Sarcoma Cancer is a rare disease, often misdiagnosed, often afflicting children and young adults.
The Karen Wyckoff Sarcoma Foundation is dedicated to Sarcoma Cancer research, support and education...and the fight to find a cure.

"Riding with a Purpose" - 2012 Mud Dog Ride

Mud Dog 2012 Riders Complete Ride2012 Mud Dogs Ride without Snow

Despite the shimmer of brown grass and temperatures closer to end of March norms than early February, CJ Ramstad¹s Mud Dogs "pushed on regardless" in their amzing 40 mile 2012 Mud Dog Ride. Our brave riders rode in their quest to keep the spirit of snowmobiling, CJ Ramstad, and Eric Skogman alive, and even more importantly raise money for the Rein In Sarcoma Foundation.

Pat Bourgeois speaking for the 2012 Muddogs said "The new snowless 40-mile ride were traversed using old-school leaf spring snowmobiles that have certainly seen "better days". No matter, our cause is just and our resolve is unwavering."  

The 2012 Muddog Riders now ask that your determination to help bring awareness and find a cure for Sarcoma is of equal vigor.  Read more...

This year's ride honored the life of Eric Skogman who conceived of the RIS Mud Dog Snowmobile Ride and raised over $20,000 in its first three years!  Eric died from Liposarcoma in April of 2011 and the 2012 ride is dedicated to his vision, passion, humor, and memory. Read about the ride as recorded in the Fairmount Sentinel, click here.

You can still support our intrepid 2012 Mud Dog's "ride with a purpose" by  making your making your donation now. Click here!

 

2012 Mud Dogs Ride with Passion for Eric Skogman and RIS!

Local Media Cover Mud Dog Race  2012 Mud Dogs  2012 Rider Fixing Engine
 Snowmobile Tragedy  2012 Mud Dog Sled  2012 Mud Dogs Sleds

  

2012  Mud Dog Riders

To Pledge to Riders, Click here*

or to pledge to individual riders

click on the names below

   Pat Bourgeois Home Page
Lynn Keiller Home Page
Justin Klett Holme Page
 Joel Mellethin Home Page

Dan Skallet Home Page

Jesse Steinwand Home Page

Pledging to all the 2012 Riders:

  • Shannon Brennan on 12/16/11 - "In memory of Eric"
  • Tia Picard on 12/19/12011 - "Ride in spirit Eric - love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
  •  Mark Rosacker on 1/6/2012 - "Have a great ride in memory of a great person!!"*
  • Judy Allers on 1/15/2012 - "In memory of nephew Eric Skogman"*
  • Pete and Sue Wyckoff on 1/15/2102 - "Ride On! Eric will always be with us!"*
  • Scott McQuillen on 1/16/2012 - "Thank you for honoring Eric Skogman's memory. He is missed by all those who knew him." *
  • Andy Swanson on 1/8/2012 - "I can see the smirk on Eric's face. He's thankful for the Mud Dogs riding in his honor this year. Way to go!"*
  • Shane Zeppelin on 2/2/2012* - "Good luck and get muddy!" - MaxSled.com*
  • Lynne and Aaron Miller on 2/3/12* "Wishing all the riders the best. Thanks to each and everyone of you for continuing the fight! Eric will be with you the entire way!!!"*
  • Lynn Keillor on 2/07/12*
  • Brian Kalscheuer on 2/6/12 - "In memory of Eric......ride on!"*
  • Chris Carlson on 2/14/2012

* This Pledge will qualify for 2012 Mud Dog Matching Grant! (see details below).

This Year’s Ride and its $1,500 Challenge: 

The 2102 Ride is being organized by Joel Mellenthin, Midwest Sports Publishing Network (MSPN) and Eric's many friends. The 2012 Mud Dogs will embark on their 4th annual ride to the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association Winter Rendezvous the second week of February. This year, the MnUSA Winter Rendezvous will take place at the Fairmont  Holiday inn in Fairmont, February 11-12, 2012.  
 
This year an anonymous donor is issuing a $1,500 Mud Dog Challenge Grant!  This donor has committed to match all new 2012 Mud Dog paid pledges starting Tuesday, January 1, 2012  through Saturday, February 11th or when the challenge is met.
 
