New (old) names... new engines... new tracks... it's a lot to keep straight.

If you want a Cliff's Notes version of what's new for Arctic Cat snowmobiles in 2014, here's my version of what's-new-in-a-nutshell.

Click to read.

Thief River Falls is the epicenter for Arctic Cat snowmobiles, of course.

But Island Park is the company’s annex for mountain the testing and calibration and calibration of its mountain sleds.

Click to see what's inside (and outside) of the company's R&D Test Facility.

If you've had a moment to digest the news that Arctic Cat and Yamaha are expanding their snowmobile business relationships, then check out my analysis of what we know and what can be speculated.

Click for more.

This past weekend marked the 2013 Snowmobile Hall of Fame weekend in St. Germain, Wis.

There were rides, friends, laughter, a few tears and the induction of four great men.

Click to read some of what happened.

Read about his wicked crash, how he hits ditch approaches so fast, his career and how he won the 2013 USXC I-500 cross-country in this interview with Ryan Simons of Team Arctic/Christian Brothers Racing.

Click for the jump.

Want to know how Ryan Simons won the 2013 I-500?

Check out this photo sequence of him hitting the very FIRST ditch approach on day-one of this year's race.

Unreal!

Here's a very interesting and informative video comparing the weights of 2013 Arctic Cat, Polaris and Ski-Doo mountain sleds both in the snow and out of it.

Freerider Rob Kincaid sums it up nicely: "Who cares what it weighs when it leaves the shop?!"

Click to see pix and results.

I admit to having mixed feelings about my 11-year-old son racing snowmobiles.

Despite the nagging mental gymnastics, we raced the USXC cross-country in Oslo, Minn., last weekend. It was awesome!

Click to read about the experience.

The Eagle River World Championship Snowmobile Derby turned 50 this past weekend.

As always is the case at the Derby, there was plenty of pomp, ceremony and celebration. There was even a little bit of racing.

Click to read my review of the birthday party.

He got it done in time to bring to Eagle River!

I'm referring to the 1979 Arctic Cat Sno Pro Bob Elsner replica sled that collector Tom Ische built for this weekend's 50th Anniversary of the Eagle River World Championship.

This was the surprise I referred to in yesterday's post.

Click to see the pix of this beautiful machine.

As a tribute to Team Arctic legend Roger Janssen, and to help commemorate the 50th Anniversary Eagle River World's Championships, collector Tom Ische built a replica of Janssen's WC-winning 1969 Arctic Cat Panther mod.

Both the sled and Janssen will be at Eagle River this weekend, making a few laps together around the famed oval. What a sight it will be!

Click for the story.

(Special thanks to Brianna Ische for the great photos of the sled and Janssen.)

I will never forget the first time I saw Blair Morgan race.

I will never forget the shock and disbelief upon learning he was paralyzed.

And I will never forget the genuine and honest discussion we had last week about his life and career.

Click to read an interview with a real Superman.

As far as years go, 2012 seemed about as random as most.

To celebrate the end of this year and the beginning of another, here are some mostly Arctic Cat pix that are pretty random.

There are also some trivia questions for you hotshots.

Happy randomness this (and every) year!

Half of the United States is covered in snow this Christmas.

Most of Canada has some serious snow cover. And there are some wonderful purples in the Rockies (especially the Canadian Rocks)

Awesome!

Keep it coming Ma.

Christmas came to the Zedshed this December, when a flock of Arctic Cat people gathered  in a barn to enjoy an amazing collection of Arctic Cat snowmobiles and to share in the wonderful gift of fellowship.

Click to read about this remarkable evening.

There is no weather event that so completely (and quickly) transforms us as snow.

Snow brings instant joy. And optimism.

Click to read what I mean.

The four 2013 inductees into the Snowmobile Hall of Fame have officially been announced.

They are Blair Morgan, Norman Ball III, John Zeglin and Bob Bracey.

Congratulations to them all!

Click to read their bio's.

Last week I spent the afternoon at the FOX Shox Midwest Center at their new location Baxter, Minn.

Click to see some of the cool stuff going on there.

Plus there's a BONUS TRIVIA Contest at the end of the story.

Last week while at Arctic Cat, I stopped by my friend John Anderson's shop to see what kind of cool projects he has cooking.

As usual, there was a lot to see.

Click to read.

I was at Arctic Cat in Thief River Falls for the past couple of days.

Here's a snapshot of what (and who) I saw.

Click to see it all.