Dirt jumps are beautiful things that bring unsurpassed gratification to anyone who builds them. The man hours on a shovel. The thought that goes into the size of a lip, gap and landing. The love shown when maintaining a lip, the delight in seeing the line ridden, and the excitement in attempting the line for the first time. The feeling of accomplishment when you step back and say “I built that.” If you have already been bitten by the bug you know what I am saying, if you haven’t then go get a taste.
Along with the constructing of jumps comes great responsibility in the upkeep.
Maintaining the lips and landings is crucial to the safety and beauty of a
line. This is where I think things got old to the previous builders of Meldrum;
you see being a public place brings public people, with those people comes
untamed abuse to the precious lips (kids climbing all over them, dirt bikes
roosting, RC cars going the wrong way, gapers casing landings, dirty grits
trying to drive trucks on them, the list goes on) fixing and re-fixing problems
you didn’t create gets old and others not giving the proper respect to
your efforts gets tiresome. I don’t blame the original builders from
leaving and finding another place, after all they built the jumps for them-
not for others to mess up and never pitch in to fix.
If not for those guys Meldrum would not be what it is today.
Located just south of PDX in Gladstone it is now a legal dirt jump spot for BMXers and Mt. Bikers. Last year builders removed one jump which was deemed “too dangerous” because of crossing a street in order to gain city councils support to the cause and gain a little more land (for a few more jumps). Meldrum has come back to life and is on its way to being one of, if not, the most diverse park in the northwest. By the end of the 06’ summer there will be lines for all skill levels. Pro’s to absolute beginners will have something to play on.
If you plan on going out check out these unspoken rules:
1. Bring a shovel to help out.
2. Pick up your trash. (Trash cans are out there for a reason)
3. Look before you cross a line.
4. DO NOT WALK UP LIPS OR LANDINGS.
5. No alcohol or drug use.
6. Show respect for pedestrians and others using the park (not only bikers
out there).
7. Do not build your own jump because you can’t do the ones out there.
8. Keep your domestic disputes and fighting intentions at home.
9. Helmets are good.
10. Don’t park in no parking zones (pay attention to signs).
11. Announce yourself if you are riding a line someone may be working on.
12. Watch the speed limit into the park (posted 15mph please obey it, we do).
13. FIX IT IF YOU MESS IT UP. See you there.