For the fourth year in a row, the Mud Dogs Riders will collect tax-deductible pledges for the Eric Skogman Mud Dog Ride Fund of the Karen Wyckoff Rein in Sarcoma Foundation (KWRISF). For the first three years Eric organized the Ride which contributed over $20,000 to find a cure of Sarcoma Cancers.

Those that want to donate to this cause to help fight this deadly disease can do so via the KWRISF Web site, by clicking here.  All pledges are tax deductible and the money raised goes directly to the KWRISF. 

  • To Pledge to all riders or a particular rider, click here.
  • To Pay a Pledge using our secure payment page, click here.

 

Eric's Story  

Eric SkogmanIn March 2008, then 38-year-old Eric Skogman was diagnosed with Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma, a rare and deadly form of soft tissue cancer in his abdomen. In April 2008, a 6-pound tumor was removed from his abdomen, and in August 2008 he began chemotherapy treatments.
 
A snowmobiler for more than 25 years, Eric worked as a magazine editor in the snowmobile industry for more than a dozen years. Knowing that more funding for Sarcoma research is needed and that snowmobilers are very giving people, he contacted KWRISF to set up a snowmobile ride fundraiser in the fall of 2008.
 
For the next three years while Eric was battling the disease he rose above it all with tenacity, guts and humor to coceive, promoate and dedicate the Mud Dog Ride to what became the Eric Skogman Mud Dog Fund of Rein in Sarcoma.  He organized the first three rides but was not able to participate in the 2011 Ride because of ongoing chemo therapy.  Eric succumbed to the disease in April of 2011. Click here to read more about Eric.

The original Mud Dog Ride was started by C.J. Ramstad, then owner of Midwest Sports Publishing Network (MSPN), the official publisher of Minnesota Snowmobiling magazine, to encourage snowmobilers from across the state to ride their snowmobiles to the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association’s (MnUSA) annual Winter Rendezvous. That event, and the Mud Dogs ride, traditionally takes place each February and is in a different city or town each year.  Sadly, C.J. and his 17-year-old son J.J. were killed in an automobile accident in May 2007, but the ride lives on with the memory of the legendary Ramstad, his son and now Eric. To read more about C.J. Ramstad, Click here.

All pledges are tax deductible

Pledges will be collected at the MnUSA Winter Rendezvous on February 12, 2010 at the Saturday night banquet. If you do not participate in the ride and cannot attend the banquet, please use the on-line form described below or mail in your pledges to the KWRISF at:

3312 Richmond Avenue

Shoreview, MN 55126

Pledges can also be paid by credit card using our secure online donation form.

1. Under the drop down listing for donation type pick: "Mud Dog Ride" and

2. Indicate that the donation is in tribute to the name of particular rider for whom you are pledging.

Click here to go to the RIS secure donation form.

Introduction to the Rein in Sarcoma Foundation

Rein in Sarcoma was created by Karen Wyckoff in 2001. Karen died from Synovial Sarcoma a month after the first Rein in Sarcoma event. For the last seven years, thousands of people touched by sarcoma have kept her vision of a world without sarcoma cancers alive. 

The Karen Wyckoff Rein in Sarcoma Foundation (KWRISF) was incorporated in 2004 as a Minnesota non-profit organization to continue the mission that Karen established:

  • Find a cure for sarcoma cancers (raise funds for research through the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center) 
  • Educate physicians and public about sarcomas 

  • Support sarcoma survivors and families directly affected by sarcoma

KWRISF has become the largest and best-known sarcoma fund for the Upper Midwest. Over the past seven years, with its three pronged commitment to sarcoma research, support and education, the Foundation, totally run by volunteers, has reached thousands of people and raised over $800,000. 

If you have additional questions, please contact us by clicking here.

Sarcoma Cancers:

Sarcomas are highly malignant and rare types of cancers that occur in the connective tissues of the body. Approximately 9,800 new cases of soft tissue and bone sarcoma are diagnosed each year in the United States. While rare among adults (less than 2% of all adult cancers), sarcoma cancers are among the three most commonly diagnosed cancers affecting children. A sarcoma diagnosis is a particularly shattering for most patients as they rarely have heard of this type of cancer and feel they will have to wage their personal war against the disease without much public knowledge of the disorder.