I love my t-shirts, and as t-shirt design goes, I’d have to say this is one of my favorites. It’s available for the Maine Fall Classic at Retrosno.com. For those of you on the fence about going to this show – I say do it! It’s a laid-back, very friendly, family orientated good time.

This is a non-judged event, with NO entry fee! Dash plaques for all participants.

Lots of very nice hardware will be there, from the Carsley family collection to the big collectors stuff, like Jerry McGee and I even hear the Warning family is making the drive from Illinois to share a couple of very rare sleds. I just confirmed a couple of Andy Avelis’s rarest sleds will also be there, even if Andy himself can’t make it.

It’s not all race stuff either – when I was there last time, the Campbell’s brought a bunch of their classic rear-engine antiques, as did others, and there was a ton of your favorite consumer sleds – lots of them from the smaller manufacturers.

The Maine Fall Classic is in Newport Maine on September 25th, 26th and 27th.

As an avid fan of vintage snowmobiles here in the state of New York, I’m trying to get New York state to adopt a limited use permit that would allow you to use your vintage snowmobile (any snowmobile 25 years old or older) at related functions such as shows, parades and fund raisers, and for trail riding without the full license fee.

Other states such as MN, VT, MA, CT and ME have already adopted such a permit. Fees generally run from free to $45 for lifetime use of a vintage sled.

For this to be possible in New York, we need as many owners as possible to get involved. I am asking you to contact your local New York State Snowmobile Association (NYSSA), your state and local representatives, speak up at you next local meeting, or contact me with your interest in helping with this project.

Feel free to email me, or visit with me on Bull Sessions to see how we can all get this thing done!

Plenty of happy faces greeted WSVSA President Perry Hesteness as he presented the check for $500 to the Big Brothers Big Sisters Chapter of West Yellowstone.

The WSVSA and the BBBS were once again brought together at the 6th Annual Vintage Round-Up in West Yellowstone this past March in which WSVSA helps out the local BBBS chapter. We look forward to working together again with such a great group of kids!

Thanks Jim for sending that in Check out more photos from the VSCA National Championship at the WSVSA website.

Here’s a link to the original post I wrote called “Sunday in St. Germain” that caused Mike Decker to twist his panties in such bunch that he had to write the article below about me and the readers of this website.

This is verbatim from the Winning Edge Magazine. It started out as good article about the Eagle River vintage weekend, written by none other than Mike Decker. It starts out nice, then turns very strange for the last 5 paragraphs.

Gee, I wonder if he’s talking about little old me? The famous Mike Decker writing about a little ‘ol nobody racing fan like me? Wow. I’m honored. Here’s Mike’s comments, exactly as published.

And I quote:

“There exists a pathetic segment in the snowmobile world, bent on doing harm and causing havoc to the sport they claim to espouse so dearly. This degenerate group has earned a new title and are now officially labeled “Blog Trolls” (see Urban Dictionary), spewing their hate and lies in blog form on the internet. These big-mouths, once essentially relegated to blabbing away in taverns, now find they can operate from the luxury of a pulpit via the computer.

Probably the most infamous snowmobile blog troll of all, (name withheld-just call him “#1 Troll”), actually admitted to disguising himself to attend Eagle River vintage races this year. The only reason someone would go through the bother to hide their identity, regardless of the lame reasons he would have you believe, is that he is simply a coward and ashamed of himself. After the races, he couldn’t wait to run home and get on the computer and spew a litany of idiotic lies designed to inflame, all in the effort to discredit the Eagle River race and certain individuals he doesn’t like.

The more notable, imbecile statements made by the #1 Troll, first had him accusing the new Vintage World Champion Fred Smith of deliberately crashing into another sled with the intent of taking him out while on his way to winning the title, then implied that Chuck Decker must have cheated in order to win his IFS class by the wide margin of half a lap that he did. It’s quite obvious this person knows virtually nothing about racing or the long distinguished racing careers of these two individuals, giving insight into his hopeless, vacuous brain.

