Dirt Jumping London/SE9. Old meets New

[punkdSICO]

Hey all - Ive spend the last 3 days dirt jumping and having a frickin blast.  About 500m from my house is an area owned by Greenwich Uni and for 12+ years a local guy has been spending most of his time building dirt jumps.  They have been bulldozed a few times but the council & Uni are now on his side so dont flatten them anymore.

Anyway, there are some really great kids down there.  I am as old as most of their Dad's so its funny how they treat me.  One thing they all do is stare at my bike (Aero Reflex, below) and ask the occassional questions.  One made me laugh today as he told me I should lower my seat; I did not say anything about him pulling his trousers up 

The main guy down there is incredible.  I think said he is like 32 or something.  He has been there all 3 times I have.  He is also starting a small little run for young kids; this shows what a nice guy he is as you could easily argue that you dont want young kids down there as they will not be putting anything back into it by helping out.

As you would imagine, some of the locals are incredible.  A real eye opener and very inspirational..



hugs,

Paul

[BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN]

you will need two things

A spade

lower your seat


take a spade with you and show you are willing to put in to get out 

lower the seat or you will smack your clackers and game over 

most of the younger riders will be happy to have you around - there may be only a handfull that think they are too cool 

[Munnyella]

Yep, lower the seat, get some black tyres (to save the white) and ride like no tomorrow)

keep a spade with you to chip in with the digging. dirt etiquette...

and pictures too. RAD etiquette!

MM

[58 delray]

where is this place ?

[punkdSICO]

Hi - yeah, I have read in hear before about the etiquette so Im bending over backwards to offer help.  Because of the Uni next door they actually have storage for spades and they get water so I dont need to take a spade.  today I took a saw can spent 40min cutting back some dangerous roots from a very old fallen tree (#1 guy had mentioned it needed doing).

I have to keep my saddle up as wheels are my thing but, ill take an allen key with me next time and lower the seat (if only to get some cred' from the locals )

Ditch the white tyres - for sure..  I did this after my first visit so the picture of my rider is not 100% accurate..

Location: I dont know how to manually move the google maps icon thingy so..  In the below map, I have located Lemonwell Drive.  Stick it the map on salalite an then look approx 200m south.  You can make out a large area of greenhouses (part of the Uni) and the jumps are on the left of the greenhouses (quite easy to see if you zoom in).  Im only 500m from the jumps so if anyone fancys it, u can park at mine, have a cup of tea then ill take you there.  Im not working at the mo so can make anytime, 24/7!!

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4ADRA_enGB388GB389&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1289&bih=980&ion=1&wrapid=tlif133081837926710&q=lemonwell+drive&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x47d8a9400ed6e2f3:0x13aaa47bddcb3d61,Lemonwell+Dr&gl=uk&ei=Sq1ST9amG8Wd8gOS5MnxBQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ8gEwAA

[58 delray]

cheers for that i know where it is now, might take a run up the motorway when the weather improves, will give you a shout if i do 

[punkdSICO]

cheers for that i know where it is now, might take a run up the motorway when the weather improves, will give you a shout if i do 

Sounds good..

Paul

[BMX1973]

Great post Paul,

Been there 12 years   , how did you find out about that?

Almost on my doorstep and did'nt know it was there.

Do you access it by Lemonwell Drive or can you get to it through Avery Hill Park? 

 

[punkdSICO]

Been there 12 years   , how did you find out about that?

I had been to that park a few times but always in the summer so leafs and nettles etc meant I did not see the jumps.  Went there a month ago sledging and saw what I thought were snow covered dirt jumps; went over to check out and almost premied!!

Almost on my doorstep and did'nt know it was there.

Me too.  I live down Elderslie Road so only 400m away..

Do you access it by Lemonwell Drive or can you get to it through Avery Hill Park? 

Dont think you could access down Lemonwell drive.  From my map, at the A210's hightest point, head south over the green with the allotment's on your left.  Where the allotment stops and the Greenhouses start, the path turns right but you need to then kinda scramble your way through to the jumps next to the greenhouses.  You could also approach it from the south (Avery Hill Park) but never done this.

PM me if you are ever going and ill pop along.  Im easy to spot as ill be the only person on a old school BMX (likely to be a Aero Reflex) and usually have a mouth full of dirt 

Really great bunch of guys down there and, there is usually another old fecker to make you feel not quite so silly..

Today, two separate kids both took amusement at my Skyway EZ MkII bars "hehe - so, are those doulble tubes for standing on?" snigger snigger..  But they do seem generally interested in what is to them a  very odd bike 

Paul

[BMX1973]

Cheers Paul

Think I might have a roll down there when I get my new build done.

I'll pm you when you when I do.