The first Wolf's Head Motorcycle
Tour and Rally was held in 1998 in Cloquet Minnesota. The
managers
believed it was time Minnesota had its own organized, all-brand, non-club
motorcycle event. Since that first year the Wolf's Head has continued to grow
annually and remains the region's largest
"everybody welcome" motorcycle rally.
Wolf's
Head is unusual in two respects: it puts riding first and rallying second, and
it is family-oriented. Its impressive 1,500-mile Lake Superior Circle Tour runs
five days around the largest, by area, fresh water lake in the world, with vistas
that are nothing less than magnificent.
The
Tour leaves from Spirit Mountain in Duluth Minnesota and proceeds at each rider's, or
self-organized group's, own pace through three states and Ontario, most of the
time within sight of Lake Superior. It follows the shoreline
counter-clockwise, with nightly stops at Houghton-Hancock and Munising, Michigan and Wawa and
Nipigon, Ontario. "Counter clock-wise" is the best way to start
off across Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula you are often going
through boreal forests which are beautiful but the road is mostly out of
sight of Lake Superior. Then you cross into Canada and across the
Canadian North Shore where coming from the east the views are more
spectacular than when coming from the west. And finally you cross back
into the U.S. and down Minnesota's rocky North Shore and finish with some of
the most inspiring views of the route. Going clock-wise you get all
the truly best parts at first then it becomes just a mad dash to finish
through the forests of Michigan and Wisconsin. We like to see the
excitement build along the route.
When
riders return from the Circle Tour, the Wolf's Head Rally begins and continues
through the weekend. Rally events
include three nights of live music, on-site camping, a bike rodeo, an
after-dark light parade through town, vendors, guided day rides, and a burnout smoke
show, and a judged bike show for various categories of motorcycles. The non-motorcycling public is welcome at all
events as well as all motorcyclists.
The
organizers want the Rally to be
family-oriented and the kind of event they could safely take their own children to. In fact, the partners' families regularly volunteer as workers during the entire
event. Tour and Rally events, although not specifically geared toward
youngsters, are designed to be fun for families and riders of all ages. Children
as young as nine years old have accompanied their parents around the Lake as motorcycle
passengers and, afterward, comfortably enjoyed the rally grounds and activities.
All brands and types of motorcycles are welcome
and the Tour draws
touring motorcycles designed to carry large amounts of gear, sport bikes,
dual-sports, cruisers, and small-engined bikes. Motorcycles of all makes have gone around the Lake; riders enjoy comparing the
features of their BMWs, Moto Guzzi, Hondas, Suzuki, Harley-Davidsons, Indians,
Yamahas and other brands. Bikes from the 1930's to 1960's Honda
50's, to Custom Harleys and bone stock motorcycles have made the 1500 mile
trek.
The
first Wolf's Head Rally was held in Cloquet, Minnesota, but moved the following
year to Two Harbors (25 miles north of Duluth) where it was held for eight years, and
in 2008 the rally moved back to Cloquet..
The
Wolf's Head Motorcycle Tours & Rally partners also put on the non-profit
Jim
Hogan Fun Run every June which also began in 1998. Riders begin at Cloquet and ride to Ely, where they enjoy
meals together, plus a camp-over. The Fun Run benefits
multiple sclerosis sufferers, including former teacher Jim Hogan, in whose honor
the ride is named.
