Author Topic: Finding local spots  (Read 13866 times)

Offline DaddyCool

  • Deathtrucker
  • ********
  • Posts: 860
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #30 on: March 12, 2021, 12:03:13 AM »
Hello aliasdck, with "turning bay" I tried to describe the end of a dead-end street where the road gets a little wider (in my case a rectangular area) where cars can turn. It is kind of a T-shape of the road. It is in the middle of an area with private houses, that is why it is surrounded by gardens and balconies.
About that socializing thing: This is kind of a strategy. I try to make the people finding me friendly (which I am in most cases  :P ) in order not to get in trouble with them. So they let me do my thing hopefully... At the other spot there war a car parked directly in the middle almost every time I went there. One day I saw a young lady approaching this car and I tried to explain her that it would really help me a lot if she could park more towards the end of the parking lot (because the area is not so big and it was limiting my riding). After she seemed not really to understand she asked me why I could not ride somewhere else. She must have talked to their colleagues from the shop next to the spot and later another women came to me and asked me to leave... After several discussions the kicked me and I lost my main spot. This was one of the most frustrating experiences in terms of social stuff I ever made. I only wanted to ask her for a favour in the most friendly way...
That is why I try to be even more friendly with the people at the new spot.

Offline razorlab

  • Forkglider
  • ***
  • Posts: 31
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #31 on: March 13, 2021, 11:17:56 PM »
Found this great spot by scouring over google maps satellite view.


Two basketball courts at a park. Nobody there if I go in the mornings.


We're moving soon, so I'll have to find a new spot but enjoying this one for now!

Offline aliasdck

  • Cliffhanger
  • *******
  • Posts: 504
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #32 on: March 14, 2021, 01:50:37 AM »
That sucks about "loosing" the spot daddycool, sometimes no matter how polite someone is another person can still take what's said the wrong way.

My god razorlab that is a beautiful spot, so unfortunate to be moving away from it I bet.

Offline FlatismŽ

  • GF Inhabitant
  • ********
  • Posts: 2478
    • Flatism
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #33 on: March 17, 2021, 09:06:05 AM »
Some nice spots riders.


« Last Edit: March 18, 2021, 10:00:27 AM by FlatismŽ »
Flat-ism

Offline aliasdck

  • Cliffhanger
  • *******
  • Posts: 504
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #34 on: March 17, 2021, 12:06:23 PM »
Pics or it didn't happen, lol. Seriously though I'd love to see what you've found if you got a pic to share. Flatland spot porn at its finest.

Offline DaddyCool

  • Deathtrucker
  • ********
  • Posts: 860
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #35 on: March 17, 2021, 06:42:10 PM »
Thank you aliasdck. I really don't know why she reacted like this. She also explained me that she is afraid of me scratching her car. Ok, but in the end her stupid car and she being afraid of it made me loose my spot. Whatever... I need to move on here.
razorlab, I cannot explain how jealous I am!

Offline aliasdck

  • Cliffhanger
  • *******
  • Posts: 504
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #36 on: March 17, 2021, 08:35:11 PM »
Daddycool I too have the problem that people worry I will accidentally hit or scratch their parked car. Probably 80% of all the time I have spent flatlanding over the last 25 years has been on the street right in front of wherever I was living. So much time spent riding near parked cars while also dodging neighbors speeding by WAY too fast for a residential street. I have had several neighbors who make a big show of reparking their vehicle further away when they see me ride nearby, complete with any angry face and loud sighs. To the few people that have tried to talk to me, I try to explain that in all 25 years of riding I have never come close to scratching a car. I am always prepared to bail before that happens, injuring myself before letting an accident with a car happen. And I always stay well enough away from any parked cars anyways so the risk is nearly zero. But they are always still too nervous, but I guess I can't blame them especially since they really don't understand what we do. But it is really frustrating especially the passive aggressive people that angrily move their car but won't simply try talking to me instead.

