base428

I heard about this last week. I think this type of stuff (suicides) is best left off the forums. Some in the Fayetteville area are attributing it to the live TV broadcast. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

When you say "Railway Franchise", I'm only guessing you mean the catwalk tours guy. Anyway, the catwalk tours issue has been approved all the way up the Governor's Office. Since our Governor isn't running for re-election, he won't do anything with it. After January, the next Governor will review the catwalk tour bid and it's looking good so far. This is a very important part of my plan. With catwalk access, all we do is unclip from the static line and jump. While we're on this subject, if anyone has any good video of Twin Falls and the tourists, I could really use footage similar to that. I'm trying to show the hoards of tourists that flock to the area. Any help is appreciated. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Competition leads to discussion of possible multiple Bridge Days By Steve Keenan/For The Register-Herald FAYETTEVILLE - Jason Bell might be seeking Dr. Evil's advice, because he'd like to see a bunch of mini-Bridge Days. Bell, whose company, Vertical Visions, coordinates BASE jumping activities, joined rappel coordinator Benjy Simpson and Jon Dragan, who helps direct the water rescues, to present their final Bridge Day 2004 numbers to members of the Bridge Day Commission at a follow-up meeting Monday. While delivering those final reports and taking the initial steps in beginning next year's planning, Bell took the opportunity to discuss the possibility of conducting BASE jumping activities from the New River Gorge Bridge on days other than the third Saturday in October. He and co-worker Bill Bird pointed to locations such as Twin Falls, Idaho, where BASE jumping is legal year-round and has grown into a cottage industry for that area. "There is some competition out there for Bridge Day," said Bird, passing out a flyer that had promoted a legal three-day BASE event - with competition - the week before Bridge Day off the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado. "This may have affected our attendance." Bell said it has also impacted his employment roster somewhat. "We've lost some staff members to that event." Bell hopes to submit a plan by year's end that calls for "pushing to expand (local BASE jumping possibilities) ... to more than six hours a year." He's not suggesting closing the bridge down totally. Instead, he wants BASE jumpers to have access to the catwalk. In Idaho, jumpers leap every day of the year from a walkway on top of the 486-foot high Perrine Bridge, the Bridgeport resident pointed out. "At first in the late 1990s, (community leaders) didn't know how to respond to us," Bell said of the jumping community. "Then they saw the dollar signs, and now the local Chamber of Commerce is promoting us. "They are embracing jumpers and the tourists who come to watch them." The same could be said for the New River Gorge National River area, he said, if his proposal is accepted. "We don't want to change Bridge Day at all, but this would benefit jumpers, the community and the state of West Virginia," Bell said, adding the status of BASE jumping in this area now could be likened to whitewater rafting in its infancy. "And look how rafting has come up through the ages," he said. Saturday's nasty weather limited 390 BASE jumpers to a total of 645 jumps. "Under the circumstances, that was pretty amazing," Bell said. Four jumpers were transported from the landing zone via ambulance. Only one of those jumpers received any type of serious injury - a broken foot and some broken toes. "Overall, it was a very safe Bridge Day for BASE jumpers," Bell said. Simpson, whose firm, Passages to Adventures, annually coordinates the rappellers, said he had over 90 individuals take part in the high line this year, and 267 rappellers made a total of 423 rappels. "There were no injuries, although there was one near-miss," he said. One rappeller, according to Simpson, "inverted but did not go unconscious." "It looked a lot worse than it was," he stressed. A storm that swept through the area at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday halted BASE jumping and rappelling activities for about 30 minutes, but rappelling did not resume when the weather improved, Simpson said. "I counted seven weather changes; it was an interesting day," he added. "The storm changed quite a few things for us, but we had a blast," Bell chimed in. Sharon Cruikshank of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and New River CVB, which team up to coordinate Bridge Day, said the weather was obviously a factor. "We had the Taste of Bridge Day (Friday) where you could sample all the restaurants' food, then you got to sample all of the (weather) elements Saturday: from sunny to drizzle to rain to hail to snow," she said. "But even drenched to the skin, everybody seemed to be in good humor." Dragan reported 130 water rescues, many near the middle of the New River. "That's really getting up there," he said. Some 150 of the 195 registered vendors showed up to display a variety of wares. "The ones that were there seemed happy," Cruikshank said. Despite the iffy weather, an estimated crowd of 75,000 still took part in the festivities. