2012 Mud Dogs To Push On without Snow Despite the shimmer of brown grass and temperatures closer to end of March norms than early February, CJ Ramstad¹s Mud Dogs will "push on regardless" 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. In true Mud Dog fashion, their decision to ride the snowless ditches from Madelia,Minnesota to Fairmont, Minnesota, where the Minnesota United Snowmobiler¹s Association Winter Meeting will be held this weekend, was a creative and last last minute decision necessitated by our "snowless winter".
Pat Bourgeois speaking for the 2012 Muddogs said "The new snowless 40-mile ride will be traversed using old-school leaf spring snowmobiles that have certainly seen "better days". No matter, our cause is just and our resolve 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..
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This year's ride will honor 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.
You can support the 2012 Mud Dog's "ride with a purpose" by making your pledge or making your donation now. This website as well as our RIS Facebook page will keep you up todate on the ride.
2012 Mud Dog Riders |
To Pledge to Riders, Click here*or to pledge to individual ridersclick on the names below |
| Pat Bourgeois Home Page |
| Lynn Keiller Home Page |
| Justin Klett Holme Page |
| Joel Mellethin Home Page |
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Dan Skallet Home Page |
| Jesse Steinwand Home Page |
* This Pledge will qualify for 2012 Mud Dog Matching Grant! (see details below).
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. 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.
In 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.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.
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.
The Mud Dogs Ride for Sarcoma began Wednesday, Feb 9th 2011with four intrepid dogs making the two-day journey to Alexandria, Minnesota. The ride began in Waconia, Minnesota, and the first leg of the ride took them northwest to Darwin, Minnesota, for a lunch stop and to see the World’s Largest Ball of Twine. The first night was spent in Paynesville. The Dogs continued their ride on Thursday arriving in Alexandria in mid afternoon. All together each rider covered over 270 miles!
The 2011 Ride raised $6,000 from over 130 individuals, organiztions and snowmobile clubs!
Eric Skogman, the creator of the RIS Mud Dog Ride, hoped to join the celebration on Saturday, Feb 13th but could not because of chemo treatments.
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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:
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.