‘I want to ride’

Joe Merk of Coeur d’Alene is gearing up for his summer speed.

Merk, 16, is a member of the Vertical Earth racing team and competes in downhill racing, where riders meet at the top of a ski lift and race to the bottom.

When he’s at the gate, he runs through the course in his head and has two things on his mind: pedal fast and don’t fall.

“I’m racing against me most of the time,” he said.

Merk started on the Vertical Earth racing team halfway through the season last summer. The team enters all types of competitive biking, and Merk’s four-year background in BMX racing before joining the team was a perfect fit. His dirt-jumping skills have helped him take off with the sport after switching to the larger, downhill bikes.

When Zeb Tingey, manager and organizer of the downhill and four-cross team, saw his talents, he pushed Merk to enter a competition at Silver Mountain with a cash pot. At first, Merk didn’t want to go and didn’t think he had a chance. After bringing home a $250 prize and upgrading his racing class to junior expert from sport class, Merk is quickly earning a name for himself, Tingey said.

“For his age group, he is definitely killing ‘em,” he said.

He said Merk doesn’t go around bragging about his feats among his peers and has a humble attitude.

Merk said he enjoys the local competition and having fun speeding downhill with friends. But he admits the national meets are nervewracking from start to finish. Sometimes he’s not the only one stressing out at the starting gate.

“It’s stressful for a mom to see her little baby heading down a hill at 50 mph, but she’s really supportive,” Merk said. “She’s always there.”

Merk has a few other pastimes, including lacrosse at Lake City High School and skiing. But when the snow starts to melt on the mountains, he’s ready to ride. He said the team tries to get as much riding under their belts as possible before the first race.

During the off-season, he rides every day and meets up with the rest of the team for a weekly ride. The training never quits for weather, and sometimes the group will take rides on courses in Spokane.

“We hike up in the snow, then ride down in the snow,” Merk said. “It helps out a lot, and it’s fun to do.”

While the sport isn’t as team-focused as other after-school sports, he said it keeps him away from drugs and bad habits.

Merk is eager to start on the competitive track this spring. He has a tour of races on his schedule, including national competitions in California, Colorado, Idaho and Utah.

Tingey is confident he’ll put on a good show this summer.

“This next year is when he’s really going to put together a resume with mountain biking,” Tingey said.

Merk said he’s riding for Oakley, and he hopes to attract additional sponsors to help with race costs. Entry fees are about $50 a race, with most riders competing in two different races.

While he’s not in the running for the big cash prizes yet, he’s content with meeting new friends and going out to compete. He hopes to eventually turn pro, be one of the big names in the sport and live off race winnings. If he can’t make a living by riding, he’d like to have his own bike shop or work for a sponsor.

“I want to ride and make money and have a whole lot of fun,” he said. “That’s just what I like to do.”