MichCanSka 2010 Summary

By Bill Bradfield
President, MichCanSka

Adventure… dream it, plan it, do it!

The Winter Olympics weren’t the only snowy weather events taking the Canada spotlight this year. MichCanSka 2010, International snowmobile charity, had its inaugural ride from Michigan to Alaska, benefiting diabetes research. Brainchild of Bill Bradfield, avid snowmobile enthusiast, MichCanSka raised both funds, and awareness in the name of charity. The event’s driving sponsor was the Diabetes Research Institute, Miami, FL with donations exceeding $100,000. A journey that began in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and went on to span the globe, challenged 54 riders, and their machines. Completed on March 8, 2010, in 21 days, MichCanSka did what no other snowmobile group had done before. MichCanSka achieved a trip of a lifetime, and worked to help find a cure for diabetes.

When asked about their adventures, riders of MichCanSka can say: My trip of a lifetime went through 4 time zones, some of the most scenic landscape in North America, every type of terrain, and did a lap around the famous Soo – 500 mile racetrack. Riders of MichCanSka experienced ungroomed trails, ditch banging, mountain sugar snow, and prairies too. The elements challenged riders like never before, where windy conditions actually blew one rider off her sled, and swayed others 5ft sideways. From 27 degrees below zero, to 45 degrees above, MichCanSka always managed to make necessary repairs the same night, or by the next day. Friendships were forged and everyone lent a helping hand.

On the 8^th day of March 2010, a group of 54 riders walked out of the Dawson city Yukon Hotel, assembled in parade formation and prepared to depart. The organizer, Bill Bradfield, mounted his sled, with the American, Canadian, and MichCanSka flags, and turned to the others. “Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines, we are going to Alaska!” At precisely 8:00am. MichCanSkans wrote a new chapter in the history of organized snowmobiling. We rode over the Top of the World highway from Dawson City Yukon, to Tok, Alaska.

MichCanSka 2010 received recognition from several top trade magazines, was featured in over 40 featured newspaper articles worldwide, and was the topic of at least 12 live radio interviews. On behalf of MichCanSka, I, Bill Bradfield, accepted proclamations from Mayor Barnett of Cadillac, MI, the Alaskan Trailblazers, as well as, a proclamation and a key to the city of Tok Alaska. I personally, had the honor of dropping the green flag that signaled the beginning of the Soo – 500 mile race. In the end, MichCanSka raised over $100,000 for diabetes research. However, the greatest sense of accomplishment, was listening to the personal stories of those who have been touched by diabetes, and the heartfelt thank you, we received from these individuals.

Special thanks goes out to the following: The board of directors of the I-500 Snowmobile Race, the Mayor, City Manager, and supporting staff of Sault Ste. Marie, the Michigan Snowmobile Association, Nelson’s Speedshop, Track Inc., Klim USA, Sheet Metal Workers Unions, Allstate Insurance, Oswego Creative, all of the snowmobile clubs throughout America and Canada, who offered invaluable assistance, the Diabetes Research Institute, and the hundreds of donors who took up the cause for a cure.

The 2011 MichCanSka Adventure will be a 2,000 mile loop in Ontario Canada starting in Sault Ste. Marie Michigan. Alaska will be slated for every even year with the next ride scheduled for 2012. Please visit our website for further information, donations, and to order the feature length DVD of the MichCanSka 2010 Adventure.

Visit us at: www.michcanska.com