of carefully crafted and curated Poles of Inconvenience - or POIs
- Listed in your handbook, on a google map and inside your tracking app.
Adventure Handbook and Team Chat Group
- A team handbook full of info.
- Teams only chat groups to meet your fellow inconvenience seekers.
Saving the world
Anything above this can be raised for any other registered charity of your choice.
8. Contact us
Follow the Poles of Inconvenience
Follow The Adventurists
9. The Warning
Your chances of being seriously injured or dying as a result of taking part are high. Individuals who have taken part in past Adventurists' adventures have been permanently disfigured, seriously disabled and even lost their life.
This is not a glorified holiday, it's an unsupported adventure and so by its very nature extremely risky. You really are on your own and you really are putting both your health and life at risk. This is what makes them adventures.