2026 Heartland Rally 8/29-9/5, 2026 Official Thread

[The A-man]

Wow! Looking at those routes on the map makes me think that there's a ton of great riding to be done in this area. Many, many options to make a day's mileage as long or as short as you wish. Thanks MTC! I'm getting excited. Bike is at the shop right now getting some needed service in preparation for Rally Week.

 

[emptysea]

Hello!

Just finished a 2000 mile moto-vacation through Wisconsin, Canada, and Minnesota so now I can focus in earnest on the Heartland/Driftless Rally.

Today's update is mainly on attendees. I just got off the phone with Pam at round Barn Lodge and here are the names that she has on the reservation list along with the days that each room is reserved for. Let me know if your name isn't on the list. Let the hotel know if you want to reserve (there are still several rooms available now, but room will be released from the block soon).

Matt C. Saturday - Saturday
Amos M. Saturday - Saturday
Paul P. Saturday - Saturday
David P. Thursday only
Aaron R. Sunday - Saturday
Ken M. Saturday - Sunday (note: this is an extra day. not sure if this was intentional on Ken's part or not)
Ray L. Sunday - Saturday
David C. Saturday - Saturday
Ron T. Saturday - Saturday

There were a few questions about the first "Official" group ride. I have that planned for Monday, 8/31. I will have "early bird special" routes for those who arrive Saturday or early Sunday. More on routes in an upcoming update.

If you need to contact the hotel to make or update your reservation, call (608) 588-2568

 

[emptysea]

A note on breakfasts (and other food):

Contrary to earlier posts, there will not be breakfast food available at the hotel. Coffee and tea is available, though. Breakfast is available at Anita’s which is just down the road from the Red Barn. I may buy some snack bars and other grab and go snacks for the group, but you might want to bring your own snacks of choice.

Most, if not all, organized rides will include a lunch stop, and there are a number of dinner options in the area, including the on-site Mexican restaurant, Los Amigos.

 

[Lunchbag]

Just finished a 2000 mile moto-vacation through Wisconsin, Canada, and Minnesota so now I can focus in earnest on the Heartland/Driftless Rally.

I love that you can now relax from riding in order to focus on riding 

 

[rickcb]

I made our reservation today. SneakyFast is coming; 3rd-Gear-Steve is not.

 

[emptysea]

I made our reservation today. SneakyFast is coming; 3rd-Gear-Steve is not.

3rd-Gear Steve will be missed.   So glad that you two will be joining us!

 

[emptysea]

Check your email
Messages have gone out though the forum to everyone who has (to my knowledge) booked a room at the Round Barn Lodge. If you have received it, please respond with the requested information as soon as possible. If you have not received my message, but have booked a room, please let me know.

Thanks!

Matt

 

[The A-man]

I'm getting excited! I think I've completed the last of my rally prep maintenance list:

New Angel GTs - Front and Rear
New Chain and Sprockets
New rear brake pads
Flushed the brake and clutch hydraulic fluids

Engine oil has plenty of life left.
So... only thing left on my list is to get my baby cleaned up and polished! (I can't let MTNEERS outshine me this year!!!)

See you all soon!!

 

[Ole]

Sadly I am out. Daughters day care shuts down that week so we have the grandson for 5 days. He is a hoot.
Those roads over there that start with a letter not a number are great. You guys have fun!

 

[emptysea]

Sadly I am out. Daughters day care shuts down that week so we have the grandson for 5 days. He is a hoot.
Those roads over there that start with a letter not a number are great. You guys have fun!

Sorry to hear this.  If it makes a difference, there will be a few of us arriving Saturday and staying through the following Saturday; Maybe you could scoot up on one of your non-Grandparenting days for a visit.  I know it's 2 hours round trip, but we'd love to see you.   

MTC

 

[Redbird]

Do to a new commitment I'm cutting short my time there. I'm checking out the morning of September 2nd. Also at this point I'm unsure whether I'm towing a bike or taking my Corvette. I had heart work done early May and the doctors put me back on Eliquis (a blood thinner) I may be off it early August, we shall see. If I'm still on it I will for sure take the Vette. Getting scraped up due to a motorcycle misadventure, while unlikely, is not something I want to deal with while my clotting ability is impaired. Either way I shall be there for a few days and I'm looking forward to it!

 

[emptysea]

Hello!

