great outdoors expo exhibitor spotlight
Q&A with Evergreen East MTB Instructor Jerrod Snyder
How and when did you start mountain biking?
Jerrod Snyder: My first mountain bike was the first thing I bought after I finished college back in 1994. I bought a sweet red GT Corrado from the bike shop in Bellevue. Fully rigid, 3×8 drivetrain, horrible brakes, and wheels made of butter. I didn’t ride my mountain bike much from 2005-2012 (bad case of the triathlon bug), but re-entered the sport in 2012 and have been riding all over the western US and Canada for a few years now.
What do you like about being an instructor with Evergreen?
JS: My favorite part is helping people become proficient more quickly than they would on their own. Sometimes there’s a hole in their skillset, or some confidence and assistance they need to tackle something. For example, simple things like helping beginners understand how they can get restarted on hills after a dab (putting a foot down for balance) can be the difference between lots of bad days and lots of good days.
Any advice you’d give to riders just starting out?
JS: For beginners, I’d love to see everyone come out to one of our beginner classes. You don’t have to learn the basics of climbing, descending, and braking the hard way! We can help get you started with the fundamentals and find some trails near you that you can ride often, ideally with some friends. A bit of instruction to get you rolling, along with just getting out and doing it will go a long way.
Interested in joining a class with Jerrod or another one of Evergreen’s top-notch instructors? Evergreen’s classes will start back up in April of 2025. Check Evergreeneast.org or visit their booth at the Spokane Great Outdoors Expo to find out more about local mountain biking opportunities, events, and kids skills camps. Or reach out to schedule a private lesson during the off season at privatelessons@evergreenmtb.org.
Evergreen East promotes mountain biking opportunities by creating and maintaining sustainable trail networks throughout the Spokane region in collaboration with other trail advocates and is dedicated to trail stewardship, advocacy and education.
