Meet an OGExpert, Pride Edition: Sequoia Young

What’s an OGExpert? They’re the folks that huff and puff alongside you in the skin track, give you a yell from the lift, move that pad for you at the climbing gym, share their granola at the summit, or help you change a flat tire at the bike trail head. They’re us. We’ve done it all, and used pretty much every kind of gear along the way. We live, breathe, and recreate with the community.

NAME:

Sequoia!

PRONOUNS:

she/her

AGE:

25

HOMETOWN:

BTV, baby!

WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE TO VERMONT?

I grew up in this great state and moved out to travel the country in 2014. I have lived in Hawaii, Massachusetts, Ohio, Wisconsin, California, and Washington (where I attended wilderness survival school). After seeing all those amazing places, I realized I had it right the first time! Burlington is beautiful, artistic, close to water and mountains, and home to a tight-knit community I feel safe in. I love it here!

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING AT OUTDOOR GEAR EXCHANGE?

I'm pretty new, I only started 3 months ago but already I love it!

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT OGE?

I am the manager of bikes and roof racks, or as I call it, BIKE QUEEN.

WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOUR AREA OF OUTDOOR EXPERTISE?

Eating snacks outdoors, long gravel descents on two wheels, hammock camping, spending time on/in/near Lake Champlain, carrying big things on my little bike, watching sunsets, building forts out of ferns, bikepacking, and sooo many more.

IF YOU ARE PART OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, ARE THERE PLACES OR ORGANIZATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE FELT SUPPORTED AS A QUEER PERSON AND HAVE EXPERIENCES WHERE YOU WERE ABLE TO BE YOUR TRUE AND FULLEST SELF?

When I was young, I went to a lot of Outright Vermont events and they do a great job offering community to queer people under 22 years old. Radical Adventure Riders (previously known as WTF Bikexplorers) is a super rad bikepacking resource/community/point of inspiration created to make space for women, trans folks, and non-binary individuals who bikepack, with special attention paid to uplifting BIPOC voices. I definitely feel like they helped me hone the vision I have for an inclusive, positive space that centers voices other than the white cis male in the outdoors. I also really appreciate the work Queen City Bicycle Club is doing to grow that community here in Burlington. Check them out on Facebook and come to the group rides!

DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OTHER FOLKS FROM THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY FOR FINDING COMMUNITY AND A SENSE OF PLACE OR BELONGING IN THE OUTDOORS?

After moving so much and having to rebuild my community each time, I have learned to just lean into asking people to be my friend. In my experience, people often appreciate the direct approach. This week, someone I bought a litter box from on Craigslist noticed my bikes and asked if I wanted to go riding together. It made me so happy to build another connection! Find your people, be genuine, look for events at your local shop, bring snacks to share always and people will stick by you. It also takes time; don’t get discouraged if you’ve been looking for your group for a while. It will come.

TELL US ABOUT ANY UPCOMING GOALS OR TRIPS YOU HAVE.

I am currently training to bikepack the VTXL — a 300mi route from the Northeast Kingdom to southwestern VT almost entirely on gravel. Future dreams also include developing a more fun + inclusive cyclocross scene in Vermont and getting better at rock climbing!

WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE OR TRIP RECOMMENDATION YOU OFTEN GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE OUTDOORS FOR THE FIRST TIME?

We are lucky to live somewhere that nature is accessible and close here in Vermont. My advice would be to not be afraid to start small. Car camping is still camping! Short rides to the creemee stand are a perfect way to motivate and train for longer rides! Don’t let the peak baggers (a term for people trying to summit as many mountains as they can) intimidate you. All forms of outdoor fun are valid!

BIGGEST OUTDOOR PET PEEVE?

I really care about inviting people into the wilderness who historically have not been welcomed into the outdoor recreation scene. And I really *don’t* appreciate when folks further those classist/racist/ableist/colonizer views that uphold nature as an “untouched” place that only wealthy white people should be able to explore. So I would say my biggest pet peeve is probably… oppression.

FAVORITE PIECE OF OUTDOOR CLOTHING OR EQUIPMENT YOU BRING ON EVERY TRIP?

Swift Industries Ardea Fanny Pack! It’s so roomy and multi-use! And Swift is a super rad company totally worth supporting.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TRAIL SNACK AND LOCAL BEVERAGE?

I like all forms of snacks — salty to sweet. No camping trip is complete without hot cocoa. I also dig a good Kölsch beer or Dirty Mayor ginger cider from Citizen Cider.

HOW DOES THE OUTDOORS EMPOWER YOU TO BE YOURSELF?

I am most me in my gold dragon dress, on a bike, smiling. I also totally recognize that I only got to where I am because of the many communities I passed through that gave me a home in the outdoors. So, when I think about being my authentic self, it’s because there are a lot of other people out here being their own rad selves, and every time we show up genuinely, it makes it easier for others too!

INSTRUMENT OF CHOICE FOR DIGGING A CAT HOLE?

Ah jeez. Trowel? A sharp rock if that’s what I have. When I was at Conserve School (an outdoor-focused semester school for high school students), we talked a lot about outdoor pooping positions. I won’t go into it here, but just know there are so many different ways to relieve yourself than you could have imagined!

ARE YOU INVOLVED IN ANY LOCAL OUTDOOR COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF THE SHOP? IF SO, PLEASE EXPLAIN.

I just moved back to Vermont so I am still establishing my community here (be my friend?) but I was heavily involved in the cyclocross racing scene in Seattle. Post-COVID, I am hoping to create an annual bikepacking event/celebration here in Vermont with the intent to build relationships with all the other cool humans rolling around this state.

HOW WERE YOU INTRODUCED TO THE OUTDOORS?

I grew up in the best place on the planet! And I was lucky enough to have people around me who recreated outdoors. I was a kid on a bike in Burlington and the natural progression was to become a bikepacking dirtbag working at OGE ;)

FAVORITE AFTER-WORK SHRED SPOT/OUTDOOR ADVENTURE?

I really LOOOVE watching the sunset on the Champlain Causeway, usually with a jump in the lake as well!

FAVORITE PART ABOUT THE OGE?

I really feel like this community cares about each other. The staff is a pretty tight-knit group and with the events we have for the public plus our retail store, there are regular customers and community members that come through again and again, which is always so fun to see!

HOW DO YOU SHOW YOUR PRIDE OUTSIDE?

Costumes, the OGE sticker that has pride stripes (including brown and black!) which I love, being my wild self on a bike, inviting new people to ride with me so there’s a space to be a beginner, not letting the patriarchy win...