Do you know that old Hank Snow song I’ve Been Everywhere?

Well, unlike the travelling dude in the Geoff Mack penned diddy, I haven’t been through the desert, — though the Okanagan this summer comes close —  but in the first leg of our Canadian Blitz show tour, I’ve been literally coast to coast with stops at the Atlantic Nationals in Moncton, shows in Southern and Central, ON, Alberta, B.C. interior and a few shows back home on Vancouver Island. We still have a bit of travelling to do, but we had to take a break to put out the magazine your reading right this minute.

When we weren’t at a show, maybe our Ontario vehicle and trailer, manned by either Al Anderson or Kenny Metzger, was there.

 So, what’s my point? Canada’s a big country and hot rodding here is a huge hobby. I’ve seen it firsthand and since we published our first issue in June 2005 it’s been my goal to actually be a publication that represents all Canadian hot rodders. Being based on Vancouver Island hasn’t made it easy. We’ve travelled probably close to 100,000 kms in the last four years and invested thousands of dollars doing it. We’ve featured cars and shows from eight of the 10 provinces. (QC, PEI, NFLD we’ll get there, don’t worry). Not every show we attend makes it into the magazine. There just isn’t enough space, or enough issues, to get them all in. (Though when we get our new website, it’ll feature pics from every show we attend). But every show we attend is an opportunity to introduce ourselves to Canadian gearheads and a chance to find feature cars or just good stories we feel our readers would love to read. 

With so much of my time spent in front of a computer or with a phone stuck in my ear, I cherish going to shows and checking out the cars. Even then, I’m often tied up at the trailer answering questions or just plain trying to convince people to embrace the magazine the same way we’ve embraced the idea that Canada needs its own hot rod voice.

The issue you’re holding right now is our 25th. You might think that’s not a huge number, but when you consider we only publish six times a year, I feel it’s significant.

I’ve always known my dream of producing a Canadian hot rod magazine that equalled the quality of the corporately owned US magazines has always had a “tilting with windmills” element to it. But I feel we’re definitely getting there even though we have  1/1,000th of their budgets and no staff. It has never been easy and if my wife Patty didn’t help out it would be even harder.

It wasn’t that long ago reader indifference had me wondering what my next career move was going to be. I don’t know if one day it’ll be a good thing I had more passion than good sense when it came to keeping this dream alive.

But with each issue we pick up a few more subscribers, sell a few more newsstand copies or pick up another advertiser. And each issue I’m able to find something positive that keeps  me going, even it it’s just one complimentary phone call or a business card ad sold.

Publishing this magazine is a little like owning  a 10-second drag car you know should be running in the 9s. It’s still a thrill every trip down the track it’s just  frustrating when you read the time slip. Yet, you drive back to the pits, do some tinkering, and try again. Why? 

Because the only sure way to kill a dream is to stop believing in it.

I still believe. If this is the first issue of Canadian Hot Rods you’ve ever purchased, I hope we’ve made a believer out of you, too.