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When should a builder just Stop building?

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When should a builder just Stop building?
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flag mxnate
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 8:55 Quote
Ive been building at a spot for about 5 years or so and Id say that 90% of whats out there was built by me, usually alone. Now within the last 2 years the place has blown up and become the main local ride spot (unfortunately some of the stupidest kids alive). Theres probably 30 or 40 kids that hit up the trails on a regular basis and maybe only 2 or 3 who help dig occasionally. My point is that Im sick and tired of creating, building and maintaining trails for people who have no respect for what I do. Dont get me wrong I didnt start building for respect, I did it out of necessity and because I loved it. I just cant work my balls off building something only to have it destroyed by stupidity. Its like they all believe in the dirt jump fairy, they blow the shit out on Monday and its magically fixed on Tuesday so they can blow it out again. They take no resposibility for the trails, theres garbage everywhere, Ive tried to lay down some ground rules but its useless. Ive tried putting down the shovel in the past when I get frustrated but I always pick it up again because I love to build. Is there a way to get through to these kids (without violence) or should I just walk away and let the place go to hell. How do you not get emotionally attached as a builder to a ride spot, I take it personally every time the place gets jacked.
flag josh94
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 9:02 Quote
Maybe leave the trail for a month or so, and when these kids come back and it has been ruined because they have wrecked it, they probaly wont come back, then go back and repair. Or it might teach the kids more respect for other people so in the future they might not wreck it or maybe even give you a hand on maintaining them.
flag sam-davies
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 9:09 Quote
Have you tried talking to them and explaining how much time and effort is put into the trails?
flag bigroly
O+
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 9:15 Quote
have 2 spots haha

one that you keep under the radar for times like this.. since they keep destroying the place just leave for a while and ride at the spot thats not known about while keepin an eye on the kids once in a while.. once they realise you aint takin shit from them no more theyll either learn to fix the place up themselves or just leave at which point you can return to the normal spot..
flag recklessness
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 9:19 Quote
Do booby-traps count as violence? If not, I'm gonna say have some fun with it. Nothing says "Stop destroying my beautiful creations" like gettting clothes-lined by fishing line at full speed. Seriously though, you're a good man and a better trail builder. I'm gonna say cut your losses and find a better hidden spot. Make the jumps difficult enough to keep the idiots off, and hopefully while you're building the new set, the kiddies will disappear from the first one because it will get run down. Either that or try making an example out of one of the kids. I'm sure that nobody will f*ck around when you have dude's buddy's head on a stick and you say "that's what happens when you f*ck around."
Seriously though, that's a tough one. Whatever you do, good luck!!
flag brandon-53
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 9:23 Quote
when he is finished
flag mxnate
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 9:51 Quote
I hear ya boys, much appreciated. I wish I was the guy who could ride anything in any condition, I think because I know how to fix something I automatically want to fix it. If something is sketchy I just dont have the confidence, I have to learn how to get over that and it would make it a whole lot easier to just do Nothing!

I wish I had an alternate site to go to, theres just not much available in our crappy little town. I envy anybody with secret trails.
flag sykesy
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 9:57 Quote
obviously lay down some rules and try to get everybody working together, but perhaps buy some concrete dust, that way the jumps will hold together a bit better and could help in the short term
flag mxnate
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 10:04 Quote
Concrete dust? Does that really work? I thought about doing that on a couple lips that get tortured all the time, kids fufanu the lip likes its a quarter pipe. Have you used it before and it worked?
flag Diablito
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 10:12 Quote
When I was a young BMXer the local heroes would heckle use until we earned our "trail license" by putting our share of work into the spot. A good way to start the kids working is to make them atleast repair the landings that they case. Building parties are always fun, a BBQ, hotdogs and hamburgers, some sodas ( and brews for the older riders) , shovels, picks, rakes, brooms, music,etc.. The younger kids always want the approval of the older better riders, so if the older riders talk shit to them when they aren't digging and give props to them when they do dig they'll put some work in.
flag MajesticMOOSE
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 10:16 Quote
This will stop anybody riding who you don't want there: Buy a bunch of 15 ft long chains, bright orange warning tape and a few pad-locks. String the chain from two trees, so it hangs in front of your jump. Then you wrap the chain in fluorescent orange tape so it's impossible to miss. Then just pad-lock the chain so nobody rides your jumps without your consent. Then go on a Sunday afternoon (when all the kids are there) and tell them nobody rides the trail until everyone starts digging. If they value to the shred spot, in the slightest, they will dig.
flag warthog
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 10:34 Quote
Dude I so feel your pain! I hear you and believe me you're not in a unique situation. I think it's quite common, unfortunately. Your problem is you care too much and take it all personally. Which is a compliment. It will work out in the end and you just have to keep doing what you're doing one day, one kid at a time.
flag sykesy
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 11:08 Quote
mxnate wrote:
Concrete dust? Does that really work? I thought about doing that on a couple lips that get tortured all the time, kids fufanu the lip likes its a quarter pipe. Have you used it before and it worked?

not personally but i've heard of it helping to strengthen lips, but unless they are reasonably old they may suffer from cracks due to subsidance as the jumps bed in if new.
flag mxnate
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 at 12:39 Quote
Diablito wrote:
When I was a young BMXer the local heroes would heckle use until we earned our "trail license" by putting our share of work into the spot. A good way to start the kids working is to make them atleast repair the landings that they case. Building parties are always fun, a BBQ, hotdogs and hamburgers, some sodas ( and brews for the older riders) , shovels, picks, rakes, brooms, music,etc.. The younger kids always want the approval of the older better riders, so if the older riders talk shit to them when they aren't digging and give props to them when they do dig they'll put some work in.

Man, I wish this was the case, at the risk of sounding too old, kids these days just dont get it. I have one kid that seems to get it and appreciates what I do but most dont, they roll in with the attitude that they have the right to ride when really its a privledge. Ive tried being nice, supportive, understanding, angry, psychotic and mostly fed up. They dont seem to respond to anything, It might be that Im one of only 2 or 3 guys over 20 who ride out there and the rest average about 14. Were heavily out numbered.
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