In Times of Bitter Cold...Polar Plunge

A New Year.

Resolutions.

Perhaps a polar plunge?

If so, one brand is ready to rumble.

#EveryDaySledder: A Story of Snowmobiling 31 Consecutive Days

Ever wish you could snowmobile every day?

Me too. So I did it.

Last January I rode at least once every single day.

I called it #EveryDaySledder, and it was one of the coolest experiences I’ve had on a snowmobile.

Click for a fun ride.

U.S. Snow Cover Report

Here's the snow cover over the U.S. and portions of Canada for Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017.

Verdict: The Christmas snow storm that hit the eastcoast on Christmas was a gift from above! Plus there's decent snow in many areas of the Midwest, and lots of deep stuff out west.

CLICK HERE to hit up the NOAA site directly to get more detailed info on specific areas.

Christmas Came Early: First Ride of the Season

Christmas came a few days early for me and a few friends, with each of us hitting pause on the myriad work and life responsibilities during the gnarly prelude to Christmas, to instead enjoy our first ride of the 2017-2018 snowmobile season.

Join the Club and Wear the Pride: 2018 Cat's Pride Club Kit

Cat's Pride Club is the oldest snowmobile brand club in the world. I'm also pretty sure it's the largest snowmobile club in the world too.

The value of these kits is pretty awesome. It's also awesome to have club gear going back 25 years... jackets, hats, drinking glasses, decals, Pride magazines, pins, and more... all fun reminder of years gone by.

Check out this year's kit (and wear the pride if it suits you).

Part IV: (Not All) Snowmobiles Are Too Expensive

I want to thank everyone who's read, considered and/or commented on the stories in the "Snowmobiles Are Too Expensive" series. It's been an interesting ride parsing out fact, fiction and the price we pay for the stuff in our lives.

This is the last of four parts: the conclusion.

Let me know if you agree.

Crossing the Mighty Mac: 2nd Annual Event a Success

On Saturday, dozens of snowmobilers crossed the Mackinac Bridge, the legendary suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac (splitting the waters of the Great Lakes Michigan and Huron) that connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan.

This has got to be one of the more memorable 5-mile snowmobile rides anywhere!

Opened in 1957, the 26,372-foot (5-mile) bridge is commonly referred to as the"Big Mac" and "Mighty Mac. It's the world's 19th-longest main span and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the Western Hemisphere, and it's wonderfully iconic bridge in the Great Lakes region.

Organized by the awesome Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum in Naubinway, Mich., Saturday's event was the second annual and an homage to the original snowmobile crossing of 50 years ago. Jim Langley, 80, was this year's Grand Marshall. He was one of the two original riders to cross the Mac 50 years ago, and he rode his restored 1966 Polaris during this year's event.

Click to see a few more pix and details.

That's All She Wrote!: Tucker Hibbert's 2017-18 Jackson Snocross Recap

Team Monster/Arctic Cat's Tucker Hibbert did the double again, this time at the second stop of the 2017-2018 ISOC National snocross tour in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Youth and Entry-Level Model ATVs Return for 2018 from Textron Off Road

Textron Off Road just released their 2018 Youth and Entry Level model ATVs.

Rebadged from their previous iterations, these premium-quality models do for youth EXACTLY the same thing that new, big machines do for adults: They make 'em want to ride!

The great news is that they're already shipped to Textron Off Road dealers, waiting for (stationary) showroom rides.

Click to read the dirt about the Alterra 90, DVX 90, Alterra 150 and Alterra 300.

ExtraDomination? DoubleDomination? Something AMAZING Happened at the Jackson Snocross

When Team Arctic snocrossers aboard the incredible ZR 6000R SX race sled grabbed 14 out of 20 class wins and 25 out of 60 podium places at the ISOC National opener in Duluth, I thought they'd reached the top of what was likely to happen.

Boy was I wrong.

And they proved it at the second stop of the season, in Jackson Hole, Wyo., with 15 of 19 class wins and 35 out of 57 podium spots (including a sweep of the podium in six classes)!

