The Park Blog

SFM Rail Jam 2025 at Woods Valley

Posted on by Robert

Across New York park jams have been firing. The venerated Scott Delforte jam at Bristol went off for the 20th year in a row. North of there at the Northampton Rope Tow Park the boys built a gnarly rail jam course with the Flower Skate Shop and hosted the Tell a Friend Tour. Out west the Boardroom hosted the 7th annual Boardroom Banked.

Grom Rail
Nose Press on the Grom Rail

Unfortunately, my season is over, a fractured foot. Still, I wasn’t content to miss out on all the action, especially not the 2nd Annual SFM Rail Jam at Woods Valley. The Stone Mercurio Foundation honors the legacy of a Rome native, by building a much needed city skatepark in his name.

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Tagged: Park, Woods Valley5 Comments

Flower Skate Shop Rail Jam 2024

Posted on by Robert

For me the Flower Skate Shop Rail Jam is now a must send event. For the 4th year in a row, the Jam at Snow Ridge closed the season down on the Tug Hill. It has become the embodiment of NY park. A carnival of riding, it’s sheer pandemonium as bodies get tossed. 55 riders come from across the state, some driving hours, to ride a 100’ magic carpet and slide on rails. It almost seemed wrong to be riding rails on a powder day but deep down it felt so right.

Route 26

Along with the contestants, Mother Nature has been in regular attendance for each Flower Jam. The last three years have been beautiful bluebird spring days. This year with significantly less snow on the ground, she delivered a foot of fresh snow to soften the course.

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Tagged: Indy Pass, Park, Powder, Snow Ridge, Tug Hill3 Comments

Woods Valley SFM Skatepark Rail Jam

Posted on by Robert

Over the last few years I have been lucky to cover some amazing events and tap into the culture, the community and the park vibe in upstate NY. A few stand out as true zeitgeists like the first Berms, Bruises and Beers at Hunt Hollow. In Rome NY one movement is traveling with such velocity that it cannot be ignored.

Woods Valley

The SFM Skatepark Project was born from the tragic passing of Stone Mercurio last April and since then has grown into one of the “most prolific grassroots movements in Rome.” Family and friends quickly organized to honor Stone, a native Roman who loved to shred and loved his city.

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Tagged: Central NY, Park, Woods Valley7 Comments