From Hockey Player to Motorcycle Santa

Twenty-year Farmington resident Mike Hartman travels three weeks each month for Estes Express Lines, an 80-year-old, family-owned shipping business. He assists and educates 120 Estes representatives, travelling to 20 U.S. states, all of Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

But his December travels around this area on his motorcycle draw much more attention – because he's dressed up as Santa Claus.

Transplanted from Toronto, Hartman, 55, landed a hockey scholarship to Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where he played from 1974-1978. His coach was Ron Mason, who soon went on to legendary status piloting the Michigan State hockey team.

“I could score from anywhere," said Hartman, who still holds four scoring records at Bowling Green. He also played some lacrosse, a brutally physical game, and for seven years, played in the International Hockey league (IHL).

Along the way, he laced up his skates with Ken Morrow and Mark Wells, notable players for the 1980 “Miracle On Ice”, United States Olympic championship team. For 13 years, Hartman served as Assistant Hockey Coach at Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice High School.

He met wife Georgia, at Bowling Green, and they eventually settled in Farmington, because they “fell in love with the area and the people”.

Still, he misses “the peaceful, multicultural life style” in Toronto.  “Everyone got along and were more at ease, humble; maybe due to less stress. When you walk the streets, all nationalities would say 'good day'," he said.

Maybe that’s what Hartman craved when he created the “Motorcycle Santa Claus," which dates back 25 years. You may have seen him on the streets of greater Farmington, or well beyond.

Every December, for about 12 days, Hartman rides his Harley as Santa, for the Motor City Hog Chapter. He likes to venture out around dusk. That way people can look up and say, “Did I just see Santa on a motorcycle?”.

Motorists will follow him. He’s always armed with more than 200 candy canes and stops to greet everyone along the route. The Santa suit and custom boots set him back about $500, all told.

One kid asked Santa for a baby sister. Another wanted a swimming pool. Many stop him just for pictures.

“The people that read this maybe will send me a picture that I took with them. I know that there are hundreds out there," Hartman said, adding that would mean very much to him.

Hartman thinks about Christmas and his Santa role throughout the year. The subject is a great conversation piece as he motorcycles his way into Estes customer warehouses and showrooms. He has learned to say “Merry Christmas” in many languages.

“The happiness Santa brings to others is my biggest reward," Hartman said.

“Mike is the most amazing Santa you’ve ever seen in your life," Mike Shihadeh, of Rainbow Tuxedo in Farmington, said. “He does it all with an open heart."

Hartman, the “center man” for Estes, often works 15-hour days, training sales reps, handling negotiations and contracts. Summer is reserved for “make up dates” with his wife, Georgia. No kids, just the two of them. They “fly and ride” to Las Vegas, or bike to their cottage in North Ontario, where they are today.

“I really do enjoy helping people out, knowing the world is a better place with me in it," Hartman said.

If you've had your picture taken with Farmington's Motorcycle Santa Claus, please share it with us. Sign in with your e-mail address to add your photo to the story, or send it via e-mail to joni.hubred-golden@patch.com

Correction: The name of the company for which Mike Hartman works was incorrectly reported in the original version of this story.