So, just spotted the new OMM website and the old Polaris Challenge website referring to it.
Entered the Spring one last year for it only to be cancelled.
What are people thoughts on this new line they're taking with OMM?? I'm hoping it will bring good stuff, but at the mo given what's on the site, not too sure.
Thoughts??
I was talking to Andy Williams (OMM's owner after Mike Parsons (whos sister still organises the events) created it after Karrimor/Kimm) about this the other day when he came round. I must admit, I didn't realise they had moved into this. They're doing quite a few now! Which site are you referring to? As he did mention they are re-doing the OMM one and are a little behind (meant to be up early April). As a company (OMM/Arc) they are very enlightening to work with, although I know weathers not been on their side much with events!
If the original format 2 day event returns then I'm definitely interested.
I was definitely up for this until I saw the price. If I do two separate events on different days at the weekend, it normally costs aroun £22-25 all in, so £ 60 is ridicolous. OK it may include camping, but that's no use to me as I live a 20min drive away!
Welsh ride thing give's you three days riding for the grand sum of £15.
Don't see any competition there myself.
A third more riding at a quarter of the price.
I was a bit suprised at the price - Dark and White are doing a 2 day event in the Lakes in for £39.00 solo and £32.00 each for team. 3hrs of beeping boxes round the same part of the Peak this sunday from £12.50.
If I was about when Polaris is on I'd still do it but sixty quid is still steep even if I can afford it. New website is definately an improvement over the old one. Reads like traditional two day event could be back this Autumn. Never did one of the ones with the night nav but would like to see day night day from a base camp back in the spring, summer kept and autumn over nighter.
£60 each?? Looking at the site its £120 for a team entry seems very expensive it's a shame I used to really enjoy the Polaris could hide my lack of fitness by reading a map! but £60 seems a lot when I could go and do pretty much the same ride with mates for free. BUT in the information it does say there is a bar and plenty of grass! So perhaps thats where the money is going?
This is what I mean - free camping? So a big field then.
And yeah, not the most 'out there' location of the peaks. OK if you're from down south but not when you're there every other weekend.
Dissapointed it's not the 'proper' version where you have to carry all your gear also.
Does this mean it's going the same way as last Springs? I.e. cancelled?
I'm sure that they're aiming to gently kick start Polaris again and aren't going to just jump in and try and get all 3 events off in 1 year. I remember the disappointment when they crumbled after the Salisbury event after 2 blokes turned up, camped in the rain and got wet and moaned. Then it rained on the Saturday and they moaned. The camp site was mildly exposed and it was windy and they moaned. Then on Sunday it was muddy and they moaned. Once they'd got home they spent the next 6 weeks moaning about how shit it was on the forum, blaming the organisers for not telling them that it might be damp, that they'd not got a very good tent, that it had rained and was muddy, that it wasn't like sleepless, that they'd got wet and finally how stupid it was that they'd had to carry their own gear. I think the organisers pretty much gave up at that point.
Will be watching to see how OMM get on with this as I quite like the full Polaris in a sort of self flagellating kind of way.
Don't get me wrong - I'm all for the Polaris concept. But it will only work if some effort is put into making it an attractive event. I don't mean promotion necessarily, but making it look like the organisers care when you go to their website.
At the moment it looks like its just been cut and paste from th old Polaris website.
And justify the price hike!
According to the OMM website - a grand total of 46 people have downloaded the entry form - is this a good or bad thing?
I used to do the Polaris, but baulked when they upped the entry fee, and then went to the effort of transporting a ruck of challenge lager and bitter up a Welsh mountainside - but no fresh drinking water- seem to have been wrong to me - for a "wilderness event" anyway
£60 seems a bargain when you consider this Black Mountains 3 Day
Rider package
The cost of entry into the Black Mountains 3 Day is £150 per person
I Love the Polaris, have done a few of them, including the night ride stage ones. The full fat, 2 day, remote camp, self supported version is the one i have been waiting for. Polaris Apparel never bothered running one of these after they took over from detail events, then they cancelled events left right and centre. OMM take over and gave me hope, but still no 'proper' Polaris, and the one event they are running is on at the same weekend as Glastonbury so i cant go. If they bring back the full format event in the Autumn, i will be a happy man. Polaris is a great format, great atmosphere and get some great riding in some superb countryside. i like the fact that it never seems like a race. The remote camp aspect made it seem more like and adventure tho.
Still 2 weeks to go for entering welsh ride thing if you want self supported wild camping for three days with orienteering. £15 is a bargain, is it not?
welsh ride thing? could this be the answer?
The WRT could be the answer to numerous questions. 
Think of it as an excuse ... an excuse to enjoy three days of solitude or have a laugh with your mates, meet new people, ride places you didn't know existed, join in the bivvy thread or an excuse to just enjoy some time riding your bike ... as flatfish says, entry is £15, all money raised goes to the Air Ambulance and you even get a T shirt!
Sounds more like it - will check out the link!
How far do i have to trawl through the WRT blog to find information about the event?
E.g when is it?
cheers
Spring Bank Holiday Weekend 28th-30th May inclusive, starts about 2.00pm and finishes at a similar time on the Monday but no penalties for lateness, in fact no penalties for anything, or points for doing things. Does that clarify it sufficiently?
More a happening than an event.
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