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Location
Boise, ID
US
sspomer
11/25/2014 9:43am
11/25/2014 9:43am
Edited Date/Time
2/17/2015 7:51am
It was a matter of time, but development in the town of Aptos has finally caught up with the Post Office jumps. Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz have posted a letter from the landowner stating that the Post Office jumps and Epicenter Cycling pumptrack will be closed February 17, 2015.
The letter
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Dear Cyclists, Dirt Jumping and Pump Track Community,
Barry Swenson Builder and the Santa Cruz County Parks Department are sad to announce that the Aptos Epicenter Pump Track and the Post Office Jump Park will be closing February 17, 2015. Barry Swenson Builder and the Santa Cruz County Parks Department built these parks temporarily knowing this real estate was slated as the future home of Aptos Village. Together we identified there was a community need for a safe place for riders of all ages and skill levels to participate and have a place to go. Whether working on riding skills and techniques on the pump track or honing their skills dirt jumping and free style riding on the dirt jumps the parks appealed to intermediate and pro riders alike.
Many good things have come out of these temporary model parks. We now are seeing bicycle pump track parks being built throughout Santa Cruz County. This method of developing public parks on private land and with community stewardship has become a role model and many grassroots bicycle parks have been built using this as a model nationwide. We are proud to have demonstrated the social/community need and been a catalyst for generating world-class freestyle dirt jumpers from of our area.
While it is sad to see these parks close, it is exciting to see what changes the future may bring to Aptos and the biking community. What began as a short term temporary park ended up having a long successful run and should be seen as is a testament to the stewardship provided by the biking community and a great example of a public private partnership.
Thank you for taking care of our parks and for making them yours,
Jesse L. Nickell III
Senior Vice President
Barry Swenson Builder
The following people support the park closure and understand the temporary nature of these parks: Mark Davidson (President, Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz), Shawn Wilson (Owner, Epicenter), Dave Smith (Owner, Shuttle Smith Adventures), Cameron McCaul, Alex Reveles, Tyler McCaul, Greg Watts, Jamie Goldman, Ryan Howard, Kyle Jamison, Jack Fogelquist, and Ray George.
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It's hard to imagine what the slopestyle/dirt jump community might be like today without the jumps. I've been fortunate to see the scene grow over the last decade and it's sad to hear the news of this. I made my first visit to Aptos in 2003 after Cam McCaul's Race Face Ultimate Freeride contest video dropped on Pinkbike. The riders who blossomed from that area, largely due to the Post Office jumps, is astounding.
The landowner, the riders and the local community worked together to keep the trails available as long as possible. Their cooperation and dedication helped the scene grow in a healthy way and we'll surely miss the place when it's gone.
There is still a winter of digging and riding ahead and I'm personally excited to see what comes out of there this season. Thanks to everyone involved in those trails. Lifelong friends were made, careers sky-rocketed and millions of smiles were had because of some scultped piles of dirt.
I'm posting some of my first and favorite photos from the Post Office and some of my favorite video clips. Please share your favorites here too.
-gordo
Gabe Randall blasting over a collection of groms at the Post Office in 2003.
Cam McCaul, January 2004.
Alex Reveles, 13-years old, 2003. #stylemaster
Jamie Goldman, 2006.
Josh Toland, Littermag Online Supplement "cover", 2006.
Fun times as Obama was being sworn in as president.
Oozing style with riders like R-dog, Hoenisch, Guy French and Cob. There was just something special about the style push by this crew of riders. Here's to more epic sunset sessions while the jumps are still around.
The letter
-------------------------------------
Dear Cyclists, Dirt Jumping and Pump Track Community,
Barry Swenson Builder and the Santa Cruz County Parks Department are sad to announce that the Aptos Epicenter Pump Track and the Post Office Jump Park will be closing February 17, 2015. Barry Swenson Builder and the Santa Cruz County Parks Department built these parks temporarily knowing this real estate was slated as the future home of Aptos Village. Together we identified there was a community need for a safe place for riders of all ages and skill levels to participate and have a place to go. Whether working on riding skills and techniques on the pump track or honing their skills dirt jumping and free style riding on the dirt jumps the parks appealed to intermediate and pro riders alike.
Many good things have come out of these temporary model parks. We now are seeing bicycle pump track parks being built throughout Santa Cruz County. This method of developing public parks on private land and with community stewardship has become a role model and many grassroots bicycle parks have been built using this as a model nationwide. We are proud to have demonstrated the social/community need and been a catalyst for generating world-class freestyle dirt jumpers from of our area.
While it is sad to see these parks close, it is exciting to see what changes the future may bring to Aptos and the biking community. What began as a short term temporary park ended up having a long successful run and should be seen as is a testament to the stewardship provided by the biking community and a great example of a public private partnership.
Thank you for taking care of our parks and for making them yours,
Jesse L. Nickell III
Senior Vice President
Barry Swenson Builder
The following people support the park closure and understand the temporary nature of these parks: Mark Davidson (President, Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz), Shawn Wilson (Owner, Epicenter), Dave Smith (Owner, Shuttle Smith Adventures), Cameron McCaul, Alex Reveles, Tyler McCaul, Greg Watts, Jamie Goldman, Ryan Howard, Kyle Jamison, Jack Fogelquist, and Ray George.
-------------------------------------
It's hard to imagine what the slopestyle/dirt jump community might be like today without the jumps. I've been fortunate to see the scene grow over the last decade and it's sad to hear the news of this. I made my first visit to Aptos in 2003 after Cam McCaul's Race Face Ultimate Freeride contest video dropped on Pinkbike. The riders who blossomed from that area, largely due to the Post Office jumps, is astounding.
The landowner, the riders and the local community worked together to keep the trails available as long as possible. Their cooperation and dedication helped the scene grow in a healthy way and we'll surely miss the place when it's gone.
There is still a winter of digging and riding ahead and I'm personally excited to see what comes out of there this season. Thanks to everyone involved in those trails. Lifelong friends were made, careers sky-rocketed and millions of smiles were had because of some scultped piles of dirt.
I'm posting some of my first and favorite photos from the Post Office and some of my favorite video clips. Please share your favorites here too.
-gordo
Gabe Randall blasting over a collection of groms at the Post Office in 2003.
Cam McCaul, January 2004.
Alex Reveles, 13-years old, 2003. #stylemaster
Jamie Goldman, 2006.
Josh Toland, Littermag Online Supplement "cover", 2006.
Fun times as Obama was being sworn in as president.
Oozing style with riders like R-dog, Hoenisch, Guy French and Cob. There was just something special about the style push by this crew of riders. Here's to more epic sunset sessions while the jumps are still around.
P
gabe and cam from clappin' yo dome, one of the first times i ever visited that magic land. the "non-post office" trails haven't existed for years
https://vimeo.com/3113857
Going to have to do my best to get back up there before February.
Cam and Tyler- make it happen. You can do it
http://www.vitalmtb.com/photos/member/Final-Days-at-Post-Office,8602/Co…
Where I live MTB is not even remotely as big thing as it is in Cali but we scheduled a meeting with mayor and said we want a piece of land where we can build some jumps/pump track and we simply got it. Our idea sprouted into plan to make like sports park there with areas dedicated for other sports so they are going to build it for us, we just had to describe what we want. With the amazing story of Post office I really dont see why the legacy should not continue...
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