:Draft:BackRoadClub

In 2013 a group of Austrian students initially organised Pothole Rodeo as a private road trip. In 2014 the event was officially organised for the first time. The inaugural tour explored the Balkan Peninsula and remains one of the most popular of the BackRoadClub to this day.{{Cite web |date=July 8, 2020 |title=Am Arsch der Welt führt auch ein Weg vorbei. |url=https://www.motorline.cc/autowelt/2020/Diverses/Pothole-Rodeo-Kultige-Abenteuer-abseits-der-Hauptstra%C3%9Fen-Am-Arsch-der-Welt-f%C3%BChrt-auch-ein-Weg-vorbei-229876.html#google_vignette |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Motor online |language=de}}

By 2018 the Pothole Rodeo was already organised in two rounds. The same year, the Moped Rodeo was launched with its original route through Italy.{{Cite web |date=August 9, 2018 |title=Erstes Moped Rodeo durch Norditalien. |url=https://www.motor-freizeit-trends.at/erstes-moped-rodeo-durch-norditalien/27349 |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Motor-Freizeit-Trends |language=de}} In 2019, another round of the Pothole Rodeo was announced and the Moped Rodeo travelled to the Balkan Peninsula for the first time, a route that dontinues to be used today. The same year the BackRoadClub was established as an umbrella organisation and formally incorporated as a GmbH [Ltd] in 2020.

Additionally, due to Covid-19 restrictions, several events such as the Moped Rodeo Austria, Pothole Rodeo Austria, Pothole Rodeo Germany and the first Boat Rodeo were introduced.{{Cite web |date=June 26, 2018 |title=Moped Rodeo - Ein Moped-Abenteuer durch Norditalien. |url=https://www.2stroke-tuning.com/moped-forum/topic/122823-moped-rodeo-2018/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=2 stroke-tuning |language=de}} A year later, the BackRoadClub organised the first Europe Africa Rodeo. In 2021 the Pothole Revolution Tour through Eastern Europe was released, in 2022 the route was changed due to the war in Ukraine.{{Cite web |last=Swersina |first=Michael |date=August 24, 2022 |title=Rund 5.500 Kilometer in 13 Tagen mit einer alten Karre - Lavanttaler waren beim Pothole Rodeo |url=https://unterkaerntner.at/chronik/panorama/rund-5500-kilometer-in-13-tagen-mit-einer-alten-karre-lavanttaler-waren-beim-pothole-rodeo/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Unterkaerntner Nachrichten |language=de}} The same year, the BackRoadClub organised a Moped Rodeo through Madagascar.{{Cite web |date=November 19, 2022 |title=Die 20 aufregendsten Funrallyes 2023 |url=https://www.alltagsklassiker.at/die-20-aufregendsten-funrallyes-2023/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Alltagsklassiker |language=de}}

The Pothole Rodeo was the company's first event. The original route travelled through the Balkan Peninsula, its goal to discover the last potholes of Europe. In 2021 the Revolution Tour that discovered Moldova, Ukraine and the town of Tschernobyl as well as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia was released, due to safety concerns the tour had to change its route in 2022. The alternative route travelled through Romania and the Baltic States, in 2023 the tour was rebranded as the Pothole Rodeo Baltic, which leads through Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. In 2020 the company had to cancel their journey to Southern Europae and another two events were introduced, the Pothole Rodeo Austria and the Pothole Rodeo Germany. Both these events quickly became customer favourites due to the familiar environment and the shorter duration in comparison to the other events.{{Cite web |date=July 8, 2020 |title=Am Arsch der Welt führt auch ein Weg vorbei |url=https://www.motorline.cc/autowelt/2020/Diverses/Pothole-Rodeo-Kultige-Abenteuer-abseits-der-Hauptstra%C3%9Fen-Am-Arsch-der-Welt-f%C3%BChrt-auch-ein-Weg-vorbei-229876.html |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Motorline.cc |language=de}}

In 2024 the BackRoadClub organised another new event, the Pothole Rodeo Celtic that discovers Great Britain as well as Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.{{Cite web |date=April 15, 2025 |title=Pothole Rodeo Celtic |url=https://www.alltagsklassiker.at/event/pothole-rodeo-celtic/ |archive-date= |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Alltagsklassiker |language=de}}

Founded in 2018, the Moped rodeo was the second brand of the BackRoadClub GmbH. Instead of cars or bikes, mopeds with a maximum of 50 ccm were now the preferred means of transport. Support vehicles are prohibited, the goal is to live the full adventure with little package.{{Cite web |date= |title=Moped Rodeo |url=https://www.backroadclub.com/moped-rodeo.1205.html |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=BackRoadClub}}

The first route explored the Alps of Austria, Northern Italy and Slovenia.{{Cite web |date=August 9, 2018 |title=Erstes Moped Rodeo durch Norditalien |url=https://www.motor-freizeit-trends.at/erstes-moped-rodeo-durch-norditalien/27349 |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Motor-Freizeit Trends |language=de}} In 2019, the first route through Croatia and Bosnia was established, in 2020 the same tour was cancelled due to Covid-19 regulations. Instead, the first Moped Rodeo Austria was organised. Since 2021, the are two routes, one travelling through Austria, the other through the Balkan Peninsula.{{Cite web |date= |title=Moped Rodeo |url=https://www.backroadclub.com/moped-rodeo.1205.html |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=BackRoadClub}}

