PDX Sunday Service - A Secret Revealed
There's a chance that some of you already know this, but for those that don't I am going to let you in on a Portland secret. Bikes are allowed at Burnside Skate Park on Sundays. Any other day of the week a bike there would definitely stir up something, but I guess all the skaters sleep in on Sunday mornings or something and bikes are allowed to take over for a bit. I had heard about the Sunday morning rule about a year back but had not had the chance to see it for myself. So when my buddy let me know on Saturday night that he would be out there the next morning I decided to tag along and check it out. If you don't know anything about Burnside allow me to enlighten you.
Since it's evolution began in 1990 it has gone under quite a few facelifts. It was originally started by 2 skaters that lived just a few minutes from the Burnside Bridge and they wanted somewhere close to skate. They had a few bags of cement and decided to go for it underneath the east side of the bridge. From there it just kept growing and evolving into what it is today. It's become a Portland landmark and has been in movies, Tony Hawk Pro Skater and THPS 3, tons of skate videos and documentaries. The park is famous and being that its under the bridge keeps it mostly dry and rideable in the rainy winter months of the northwest as long as you can deal with the colder temps.
There were about a dozen riders out in total, most of them on bmx bikes. If you get the chance now you know when you can roll out there on two wheels. It's a sick spot to ride with all of its features and its artwork all over the place. Currently the wall is covered in a giant He-Man mural with the man himself and a gigantic 12 foot tall Castle Greyskull.
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BMX move way to fast to be sharing a park crowded with skaters!
It's called Burnside Skate Park for a reason. I've watched that place start as a wall ride, and bikes were allowed. When the deep pool came in, bikes were allowed. Here's the deal, bikes are not allowed when the park is full of skaters, as it's a "skate park"! This rule is nothing new, I know people that threw down man hours to build BSP and they have never stated any such rule though. I would say this rule is maybe three years old, maybe a little older, but not by much. And I watched this place start out as nothing more than a spot for homeless people to sleep, nothing to ride.
I've seen BMX riders there most any day of the weak. BMX is welcome there as long is the park is not crowded, and that place can be randomly crowded at 3am. Sunday morn would be the best time for an all out BMX fest as most people drank the night before and are sleeping, dreaming of the park. If the park happens to get over-run with skaters around early to late afternoon on Sunday, then the bikers would have to yield to the skaters(come back another time). Here in PDX you can get ticketed for destruction of property for grinding or sliding rails and painted curbs, so your accretion to skate the city can actually get you a fine if you don't watch your ass. There are 20 something skate/BMX parks around Multnomah county.