Miles Wheatcroft and I set out with a unique challenge: to bring together an incredible group of mountain bikers from Sandpoint High School to showcase their talent on film. This wasn’t just any group—this was a crew of riders who embody what it means to live, ride, and thrive in a close-knit mountain community. Through every jump, trail, and challenge, they captured the essence of Sandpoint’s spirit, showing the heart and soul of small-town mountain biking. This film isn’t just about riding—it’s about a community, a lifestyle, and the young athletes who make it extraordinary. Within the group, we had a range of multi-talented riders excelling in downhill, cross-country, and freeride disciplines. Kayden Wilson, a XC and freeride seasoned rider who has raced for 3 years said that his favorite thing about biking was “hitting big jumps with whips, and having fun with friends” He helped introduce us to the amazing community of young mountain bikers that has flourished here, a community that is growing more and more with every coming year. “The community’s grown a lot this year, and I am super excited to keep riding with so many awesome people,” said Wheatcroft, freeride enthusiast. Caden Martz is another all-around experienced biker, who races for the Sandpoint High School XC mountain bike team and is preparing for enduro races next spring. In his interview, he shared that “it’s more fun to ride with other people than by yourself.” Maybe that’s why he was willing to meet me at 5:45 a.m. one morning to shoot some bike footage…
Shooting our documentary on the trails wasn’t just about getting footage for our mini-documentary, it was about capturing the connection these riders have with each other and the land they ride on. There’s something special about riding in Sandpoint—a unique blend of natural beauty, technical terrain, and a tight-knit community that’s dedicated to preserving and enhancing these experiences for everyone. We owe so much to people like Mike Martz, one of our amazing science teachers at Sandpoint High School. For four years, he has devoted countless hours to coaching and mentoring high school mountain bikers, working hard to ensure they not only improve their skills but also understand the value of community and sportsmanship. His leadership has helped shape the high school mountain biking scene, and he’s played a huge role in fostering a culture where riders encourage and support each other, on and off the trails. Tish Mullen, a fun loving science teacher at SHS and ace rider, expressed more on the mental health aspect of riding. Mullen elaborated on how it can help with your mental health when “you’re riding down the trail, there’s no time to think about anything else”. I’ve discovered that biking can be a wonderful escape from the constant flow of life. Taking a break each week to ride with the community not only boosts mental health but also helps build a healthy habit (as long as you avoid any wipeouts).
The kids, and Ezra Stafford, an art teacher at SHS who rides, are willing to drop pretty much anything (except work) to go ride for a couple of hours. The kids and adults that ride in and around the Sandpoint area are really supportive of each other and it is remarkable to see the collaboration between local build crews such as Pend Oreille Pedalers (POP) and the locals “shredding it up”. This project reminded me how lucky we are to be part of such a vibrant and supportive community. Every ride, every jump, and every early morning is a reminder of how much biking means to each of us. Whether it’s the thrill of a downhill lap, the grind of cross-country trails, or the creativity of freeride, biking here is about more than the sport—it’s about family, friends, and a shared passion that keeps us coming back to the trails, rain or shine.
