There were a lot of people that got out yesterday to take advantage of the snow that fell and get one last ride in. Not as many places to do that in Upstate NY right now, and after today, it’s full on DIE HARD season, to where only locals or the most dedicated riders who will ride on anything, trailering 2 hours to find 2 miles of snow to ride… It’s that time of year. It won’t last through most of this week and I expect the gates to Moose River Plains to be shut before the end of the week. Powley Road may hold out another few days, but nobody is riding into April this year.
Why so glum on winter now? Check out the highs through the end of March… add 2-4 degrees to this to get the high each day…
This is the most reflective post of the year for me: This is the FINAL regularly scheduled “Morning Blog” of the winter season. This is the time of year I take my eyes off of the daily weather in Upstate NY and turn my attention to other things (which I’ll let you know about shortly below… because there is A TON GOING ON). Should late season winter weather threaten in late March (highly unlikely), April (probably at least once), or even until Mother’s Day (which used to be a once in 10-20 year thing but seemingly is almost every year now), I’m here. I’ll do my best to cover it like I do the first snows in October and November with the same enthusiasm and intensity.
It is time to hand out THANKS, tell you my plans for the offseason, and give you all a reminder on how you can follow me outside of Upstate Snow during the Spring, Summer and Fall… Please scroll down through all I have below. You’ll want to… because of a big Upstate Snow announcement at the end…
THANK YOU to all of the businesses and individuals that supported Upstate Snow this season! This was a record year thanks to y’all! We set records for the most sponsorships by far! And I know we are just getting started. The thanks to each individual and business is at the end of this post and every post on Upstate Snow.
So what about me personally? I’m glad you asked. I quietly left my sales job in July of last year and said I’m done with sales and marketing. After 16 years of struggle, starting over again and “proving myself” in each job, doing it, then being unappreciated and repeating the cycle, even after reaching management and a dream job in 2019, only to give it up a year later to move my family to South Carolina, I’m done. This year I celebrate 25 years as a degreed Meteorologist. Most of my closest friends are… Meteorologists. I have respect in the field. I just wish this field wasn’t such a niche, to where your employment options are so few. But regardless, I’m an entrepreneur, and so I blaze my own trail with projects like this. In the last year, I’ve taken off 20-25 pounds, got my health under control, and am ready for anything. So introducing:
TikTok @richlupia
Instagram – rlupia
The TikTok and Instagram are aimed at a younger audience (Millennial and Gen Z), with short weather videos (30-90 seconds) covering weather from around the nation, with focus on the eastern US. My following is small right now, but so was this following 10 years ago. Now I’m approaching 15K on Facebook. It’s a function of time. I’m dedicated to it. Click above to check it out! And please like/subscribe!
Meteorologist Rich Lupia Facebook
Meteorologist Rich Lupia You Tube
Here you can follow my regional and national weather updates throughout the spring, summer and fall. I do these most days, especially weekdays, through my good friend Jeremy Kappell’s WxLive brand platform. These are videos that range 2-4 minutes on the short side, 5-10 minutes on the longer side, designed for Gen X (like me) and Baby Boomers whom like some depth and detail with what is going on in the weather. Click above to check it out! And please like/subscribe!
This was my personal website for many years that few people checked out. This is about to become the main portal to everything I’m doing in the weather, year round. The site as you see it today, March 14th, 2022, will not be like this much longer. Before the end of the month, the new and improved richlupia.com will launch, which I’ve been working on since the end of October. It’s nearly complete. And it will be so much more than a placeholder. This site will be, ultimately, how I intend to support myself and my family going forward. The number one focus of my website will be sales for, and opportunities for doing what I did hundreds of times as a TV Meteorologist from 1996-2005: Teach kids the weather!
I’m finishing the final lessons on Wonder of Weather for Kids and I plan to have the program, for sale, for homeschoolers mainly, and for anyone who wants to teach the kids weather. It’s more than just a few minutes teaching elementary aged school kids weather, it’s going 10-20 minutes per lesson, into dozens of different weather topics, to stimulate the love for weather I have. This weather program will be available for purchase online before the end of this month! I had planned to have it ready by today… but life got in the way 🙁
In addition to the virtual homeschool curriculum, I will supplement the Wonder of Weather for Kids with live, in person classes! If you and/or your group have any interest in having me come speak to your group/organization, let me know! rich@richlupia.com is the best way to reach me. I have several trips to Upstate NY planned. Despite $4-5/gallon gas, I plan to come back and forth to my native Upstate NY from the Upstate of SC, every few months. Let’s just say… I know almost every corner of I-81 from Bristol to Binghamton. And if I can get enough classes together, I will consider special trips just to do the weather education! Please email me and stay in touch. I’ll announce when Wonder of Weather for Kids! is up for sale.
This will be followed up with Wonder of Weather, a middle and high school homeschool curriculum, which could also be used by anyone, including adults that have always been long time weather fans, but never got the formal education to become a Meteorologist. This will be as close as you can get, without spending $$ on college classes, to get the full on weather experience. This program will also be for sale, and should be out sometime in April 2022. Please check richlupia.com for release details on this.
