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This week, Chip Vaadi joins Lucas to discuss the upcoming season and the Polaris sleds we'll be riding. We take a deep dive into the Polaris 600R we’re converting into a cross-country ice LeMans mod sled. From initial setup to the custom modifications, we share our plans for getting ready to race.

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On this week’s milestone 10th episode, we’re joined by the man, the myth, the legend: Chip Vaadi. Starting his racing career in the early nineties but riding sleds since he was a kid, Chip has done it all—from snocross to the 500, and even owning his own racing circuit, the Big East Snocross Tour (B.E.S.T.). We dive into his diverse snowmobiling background, but there’s too much knowledge and experience to fit into just one episode! We’re so proud to already be on our tenth episode, with many more to come!

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 On this week’s episode, we dive into the upcoming season with a strong focus on ice racing. We discuss the versatility of cross-country snowmobiles and the different types of racing we’ll be tackling this year, including cross-country, pure ice, and even some hillcross action. Tune in for all the details as we gear up for a diverse and exciting season! 

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On this week’s episode, we dive into TJ and Molly's experience at the Epping/Fremont NH snowmobile event. TJ had the honor of representing cross-country racing at the factory Arctic Cat booth! We also catch up with Molly Nichols, discussing her past seasons and what’s coming next for her and Jackwagon Racing. 

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On this week’s episode, we dive into the upcoming winter season and break down the differences between East and West cross-country snowmobile racing. While there are many similarities, it’s great to see the unique variations between the circuits, all while keeping the focus on the riders.

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On this week’s episode, we welcome New England professional racer Eric Gleich. Eric has been a well-known face on the racing scene for as long as we can remember. He shares his unique approach to cross-fit training and his extensive knowledge of snowmobiles. Eric’s excitement for the upcoming season is electric, especially with all the new sleds he’ll be rolling out of the trailer this year! 

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 On this week’s episode, we dive into the incredible support we’ve received from our sponsors and talk about some of the awesome products they offer. We share fun stories and experiences that come to mind when we think about each of them! 

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This week, we’re excited to have pro racer Dylan Thompson on the podcast! It’s always inspiring to hear from a fellow passionate East Coast pro cross-country rider. Dylan shares his journey from growing up around snowmobiles to rising through the ranks in cross-country racing. Not only is he a skilled rider, but he’s also a great guy and someone everyone should meet. Tune in for some valuable insights and a few laughs as we dive into his story! 

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In this week’s episode, TJ shares his experience traveling from Maine to Minnesota for Hay Days. He met with key players in the snowmobile industry, including fellow podcasters Spencer from The Carbide Podcast and the boys from The Shop Talk Podcast. TJ also got to witness the exciting snowmobile grass drags, pit bike, and ATV racing! Tune in as we recap some of his weekend adventure and dive into some great fan questions from Facebook.

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Welcome to the Why We Ride Podcast! I (Lucas Vaadi) start out by interviewing TJ Leach so that both you, the audience, and I can get to know him a bit more and learn about his history in the snowmobile industry. Thanks for listening!

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Welcome to the first episode of the Why We Ride Podcast! I (TJ Leach) start out by interviewing Lucas so that both you, the audience, and I can get to know Lucas more and learn about his history in the snowmobile industry. Thanks for listening!

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"I started spending more time in the mountains where all I did was ride". We all want to spend more time riding. To go out to the park, track, lake, or mountains and spend most of our time doing what we love. As often as we can, we make it happen, that is just what we do! 

Brandon spends his hard earned time in the mountains when the ground is frozen and work is slow. He has figured out like so many others to work hard when he can, put money aside and use it for what he loves to do. He's also found a career that will give him the time he needs to be out in the mountains progressing on his sled. Though not all of us are as fortunate with our careers, however there are enough backcountry athletes that make it happen, we see that it is possible to make it a reality.

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Really excited for today's episode. This is a refresher episode from 2021 with Skidoo Ambassador Pro Backcountry Sledder Cody McNolty. The conversation with Cody was so good, I spent around 3 hours with the guy and learned a ton. It was tough to break down which bits and pieces I felt were needed to share for 2023, but this episode is basically just that. 

If you have not already listened to the original episodes 34 and 35 from 2021, head back there and take a listen. Great value without a doubt. So this episode Cody does break down some amazing thought processes when it comes to being sponsorable. I mean why not learn from an individual that works hard on his passion. And yes... he is rewarded for his efforts. Enjoy!