Now that it's warm I'm switching to my park spot that I showed in the photo a few days ago, so no more dealing with cars. But it comes at another price because I have to deal with excited kids who don't understand they need to stay a few feet away, older guys who "used to do tricks like that" who want to talk forever, as well as occasional thugs who try to intimidate me for whatever reason or try to sell me drugs. But it's worth it, that park spot is so nice!

Offline razorlab

  • Forkglider
  • ***
  • Posts: 31
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #37 on: March 17, 2021, 08:39:03 PM »

My god razorlab that is a beautiful spot, so unfortunate to be moving away from it I bet.

razorlab, I cannot explain how jealous I am!



Yea, it took me about seven months to find it. We moved here two years ago from California, where it's much easier to find good surfaces. Good surfaces in NJ are almost impossible to find as the real winters seem to just destroy everything.

I literally spent HOURS in google satellite view to find this. It's about a 15 min drive so I can still get sessions in during the morning before I start work too.

Offline aliasdck

  • Cliffhanger
  • *******
  • Posts: 504
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #38 on: March 17, 2021, 08:46:10 PM »
Hit me up if you ever come back to California! Hope you find another awesome spot where you're going.

Offline DaddyCool

  • Deathtrucker
  • ********
  • Posts: 860
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #39 on: April 04, 2021, 03:00:06 PM »
Hello, I did some pictures. The "turning bay" that I described (rough but even and close), a new option I have just found (half basketball court, a little sloped but tolerable, nice environment, at least 15 min by bike) and the university spot in my old city (now only to be reached by car, even but the transition between the plates are noticeable, the surface is very good).

Offline aliasdck

  • Cliffhanger
  • *******
  • Posts: 504
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #40 on: April 05, 2021, 04:13:38 AM »
Very nice, thank you for the pictures. I love seeing other's spots. I think I would like the turning bay. It may be a bit rough but this is similar to infront of my house where I ride the most so I think I'd feel at home. Plus it looks much more level then mine.

I have a hard time with lines like in the university spot if they are a bit too wide. But yes that surface looks lovely!

That new basketball spot looks like a nice find, 15 min bike ride is almost perfect for me to get legs warmed up on the ride over.

Offline Timmer74

  • Hitchhiker
  • *****
  • Posts: 110
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #41 on: April 05, 2021, 06:01:37 AM »
those all look pretty amazing!
I find it so funny how riding flatland makes you look at the world so differently. We all get so excited over a small, smooth, level area that has little to no foot traffic. Finding a new spot that is rideable is almost like when you were a kid opening an awesome present on Christmas day. I'm constantly irritated at some civil engineer that didn't take into account my 'needs' when they designed some structure. Or, the person that paved it didn't do it smoothly enough.

Offline DaddyCool

  • Deathtrucker
  • ********
  • Posts: 860
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #42 on: April 05, 2021, 10:57:43 AM »
Hello. aliasdck, you are right 15 min for warming up isn't too bad. Just the street is not so bicycle friendly (narrow with fast driving cars) but I will go there at least here and there. I would say the turning bay will be my main spot for the next time. There is one more which I can ride only at the weekend (where I typically take care of my family). I will post a picture later, I haven't taken one so far.
Timmer74, you brought it to the point! Getting excited when you see a good area is something that only us flatland riders can feel this way  ::)
The theater spot is also in the city where I lived 2.5 years ago (25 min by car). But in the last years I was kicked out there more and more. I liked that spot!
The stadium is about 10 min by bike from my parents' house. I went there typically when I lived there. It is a hockey field. It has zero slope and fine asphalt or something like that. So grippy but not rough. And it is big and has a super relaxed atmosphere. It is basically the perfect spot. I was really a pity when I moved from there.

Offline DaddyCool

  • Deathtrucker
  • ********
  • Posts: 860
Re: Finding local spots
« Reply #43 on: April 05, 2021, 11:01:08 AM »
One more pic from the stadium spot where you can see the size.