It’s a little difficult to divine since the “Event Details” page doesn’t contain any actual event details, but the Heck of the North is apparently a bike race in Minnesota over gravel roads.
It’s part of the “Almanzo Gravel Road Series, described as “taking place on some of the Upper Midwest’s finest backroads in some of the areas most remote places, these events are guaranteed to take you to places you’ve never thought existed.”
As Nippleworks so aptly writes, “I guess this is middle America’s answer to the Strade Bianche.” It also looks like a lot of fun.
I found a short video of the race from Calhoun Cycle.
Richard, I could fill you in on all this gravel road race stuff anytime. All you have to do is ask. (And no- while Strade Bianche is obviously similar, it isn’t where the inspiration comes from)