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"I truly believe I can do it. Which other people may not think that... but I have faith in myself. I know if I work hard enough, I can!" I am truly convinced that once you set your mind to something, you can achieve it. Whatever goal it may be, whatever dream you desire, whatever outcome you crave, you are capable of making it a reality. The truth is, it takes a little bit of faith and a fair amount of hard work and anything is possible. 

The mindset of today's guest is a winner's mindset. Jayden is only 18, and in high school when this episode was recorded. This rockstar believes he has what it takes to become number 1! In today's episode we get a chance to dive into this dude's mind and dreams. With many wins under his belt, he is pushing the envelope in his industry and I am stoked to see how his future unfolds. This is a good one. Enjoy!

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I believe one of the most overlooked opportunities in an Action Sports career is relationship building. I have fallen short so many times in my career with relationships. From missed opportunities because I didn't believe (at the time) there was value in spending my time with individuals to completely leaving a door wide open and not stepping through because I didn't know how to overcome a personal challenge.

Today my hope is that this episode will help move the needle in your life. I KNOW if it wasn't for building a relationship with certain individuals, my career would look very different today. It's because of others in my life and me taking action, I have built some amazing relationships that will be lifetime long and continue to serve me in the coming decade and further. The flip side is true too, I KNOW if I mess it up, my career could be over quickly. Fortunately I have a good feeling about the future.

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"Fort Hall Casino jumped on board and sponsored the film one year!" The opportunity to do more of what we love doing is closer than ever! Today's guest hops on and we get to learn more about the good old days previous to social media and what they had to do as a brand to create the content we so easily have at our fingertips, let alone in our pockets! What an advantage we have living today and being able to accomplish so many amazing goals and dreams. Duncan Lee is a crusader looking to enjoy his passion for riding snowmobiles and mountain bikes as often as possible. As we dive into this episode we get a glimpse of his life and what struggles and successes he's had as an Alpine Assassin.

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"I always knew I was going to be doing some things, in a specific niche". We all have a passion for the industry. We absolutely love doing what we do. And so many of us are chasing the rush of adrenaline, getting that dopamine hit as often as we can. That is what makes our industry so unique! So knowing what direction you want to take your life and even creating a career doing what you love is so awesome. Not many people really know what they want in life or they will chase different careers without knowing where they want to end up. That is why it's awesome to have Kyle with Snow Bike Nation hop on today's show and really talk about his drive for Snow Bike Nation, how it has consumed his life, in a good way. Tons of knowledge dropping in todays episode!

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"Someone recommended I try riding a Snowbike in 2011 and I laughed in their face!" It's funny to see what happens when we say one thing and then later in our life it ends up happening anyways! If we could just short cut the journey, I think we'd find ourselves more successful quicker! However, without learning how to pivot and make changes I don't believe we'd learn and grow. So watching JT's life continue to unfold and change each year has been awesome. Becoming friends with the once Timbersled Ambassador and now a Fox Rep and MTN.Top Snowbike Ambassador was a great idea. I've seen what happens when I leave a door closed, I usually miss an opportunity. But when I leave it slightly open, the world is my opportunity. And today we learn more about JT leaving the door open slightly and getting to reach his goals he's set for himself.

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"I ride pit bikes more than I ride big bikes".  It's awesome to learn more about a rider and their background. So many things that otherwise are left unknown to a majority and yet they may be local legends. Quinn is one of those guys. On today's episode we get a better look at Quinn's life and how it began. Some funny stuff has gone on in that dude's life and it's still in the beginning. He has been influenced like most of us, from a sibling or parent to push ourselves and reach goals we set. Some of the best feelings in the world come from crushing it in your life and then helping others do that same. Quinn is a stellar dude and can't wait to have him back on the podcast in the future.

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"I did wheelie a Harley". Now that is not something most have ever seen let alone done in their lifetime! Greg though is not the typical MX rider either. A drive of passion and love for the industry has helped Greg shape his current career. Today you can see him blowing it up on social media with his content around bike builds, primarily 2-strokes. A bunch of us older guys and gals remember when 2-strokes were the only bikes you would consider buying. However, with demand in our economy and certain advantages, 4-strokes are now the bike to buy and race on the MX or SX track. There are tons of two strokes out there and Greg has found a passion picking them up, restorings them back to the way we saw them on the big screen, racing around the track, bringing back some nostalgia for each one of us and why we started riding in the first place. I'm stoked to hang with Greg and learn more about his lifestyle and career in the industry and cannot wait to see what comes next for this awesome dude.