And who is this guy anyway? Is he a famous racer? Is he an industry bigshot? Is he anything? Why is it that the biggest loud-mouths are really nobodies, other than what exists in their own mind. Running a website and blog forum doesn’t qualify one as anything-anyone can shoot their mouths with no regard for the truth and concoct propaganda while hiding out from the real world.

The “#1 Troll” conducts his website in classic dictator-like fashion, blocking and erasing any input that challenges or disputes what the little troll is trying oh-so hard to make you to believe. Snowmobiling doesn’t need to be infringed upon by these bad-news people, our sport has enough problems. Enough is enough of this group damaging our sport. Rejecting and confronting this form of poison should be the duty of all responsible snowmobile people.”

A couple of weeks back, Tom Anderson and a group that included some of the Decker family issued a press release about opening a new “World Snowmobile Hall of Fame” in Eagle River Wisconsin, just about 12 miles from the 20+ year old “Snowmobile Hall of Fame” In St. Germain Wisconsin. The ensuing discussion on the Bull Sessions was spirited, to say the least.

The Hall of Fame in St. Germain’s Board of Directors has had some time to ponder the original press release from Tom Anderson, and Loren Anderson has even had a face to face meeting with Tom Anderson. After which, the Hall of fame in St. Germain Board of Directors issued a press release of their very own. Here is it, in it’s entirety:

November 7, 2006

World Snowmobile Hall of Fame, Inc.
Tom Anderson, President

Dear Tom,

Thank you for your letter of Oct 11, 2006 regarding your new Hall of Fame efforts. Our board has studied your letter and spent a great deal of time discussing the situation.

We are of the opinion now, and have always felt, that two halls of fame were one too many – three halls of fame are two too many. If you truly desire to work toward solving that problem, we would welcome working with you to achieve this much needed result. One non-profit hall of fame for our sport is the only sustainable answer.

In the meantime, we are seven years into our 15-20 year plan for development of the complex here in St. Germain and with our partners, have an investment of $600,000.00 plus, a huge collection of sleds and artifacts, 25 years of proven success and need for far more space than could ever be possible at your building. We must continue to concentrate on our mission and the St. Germain property.

We still believe the Derby track should have their own museum with a wall of fame on their grounds and have said this many times over the years.

Feeling so strong as we do, that another hall of fame confuses the marketplace, hinders fund raising and is not good for the sport, we welcome you to concentrate your efforts in ways that will bring unity here behind our proven and successful program and hope that you too would see that your proposed duplication is not good for yourself and your supporters. Our twenty-five years of experience give us confidence in our decision. Unity builds the snowmobile community.

Sincerely yours,
SHOF Board of Directors
Loren R. Anderson, President
St. Germain, WI

So what does this all mean? Let’s see if we can figure it out on a new Bull Sessions thread.

Just got an email this afternoon that a group that includes the Deckers is opening a “World snowmobile Hall of Fame” right next to the derby track in January. Not sure what this group is thinking, or what their motives are, but it seems like a pretty crappy thing to do to people who have selflessly tried to build the Snowmobile Hall of Fame for the last 25 years just down the road in St. Germain, Wisconsin. It’s clear from the letter (below) that they intend to do it with or without the current Hall of Fame’s participation.

Here’s the letter: I’ll leave it to you to decide. You can discuss this in the Bull Sessions. Let the world know what YOU think!

“Dear Loren,I am sure you have been aware of our group working the last couple of years to further the exposure and recognition of those who have earned Hall of Fame status in our snowmobiling community, honor the respective founders of the halls and to unite the two existing halls. We feel we have taken a major step in achieving those goals.

In January of next year we will open the World Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum in Eagle River. The facility is located just 250 feet from turn #4 of the Derby Track and has excellent visual exposure to two main snowmobile trails. The building gives us 5,000 square feet of display space now, with an additional 7,500 available for future growth.