File:Ziel Moped Balkan 2023.jpg

In 2022, the BackRoadClub organised a Moped Rodeo through madagaskar. Whether the three weeks long event will be repeated remains unclear.{{Cite web |title=Moped Rodeo Madagskar |url=https://www.backroadclub.com/downloads/press/Pressetext_MoRo-MAD_2022.pdf}}

In 2020 the first Boat Rodeo was hosted. Unlike the other events, the boat rodeo doesn’t rely on motorized vehicles, the only requirement is to have a boat without a motor. Marketed as the “slowest rodeo of all time”, the participants paddle around 25 km a day.{{Cite web |date= |title=Boat Rodeo |url=https://www.backroadclub.com/boat-rodeo.1271.html |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=BackRoadClub}} The rodeo takes place on the Mosoni Danube, a rather slow Hungarian river near the Austrian border.{{Cite web |date= |title=Andrew's cycling journey |url=https://carers.org/manchester-to-melbourne/andrews-cycling-journey |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Carers Trust}}

The Europe Africa Rodeo is a trip through the Northern African desert. While the event was originally planned in 2020, it first carried out in 2021 due to Covid-19 regulations. The tour then was organised for another 3 years. For a vehicle to be allowed to participate at the event, it must have a maximum of 50 HP, regardless if it is a car or a bike. During the event, the participants were able to visit the school that was built thanks to the donations before and during the event.{{Cite web |last=Kesselmark |first=Pascal |date=September 21, 2021 |title=Europe Africa Rodeo |url=https://boardgeneration.ch/en/europe-africa-rodeo/ |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Boardgeneration |language=de}}

The teams do not win because of their speed, but because of points they can earn by participating in challenges. These challenges are designed to get to know the other teams as well as the locals.{{Cite web |last=Deutsch |first=Christine |date=July 11, 2024 |title="Pothole Rodeo": Das große Abenteuer im 500-Euro-Auto |url=https://www.noen.at/gmuend/waldviertler-trio-dabei-pothole-rodeo-das-grosse-abenteuer-im-500-euro-auto-430169547 |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=NÖN |language=de}} The most popular challenge is one, where the participants can only dress themselves with parts of their vehicle or, in case of boat rodeo, with natural materials. Since 2022 the pictures of the challenge are collected in a calendar. All the revenue from selling the calendar is donated to charity.{{Cite web |date=November 29, 2022 |title=BackRoadClub auf Rekordjagd |url=https://www.motorline.cc/autowelt/2022/Diverses/Nackedeis-f%C3%BCr-den-guten-Zweck-BackRoadClub-auf-Rekordjagd-262510.html#google_vignette |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Motorline.cc |language=de}}

Whoever earns the most challenge points, is crowned winner and is presented a pokal and a gift certificate.{{Cite web |last=Pfabigan |first=Michael |date=August 8, 2021 |title=Mistelbacher K-Team gewinnt das Pothole-Rodeo |url=https://www.noen.at/mistelbach/mistelbacher-k-team-gewinnt-das-pothole-rodeo-mistelbach-redaktionsfeed-pothole-rodeo-benjamin-hymer-rallye-redaktion-284995382 |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=NÖN |language=de}} For a place on the podium, one can win a 1000, 500 or 250 euro BackRoadClub certificate, since 2025 it is possible to win an additional 1000 euro certificate in the vehicle challenge, where the owner of the most creatively decorated car is crowned.{{Cite web |date= |title=Der Preis ist heiß! |url=https://www.backroadclub.com/index.php?id=1830 |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=BackRoadClub}}

The BackRoadClub’s often proclaimed goal is not to be the fastest, but to help others. The company cooperates with different charity organisations, donating money to children around the world.{{Cite web |last=Sieber |first=Viktoria |date=August 2, 2020 |title=Pothole Rodeo: 2.000 Kilometer für den guten Zweck |url=https://www.bvz.at/mattersburg/mattersburg-pothole-rodeo-2-000-kilometer-fuer-den-guten-zweck-mattersburg-spendenaktion-pothole-rodeo-216926757 |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=BVZ |language=de}} Thanks to the donations, it has been possible to build 2 pre-schools in Marocco, as well as support an environmental education program in Madagskar and day care centers in Albania and Romania. A project supported since 2024 focuses on helping children and adolescents overcoming traumatic experiences in Ukraine.{{Cite web |date= |title=BackRoadClub Charity 2024 |url=https://www.backroadclub.com/index.php?id=1765 |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=BackRoadClub |language=de}}

File:2023-07 Renaitre.jpg

The donations are not only made by the participants themselves, but also by team’s sponsors for the rally.{{Cite web |last=Bohlken |first=Jürgen |date=August 1, 2024 |title=Pothole Rodeo: Letzte "Challenge" für Uralt-Benz |url=https://www.kreiszeitung.de/lokales/oldenburg/harpstedt-ort52257/pothole-rodeo-letzte-challenge-fuer-uralt-benz-93219589.html |access-date=April 15, 2025 |website=Kreiszeitung |language=de}} In 2024, 32 000 € were donated to three different charity projects.

== References ==

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