Meet the Builders: Sarah & Sean! | Trail Builder Q&A reboot · July 2026
Tell us a bit about yourself — what do you do when you’re not on a trail?
Sarah: When I am not on a trail I am a business owner and dog-mom! My husband, Sean, and I own and operate an optometry practice on Dollarton Highway. When I am able to escape the office I love the bike park, camping, trail running, reading, crossword puzzles, shenanigans, food and cocktails!!
Sean: I currently live and work here in North Vancouver after immigrating from South Africa in 1994 with my parents. My wife and I operate a small business here providing optometric care to the Maplewood, Blueridge and Deep Cove communities. When I’m not at work or on trail, I am a dog dad and enjoy maintaining our fleet of aging vehicles. I am definitely a hands-on kind of guy and believe in giving things a try and contributing to your community as a way of giving back.
How long have you been riding, and when did building enter the picture?
Sarah: I learned to mountain bike while living in the UK in 2009 on a hardtail (an Orange G3, for those interested). After moving back to the North Shore in 2012 and encountering this terrain, I did a lot of “cross training” (i.e. walking my bike). It would have been 2013 when I came out to my first trail day…
Sean: I started off riding on the North Shore in 1994 after immigrating to Canada. As a young man in South Africa I was captivated by the North Shore with all of its rain forests and lush vegetation — we didn’t have much of that in SA. After emigrating, it was much to my surprise when we ended up settling in Lynn Valley, the epicenter of the mountain bike world at the time. Bicycle riding took a back seat around 2000 when I went off traveling and started carving a path in the business world. It wasn’t until 2010, when taking a break from the corporate world, that I ended up getting a “just for fun” job at a bicycle store in England. At that point I rediscovered the joy of the bicycle and riding. Building came onto the scene in 2013 when I went out for a ride on my hardtail and got absolutely demolished riding Pile of Rocks. I must admit I was quite demoralized and couldn’t quite see how to bridge the gap between the skill level the trail required and the skill I had at the time. A trail day came along and I thought I could at least be involved at some level by helping out on the trails since I couldn’t ride them with any great style. I had a great time on that first trail day and then just kept coming back. Looking back, I probably went to a trail day every weekend in 2013 and eventually got to know the builders on the scene at the time. Invitations to come and work during the private builders trail days started to come in, and eventually, thanks to Dave Clendenan, I became a permit holder and able to work on trails by myself.
What pulled you in? Was there a moment, a person, a project?
Sarah: …on Bobsled, where I got to help build a reroute on the bottom section. My theory at the time was that if I came out to help work on the trails, it would make me a better rider. Regardless of my rationale, I was hooked! Patrick “Podo” Podolski led that trail day. His enthusiasm and patience helped me not feel silly about not knowing what to do, and the energy and friendliness of everyone there was contagious!
Sean: For me, the creative problem-solving aspect of trail building is very engaging. You have your basic raw materials of dirt, rock, and wood, and it’s how you configure those along with the terrain that determines what the trail ends up being. You have to consider all the variables — riders, terrain and environment — and those shape your vision for what the trail is going to be. It’s neat that you can have a vision of the trail the night before and then the next day head out and make it so.
Walk us through a trail day. What does it look, feel, and smell like out there?
Sarah: I like to keep trail days short and sweet! 3–4 hours of good vibes and smiles. Smells like dirt, cedar, and good times.
Sean: I always aim for people to have a good time on my trail days. We do this by showing them the good they are doing for their community through their work. For me, trail days are more than throwing dirt and fixing ruts. Trail days are a way for people to build connections, help out their communities and build up themselves by feeling a little pride in doing a job well. These are the things I try to get people to feel when they are out working with me. Let’s also not forget the après with some tasty BBQ’ed goodies and cool beverages.
What’s the project or feature you’re most proud of?
Sarah: Lower Expresso! Being part of the build crew at the very beginning was pretty exceptional. We had no idea how popular that trail would become, and I am super proud to still be part of making sure it’s one of the best trails out there!!
Sean: That’s a tough one. Over the years I have literally worked on just about every trail on Fromme and Seymour — from the Bobsled reroute, the de-lethalizing of Baden Powell, the revitalization of Expresso, the rebuild of Forever After, through to the building of Lower Expresso. If I had to pick one thing, rebuilding all of the rock work on Baden Powell is something I’m proud of. Fixing that trail up was a labour of love and nearly broke me. Believe it or not, I have had a hand on every piece of rock on that trail from Mountain Highway to the Stairs of Despair.
What’s your go-to tool, and why does it matter to you?
