Hold it!

We have just received our new batch of Voile straps fashioned with our motto for life. They will be available at Le Grand du Nord then online. Are we cool yet?

Our friends at The Nxrth have put together this great list of gravel bike events There are some fantastic rides certainly in your neck of the woods. Check it out and support local gravel!

We are welcoming our friends from across the northern border, finally! Folks in Thunder Bay, Canada and points north have been patiently waiting to come back to Grand Marais and Le Grand du Nord this Spring. But beware, they may seem nice but they will absolutely leave you in the dust with a smile. You’ve been missed and welcome back!

I'm off to race The Ragnarok in Red Wing, MN this coming weekend. Meanwhile, our snow shovels are patiently waiting for the next April storm. So it goes. The Ragnarok is truly one of my favorite events of the year. 100 plus miles of steep hills, bird song and chickens with death wishes. I’ll have a brief report next week. Thanks to the crew in Red Wing for keeping it real and pulling us down to a little Spring. I hope.

Be Graveleer. Ride the Good Line.

Jeremy

March Updates

Photo Clint Austin

It is lightly raining as I write and I am ready for Spring. I have officially entered the time of year where being on the bike is top priority. Any bike will do, preferably on the road. But up North here, we really could not ask for better fat tire snow trail riding. Thanks to the clubs and individuals that help make this a reality!

The world, to me, continues to be a place of heaviness. We are coming to grips with Covid 19 and now the atrocities in Ukraine. My heart goes to those people and the Russians stuck under Putin. My heart goes to all in the world that have had to live and die through such turmoil. Most here in the USA are so fortunate and I try daily to be thankful for the basics of life (food, family and shelter.) And I count the ability to ride my bike as one of those gifts. I have been in contact with our friends in our Romanian sister city of Lupeni as they attempt to offer aid and shelter to Ukrainian refugees. If there is a way that Gravel for Good can assist, I will update you all ASAP.

In the meanwhile, I welcome you all to the very lively season of gravel events we have planned. This week, we are finalizing designs for our new cycling kit, tee shirts, and really cool merchandise. I also ask that you contact me (jeremybkershaw@gmail.com) if you know you are not able to ride. Many on the waitlist are anxiously ready to take your spot. Thanks for assisting us with this change of status.

As you know, I am having fun with our new word, “Graveleer.” It will be a prominent part of our Heck lexicon this season. On my run this morning, I thought we all need to be Graveleers these days. I think a Graveleer is brave, welcoming and adventurous. I have special gifts planned for those Graveleers that make it across the finish line this season. But in the meanwhile, Be Graveleer.

Ride the Good Line

Jeremy

Graveleer

Graveleers. John Ingham, Adrian Bennett, Cody Johnson. 2019 Heck of the North

In the wee hours of the morning recently, I lie in bed thinking about life’s most important issues. Namely, what does one call a cyclist who rides gravel roads. Suddenly, I decided that this was far more important than taxes, work, or sleep in general.

After some days’ consideration, I settled on a word of my making (I think): “Graveleer.” Like “mountaineer.”

Graveleer: Noun: 1. A cyclist who prefers racing, touring and exploring gravel and dirt roads.

Graveleering: Verb: 1. To race, tour and explore by bicycle on gravel and dirt roads.

to be Graveleer: Adjective: To be welcoming, adventurous and strong during a challenge

Does the world need more subdivision? No, probably not. We are first and foremost cyclists. But ever since my introduction to gravel road cycling many years ago, I felt there was something special, unique and inherently inspiring about cycling gravel roads. Maybe you have felt it, too. I was never a fan of “grinding” gravel, nothing personal, it just did not feel right. There ought to be a more concise word.

I also know that cycling unpaved roads is as old as cycling itself. We certainly did not create it here in Northern Minnesota, or in Iowa or Kansas. Heck, every farm kid anywhere learned to ride gravel and dirt long before it became a thing. And I love that history of cycling. Those vintage photos of European riders struggling over wild, dirt mountain passes, and rattling over ancient cobblestones. We at Heck of the North Productions want to find a word worthy enough of carrying on this rich tradition of cycling.

So consider yourself a Graveleer when you take part in our events (or any other gravel travel.) The experience is what it’s about. Being with others, exploring new roads, and challenging yourself. Welcome one and all to gravel cycling. Become a Graveleer with us.