I sent PMs/Emails to every attendee, requesting contact information, emergency information, and t-shirt size. Here's who has responded:
rhlezo
rdprdp01
SneakyFast
The A-Man
rickcb
The Ferret
Lunchbag
Mtneers
InhouseBob
Redbird

If your name isn't up here or if you know someone who is coming whose name isn't up here, I need the following information as soon as possible.
Real Name:
Home Address:
Email Address:
Cell #:
T-shirt Size:

Emergency contact information:
- Name:
- Relationship to you:
- Cell #:
- Email Address (optional):

Send this to me through the forum or email to emptysea43@yahoo.com

 

[deltamark]

Mark (Deltamark) and Hank (Hank) are now registered at the Redbarn Lodge. Arriving Sunday and departing Thursday. Looking forward to it!

 

[emptysea]

Hi. Need some feedback from attendees.

I use Scenic for my routes. Some of you do too, but most do not. How do you want your routes presented? I can print out turn by turn, maybe provide a link to Google Maps, or share them in Scenic. Or we can have a route meeting the night before to go over it so you can use whatever means you’d like. I’d love to hear from everyone. And kinda soon. We’re only a couple weeks away! Thanks!

 

[rickcb]

Hi.  Need some feedback from attendees. 

I use Scenic for my routes.  Some of you do too, but most do not.  How do you want your routes presented?  I can print out turn by turn, maybe provide a link to Google Maps, or share them in Scenic.  Or we can have a route meeting the night before to go over it so you can use whatever means you’d like.    I’d love to hear from everyone.  And kinda soon.  We’re only a couple weeks away!    Thanks!

A Google Maps link would be good enough for me.

 

[The A-man]

Google or paper work for me.

 

[the Ferret]

I'm going to follow you Sea!

 

[LucienLeFranc]

Apologies if I'm butting in here from the pacific coast, but, just in the off chance folks are unaware of Scenic's ability to export a .gpx file:

[attachment=1717]

Email or otherwise make the .gpx file available to attendees, and each attendee who likes can import the .gpx file into their nav app.

 

[emptysea]

Apologies if I'm butting in here from the pacific coast, but, just in the off chance folks are unaware of Scenic's ability to export a .gpx file:



Email or otherwise make the .gpx file available to attendees, and each attendee who likes can import the .gpx file into their nav app.

Thank you for "butting in" (which you didn't really do).   Thank you for this information.  I did know that I can export the .gpx file , but I was concerned about the possibility that not everyone would know what to do with the fil once they got it.  I should have included this as one of the options.   

Once I have the routes plotted (I have two done already), I will post the .gpx files. I will also post the link to route in Scenic.  It's a bit of a pain, but let me know if you need me to post a link to the google maps file in addition.   Let me know if that works.

Second question is about ride distance.   I have a route I could do, and it would be pretty interesting, but it's loop of about 300 miles.   Seems like a lot, but there are some payoffs or I wouldn't by contemplating it.   The question for attendees is this:   What is a good distance for a rally group ride?

If it makes a difference, almost all if not all routes will have a lunch stop and many will have a POI stop as well.   All distances are total "loop" distances from Round Barn and returning to Round Barn 

a) 50-150 miles

b) 150-200 miles

c) 200-250 miles

d) 250-300 miles

e) 300 + miles 

f) a morning ride that returns to the hotel before lunch, leaving riders to plot their own afternoon rides.  

I'm happy to mix up a combination of all of these, but I don't want to plan a long day (d or e) if no one wants to go that distance.

 

[rickcb]

Apologies if I'm butting in here from the pacific coast, but, just in the off chance folks are unaware of Scenic's ability to export a .gpx file:



Email or otherwise make the .gpx file available to attendees, and each attendee who likes can import the .gpx file into their nav app.

Thank you for "butting in" (which you didn't really do).   Thank you for this information.  I did know that I can export the .gpx file , but I was concerned about the possibility that not everyone would know what to do with the fil once they got it.  I should have included this as one of the options.   

Once I have the routes plotted (I have two done already), I will post the .gpx files. I will also post the link to route in Scenic.  It's a bit of a pain, but let me know if you need me to post a link to the google maps file in addition.   Let me know if that works.

Second question is about ride distance.   I have a route I could do, and it would be pretty interesting, but it's loop of about 300 miles.   Seems like a lot, but there are some payoffs or I wouldn't by contemplating it.   The question for attendees is this:   What is a good distance for a rally group ride?

If it makes a difference, almost all if not all routes will have a lunch stop and many will have a POI stop as well.   All distances are total "loop" distances from Round Barn and returning to Round Barn 

a) 50-150 miles

b) 150-200 miles

c) 200-250 miles

d) 250-300 miles

e) 300 + miles 

f) a morning ride that returns to the hotel before lunch, leaving riders to plot their own afternoon rides.  

I'm happy to mix up a combination of all of these, but I don't want to plan a long day (d or e) if no one wants to go that distance.

I like 150-200 mile rides. 250 is my max and is definitely a Tylenol day.