It’s Been An Incredible Ride
“Wow, what an incredible ride!”
I’ve thought that often on winter evenings over the past 32 years, often while loading a sled onto a trailer after a particularly spirited day behind a handlebar. However, I often soon thereafter transitioned from joy to being perplexed over how – even though I write for a living – I was going to find the words to properly convey the awesomeness I had just experienced.
All of those emotions are with me again as I sit behind a keyboard on an October evening.
In this case, though, the “incredible ride” has been more than three cherished decades at Snow Goer magazine. The ride has now come to a close, however, as I have accepted an exciting, too-good-to-pass-up opportunity within the snowmobile and powersports world to see the markets I love from a different angle.
Yes, it has been an incredible ride. I left the daily newspaper world to join what was then Ehlert Publishing Group in August of 1993. Within the first two weeks, I was covering a grass drag race for our then-sister publication Snow Week magazine, and a few weeks after that I attended my first Hay Days Grass Drags event. A busy fall quickly took me to my first winter on the team, evaluating snowmobiles, covering races, going on tour stories, meeting industry insiders and soaking up information as fast as possible from as many sources as I could.
Over the years, I’ve also done a bunch of other things for the media company now known as EPG Brand Acceleration (through three ownership changes), including some really fun years where I was also the editor and publisher of our ATV publications. But my biggest passion was always snowmobiling, so I stayed tethered to it the whole time.
Feeling nostalgic, I did some quick math recently: During my tenure, I’ve been on work-related trips that took me to 44 U.S. states as well as four other countries (including countless trips into Canada) – mostly riding or testing snowmobiles, ATVs, UTVs and personal watercraft for our brands.
But the stats don’t do justice to the individual experiences I’ve enjoyed. I’ve met several thousand people who share my passion for snowmobiling and other powersports – many of whom work in our markets, but many, many more who are regular trail or backcountry riders who quickly became acquaintances and friends through the joys of shared experiences, and a shared passion.
The good news? I’ll still be making my career in the snowmobile and ATV/off-road world on a daily basis, but the next time you see me I’ll be wearing a different colored shirt. I’ll leave it to my future employer to make that announcement. I am truly thrilled for this new opportunity, but I also leave my role with Snow Goer & EPG with a high level of gratitude.
Yes, it has been an incredible ride. Thanks to every single person who played a part of it.
John Prusak
Former Snow Goer Editor
Wow John! You have been a reliable and great ambassador for our sport for a very long time. I trust the new opportunity will be all you want and more. Your friendship is cherished by this reader. Thank you my friend!
Hey John, Best of Luck to ya. I’ve followed your articles for the better part of the last 23+ years as we became active in our CNY club and a group of us started attending the Haystack Mtn winter races… those were the days! Cold winter days at high elevation catching a sunburn on the face and windburn to the chapped lips while the toes and fingers Froze… but it was Fun!
Our young group of 22-40 year olds…. would have never done that if it weren’t for your articles and promotions to get-out, embrace winter and have fun while supporting your favored team racers. Some great memories were had. We connected with you once in a while over the years and thank you for all that you have done for the sport… seeing you at the former Big East Snow Show in Syracuse over the years as it evolved… and not to forget Dave walking the plank on that chilly Oct autumn pirate boat cruise back in 2015 at Eagle River, WI and the Intl Snowmobile HOF & Museum.
Thanks for the great Memories John Prusak
I am not happy about this. The snowmobile media is losing a legend and that’s a blow to all of us in the sport. I am pretty sure I still have every magazine you ever printed with your name in it and proud that I do.
However, we all like to watch for “greener” pastures to move up in the world and I don’t doubt this will be a great move for you.
I sure want to thank you and your magazine for all you have done for me and the MVSS Midwest Ride-In over the years. You have been a great help to hundreds of snowmobile events in our hobby and sport. We will miss you but we sure wish you the best of luck John.
Your work at the magazine was certainly appreciated by me (and I’ll bet many others). Wishing you the best in the new endeavor.
Congratulations John,
I met you in the early years and always have enjoyed our conversations and shared interests over the years.
I wish you the best and look forward to hearing about your new adventures.
Hopefully our paths will cross again soon
Bruce
Congratulations John. Was concerned about you as not as many articles as you have done in the past in the fall warm up period.
We will miss you as you tell it like it is and have a great historical, present and future perspective. Please ensure SnoGoer goes on as it is a great print and website industry leader.
Please ensure that your “Greener pastures” bring back snowmobiling to its historic early days when sled sales doubled every year from 1968-1970 with the 1970 historic sales high of 600,000 units and sales projections well in excess of 1,000,000 annual units. In that year Arctic Cat sold over 112,000 units which is more than the entire industry in each of the last 3 model years.
Please bring the sled target market back to is most successful, the middle class not the 1%ers with reasonable affordable prices for the entire market just like in 1970 from 60cc Kitty Cats to 800cc King Cats in all categories for all rider preferences in all speed, power and different segments (youth, family, sport, performance, high performance, mountain and utility).
It has been an honour for all of us to read, hear, see and feel your snowmobile passion. You helped out all enthusiasts, riders, customers, dealers, manufacturers, aftermarket, tourism operators, and people from all walks of life.
Congratulations on your new position, John.
I have certainly appreciated your articles in Snow Goer and will miss reading them. But even more, I appreciate everything you have done for the sport of snowmobiling. Our paths have crossed many times in the past, and I look forward to still having you involved in the world of snowmobiling. Hope to see you on the trails!
Best of luck in your new endeavor.
Thanks for all of your great work over the years, John. Your passion for the sport comes through in your writing, and that’s what I think most folks will miss the most.
The very best to you in your new endeavor. How exciting it must be to be on the ground floor of the 3rd of 9 lives with the Cat!
Mike Kohn
John, congratulations on your new job. I’ve been riding snowmobiles since 1979, and have seen magazines come and go, as well as editors, writers, and photographers. The snowmobile publishing industry has had even more changes in the past few years, and seeing your name on the magazine article has led to a little bit of stability within our lives. Seeing you move on is sad for me, but I’m happy for you. At least you’re with the greatest brand ever, and I know you will do great things at Cat. It really looks like ‘good times are back on the Cat’ !