Click to read the press release.

Pyramid Scheme: Jury Rules in Favor of Arctic Cat over BRP

Remember that lawsuit that BRP brought against Arctic Cat over chassis design and rider position (the same lawsuit that had a ruling in favor of Arctic Cat by a Canadian court last February)?

There was a ruling by a Minnesota jury last week in favor of Arctic Cat.

Click to read the story from Law360.com.

Hibbert Family Roots Grow Deep in the West

Want insight into Kirk and Tucker Hibbert? You'll find it in this genuine look at where their family has its roots in Alta, Wyo./Driggs, Idaho.

Definitely worth watching.

Part III: Snowmobiles Are Too Expensive! (Just Like My Phone)

Do we enjoy the same earning power today that we did in 1994?

If snowmobiles are too expensive, what does that say about our smartphones, internet and cable television?

These are some questions that are worth answering, which is what I try here in Part III of the series, Snowmobiles Are Too Expensive.

Click for a dose of my family's reality.

Watch ISOC Snocross Live Dec. 8-9 From Jackson, Wyo.

ISOC National Snocross returns this Friday-Saturday, Dec. 8-9, at Jackson, Wyo.

Will Team Arctic deliver another stunning performance like they did two weeks ago at Duluth?

Tune in to the free Livestream by clicking on the image above and watch it unfold.

Snow-Covered Arctic Cat

Winter returned to Arctic Cat (above) yesterday, in a blowing, howling whiplash of weather that went from 40s and rain to 20s and snow. This is how things look today, captured by Mike Baker.

The same storm coated a large swath of Minnesota, the Dakotas and parts of Manitoba and Ontario.

And the 10-day forecast says "winter," with overnight lows that dip down into the low-teens and the possibility of more snow.

December...as it's supposed to be!

I'm hoping the same comes soon to everyone in snow country.

Carry on...

Part II: Snowmobiles Are Too Expensive! (How about Trucks?)

Last week we launched into a great discussion about the price of new snowmobiles.

Today I want to talk trucks.

I was curious how its price has changed over the same period of time that we compared snowmobiles in Part I. 

Jump to see some interesting numbers.

Win-Win: Tucker Hibbert's 2017-18 Duluth Snocross Recap

Watch this video and see if you agree with me that this Tucker Hibbert dude just might have what it takes to be a great racer someday.

Oh, BTW, these are the highlights of the opening weekend to the 2017-18 National snocross season for the Monster Energy / Arctic Cat / RAM racer, who crushed it with two wins in the premier Pro class.

Bam!

Christian Brothers Racing Duluth Recap

It was a strong opening to the 2017-18 ISOC National snocross season for Christian Brothers Racing. Check out the video highlights!

A New Beginning: Team Arctic & ZR 6000R SX Conquer Duluth Snocross

Thanks to complete overuse and #fakenewz marketing, the word "domination" has lost much of its meaning in world of snowmobile language. But I can't think of a better word to use for Team Arctic's assault on the opening round of the 2017-2018 ISOC National Snocross season in Duluth, Minn., last weekend.

The women and men in green -- aboard the new Arctic Cat ZR 6000R SX snocross race machine -- truly did dominate in a way that I don't remember seeing, ever, in the 26 years of this fine event.

I've been to 'em all, and I've never seen anything like it. The raw numbers prove it: 14 wins (out of 20 possible classes) and 25 of 60 podium positions.

Click to read my race report.

Part I: Snowmobiles Are Too Expensive!

“Snowmobiles are way too expensive these days.”

 “I haven’t bought a snowmobile for (fill in the blank) years because they’re so much more expensive than they used to be.”

I’ve heard these two statements enough times over the past decade that they’ve become cliche. People utter them and believe them without actually thinking about them. When I ask how much more today’s sleds cost compared to 20 years ago, the answer is always “Thousands.”

Which is complete bullshit. I know this because I just did the math.

Click to read why some new snowmobiles are priced thousands lower than famed machines from a couple decades ago.