AMA National Hare Hound this weekend looking for volunteers

Chris Blais 3rd place 2007 Dakar

This weekend the first AMA National Hare Hound (NHH) series in Murphy, Idaho will take place on Sunday. I am going to meet some one I greatly admire, some one who exemplifies the spirit of our younger generation, some one who knows nothing but hard work and determination.

Link to the race this weekend, http://www.ama-cycle.org/news/story.asp?id=1511

Chris Blais captured third place in the 2007 Dakar. Even in my 50's I dreamed of participating in the Dakar. I volunteered my vacations in 2007 and 2008 to help organize an event (NRE) in Nevada each year that catered to Dakar enthusiasts. I learned the art of Rally Raid from our best and provided them with a way to test new bikes and train. It was my way of participating and the closest I could get to the real action.

In 2004 Chris Blais participated in an event hosted by Red Bull and KTM called the Dakar Challenge. He, along with Andy Grider and Kellon Walch, emerged as the three riders to be sponsored in the 2005 Dakar, where they did very well, with Chris placing 9th over all and winning Rookie of the Year. Chris placed 4th in 2006 and 3rd in 2007. He rode smart and he rode determined. Later that year he was training and rode into a wash out filled with silt; he landed wrong and has been I a wheel chair since. This was a few weeks before our Nevada training event in Sept. 07. Since then the Dakar has been moved to South America due to a terrorist attacks on the event.

He is one of the AMA NHH series organizers and I can't wait to talk to him and remind him that I am still proud of his effort. He represented the USA and showed people from Paris France to Dakar Africa what American spirit is all about.

They are looking for volunteers for this weekend, if you are interested please contact Bill Walsh 208.459.6871 or Roger Neth 208.880.7307

I will see you out there, leaving Friday afternoon to help get the event ready.

john