A new year, and a midwinter moon shines brightly

I wanted to write this before January raised its ugly head to usher in the new year but, as they say, I was overtaken by events.  Here we are a couple of days into 2026 and I’m already a few paces behind the curve. I can only hope that’s not an omen of things to come.

But enough: allow me on behalf of our chairperson Chris and the other founding members of the RRDG to wish you the best of health, happiness and success in 2026.

We’re hoping some of that happiness comes as a result of you enjoying road rallying this year. Similar to 2025, we have calendar space for five rallies and I hope we can fill those dates. And what better way to start off that calendar than with the Rally of the Midwinter Moon?

Like last year, I expect the MWM to be an absolute belter of a daylight-to-darkness road rally and a fitting start to the new season. “Traditional” timing and scoring will be used on this event (timed to the top of the minute with staffed/open CPs) so you’ll see some various and in most cases familiar faces enroute. While I haven’t seen the +/-200 km route yet, I believe the 2026 iteration covers ground slightly to the west of last year’s course, while using the same start and finish control locations.

The MWM is a special beast in that it’s arguably the only rally on our calendar where you may be challenged with dead-of-winter weather and complete darkness. Snow tires, a map light for the navigator, some extra warm clothing, an emergency kit (with water, snacks, and a battery pack for your phone among other things) and perhaps a tow strap are highly recommended additions to your setup. Like any other road rally, a full fuel tank and a roadworthy, safe vehicle are a must (as an aside, there will be a vehicle check self-declaration form, similar to that used for autoslalom, implemented for road rally in 2026).

We expect the Supplementary Regs and the online registration form to be available soon. Keep an eye on our Facebook page and our Calendar page for regular updates on the Midwinter Moon, and we look forward to seeing you in Shubenacadie on January 31!