I?m the proverbial new guy at QUAD, but I?m not necessarily a new guy to the sport. I?ve ridden, wrenched, and raced quads for years and have been fortunate enough to have an opportunity to participate in many local and national cross country and hare scramble events over the years. Those grass roots experiences are what eventually broke me into the business. Those experiences have also cost me surgeries on both knees and one lucky shoulder. So these days, I do more product evaluations, test riding, and project builds than racing. But, I still like to get out there and mix it up a few times a year!

             What most of our readers probably don?t know is that I?m also a math and science teacher at a middle school in central Pennsylvania. Additionally, I teach graduate courses in technology for Wilkes University, which is also in PA.

             With a background in teaching and technology, I?m asked all the time how in the world I ever got into the ATV business. Back in 2005 I raced the 12 Hours of ATV America, which was held at Rausch Creek Motorsports Park in PA. I came up with a crazy idea to try and live webcast the race…and after a call to ATVScene.com owner John Pellan, we pulled it off…sort of. But that?s a whole other story! In any case, after attending some product intros and writing for ATVScene, I got to know some people in the print mag business. After ATVScene and a short stint at another magazine, I got the opportunity last August to start working for Quad Magazine. My first story was written about the KTM 450 and 525XC intro in Rhode Island. From that day on, I?ve never looked back! With Doogie and I both on the east coast, we are able to produce some great 4×4 evaluations and shootouts as well as shoot some killer photos in the terrain these machines were designed to operate in.

             I have to admit, it?s not a bad deal to hang up the pocket protector, take off the nerd glasses, bolt on a helmet, and sling a leg over a quad to go do some ?work? after a long school day. Just wait until you guys see the project some of my students got to participate in!

             In any case, keep an eye on my blog and I?ll do my best to clue you in on some of our happenings, horrors, and inevitable debacles along the way.