MichCanSka Completes the Mission

MichCanSka survived their quest to complete the journey from Sault Saint Marie, Michigan to Tok, Alaska; and earned major dollars for the cause of the Diabetes Research Foundation. By all involved it was concluded to be a great success.

Personally my only two misgivings were that, as a driver (and not a snowmobiler), I was unable to make the "Run over the Top of the World" and as a consequence I never made it to Alaska and I never saw the Northern Lights.

Out of the three groups, group one suffered the heaviest burden because of its larger size (28 riders), greater number of older riders and their gender mix (all three female riders were in group one).

On the other hand, they deserve extended accolades for enduring, as well as they did the treacherousness of the long journey.

Of all the riders, group two "forced the issue" and despite the obstacles, and completed the most trail miles of the three groups; by all estimates they are believed to have ridden the trails (and ditches) for most all of, but for a comparatively scant 250 miles, the 4000 miles.

Although, they are justly deserving of praise, it must be pointed out (in defense of the other groups) that they were blessed with a smaller group (17 riders) and, by all accounts, more skilled riders.

Of the three groups, only group three lost riders during the trip; about mid-way ten of the riders (unhappy with the lack of sufficient snow, the subsequent trail conditions and the amount of "ditch banging") they chose to cut their trip short and return home.

Nonetheless, the remaining group three riders "forged ahead" and attempted to catch-up with and join group two (a quest they were never able to accomplish).

One of the things that really surprised me is just how enamored the people are with their life in the desolate environs of the Canadian north. Time and time again, I heard comments like - "I came here on vacation and never left," or "I vacationed here, went home, grabbed my things - and moved" and most common of all "I love it here!"

It would seem that with the long winter season, the high cost of living and the desolation (remember that there are only "roughly" 106,000 people living in the three territories) that the people would anything but happy - such is not the case!

Having returned home, it is now time turn my thoughts back to my motorcycle travels. My Harley is in New Orleans, "patiently" awaiting my return.

Since my return on Tuesday, the weather in Michigan has been very inviting for this, would be, motorcycle rider; but after a month travels, I'm still playing catch-up - I'll keep you posted!

Muncho Lake, British Columbia

We got a late start out of Fort Nelson today due to the fact that the riders took a short (3 hour) ride around the Fort Nelson trail system. They were led by a group of five local schoolboys who were, all too happy to skip school (with their parents' approval); to "entertain" the MichCanSka riders and to help promote the cause of the Diabetes Research Foundation.

After completing the morning ride, the "sleds" were again loaded on the trailers, and we began the short drive to Muncho Lake.

The drive was short in distance, but "long" on scenic beauty. We made a couple of quick stop to capture some of the best scenes, but most of the pictures that were taken were, "shot" through the windshield or out of the side window, with the window rolled down. They were a compromise at best, but I was happy to have been given a break from my driving duties in order to shoot some photos while riding "shot gun."

Muncho Lake is the halfway point from Fort Nelson to Watson Lake in Yukon Territory; and is the only year around stop, along the Alaskan Highway, between the two cities. It is a beautiful, full service resort, but nonetheless, only a resort - there is no City of Muncho Lake.

Given the poor snow conditions, MichCanSka is striving to make the best of a bad situation. Everyday new plans are being made in effort to find more snow and get back on the trails. Just today, the decision was made "scratch" Whitehorse off the list of scheduled stops, and instead re-routed the trip to Contact Lake (where the anticipation is high that they will find more snow.)

Therefore, as of today, our schedule for the next three days is: from Muncho Lake to Watson Lake, Yukon Territory, then to Contact Lake and finally to Dawson City (the final stop before Tok, Alaska.)

The First Day - Alaska Bound

Our day is done (the road crew, the chase vehicles, the trailer haulers or what ever you call us), but the snowmobile riders are still on the trail. It is now 6:00 P.M., and they are not expected to arrive at the motel before 9:00 P.M.

The day began on a sad note; three snowmobiles were stolen from the motel parking lot over night. All the plans, hopes and dreams were spoiled by some unfeeling and uncaring individuals who placed there personal interests above all others. I trust they are proud of themselves.

In spite of everyone's sympathy, "the show must go on," and so, it did; and right on schedule the 24 riders (joined by a host of 25-30 other riders who riding part way to Canadian border in North Dakota) made their way down and around the I-500 track before striking out on the trail.

With the snowmobiles on the trail it was time for the drivers to hook up the trailers and begin their own journey. Unfortunately, that turned out to be more of a task than it should have been.