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We are ready to rock today's episode. We've got a return guest ready to drop some great perspectives and thoughts about the industry. Passion runs deep with Josh. His drive to pursue a career inside the action sports industry is very transparent. This guy eat, sleeps, breathes all things action sports. From deep ruts climbing up hills to crushing it at the bmx park or jamming at the skatepark, Josh isn't one to sit around for long! He admits though that life isn't always blue skies and perfect weather. You've got to do your best with what you have and make up the rest when you can. He's the dude that can make things happen when he puts his mind to it and won't stop till he's happy with his results.

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I'm stoked to make a pivot in the podcast right now.

There will always be days when you will need to make a change.

I just hope those that do make a change, it is the right thing to do!

I've been paying attention to our industry more and more each year. Though I still might not know everything about the community, I can tell you that one thing is for sure. Nothing is guaranteed. So how do we prepare for seasons like that? Jim Rohn taught that "winter always comes after fall and spring always comes after winter, it's been that way for at least the last 6,000 years!" So preparing for the winters (metaphorically) are always necessary in business. Just make sure it's the right thing for you.

I'm stoked to discuss some awesome changes in the podcast. It's been an awesome run for the last almost 150 episodes in the span of a couple years. The time has flown by and so many things have developed and changed. Change in my opinion is a great thing as more doors will open up for each of us that embrace the change. In this episode I break down what are the changes that are to be expected and where the podcast is heading. I'm stoked to be sharing this episode with all of you, and can't wait to see what is next!

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We always see a top 10 or top 5 or top 3.

My question is, who is choosing those top choices?

I know who chose this episodes top 5!

This episode is different than most episodes. In this episode I decided to break apart 5 athletes and their perspectives when it comes to landing sponsorships. This episode has Brett Turcotte, Mat Cox, Cody McNolty, Cody Webb, and Colby Crapo. Each one of these athletes have different perspectives when it comes to landing sponsors, but at the same time, you can see there is so many similarities with each athlete. This was a fun episode to put together and I am pumped to have each of you listen.

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"Made in Freakin America"

How often are you proud of something you've built?

When WAS the last time you built something you've been proud of?

I really enjoyed having the owner of MotoProHQ on the podcast today. He was a fantastic guest and I learned so much more than I anticipated about their products that they provide for the motorcycle and bicycle community. There are ideas that we have each day but it's not common to be like Jim and put those thoughts on paper then make them come to life. Jim had a problem that was driving him crazy and so finally he put it down on paper and made it happen. And thanks to him, we have another great product that meets our needs!

Filling a need in our industry is what keeps our industry alive and progressing forward. That is why bikes, sleds, boards, boards, etc. are refined with new "updated" models each year. OR you will see variations that fit a particular style of riding. We must progress in our industry and continue to innovate or we may find ourselves fed up and bored with the same old same old. Fortunately as humans we love to make things easier and more convenient which drives more innovation for inventions and new products that we can use that really do make our lives better and easier. Let's get out and enjoy it!

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"Everybody in the world should live... the perspective I have in my mind, because nobody knows when their cards are up"

Do you live your life like today is your last?

Or are you living for tomorrow and taking today for granted.

What a profound thought by today's guest. Marten Devlieger is a guest unlike any other guest I've had on the podcast to date. This guy truly lives every single day as if tomorrow he won't be around. In reality, it very may well be true! None of us truly know. However, Marten lives with this pressing on his mind day in and day out and I can assure you, it is exhausting but this dude does not let it stop him or slow him down. He crushes it every single day!

I'm stoked to find special guests like Marten. He gives us a perspective that most think about once in a while but not often enough to push ourselves to our fullest potential. So what would it take to push yourself a little more, spend those few extra moments with your family, hit that drop one last time, climb that hill before the sun goes down, or say good night to those you love. Life is so short. If you ask anyone in their 80's, not a single one will tell you it took too long to get there. But rather life came and went like the blink of an eye. What are you doing to capture those moments?