Behind the Loops: Part VI

Every town that has a mountain bike scene seems to have that one guy that’s making it happen, steering people in the right direction and waving the flag. Usually not the fastest guy or the rider with the biggest tricks or the most well known. But the one person that puts his energy into making it happen for everybody else.

In the Loops… Dylan Sherrard is that guy. He always seems to know who’s doing what and what’s happening where. All the time. At the Bicycle Café he’s on the front lines everyday helping out with a smile on his face dealing with a wild and wooly assortment of customers. From wannabe pro riders with a chip on their shoulder to triathlon geeks looking to shave some weight off their wheels, he can handle them all.

But most of all what Shredhard does for the scene in Kamloops is put his enthusiasm into the sport of mountain bike riding. Day in and day out. He’s one of the good guys. We need more people just like him.

John Gibson

Who are you and where are you from?

My name is Dylan John Sherrard but my friends just call me Shredhard. I wasn’t named after Bob Dylan, although I do tell people that occasionally. I was born on the east coast, grew up in the great white north, and now I call Kamloops home.

What brought you to Kamloops from the great white north?

Riding. I used to work my ass off after school every night so that I could afford to come down here for short vacations. When I was visiting in Kamloops it felt more like I was at home than when I was in Whitehorse. There are just so many riders and everyone is so stoked. I really felt like Kamloops was where I fit in. One day in grade 11 my mom asked me if it would be easier if we just moved to Kamloops and we have been here ever since.

How has living in Kamloops changed your life?

There are really too many ways to list off. Obviously before I moved here I was already a really dedicated mountain biker, but living here and riding with people like Aggy, Matt Brooks and Kurt Sorge really pushed me to be a person I never could have pictured when I was younger. Shredding with gnarly riders like them helped me take riding from being an after school hobby to more of a lifestyle and in some ways it is my job now. I think If I never had moved to the loops I might not even be riding anymore. When I was younger I wanted to go to school and be a teacher, but after I moved here my gears really shifted. Ever since then I have been on a mission to keep it real, “it” being this more exciting than average lifestyle. I guess the biggest change would be having the chance to grow up and become the kind of person I looked up to when I was younger. That never would have happened living anywhere else.

Who is the biggest influence to you in riding (doesn’t have to be a rider)?

There have been a lot of people influence me over the years and all in their own ways. Graham Agassiz and Andreu Lacondeguy for how nasty their riding styles are. They are both years ahead of what anyone else can do in riding. My friend Tom Goodman and Jayber for just being who they are and not really giving a fuck. And Matt Hunter for who he is in mountain biking – when I think of what a professional mountain biker is I think of Matt and his role in the industry.

If you had only 5 songs in your Ipod shuffle, what would they be?

I listen to a lot of different music so it is hard to narrow it down, but to make a quick list of favorite songs…
Tangled up in Blue – Bob Dylan
Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show
Descending Angel – The Misfits
Dumpweed – Blink 182
Punching in a Dream – The Naked and Famous

You are a rider with so many talents (ie. riding, organizing film projects, writing interviews, blogs, working within the industry etc), where do you see yourself in 5 years?

To be completely honest that question scares the living shit out of me. It did when my school counselor asked me in grade 10, it did when Cam McRae asked me at Airprentice in 07, and it still does today. I think it always will. I have never really planned anything more than a few months in advance. So many things can change in life so fast and that scares me too.

I am just in the middle of finalizing some new operations for 2011 that will incorporate all of those skills you mentioned above into one big project. I am really excited to see how that will be accepted and what it will lead to further down the road. But all I can really say is that in 5 years I will still be riding and still developing those other skills. Hopefully they will continue to grow and continue leading me into exciting new opportunities the same way they do today. Riding has always been the most important part of my life and I am confidant that as long as I remember that, things will fall into place the same way they always have.

This has been a long and cold winter for Kamloops, how did you keep yourself sane this year?

Winter was really tough this year. I went skiing a few times and I would loved to have gone more but it is such an expensive sport to get into. I did a lot of reading over the winter, as well as watching movies and planning things in advance for this season. I tried hard to keep busy, but at the same time I remembered to take advantage of being able to relax since I am so rushed and busy for the majority of the year.

Worst injury in riding? is there a good story?

Oh boy, this one is going to be graphic but very humorous. Not for the overly sensitive. When men are young boys, their testicles develop in an area near their kidneys. When their “balls drop” they literally do drop, descending between a layer of muscles to where they will stay for the rest of life. In some males, those layers of muscle fail to seal back together with enough strength. Enter the Hernia. Last fall, through a short series of unfortunate and unscheduled events I found myself slamming down on my seat hard enough to snap it in half and the pressure pushed my left testicle up into my stomach, through that weak muscle seal. Guys, you know when you sac yourself and you have that nasty feeling in your lower stomach? Imagine that same feeling but all the way up to your neck.

Long story short, my testicle got tangled up with a piece of my intestine and when I pushed it back down to where it is supposed to be my intestine came down with it. Basically I made myself a hernia and it felt like I had an overly large third testicle for about a month before everything was surgically put back in place. All in all, not a very fun process but a story I do enjoy telling. I guess it happens to a lot of men, but they are always too self-conscious to talk about it. Since the surgery and bragging about it, I have met a lot of guys who have gone through the same thing as me.

Favorite Youtube video?

Probably either the kitten riding the turtle or any installment of the unforgivable series.

Favourite person or people to ride with?

I love riding with little kids when I am coaching because they are so open eyed and eager and amazed by the simplest things. I also really enjoy the odd chance where I get to try and keep up with Hunter. He is so fast and has the craziest lines that I otherwise would never even see. But to pick a favourite it would be my friends Karl Heldt and Kris John Stone. We like all the same trails and I have the most fun riding with them.

Lots of riders take the path of contests to be successful, how have you become such an accomplished rider without entering contests?

I have never been interested in contests because they don’t seem fun to me. I went to a few when I was younger and found out pretty fast that it wasn’t for me. Instead I have always tried to shoot lots of photos and videos, and come up with creative projects to work on.

Maybe I have a different view of what being successful means. Most people seem to view success as something you measure with numbers on score boards or in bank accounts. But I feel like numbers are a really hollow representation of a person and I think success is a feeling. When a little kid tells you that you’re the reason he got up to ride that day or you ride out of something new and hear the camera man start yelling. That feeling of accomplishment when you know you are doing things right and really feel proud to be who you are. I guess I have become an accomplished rider by staying true to who I am and not giving up on what I believe in – having fun and inspiring others to do the same.

Do you have any big fears?

I am absolutely terrified of growing up.

Has anyone ever given you any great advice?

One set of words really stand out in my mind. My grade nine drafting teacher, Tyler Bradford, said, “Love isn’t real, dream don’t come true, and someday all your favourite bands will sell out.” I thought he was kidding around and being a funny guy, but the following year AFI released December Underground, and then a couple years later Rise Against put out a pop album too. I hope to god that he wasn’t actually right, but I always think of those words he said to me.

Anything you want to add?

Yes. There are some key people that really believe in me and give me a lot of support. Cheryl and Taylor at the Bicycle Café, Trevor Porter at Kona, Corey Wiwchar at Sun Peaks and Jon Hadfield when Race Face was still in action. Bigbri who plays jokes on me , My mom is super rad too and always helps me when I stress out. Without all that help and support from everyone I wouldn’t be the dude I am, so thanks guys!

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Have you been lucky enough to cross paths with Dylan? Are you dying to? (You can stalk him at Bicycle Cafe in Kamloops if you’d like. He’s used to it.) Say anything here…