Author Topic: Finding local spots  (Read 13874 times)

Offline aliasdck

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Finding local spots
« on: March 12, 2019, 06:45:57 PM »
i travel for work. Frustrating thing is that I often accidentally discover nice riding spots when traveling far from home. But then whenever I intentionally look around close to home then I cannot find anything suitable. So frustrating. The spots near me are either not level enough, not big enough or they are places I will get kicked out of. So currently I am stuck riding in the street in front of my house but it's far from ideal.


I've been riding on and off since 1996 so I'm no stranger to finding a spot but I thought I'd check here for advice. Any tips? I've checked all local parks, parking lots, schools, etc... maybe there is some type of place I am over looking? I've even started zooming in on google maps while using satellite view, it has helped me to discover potential places I didn't know about but so far none of them have worked out.



Offline DaddyCool

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2019, 11:09:28 PM »
Hi, I moved to another city a end of last year and I exactly know what you mean... I used google maps to get an overview, but most options turned out to be any good. I am still looking for a good spot to ride and I don't have a general advice for this.Good luck!

Offline Timmer74

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2019, 05:55:30 AM »
My understanding is that public schools are public property. As long as you're being respectful and not riding during school hours, I think you should be OK to ride at schools. I have ridden at a handful of schools where I live and have never been kicked out.... Once the cops showed up to talk to some kids that were destroying school property and they didn't say a word to me. They even watched me ride for a little bit. I do try my hardest to be polite and friendly to all the kids, parents, etc just so that nobody sees a reason to say I'm being a nuisance. This is not always the easiest thing to do with young kids always in the way and their parents being oblivious/face in iPhones . The main school I ride at has been about 5 years now. I ride there almost daily. Being 45 I get more "wow, I cant believe you're doing what you do at your age" than "get the hell out of here". I've actually never been told to leave. Though, I have been told that I'm "too big" for my bike 1001 times.

I've heard of people having success riding in church parking lots too. You could possibly talk to people that run the church and explain that all you want to do is ride... Maybe you could donate to that church (money and/or 'can I help do yardwork') and work out days/times they're OK with you riding there. I wonder if signing some kind of waiver would help. I think that most times you get booted it's because people are afraid you'll fall and then sue. This might work other places as well.

A few years back I was riding in a parking garage and a security guard came up to talk to me. I asked him if he needed me to leave and his response was "All the signs say no skateboarding and I don't see a skateboard. So, you're good to me"...ha! But, another time at a different garage I got booted...so yeah, I'm not all success stories :).

I too have done the google earth search and found a few places this way. But, for me, the biggest hurdle is finding a solid winter spot.

Maybe you have some other people you ride with and you could all pool your cash together and rent a small warehouse or something? I've heard of people doing this as well.

This probably goes without saying, but being respectful and polite can go a long way.

Anyway, I hope that helps! Let us know if you find a place to ride!
Tim

Offline aliasdck

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2019, 06:15:39 AM »
The warehouse idea has always been a dream of mine but hasn't been feasible yet. Currently I am the only active rider that I know about in my area, so splitting rent on one is out.


Church parking lots are a possibility, I will look into them around here.


Schools around here lock up after hours. They didn't use to but nowadays they are surrounded by fences and the gates are closed and locked after everyone leaves. Sucks cause my best spot was a school not too far away but now I can't get in.

Offline khe killah

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2019, 08:24:22 AM »
I have the same issue, nowhere to ride and the schools with decent tarmac are locked and surrounded by fences.

There is a massive 4 tennis court area that is for the public and always empty but has been so badly neglected the surface is unridable.

Offline aliasdck

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2019, 05:39:15 PM »
There is one newly renovated tennis court near my house that would be perfect for riding except that its so new and pristine looking that I cannot allow myself to ride there. I would feel bad sullying the place with my tire marks and I'd feel absolutely horrible if my handlebars or pegs slammed into the ground hard enough to take a chunk out.

Plus, being brand new and located in a richer area there is a good chance I'd get kicked out anyway.

The only other courts near me are like the ones you described: Abandoned and in too horrible a state to ride in.