Sarah: Sean!!! That joke never gets old…. I am going to have to go for the 3/4-length, D-handle shovel. Gets into corners of the gold hole, fits into the back of the car easily, and can be operated with something else in your other hand for clearing drains on your way up or down from the work area!!
Sean: I like the good old-fashioned wood-handled shovel and a bucket. It’s hard to beat the value and utility of these two items.
What’s something most riders don’t realize goes into the trails they ride?
Sarah: The hours of not just dirt moved but the trail assessments, trail reports, emails going back and forth coordinating dates and times to get volunteers out to do the work. And the maintenance each trail requires. I wish this trail fairy had a magic wand sometimes!!!
Sean: Chicken juice… just kidding, but not really. Happy to share that story in person. These days I think most riders are aware of the labour it takes to build and maintain the trails we have. The only thing that comes to mind is I don’t think people get to see the amount of advocacy going on behind the scenes. Trails sometimes take years of planning and approvals before the first shovel hits dirt.
Who taught you something important — about building or about being out there?
Sarah: Digger has taught me all sorts of trail tid-bits over the years. Having access to his years of experience is a treasure trove not too many people get to tap into!!
Sean: Multiple people, really — the two that are top of the list are Mark Wood and Digger. I learnt most of what I know from Mark Wood; the guy is one hell of a trail builder, and the Shore benefited from his time here. Digger has also taught me many tricks of the trade, but more so how to make trails fun. We have exceptional builders here on the Shore — folks like Martin Newman, Penny Deck, Andy Fisher, Dave Clendenan, the Pipeline crew, to name a few. Every builder I’ve worked with, I’ve learned something from. Everyone sees things differently and applies their skill sets differently.
What does your crew look like on a build day? Who’s usually there?
Sarah: My core crew is always Sean and Gordon: Razzle McDazzle! Digger will show up at some point, usually on the hunt for snacks. And depending on what day it is, we get all sorts of different people coming out, including volunteers arranged by the great TAP sponsor Pennzoil, Steed Cycles (who also provide pizza for the volunteers!). We have had the Air Cadets, the Sea Cadets, grade 7 classes, and if we are lucky we have some cameo appearances from some of the other great North Shore trail builders!!!
Sean: These days the crew has settled to myself, my wife Sarah, and Gordon — both long-time builders here on the Shore. We get a lot done and have fun while doing it.
Is there a moment from a trail day that’s stuck with you?
Sarah: There have been a few, but the one that comes to mind at the moment…
Sean: Absolutely. I remember when we first opened Lower Expresso to riders. There was a big train of folks waiting to ride the trail for the first time, and I remember hearing them hooting and hollering as they made their way down the trail. You could tell where they were by the noises they made. It was good to hear people enjoying themselves.
What’s changed most on the North Shore trail network since you started?
Sarah: We have green trails now! When I started, the easiest trail on the Shore was Richard Juryn. I am pleased to see we have an array of trails for beginner and intermediate riders now — these didn’t exist when I started in 2012.
Sean: Gosh, so much has changed, where do you even start. From my perspective, building has become more of a collaborative, evolutionary thing. Trails are now built much more publicly, with builders taking inspiration and input from a larger group of stakeholders during the process. After a trail is built, you are also seeing them evolve and respond to changes in riding styles and rider preferences. We still have a great back catalogue of legacy trails on the Shore, but I think it’s neat to see how things are evolving.
What are you most excited about for the next few years?
Sarah: The awareness and education of kids and adults having some exposure and knowledge of how much work it takes this community to keep our trails in good shape — and hopefully curating a greater respect for the trails from a larger number of trail users.
Sean: At this stage I’m hoping my body holds together so I can keep building for the next few years. I once heard somebody call the North Shore the Waimea Bay of mountain biking, and that stuck with me. As a kid I viewed it as hallowed ground, and now I’m out here digging and hanging out with legends like Digger and Old Man Pete — I still pinch myself, as it seems like a dream. I’m excited to see what riders do on the trails I’ve built; it’s always neat to see a skilled rider find a new line or lip and boost a sick move that I could never have envisioned. I’m just stoked to be here and able to contribute to all that is awesome about the Shore and mountain biking in general.
Do you have a trail-building catchphrase or the thing you always say out there?
Sarah: Safety third!?
Sean: One of my favorites is “10 more buckets” — if you’ve been on a trail day with me, you’ll have heard it. Credit to Mark Wood for this one, though.
What do you want someone to feel the first time they ride something you built?
Sarah: Joy. I want people to have a moment of fun, the unburdened delight of playing, an escape from the everyday challenges of life.
Sean: Stoked!
Previous Editions:
Meet the Cypress Crew – 2026
Meet the Builders – Dave – 2018
Meet the Builders – Penny and Martin – 2018