My name is Rich Lupia. I have been a snowmobile rider for a long time, for many years. I have also been leader of this patchwork known as Upstate Snow, one of the top leadership posts on Facebook and on Social Media since 2012. I have at my hand as of right now over 15K followers. Most importantly, I am a stroke survivor. On August 16, 2022, I suffered a massive stroke that should have killed me. The more I think about it these last 400 days, it really should have. But it did not do it. I guess I have some fuel left in the old tank you’d say???
These past 400 days have been grueling. The two posts I did get out to you in October of 2022, in the days just after leaving the hospital and before returning for a week in November for more tests and solutions, were pure luck. Then I ran out of luck. For months. I have tried so many times to log in, but failed. Then this evening, on September 18, 2023, the 23rd anniversary of meeting my wife, almost literally to the hour, I make it in. How in the hell did I make it in? And now that I made it in, what’s next?
Well first off I am behind already. More than half of September is gone and Snow Bash is history. This was one of the biggest events in my year. But not now. I had to leave NY for SC a few days before because the money and expenses would have been too much. And today I found out my dad was in NY. My dad! Yikes!
So no more of this behind game. No more playing around. No more BS. We are going full bore, full tilt on this for every day from now through the end of the 2023-24 season. Well at least most of those days. So what’s number one?
Support Upstate Snow! I have ways you can get on here for as little as a dollar. A DOLLAR. You absolutely cannot hide behind the “I’m broke, I have no money” excuse when a dollar gets you in. SPEND A DOLLAR A PIECE AND GET AN UPSTATE SNOW STICKER!* *- Plus postage. So one is about $1.60. Five would be about $5.60. So there we go to start. Heck, just $15 gets your name up as a supporter! $25 gets you and yours an Upstate Snow T-Shirt. $75 dollars gets you member recognition. Get up to $250 or higher, that’s when ads start to go up. And it goes up from there. Considering how many hundreds of thousands I hit each year with an average spend between $15 and $75 for most, you’d be absolutely crazy not to at least consider it.
Here is how to do it for the $15, $75 and the big donations:
www.paypal.me/lupiallc
www.venmo.com/u/Richard-Lupia
For the $1/sticker* (plus $0.60 postage) and/or the $25 per t-shirt (give me your size)
Please send an email to richlupia@gmail.com with your order information
What’s next? Well how about this: Starting two weeks from today on October 3rd, Upstate Snow begins a redesign of its material. We used to have a Trail Talk Podcast on Tuesdays. Based on input from members, that will no longer fly. So starting October 3rd, 2023, we shall formally debut “Trail Talk Tuesday”, which shall be an extended period of weather from here and now to weeks out. And remember we can get snow in October now??? Trail Talk Thursday debuts on Thursday October 5th. This is the follow up to “Trail Talk Tuesday” with “Trail Talk Thursday”. While every day will be important for Upstate Snow, Tuesday’s and Thursday’s will be most important days. During the actual snowmobile season starting second weekend in December, we shall put out a Trail Talk Weekend program on Saturdays. So during the actual riding season, Trail Talk shall be with you THREE TIMES PER WEEK!
What about Podcasts? I’m glad you asked. We had two of them, but now we shall be focused solely on the season. From December through March, the only Podcast going from this point forward will be the Guide to You Ride Podcast. Anything and Everything Snowmobiling. Anything and everything on the trails. If you would like to sponsor this Podcast, please give me a shout. I would love to hear from you.
What else? Just staying on the snow whenever we get it. The last really good winter we had was 2018-19. Before that was 2014-15. Before that was 2013-14. We have not had many very good winters over the last 12 years. If anything we’ve had winters with tons of big warmups, especially second half of December to the first half of January. It has been harsh. A huge bummer. All I can say is: I cannot wait for this period to be over!
Finally, me. Then there is me. I am still recovering over a year after a stroke. Some strokes take years to recover from. Some you never 100% recover from. I am figuring I am one of those folks. Even though I am most of the way back and ready to rumble when needed, I still get tired easily. I still sleep a lot more than normal. There are things about me that since 8/16/22 I don’t see anymore. There are things I wish I could have. Driving is one of them. I have no idea as a SC resident if NY follows SC laws and wishes… so I have no idea on what and if I can ride at all coming up to next season. That’s all I know right now. Over the coming weeks and months, you’ll know when I know when I will have operational ability restored. I promise you this: Whether it is this season. Or ’24-’25. Or later. It doesn’t matter. At least once more in my life before it is my time, I can promise you this:
I. Will. Ride. Again.
Until then Upstate Snow Nation… get ready to ride!
Rich Lupia
Stroke Survivor
Upstate Snow Nation
September 18, 2023
