atomicskate - Shanghai…

Last week-end, we’ve enjoyed a rollerskating session at SMP on Saturday (August 18^th) and a MTB ride in 嘉定 (Jiādìng) on Sunday (August 19^th).

 
 
Perfect weather at the skatepark… Many people were there
That’s why, around 6pm, when the twilight came, I went to the SMP shop in order to ask if the management can turn on the lights.
Yep, there are some big lights on the skate area and pro area. My request was only for the first area.

But the answer of SMP management was: "Sorry, turning on the lights cost too many money".
So, if they’ve installed some lighting what’s for? "Only for competitions".
I remind you that there is only one contest per year hosted at the SMP (The SMP Showdown).
And I also remind you that the official aim of the SMP is "to develop extreme sports in Shanghai"…

The management added: "It’s possible that from next month, everybody should pay an entrance fee, because everyday we lost a lot of money".
If they ask to pay entrance, I’m OK if the management commits to:
- repair correctly all the boxes and bowls (because if nothing is done quickly, SMP will come back to nature in a few time)
- clean all the areas (can you tell me the cost of a 师傅 sweeping 2 times per week compared to the cost of this too-much-skatepark?)
- put garbages can on the skatepark (currently, there are only poor people picking up the plastic bottles)
- establish security, because thiefs are now common at SMP (it’s the job of the 师傅 to look if there is unsolicited people among us)
- open the lights after twilight (at least 2 hours if there is still many people)
- use the speakers already installed on site in order to broadcast music
- … ok, I stop my list now because I think it’s already too much for SMP "management"…

Here are the pictures and the slideshow.
As usual you can download high resolution pics thru my FTP server or thanks to the Add to cart function in the Pictures section.

And as many people often ask me how to go to SMP skatepark, here is the address and transportations:

Website (网址): www.smpskatepark.com
E-mail (邮件): asia@smpapparel.com

Closest subway: jiāng wān zhèn (jiāng wān town) on line 3, at chǎng zhōng road by guǎng yuè road (chǎng zhōng lù guǎng yuè lù lùkǒu).
最近地铁站：江湾镇地铁站（三号线）。在场中路广粤路路口。
Then take a taxi (about 10 minutes and 15rmb).
出租车费用到江湾镇地铁站到SMP滑板公园：左右15元。时间：左右10分钟。

Closest bus (going to the Bund): line 910, at shìjiè road by zhá yīn road (shìjiè lù zhá yīn lù lùkǒu).
最近共公路（到外滩）：910路线， 在世界路闸殷路路口。
Cost: 2rmb.
费用：2元。
Then it’s about 10 minutes ride.
然后你应该花10分钟为去SMP滑板公园。

Map on Google DiTu / Google地图

 
 
 
 
The day after, we’ve been "outside the city" for a MTB ride!

When I say "outside the city", I mean, just after the limit of the new buildings, behind 虹桥 (Hóngqiáo), in 嘉定 (Jiādìng) area.

We’ve booked a 小货车 (xiǎo huòchē), put Pierre’s motorbike inside and our 4 bikes (Mei, Yun, GuanTou, Eric) and left downtown around noon with another taxi.

Journey duration from downtown up to the MTB spot: around 50 minutes with traffic.
Cost of the 小货车: 75rmb.
Cost of the taxi: 45rmb.

Over there, we’ve met Dieter and Peter. And we enjoyed the delicious sandwiches that Pierre has bought!

The track is on a small hill, and Thomas, Peter, George and some friends are used to go there since few weeks, digging earth in order to arrange bumps and MTB trail.

All around, it still local life… Stucked between 苏州河 (Suzhou River), small canals, a new extension of 沪宁高速公路 (the Nanjing-Shanghai highway) and the Nanjing-Suzhou railway.
Pierre said that he likes this place, because you can hear birds. And that’s true: it’s Chinese suburbs-countryside: you can hear them… sometimes LoL

We didn’t take a lot of pictures because it was often heavy raining (see pictures of previous sessions hereunder)… But, never mind, it was a good session!

Here is the location, and indications if you want to go there (don’t forget to ask the shovels in order to dig!!!):

Map on Google DiTu / Google地图
 

Here are the pictures and the slideshow.
As usual you can download high resolution pics thru my FTP server or thanks to the Add to cart function in the Pictures section.

More pictures of previous sessions at this new Shanghai MTB spot: Link 1  Link 2

 
 
Vocabulary:
师傅 = shīfu = master, qualified worker, security guard, cooker, driver…
小货车 = xiǎo huòchē = small truck
高速 = gāosù = high speed
公路 = gōnglù = highway
高速公路 = gāosù gōnglù = highway
费用 = fèiyòng = cost
最近 = zuìjìn = closer