Volunteer for The Heck of the North

Hello! 

Thank you for registering to ride the 2021 Heck of the North! 

This event could not happen without volunteers, and this year we will need lots of help to ensure physical distancing and safety for a record number of riders. Most shifts are under 2 hours, outdoors, and will require masks. 

Please use the Bike Reg link to register-- scroll to the bottom to find links to Friday and Saturday opportunities:

https://www.bikereg.com/heckofthenorth-2021

We compensate your time in-kind with the following:  

2 HOUR COMMITMENT: Official event tee shirt and free drink ticket at our sponsoring brewery 

4 HOUR COMMITMENT: plus a voucher for sandwich

6 HOUR COMMITMENT: plus comped entry into future 20 or 50 mile Heck event (transferrable to a family member)

8 HOUR COMMITMENT: or comped entry into future 100 mile Heck event (transferrable to a family member)

Please contact our volunteer coordinator, Avesa, at avesaisis@gmail.com if you have questions. 

Thank you! 

Jeremy and Avesa 


Tonight is the "Good Line" Premier!

I want to welcome you to the online premier of David Cowardin's "The Good Line" tonight at 6 PM. David at Blue Forest Films has created a beautiful film about gravel cycling, Heck of the North Productions and my journey through some of life's challenges. 

We are welcoming donations to Human Developement Center, a Duluth nonprofit bringing excellent mental health resources to the region. Our friends at Continental Ski & Bike have worked especially hard to bring this premier to life. Thank you! 

We hope to see you for an online discussion/Q&A afterward, too. Thanks for joining us as we help to support local artists and mental health providers on the North Shore. 

Jeremy Kershaw 

Link to Trailer

Link to Facebook Event 

Link to Youtube Premier site

The Fox is Canceled

Good Morning

We have made the difficult decision to cancel The Fox for this weekend, August 28-29, 2021. 

The Greenwood Lake Fire grew another 4000 acres last night and is actively burning a few miles to the Northwest of our start in Finland, MN. The smoke levels are our highest concern. While Saturday may be relatively clear, on Sunday morning the wind will abruptly shift west, potentially sending thick smoke directly from the Greenwood Lake Fire (and possibly other fires) onto the route. The air quality index may exceed 150, which creates “unhealthy” conditions. Furthermore, there are active fire crews working not only the fires, but also driving the roads between Finland and Grand Marais where we plan to be racing. We feel uncomfortable holding a recreational event on the same roads that are essential routes for wildfire suppression.  

Here is the latest information about conditions in the Superior National Forest.  

 We are offering an 80% refund. Some of our expenses are fixed including insurance, permits and labor. 

We have agonized over this decision for the last two days. We realize that it is not only a let down but also a logistical/vacation hit for some. This year continues to challenge us all as we wade through COVID 19 and now a severe drought in the Northland. 

We thank you for your patience and understanding. As always, we try to bring the highest quality events and compromising our health or safety resources in the area is not worth the risk. 

Please feel free to contact Jeremy Kershaw at jeremybkershaw@gmail.com with questions. 

Thank you, 

Jeremy Kershaw


Heck of the North Camping

Hi,

We love the idea of camping out for a Heck of the North lodging option. We also know that Two Harbors can be busy that weekend. Thankfully, we have generously been offered a beautiful farmstead to have for our Heck Basecamp for the weekend. Located just northeast of Two Harbors, it is an easy location to get to and from the start area for The Heck of the North.

We will provide details of the location a couple of weeks before the race. It will have potable water and portable toilets. All we ask is that you leave it as clean as you found it. And maybe consider a small donation to the gracious hosts. But mostly, we want to offer a safe, free and fun location for you to set up your tent and hang with your gravel-riding buddies for the Heck.

Please email Jeremy Kershaw at jeremybkershaw@gmail.com to reserve a spot (and get a head count, too.)

Thanks!

Jeremy