Chris meets Andy Grider at Star Island Motorsports

Thanks to our buddy Allen Russell, my wife Sharon and I finally got to meet Andy Grider and his wife Annie. They are both super nice people, and it was a real kick talking to them about their adventures!

From the stories that Allen has told me, and what I have seen for myself, I can pretty much say that Andy is without a doubt, a very determined and talented individual. He has attained some very sought-after and highly respectable positions in his field, and the way I see it there is no end in sight. (And I have near-perfect vision!) From an overall win in the Baja 1000, to recently placing 3rd overall in the Optic 2000 Tunisia Rally, and lots in between, he is a force to be reckoned with. I talked to him about his ride in the Tunisia rally with Chris Blais for KTM Gauloises and it just about gave me goose bumps to imagine what he was describing. The Rally took 9 days to complete and traveled a distance of 1,730 miles. Unlike a car or truck, he has no navigator. He has to figure it all out for himself - how to find his way, when to go fast, when to go slow, when to say "yes" when his body might say "no". Personally, I can't wait to see him racing in Dakar!

I managed to snag a few shots of this motorcycle which is the one that he rode in the KTM/Red Bull Dakar Rider Search. He ended up being chosen as part of the KTM/Red Bull USA Team along with Chris Blais and Kellon Walch.

Andy and Annie