Every great story deserves a killer soundtrack, and when it comes to the new Bike Pump Track and Scott Adams Skate Park, think Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dogg, Burial Etiquette, and Oakwood’s "Milk is Too Acidic Drink Crackers." I had to Shazam a few of the newer tracks to keep up with the cool kids, but the mix of post-punk garage bands and hip-hop classics was spot on. Layer that in with the sound of longboards hitting rails and BMX bikes rumbling over Kingsport's stunning new multi-use pump track at Brickyard Park, and you’ve got the vibe.
Situated at Scott Adams Memorial Skatepark on Industry Drive, this park opened in 2005 to honor Scott Adams, a 13-year-old who was struck by a car while retrieving his skateboard on Stone Drive. It was relocated and re-opened in 2023 at a 10,000 sq. ft. facility that's truly a sight to behold.
The new pump track opened in November last year, but I couldn’t attend the event due to other commitments. However, I recently revisited the site for a client, Barge Designs, to snap some photos. The biggest challenge? The unpredictable weather.
It was early June, prime time in East Tennessee. One morning, I arrived to find wildflowers in full bloom on the hillside, and the site was lush with solid grass growth. Perfect timing meant I got the call from the client that the landscaping was ready, so I headed to the park on the South side of Kingsport.
Over several weeks, I made multiple trips to the site to capture the perfect lighting and focus on people visiting the park. It quickly became apparent that this place was not just attracting local skaters but also a diverse crowd from all over. I’d say, by square footage, this might be the busiest park in Kingsport. The skate park, which opened in 2023, and the pump track are part of a 10,000-square-foot complex that was conceived many years ago.
With cameras prepped, drone charged, and a mental checklist in place, I hit the park on the first sunny afternoon of summer.
That’s when the music started.
Cars filled the lot, and the crowd's average age was probably 16-24. I stood out as the old guy in a Death Cab for Cutie T-shirt and jorts, taking pictures and flying a drone.
The skatepark was a blend of spectacle and concrete coliseum. The soundtrack blared from one set of speakers, blending perfectly with the sounds of rails and wheels clopping from air to wall and back.
The pump track wasn’t as crowded, with a few bikers here and there, but it seems to attract skaters, small scooters, and occasionally some riders. The track, built by Velosolutions USA and American Ramp Company, was designed by former Swiss World Cup Downhill mountain biker Claudio Caluori.
After watching skaters and bikers in the drone footage, I learned what a pump track is all about. It’s a course that allows bikers or skaters to move along without pedaling or putting their feet on the ground, using a pumping motion to navigate the contours. Pump tracks are safer because there’s less pedaling or pounding of feet.
One morning, I ran into an older skater practicing stunts alone. He looked like a young professional, and the images I captured that morning, thanks to the perfect lighting and timing, turned out to be some of my favorites.
The same day, a young daredevil circled the pump track, wearing a Ninja Turtle helmet. He was fascinated by my drone and eager to see the footage on YouTube. His grandmother brings him by on good weather mornings. He’s quite the performer, ready for YouTube and already into dirt bikes.
The entire park radiates a certain chill. As temperatures climbed in June, I visited in the afternoons and evenings to catch the course under the lights. Each time, the park was calm yet active, with an incredibly chill vibe.
Sure, there were lots of tattoos, low-slung jeans, and even toboggans in the summer, but I was just a spectator, soaking in the rhythm of the place. This park is a haven for bright and street poets alike, unafraid to stand out. Skaters draw in the misfits, and the thrills, chill, and soundtrack add to the shimmer of this amazing city park.
A big shoutout to the folks at Parks and Rec and the City of Kingsport for bringing this park to life. This effort will inspire and connect skaters for generations to come.