THE FOX

120 MILE, 2 DAY/1 NIGHT BIKEPACKING RACE

EVENT DATE: SATURDAY, JULY 30 – SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2022

FINLAND -GRAND MARAIS -FINLAND

The Fox is a two day stage race that features 60 mile days coursing through the heart of the North Shore forest. We will be camping in Grand Marais, right on the harbor of Lake Superior.

The Fox will start in Finland, MN, on Saturday, July 30. Riders will travel to Grand Marais for their night out. On Sunday, riders will travel a different route back to Finland for the finish.

The Fox is our event for cyclists trying bikepacking style racing maybe for the first time. Some might wonder why to time or race in this style, carrying a lot of gear. My experience tells me that the world has room for both touring (not timed) and timed. My experience has shown me that racing against the clock or others often brings new experiences that just don’t occur when traveling at a leisurely pace. You might just find that your world has room for both, too! And there will be plenty of time to socialize with other riders, as well. I love this event! (We ask that all participants have the ability to maintain a minimum of 10 mph average while riding. This is for safety planning. Thank you!)

For this course we recommend a 29’er style mountain bike (29” diameter wheels) or gravel bike that can accommodate at least 40 mm tires. There are bikepacking specific rigs these days, too. The most important part is that you feel comfortable and the bike can handle gear on rough roads. See my video for some tips on what I think are important considerations for bikepacking.

All riders will be required to sleep outside (no hotel, motel, pavilion, building with solid roof-structure, etc.) and all riders will be required to carry and use their own sleep kit (e.g. tent, bivy, hammock, sleeping bag). If you are part of a couple you will need to have an independent set-up. Please see Event Info for more information. Contact Jeremy Kershaw at jeremybkershaw@gmail.com with further questions.