When I went to hook up the truck/trailers rig that I was driving for Bill Bradfield (the organizer of the trip and President of MichCanSka), I discovered the key to unlock the trailer coupler would not work. Whether the key was the wrong key or the padlock was frozen, I may never know. After driving to the local hardware store to buy a hack saw, I returned to the trailer to find that the other drivers had already removed the padlock with a hand grinder. The problem was solved.

The rest of the day has been pretty uneventful. We arrived at Paradise expecting to meet the pack of snowmobiles, only to find that they had passed through Paradise without stopping, now more than, ten minutes earlier.

Having missed them at Paradise, we elected to not drive the 40 miles (round trip) to Grand Marais, out of the fear that history would repeat itself and we would miss them once again.

We now know that we were wrong in our thinking and were not accounting for the amount of time that it would take to fuel up some 50 to 60 snowmobiles and feed their riders as well.

This problem will soon disappear - we expect to have no more 30 sleds in the group by the time we reach Wisconsin.

In the Beginning

Tomorrow begins (sort of) the road to Alaska. Actually we will start the trek Monday, but I'll be leaving tomorrow for a 3:00 P.M. meeting at the Quality Inn in Sault Saint Marie in the U.P. (for you non-Michiganders, that's short to Michigan's Upper Peninsula).

The meeting is a get together to coordinate everything before we (team one) departs at 8:00 A.M. Monday morning. If team one has a complement of snowmobiles (and at this point, I don't actually know if the team is full or not) there will be 24 "sleds" leaving on Monday morning.

Tomorrow should solve the answer to a few unanswered questions, such as: where is the first scheduled stop (as well as all later scheduled stops) and why are they not following the Trans-Canadian Trail all the way?

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Crossing the bridge at the Straits of Mackinaw started to get the adrenalin running (the next three weeks should be great experience).

It's now Sunday and I failed to get yesterday's blog finished and posted. It is probably just as well, even though I still don't know much more about all the stops along the way. I have, however, learned that the first stop (for lunch and fuel) is in Grand Marais followed, in the afternoon, by the ride to Ishpeming to finish out the day. That makes for a four hour morning snowmobile ride followed by an estimated 4 1/2 - 5 hour ride in the afternoon (not too grueling, but they're just getting started!).

By highway the entire trip mapquests out at about 4 1/2 hours (that of course assumes a clear highway).

That's not bad for the first day, but when you think about doing that for the next nineteen days you can begin to get a feel for the scope of this project. Then too, the fact that some of the trails may or may not have been plowed out, and considering that the weather could be 20 degrees fahrenheit or 40 below - it's downright scary!

The reason that MichCanSka chose not to take the "Trans-Canadian Trail" all the way, is very logical when you think about it. MichCanSka wanted to make this an international expedition and, therefore, chose to include five states (Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and Alaska) and five Canadian provinces (Manitoba, Sasketchawan, Alberta, British Columbia and Yukon Territory). How cool is that?

The trip begins with one lap around Sault Saint Marie's "I-500 Snowmobile Track" and then it's - hit the trail! Circling the I-500 track might not seem like such a big thing, but when you consider that in forty one years they have never permitted non-racers on the track, you begin to get a feel get for the respect that MichCanSka has so rightfully been accorded.

More on Going Forward

When the Michigan to Alaska (MichCanSka) plans were first announced on this blog, I incorrectly stated that the trip ran from Michigan through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana and into Idaho before turning north to cross the border into Canada. The correct route never goes west of North Dakota before turning north from Belcourt, North Dakota and crossing into Manitoba, Canada.

From there it's a short 28 miles (by highway) before entering Canada and proceeding for another 175 miles (again, that's highway miles) to Russell, Manitoba. Other stops planned stops are Big River, Saskatchewan; Cold Lake, Alberta; Muncho Lake, British Columbia; Whitehorse and Dawson, Yukon Territory; and the final leg from Dawson to Tok, Alaska.

For me, there are some serious questions about the route of travel; namely, where are all of the other stops along the route? My map quest route encompasses more than 2400 miles with only two of the announced stops being less than 200 miles. All of the rest of the stops represent distances from 330 to over 440 miles (and one - from Cold Lake, Alberta to Muncho, British Columbia - is a journey of more than 940 miles!)

It is my understanding, that most days, the riders will travel fewer than 250 miles, with the average for the 20 day on the trail being 190 miles per day; so where all of the rest of the stops?

Understand that I am not in any way questioning the planning for trip. I have complete confidence in Bill Bradfield and the others who worked for over two years to plan and organize this trip - for sure, they know what they are doing. Nonetheless, I have clearly failed to ask for more information about the complete route of travel and all of the other stopping points along the route.

Departure day is still, nearly, two weeks away and I will report back to you just as soon as I am able to fill in the gaps between the known stopping points.