Freedom Rally

Minnesota June 2017
Article and photos by Larry Crain

Once again, my travels around our great country have had me crossing paths with what I hope you as auto enthusiasts would like to know and read about. The beginning of June saw me on the road in the far Northeastern corner of Minnesota heading toward Canada along scenic state highway 61, which follows the shoreline of Lake Superior. I was thinking how cool it would be to cruise this winding, picturesque road. Suddenly I saw a 1955 Chevy Bel Air coming down the road toward me followed by a wide variety of rods, customs and classics. First thing I thought of was, it must be a car club on a weekend outing, but nope that wouldn’t work because it was a Friday. This question was finally answered a little further down the road after seeing even more cars and trucks with what looked like magnetic signs on the doors. A stop at the historic Split Rock Lighthouse in Two Harbors, MN had several classic cars still in the parking lot. The magnetic signs on the doors gave me my first clue to research what was taking place.

What was taking place was the five-daylong event known as the “Freedom Road Rally” that was being held in Minnesota for 2017. This awesome event has been happening for 13 years at different locations around our great country with this year’s rally starting and ending in Bloomington, Minnesota. According to their Facebook page, previous tours included:

  • 2016 Virginia Tour
  • 2015 Eastern Pennsylvania
  • 2014 Georgia Tour & Ohio River Valley
  • 2013 Southern New England
  • 2012 Wisconsin Tour
  • 2011 Michigan Museum Tour & Finger Lakes Tour
  • 2010 Route 66 Tour
  • 2009 Allegheny Tour
  • 2008 Carolina's Tour
  • 2007 New England Tour
  • 2006 Great Lakes Tour
  • 2005 Indianapolis Loop
  • 2004 Chicago to New Orleans

As the official Freedom Road Rally website states “the event was open to pre-1974 vehicles or any vehicle that is in the spirit of the event”. What I saw cruising the highway that day definitely fit that statement and was enough to warm any gearheads heart. Just wish I had the camera handy when the cars started cruising past me, but all I could do was smile and watch them slowly disappear in my rear view mirror. Next time I will remember to keep the camera on the front seat where it belongs and not have to wait and hope they are parked somewhere at the same time I am.

For more information on this event be sure and visit www.freedomroadrally.com

The website will supply you with information and photos about their past rally’s and how to be a part of the next one.

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