For the past 5 years I’ve had the unique opportunity and extreme pleasure of being on the SledMagazine.com / Motoneiges.ca Snow Shoot team. Each early March our Snow Shoot team has listened, learned, collected data, interviewed experts, photographed, videoed and ridden over 60 snowmobiles at this prestigious Snowmobile manufacturers event.
Each year something stands out as being my most memorable take away from my participation and each year I have shared my most memorable experience with you.
When you experience something truly extraordinary with a small group, you become connected in a very meaningful and significant way. It’s a huge part of what the sport of snowmobiling has always been about.
Over these past 5 years the participants and dynamics of the SledMagazine.com / Motoneiges.ca Snow Shoot group have often changed.
This year what really caught my attention was “a very unique camaraderie” and how a group of relative strangers or a new team member can come together in a unified interaction during our important week long mission.
This camaraderie is incredible to witness and even more incredible to be a part of. For one intense week, age, diversities and differences disappear and each team member becomes an integral part of a very fortunate whole. Each day you can feel the positive energy and it elevates the excitement and efforts of everyone on our SledMagazine.com / Motoneiges.ca team.
The makeup of our team may change from year to year, but the sincere recognition and appreciation of participation in Snow Shoot remains constant. Each member of our volunteer team understands and respects the personal commitment of time that all members have given to attending and reporting on this 7+ day adventure.
Within the 1st day, without ego or dissent we informally become an organized effort. Our many tasks are well known in advance, but how we quickly achieve efficiency in meeting our Snow Shoot goals is always a successful variable.
Camaraderie is nothing new to Snowmobiling, but what I have experienced at Snow Shoot is something extraordinary. For 7+ days our team is together 24 hours a day. The intensity and schedule of the Snow Shoot experience can be overwhelming and never subsides.
From the very beginning of our long travel to West Yellowstone Montana to our final farewells, we work together to make the most of our important responsibility to bring the latest Snowmobile information and details to our readers.
My 2017 Snow Shoot experience was the recognition of this special camaraderie. Not just of our SledMagazine.com / Motoneiges.ca team members, but also the camaraderie and respect of Snowmobile media members from across the globe.
Our Snow Shoot experience is unique to North American snowmobile media. The annual Snow Shoot event is divided into 2 weeks, with 1 week for the US media and a 2nd reserved for invited International media.
With our parent company based in St Luce Quebec, SledMagazine.com and Motoneiges.ca are part of the International media grouping of Snow Shoot. In week #2 our group proudly takes on an important and visible role of being the North American Ambassadors of our sport to media members from around the world.
Whether they come from Russia, Italy, Sweden or Norway, they all witness the North American Snowmobile experience through us. United by our common passion and dedication, We speak the universal language of snowmobiling. From the gleam of eyes, the raising of eyebrows, body language, facial expressions, smiles and nodding of heads, everyone speaks the same language.
Over the years of my Snow Shoot invitation and participation, I have heard that the International group has a very unique vibe of mutual cooperation. More relaxed with more passion, more fun and less politics. Week #2 is notably absent of egos and posturing to gain competitive advantage, as participants are not in competition for the same reader or market share. It’s purer. We enjoy each other and work together for the successful opportunity of all.
Due to common embargo dates for information release making our article deadlines tighter, we have occasionally discussed requesting inclusion in the Snow Shoot week #1 US media grouping. However, based on the positive ambiance of sincere camaraderie, cooperation and common cause of the International grouping, I prefer to stay right where we are. I think that our team stands out more and is able to bring our readers more photos, more articles and more information.
Deep and sincere camaraderie, you don’t experience it everywhere or every time, but when you do it’s something to be recognized and cherished.
The ideals of mutual passion and universal friendships are the very foundation of everything we do at SledMagazine.com / Motoneiges.ca.
My 2017 Snow Shoot most memorable experience was the recognition and appreciation of a very unique camaraderie.
