PERRIS, Calif. — Opee is only 8, but he already is a popular veteran in the down and dirty sport of motocross.
He can pull 6 Gs. He’s been the centerfold for Cycle News and poses regularly for fan photos. He’s a survivor of the grueling Baja 500 and has racked up more than 10,000 hours on a dirt bike.
Sometimes, you can barely see the 70-pound pooch — a blue merle Australian shepherd — through the dust on his goggles and his custom helmet, complete with cam.
“I am his biggest fan,” said Mike Schelin, Opee’s owner, race partner and a purveyor of used motorcycle parts. Schelin got the dog in 2001 after his divorce.
“He was my instant best friend,” Schelin said. “He slept in my tool bag. There was something about him. He’s had charisma since Day One.”
Schelin, 41, started riding in the desert with Opee on the chase. “I felt bad for him, he would run so long.” So Schelin bought a four-wheeler and they went desert riding together. One day, Opee ditched the four-wheeler and hopped on the motorcycle tank, where he has been ever since, Schelin said.