Elmer Cone and his board have agreed to make all induction materials from their International Snowmobile Hall of Fame available to us. They have inducted 66 individuals whose photos and bios will be displayed in our new building. They also have other historical information regarding the development of snowmobiling that they will make available to us.

At this time we invite you to also be a participant in our program. What and how that involvement may be we can discuss.

The attached news release will go out in a few days. It invites “related snowmobile businesses or groups to join us” which certainly includes you. You have done a truly masterful job in founding and sustaining your Hall of Fame. A mutual effort will further your program even more.

Sincerely,

Tom

And the press release they are putting out regarding the new “hall of fame”, note the people involved with the organization on the bottom.

News Release October 11, 2006 For additional information contact Tom Anderson at 800-746-8963

New Hall of Fame & Museum Established in Eagle River

Officially recognized as the “Snowmobile Capital of the World©” and home of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby©, Eagle River will now also be the new home of the World Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum. Located just 250 feet north of the Derby Track, the new facility will include the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame (ISHOF) as a branch operation from their main location in Bovey, Minnesota.

The new World Snowmobile Headquarters facility will also feature a “Derby Wall of Fame” honoring the winners of the past 43 years of the Derby and providing historical information on the evolution of the Derby from the first event on Dollar Lake in 1964 to the present. A snowmobile museum will showcase many snowmobiles of significant influence in the mechanical development of the sport. These will be primarily recreational sleds but race sleds will be included in the Derby section.

“Our goal is to showcase both the people and the machines that have taken our sport from its infancy to the present,” said Tom Anderson, president of the new organization. “We are very honored to have the ISHOF branch their program here in Eagle River. They have laid a great foundation for the recognition of people and snowmobiles that we are happy to build on.

“Its exciting to see our program expand to Eagle River,” stated Elmer Cone, founder and president of ISHOF. “It means thousands of snowmobilers will be able to see and experience what we have accomplished to recognize and promote the recreational and historical aspects of the sport of snowmobiling”.

Founded in 1986, the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame has inducted 66 individuals into the Hall as recognition of their dedication to the sport and business related to the worldwide sport of snowmobiling. Their photos and bios will be displayed at the new facility. The new facility is currently being redone to feature 5,000 square feet of display space and is expected to be ready by January 1. “We have two additional office suites available in the building and are looking for related snowmobile businesses or groups to join us,” Anderson added.

Photo Caption:

Meeting to begin establishing the new World Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum in the old Northtown Center building were Scott Eilertson; VP of ISHOF, Bill Schumann; Secretary/Treasurer of WSHOF, Chuck Decker; Derby Track, Russ Davis; Vice-president of WSHOF, Richard Decker; Derby Track and Tom Anderson; President of WSHOF. Not pictured are WSHOF Directors Jake Alward and Jim Levandoski. The new facility will feature photos of 66 Hall of Fame inductees, a museum of historical snowmobiles and a Derby Wall of Fame.

We are getting unofficial reports of lots of people being fired at Polaris – including some well known people that have been around since the industry began, and some of the guys who have been responsible for the best work ever done at Polaris. We’ll hold back on the detail until we get more – but these seems really strange, in light of the fact the corporate side of Polaris keeps putting out press releases about record profitability! Anyone else hearing about this?

According to my sources, suits from Medina came up and escorted as many as 34-36 people in Roseau out the door. It appears to be across the board in ATV’s, Snowmobiles and all other areas. It’s also happening in Spirit Lake, Medina and Wyoming. Some where offered demotions, most were not.

UPDATE: I have 3rd party confirmation from someone who spoke to a Polaris media person – they indeed laid off 60 workers in all the Polaris manufacturing facilities, saying that seven years of declining snowmobile sales and poor snow conditions made it necessary to make the cuts. Polaris employs about 3,800 people, so I don’t think it can be called a massive layoff, though I’m sure it feels massive to anyone now out of work. Note that this media person characterized it as a layoff, but the reports I’m getting indicated lots of people were flat-out fired. I don’t know for sure what the real story is, but I’ll stay on top of it.