Every Cycle North trip starts the same way: a loose plan, a questionable mix of vehicles, and the understanding that something ridiculous will probably happen along the way.

This year’s adventure took us down to Chillicothe, Ohio for the Southern Ohio Forest Rally, an event in the American Rally Association championship that brings some serious rally cars to the forests of southern Ohio

The Lineup

As always, the crew showed up with an eclectic mix of machines:

• Alex – 2017 Husqvarna Vitpilen 701
• Bryan – 2017 Honda Grom
• Charlie – 2014 Yamaha Bolt
• Dave – 2018 Honda Grom
• Elliot – 2018 Honda Grom
• Heather – Support vehicle: Jeep Wrangler
• Jay – Rolling moral support in a Honda Pilot

A few big bikes, a swarm of tiny bikes, and a couple support vehicles. Pretty standard Cycle North formula.

Day 1 – The Gathering

Bryan, Heather, Dave, Alex, and Elliot rolled down from Detroit and met up at Charlie’s place in Cleveland. Some bikes were unloaded, beers were cracked open, and the night quickly turned into a proper pre-adventure hangout.

Jay made the trip down from Grand Rapids as well, rounding out the crew. At this point the mood was high, the stories were flowing, and the group was ready for whatever southern Ohio had waiting for us.

Day 2 – Hitting the Road

The next morning we packed up and headed south toward our Airbnb near Chillicothe.

Charlie and Alex rode their bikes down, while the Grom squad opted for the trailer strategy — because while the little bikes are fun, 300-mile highway slogs are less fun when your top speed is roughly “aggressively optimistic.”

Along the way we stopped at a few memorable spots:

The Big Muskie Bucket is one of those roadside oddities that feels almost fake until you see it in person. It’s the massive shovel bucket from a giant strip-mining dragline that once weighed over 460,000 pounds and could scoop 325 tons of earth in a single bite. Standing next to it makes you feel like an ant.

By the evening we arrived at our cabin — a surprisingly awesome spot tucked away in the hills, complete with great views and, most importantly, a hot tub.

Day 3 – Hiking Hocking Hills

No engines today.

We spent the day exploring Hocking Hills State Park, knocking out about 10 miles of hiking through caves, cliffs, and waterfalls.

It was the perfect reset day: beautiful scenery, sore legs, and an evening spent relaxing back at the cabin.

Naturally, the hot tub saw heavy use.

Day 4 – Rally Day

The main event had arrived: the Southern Ohio Forest Rally.

We headed to the Parc Exposé, where the rally cars are staged and fans can walk around, check out the machines, and talk to the teams. Seeing the cars up close is half the fun — stripped-out interiors, huge suspension travel, and a level of engineering that’s equal parts impressive and terrifying.

Later we headed out to the forest stages to watch the racing. Seeing rally cars blast through gravel corners at full speed while the woods echo with anti-lag pops is an experience that never gets old.

One of the highlights of the day? Spotting an adventure bike in the crowd sporting a “Cycle South” parody sticker. Clearly our influence is spreading.

Day 5 – The Triple Nickel

With rally day complete, the bikes finally got their moment.

The crew pointed the Groms toward the legendary Ohio State Route 555, better known as the Triple Nickel.

This road is pure magic — endless curves, constant elevation changes, and almost no traffic. The Groms were ridden exactly as intended: wide open.

Despite the modest horsepower, everyone agreed this road might actually beat the famous Tail of the Dragon in overall riding fun. Fewer crowds, more flow, and a whole lot of laughs.

Meanwhile, Jay, Heather, and Elliot attempted a side quest to a nearby safari park… but their plans were mysteriously foiled by a demon. Details remain unclear.

Day 6 – Back to Reality

Every good trip has to end eventually.

Charlie rode his Bolt back north to Cleveland while the rest of the crew made a stop at the legendary:

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame

If you’re even remotely into motorcycles, it’s an incredible place. Historic bikes, racing legends, and decades of motorcycle culture all in one building.

A perfect final stop before heading home.

Final Thoughts

Cycle North Lite 4 had everything we love about these trips:

• Good friends
• Great roads
• Ridiculous vehicles
• Unexpected adventures

And a rally in the middle of it all.

Six days, countless laughs, and another entry in the Cycle North story.

Until the next ride.