The Racer

I bought my first real motorcycle back in 2005. It was a 1981 Suzuki GS550 that mostly ran and sometimes ran well enough to get me to class and back. I was hooked. The GS550 was quickly followed by a 1983 Honda Nighthawk 650 that was smooth and reliable and took me to and from work, school, and all over East Texas—rain or shine.

A long list of bikes have since graced a spot in my garage. In 2011, I was introduced to the art of off-road riding by a Suzuki DR650, and I was quickly sucked into the world of dual-sport and adventure riding. I've been riding a mix of on-road and off-road ever since. Currently, I own a 2009 KTM 505 XC-F and a 2016 Honda VFR1200X.

I attended the 2018 Sandblast Rally as a course volunteer; after seeing the action up close, I knew I had to try it for myself. I have accumulated thousands of miles of experience riding off-road on big adventure bikes (like my Moto Guzzi Stelvio and Africa Twin), dirt bikes, and even a Ural sidecar rig.

On March 2, 2019, I left the starting line at 8:46:00 a.m. and launched into the 2019 Sandblast Rally as a competitor. A little less than 10 hours later and a lot muddier, I rolled to the finish line to hand in my timecard as a finisher. What a blast!

2019 Sandblast Rally Racer Prep

• Rider Protection: keeping my spine in one piece
• Fees, Fees, and More Fees: what it takes to be official
• First Aid Kit: just in case
• Medical Evaluation: race physical
• T-minus 4 Days: last-minute preparation
• Debrief: what worked and what didn't