The eighteenth running of the Heck of the North brought hundreds of riders to Two Harbors on Saturday, with all three distances starting and finishing in the city’s historic downtown. The trail would lead them to the cool and calm of the woods, with early fall color already showing along the gravel roads.
I waited with a cup of coffee on a quiet dirt road where the riders would pass, listening to the morning settle in. A thin line of fog hung in the trees, the kind that lifts slowly and makes the morning feel suspended for a while.
The first two riders came through just after the light began to change, rolling out of the open stretch and heading deeper into the woods. They couldn’t have asked for a prettier morning for a ride.
This year’s courses were rebuilt to highlight well-known sections of past Heck routes. The 100-mile race covered about 3,400 feet of climbing and long stretches of unpaved road. The 50-mile route carried roughly 2,000 feet of elevation change, and the 20-mile course mixed gravel and pavement with about 800 feet of climbing.
Riders crossed streams, threaded through two-track, and hit short stretches of the North Shore State Trail. Aid stations offered water, Skratch hydration, snacks, and volunteer support. Organizers continued to rely on a large volunteer corps, with roles stretching from Friday afternoon through race day.
A total of 568 riders finished across the three distances. The 100-mile race brought in 128 finishers. The 50-mile race had 323 finishers. The 20-mile race saw 117 riders complete the course. Youth riders seventeen and under could participate for free with an accompanying adult, and age minimums varied by distance. All riders were required to ride independently, and e-bikes were not allowed.
By late afternoon, finishers were still trickling in at the finish line, and cowbells rang now and then from volunteers and families who hadn’t stopped cheering. In the block around Castle Danger Brewery, the first-ever Heck Fest was settling into place.
A harmonica player opened the music, seated beside Charlie Parr on the small stage. He held a long, rising note that carried across the way, and people began drifting toward the tent the way they do when a train whistle calls them in. Parr joined in moments later, and the crowd was all aboard for food trucks, local beer, and great music.
Heck of the North began in 2009, created by Jeremy Kershaw after riding gravel races in southern Minnesota. He and his wife, Avesa Rockwell, built the event around a feeling they wanted riders to experience: challenge, accomplishment, and a sense of connection to the North Shore landscape. They continue to design courses that reflect that idea and welcome riders of all skill levels who want to take on a demanding day in the woods.
For more information about Heck of the North and other off-the-beaten-path bike races, visit heckofthenorth.com.
