Registration Paused for Heck of the North

Good Morning,

We are pausing registration for Heck of the North until further notice. We are continuing to work with our permitting partners as we analyze the course of the Covid 19 pandemic. The State of Minnesota’s Stay Safe Plan is one of our guiding factors. This plan has obviously been a work in progress this Summer.

We are planning on having a final decision by July 24 at the latest.

Thank you for your interest in the Heck of the North. We missed you at Le Grand du Nord and the Heck Epic. We will communicate our decision ASAP. Until then, continue to ride, wear a mask and make healthy choices for your family and community! Thanks for your patience.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Kershaw Director Heck of the North Productions

Moose, Goats, Donkeys and Route Scouting The North with Alexandera

Alexandera meets new friends on trail to Ely

I had the pleasure and honor of scouting our new bikepacking course with Alexandera Houchin. We rode the 320 miles from Two Harbors to Ely to Grand Marais and back to Two Harbors to double check sections that mapping from home just can’t interpret. Along the way, we discussed social justice, what makes a good story, gear, bikes, books, and Tour Divide memories.

We also happened upon this fella taking his goat, donkey and gigantic dog for a walk. The world seemed to be painted in nothing but bright green and blue. It was good to get those long miles in, wanting to keep going past the towns, into the woods, sleeping when you finally get tired. This is bikepacking.

I am in the process of re-discovering what this region of Minnesota means for cycling, public use, and how cyclists fit into its history and future. In this crazy period of history, this style of cycling still provides both a place to think and plan as well as tune out and unwind. I am often solo during these scouting trips and having an extremely capable exploring companion (other than the Charlie Farrow) was a major bonus. Alexandera is exceptionally strong, insightful and big hearted.

We will be providing these fresh route gpx files to those who registered for the cancelled Heck Epic. We will also be working with Trackleaders.com so that those interested in racing against the clock can log their individual time trials (ITT) publicly. I know personally that there is space for both those who want to challenge themselves incognito (no gps tracking device) and those who want the world to see their efforts (via Trackleaders.com.) Mostly, though, I look forward to the next season we can run this event with both the challenge of racing and the joys of socializing. Hang in there!

Ride the Good Line

Jeremy Kershaw

Bull moose on our way to Finland, MN.

The Heck Epic is Canceled

One of the best parts of The Heck Epic is its social design. But now, in the time of Covid, one of the toughest parts of The Heck Epic —is its social design. We tried to figure out how over 100 of us could ride, camp, and dine together from July 17-19 without risking exposure to our riders, volunteers, and the communities we visit. It was a no-go. Therefore, we are canceling the event and giving riders the chance to complete the route independently.

We will

• Refund each rider 95% of their entry fee

• Refund 100% of tee shirt payment

We hope you will

• Race an Individual Time Trial (ITT) sometime during this 2020 season. We are working with Trackleaders.com to mark your effort. More to come on this.

• Travel to the North Shore of Minnesota in a safe and responsible way. The region’s small businesses are really taking a hit, while its health care resources are also limited. It’s a balancing act with, frankly, not many great alternatives. Please be considerate to the efforts our partners are making to promote healthy actions, including hand-washing, physical distancing, and wearing a mask when in public areas. Thanks to Fireweed Bike Coop, Ely Bike and Kicksled, Taiga Design + Build , Visit Cook County, The US Forest Service , Cedaero Custom Frame Bags , Epicurean, Fika Coffee, and Cascade Vacation Rentals. Our partners are the best. Thank you.

• Buy a tee shirt if you complete the ITT version of the Heck Epic. These are in design now with our friends at Duluth Screen Printing

I know that riding the Heck Epic course solo is not the same as what we share together for our normal Heck Epic events. That being said, I also know that riding solo has special rewards. And I am 100% certain that more time spent cycling through the woods, challenging yourself in new ways and sleeping under the stars are all great actions in the time of Covid (or any other time, too.) We will have the route on Trackleaders.com by June 15. Stay tuned.

Thank you for being part of the Heck Epic experience. It’s just a tough year for us all. Let’s make the best of it and be leaders in creative, respectful, and responsible adventure cycling.

Keep Riding the Good Line.

Yours,

Jeremy Kershaw, Director Heck of the North Productions

We Are Dreaming

Good Morning. We are busy planning, dreaming and hoping for our upcoming 2020 gravel cycling season. We will be following state and local guidelines as to when it will be safe to begin traveling again and bring you all back together. I hope our work with keeping each other well pays off soon. Thanks for doing what you can on that front.

I have been thinking a lot about the power of cycling on my mental state. I know that getting out and riding our local backroads helps me to keep my act together. I know that it is where I go to explore creative ideas. It’s where I go to vent and have discussions with my demons. It’s where I get some semblance of clarity. I know it is where I go to dream.

I have been thinking a lot about the emotional and physical stripping down that happened during and after my 2017 Tour Divide journey. For unknown reasons, I have been drawn again to that level of commitment, travel, suffering, joy, process, cleansing. I do not know if one can ever have the same experience twice. I feel fortunate to have had one that powerful at all. I am curious what other long distance travelers have felt about that desire. I also know the power of being near to my family. I feel thankful for both.

I am also feeling an overwhelming desire to be camping, sleeping on the ground and fishing. Building campfires, cooking by pack stove and listening to the wind at night. Having my girls tucked in close to me.

We are missing our shared time during the events. We hope that you are surviving and even thriving in some new meaningful ways. If there is one thing that I experienced every day on the Tour, it was the fact that no matter what, I had to keep the pedals turning. Every day presented a new challenge that scrambled my plans for what I had envisioned. And every day I traveled and discovered that I was right where I should be. There is clarity in that process. I hope you are keeping the pedals turning, too. See you soon.

high tailing it across the Great Basin

Le Grand du Nord is Canceled

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the cancelation of this year’s Le Grand du Nord, May 23, Grand Marais, MN.

We are making this decision now because the best available data indicates that bringing hundreds of people together into a community (Grand Marais, Cook County and the greater North Shore region) with very limited health care resources would be highly irresponsible on our part. Our first concern is that our participants and the small communities that host our events stay as safe as possible.

This is what we will do:

• Refund 95% of riders’ original event entry fee back on the card used for registration

• Refund 100% of tee shirt orders

• Do not refund those who registered for The Flight because it includes a “free” event within the package

We remain hopeful that The Heck Epic (July 17-19) and Heck of the North (September 26) will take place. We will make those important decisions closer to the event dates.

We will miss the opportunity to bring you all together to experience some of the best gravel cycling in the country. We will miss being hosted by our friends in Grand Marais. I will miss meeting you at the finish line. Our events are our passion. I’m not sure what I will do in its place but ride my bike and hope for healthier times together.

Be well. I miss you already,

Jeremy Kershaw and Family

Photo Clint Austin