Michcanska Adventure 2023

Michigan Loop and Alaska Charity Rides are complete!

Michcanska’s 2 big charity rides for 2018 are complete. Both rides were very safe and successful in terms of the rides themselves. Once again our riders were up to the challenges that they took on. Both rides began on February16th from Sault St. Marie MI. The Michigan Loop ride was completed back at the Soo on Feb. 24th. All 20 Loop riders returned to home and raised a lot of money for a good cause. The ride lasted 9 days and everyone had a great time. A special thank you to Ralph Gordon who drove the chase/support vehicle for that group. Also we all want to send out a get well to George Pattullo who encountered some medical issues before the ride and was unable to make it this year. George is a founding Board member of the club and we wish him well in his recovery.

The 10 Alaska bound riders successfully completed their journey on March 14. The Alaska adventure was Part 2 of a planned Maine to Alaska trip. Part 1 was from Maine to MI and completed in 2017. Ironically, the start of our Maine ride was delayed by too much snow, and, at the end of our Alaska ride just outside of Fairbanks, we ran into the same situation. The group made a safety decision and called in the support vehicles to get to get us to North Pole Alaska which is just outside of Fairbanks. It was a great adventure covering 4 US States, 5 Canadian Provinces and several time zones. The trip also included a Trek Over The Top of the world (Dawson City YT to Tok Alaska). Thanks to Dave Gentry for manning the chase/support vehicle and tending to our needs. Dave spent many hours in the vehicle supporting our efforts

Both groups want to thank Pete Pattullo and Mike Pattullo for manning and monitoring the Command Center. They had the ability to track our progress, deal with any emergency on the trails if needed, maintain the riders medical records and emergency contacts, locate riders and groups if separated, and coordinate other emergency responses. It was great knowing that had your back. Thanks Again!

We want to thank all of the people who supported and donated to our charities this year. There is still time to donate even though we have completed the rides. Please go to www.michcanska.com to do so. Please do so before May 31st

MichCanSka thanks all of the Snowmobile Cubs, organizations, and guide services that made these trips possible including trip planning, guides and ride alongs to get us through unknown areas.

Finally, we thank our trip planners:

President Don Lipinski, who made these trips a priority and kept us all focused.

Garry Randall
Hugh Cummins
Jean-Guy Charette
Yves LeBlanc

Nice job everyone!

Our ride today will again take us on a little known route. From High Level to Rainbow Lake and then on to Fort Nelson on a winter only access road that they established this year. Our route planner for this Leg of our adventure is Yves LeBlanc. Yves had previously made this journey through this area in 2007, as part of his Snow Odessy Adventure. In 2007, Yves traveled across North America, and back, from Ottawa ON, on A Solo Snowmobile adventure, to break the Guinness book of world record, for a Solo Snowmobile trip. He successfully broke that record, in High Level AB. Wow!

Yves lives in Otter Lake, QC, with his wife Nicole. He is retired and enjoying life at the lake.

In Rainbow Lake today we found out that all of our lunch options, were closed. We had a great local contact that found us a place, that we didn’t know about and then even covered the cost. Again, our thanks and praise, for the great people that have helped us along.

Sent from my Bell Samsung device over Canada’s largest network.

Sent from my Bell Samsung device over Canada’s largest network.

Sent from my Bell Samsung device over Canada’s largest network.

Sent from my Bell Samsung device over Canada’s largest network.

Good thing we got off the road.

Sent from my Bell Samsung device over Canada’s largest network.

Makes sense!

Sent from my Bell Samsung device over Canada’s largest network.

We have traveled from Bonnyville to High Level in Alberta with stops in Athabasca, and Red Earth Creek. We have the highest praise for the great people in Alberta for the way the have treated us, as we have passed through their towns.

There are three riders with us on this trip from Casselman, ON. Jean-Guy Charette, Normand Surprenant, and Serge Charette. I first met these gentlemen when I Joined the MichCanSka Club, for the World Tour in 2015. These three riders impressed me with their story of their cross Canada, snowmobile adventure from Kamloops, BC to Ottawa, ON, in 2006. I thought if this club can entice riders like that, I’m going to join.

For our Alberta adventure, we have had local club riders assisting us along the way. This has helped out a lot because for the most part we have had to make our own way, across lakes, down rivers, and along the side of the highway. Our two hundred mile days on the trails….. Are nothing Like the 200 miles we are riding these days. Each night we arrive at the hotel, very happy, very sore, very tried, and very thirsty!

Sent from my Bell Samsung device over Canada’s largest network.

Today I want to highlight the wonderful people of Saskatchewan and Alberta. Throughout our trip we have had so many people come up to us in restaurants and hotels and talk to us about our trip and our fundraising. We have had daily donations from most of those that we have met. But the donations and support that have received in these two Prairie provinces is overwhelming. We have had donations come from all sources, which go directly to finding a cure for Diabetes. As our president says, ” if we can put a man on the moon, why can’t we find a cure to this terrible disease”.

In the last two days we have rode from Christopher Lake, SK to Meadow Lake, and on to Bonnyville, AB.

We have been escorted, and assisted, by the club’s and club members across this region. We have had device and support by the local people and the dealers. We have had dealers come out at night to find parts and stay open late to service our sleds. One dealer took parts off one of his new sleds, to repair one of ours, that had a serious mechanical issue.

Thank you to everyone so far, that has made our journey to Alaska become a reality. And of course thank you for contributing to our be fundraing.

The Alaska Team

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We arrived in Nipawin to find Hughie’s friends Fred and Debra waiting for us.

Hughie wouldn’t be on this ride if it wasn’t for them. They introduced Hughie to trail riding, When the only thing he thought a snowmobile was for, was to go ice fishing.

We had a great day riding with them and their son Mike, and friend Mike. We stopped during the day, at one of the newer warm up huts and had a trail side lunch.

Upon arrival in Christopher Lake, they opened their garage for some sled Maintenance. When we went to offer them some money for this, they donated it to Canadian Diabetes.

Great day, Great People.

Sent from my Bell Samsung device over Canada’s largest network.