And last, but certainly not least, if you have read this far down, I’m about to make an announcement of particular interest to Upstate Snow nation. Because this last part is literally, just for you. After nearly 10 years of Upstate Snow, I am officially putting it out there today:
UPSTATE SNOW WILL START MERCHANDISING THIS YEAR!
Everything from Upstate Snow stickers, to t-shirts, polo shirts, long sleeve t-shirts, hoodies and more! This is where I want your feedback: If I put out Upstate Snow merchandising, what would you buy the most? The least? Any feedback you can give on this would be awesome. This is something that will take the off-season to develop. I hope to get some merchandising out over the spring and summer with Upstate Snow to where you can order online through Upstate Snow and through richlupia.com but the date I’m truly looking forward to, is this date:
September 15, 2022
That is the actual date Upstate Snow went live and was born back in 2012. It was a Saturday. It was day 1 of Snow Bash. I remember fondly going there, talking to hundreds of people, telling them about the new site I just launched. Most were “I’ll check it out”. Some were passive and dismissive. But it was my dream, I kept at it, even after stepping back a few years while I worked out my work situations to take it back, I am here today. I will not be denied. Upstate Snow for life baby! Even from the south 840 miles away…
On Thursday September 15, 2022, I will set out from South Carolina to return to Upstate NY in time for SNOW BASH 2022! Setup is Friday September 16, 2022. Actual event September 17-18, 2022. I plan to be there with my tent, merchandising, saying hey to y’all, and hoping for a great weekend! It’s the official kickoff to the 2022-23 snowmobile season, and it is literally six months away. Almost to the day. I cannot wait to celebrate 10 years with you guys and to say THANK YOU for making this all possible. The dream I had 10 years ago, has come true!
And that’s the bottom line. Upstate Snow is here because of YOU. Through the ups and downs, the good winters and the bad, the good forecasts (and the bad), you have stuck by me. The audience continues to grow. And even though I may reside in Greenville, SC, my heart is always in Upstate NY. Proud to be born and raised in Utica. Always look forward to coming home, seeing friends and family. And getting back together with all of you. So for one last time and for this season, THANK YOU! This isn’t goodbye until Snow Bash. As you see, there will be A LOT going on in the offseason. Please like and follow me on the other social media platforms if you wish to keep up with me year round.
For the Upstate Snow Nation,
Rich
To become a MEMBER, drop me $10, and you’ll get name recognition, or if you wish not to use your name, recognition to your favorite snowmobile club or where you live. To become a SPONSOR, drop me $60 and I’ll put up a link to your business, Facebook page or snowmobile club! This list will be up until August 31, 2022. The new list and new partnerships/sponsorships will reset September 1, 2022.
Click below to get started
paypal.me/lupiallc
www.venmo.com/u/Richard-Lupia
THANK YOU to our faithful sponsors and members!
SPONSORS
Southern Tug Hill SnoRiders
Saratoga Snowmobile Association
Ohio Ridge Riders
ILSNOW.com
Enjem’s Flooring America
Water’s Edge Inn – Old Forge
Adirondacks Speculator Chamber of Commerce
White Lake Inn
Toads LLC Fisher and Snow Dog Plows, Cairo, NY
John Schoff Memorial Vintage Ride – January 15, 2022
Lincoln Mountain Gansevoort Snowmobile Club
ATV Tractor
Foley’s Lawn Care and Gardening
Better Homes and Gardens Pristine Real Estate – Cape Coral, FL
North Country Market – Thendara, NY
PR Plus Small Engine Repair – Sherrill, NY
EnergyMark LLC
Mountain Culinary Company – Mountain Top, PA
Thousand Islands Snowmobile Club
MEMBERS
Chris Rinck
Charles Klesse
Chaz Albertson
Dave Gleasman
John Bates
Darrin Harr
Mark Enjem
Matthew Pistner
Eric Vilovchik
Brian & Paula Bedell
Robert G. Gartley
Chris Higgins
Nathan DeMarco
Frank Presky
Chris Schoff
Richard Keller
Mark Spano
Paul Marconi
Michael Schrader
Chris Skipper
Frank Sansone
Mercy Board LLC
John Scalora
Tom & Alis Vincent
Angelina Gogola
Cricket Corelli
Russ Lamoy
Jeff Greene
Chaz Albertson Jr.
John Bossolt
John Foley
Andy Artessa
Jenny & Ron Tyre
Mark Finkbiner
Christopher Cawley
Darren Bryant
M&M, SnoCh!c and SnoL!fe
Doug Wasiura
Devon Senecal
Billy & Millie McLaughlin
Rachelle Gross
Marc Mellaly
DV
Vicki Muehleck
Gertude Corelli
Brian Shoemaker
Brian Salamone
Tom Sylvia
Tom Robinson
Eric Olofson
Gill Benedek
Jason Sosiewicz
Ron Linich
Debra Hubbard
Dennis Sullivan
JAYSOS!
JDR
Stephen Prinzi
Chautauqua Boat Works
Brian Bedell
Barbara and Joe Monahan
Des Ballard
Quade Kirk
Kyle Prill
Sean Ogilvie
Christopher Aaron
Tim Schmidt
Woodhull Creek Clan
Ken Biemiller