I do like riding in tennis courts though. A good set of courts are so nice to spin around in

Offline deacon

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2019, 07:33:06 AM »
I live in a city so can always find somewhere to ride. I have an outdoor car park for when the weather is good and a multi storey car park for when the rain comes. Problem is nothing is flat! Seems like all the riding I ever do is on a gentle slope! No big deal in the grand scheme if things but never realised flat car parks are such a rarity until I started riding lol

Offline bmxelement90

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2019, 02:46:55 PM »
look for a public park with basketball courts or tennis courts. or even local skateparks

Offline aliasdck

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2019, 03:43:37 PM »
Yea I've checked all local parks including tennis, basketball and skateparks. Unfortunately everything I've found is unrideable for one reason or another like too steep of slope or I get kicked out. I haven't given up hope though, I'm going out again today to go looking some more.

No parking garages near me. There are some way on the other side of town but it's quite far, I'm hoping to find something closer but if I can't then I'll check them out.

I've pretty much excepted that any spot I will find will have a slope. I actually prefer there to be a gradual one, you get used to always having one and start to rely on it. It's rare to find perfectly flat surfaces, they always intentionally use a slope for drainage I imagine?

Offline DaddyCool

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2019, 08:39:44 PM »
I really don't like slope!I am living in Germany and all public areas have either slope or are paved in order to make them dry faster. So good surface means you have slope (I think it is typically 3 % which is a lot to ride on) or you have small edges at the joints. In some cases, if the pavement was done well, the edges at the joints are ok and then you have a good option. But asphalt or concrete always comes with slope.In the town I lived until December I had a paved spot with big paving stones, so there were not so many joints and the result was good and without any slope.Now in the new town I only found spot with slope.After getting used to no slope I found 3 % (estimated) almost impossible.My search still goes on...

Offline aliasdck

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2019, 09:43:25 PM »
I just rediscovered a spot i forgot about that i used to ride over ten years ago. Cannot believe i forgot about it. It is about a 10 minute ride from my house. It is pretty level and the ground is smooth so not much rolling resistance but luckily it is not too smooth. I cannot ride well when its slippery, this ground is perfect ratio of being smooth without being too slippery for me.

Its a bit small so I am limited to mostly spinning tricks and carving in a circle tricks, but that is fine with me for now.

It's also right next to my city's skatepark so there are bmxers there from time to time, hopefully I can meet a few like minded people.

I'm excited :)


Offline DaddyCool

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #11 on: April 05, 2019, 12:20:16 AM »
Cool! Good that you found something. It looks nice in terms of the atmosphere... I always thought it is a big advantage when the environment is nice.

Offline aliasdck

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #12 on: April 05, 2019, 09:45:29 PM »
Yea it's not perfect but it'll do. The atmosphere is nice, it is part of a big park and the nearby skatepark is a nice addition.


I went there this morning to ride and it started raining 15 minutes after I arrived. Grrrrrr.... I still rode for awhile but obviously couldn't ride as hard as I wanted. Gonna try back tomorrow, should be no rain tomorrow if the forecast is correct.

Offline aliasdck

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2019, 10:45:31 PM »
I went exploring a little further out today, found both of these sites at a different skatepark about 20 minute drive from my house.


A little too slick for my tastes, and a bit small. I was having trouble with the tire skidding out from under me during tight carving tricks. I can probably adjust, and gripper tires might help, but Im always very cautious about slick surfaces due to a previous injury from one. I can probably use these sites to work on certain types of tricks at least, since they are very flat, but I'll avoid stuff where Im risking looping out from too tight carves/circles.


So the hunt continues. I still want to find the holy grail: not too slick, not too rough, perfectly flat or at least not too slanted, big enough, and somewhere i wont be kicked out of.

Edit: for anyone in the future wondering, these photos are from the skatepark on East J Street in Oakdale, CA.







Edit (again): I thought this was a pretty cool photo. Tire mark is from a turbine peg wheelie:


« Last Edit: May 10, 2019, 11:02:27 PM by aliasdck »

Offline nosubsteve

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Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #14 on: May 11, 2019, 12:31:18 AM »
Those spots would be a dream for me...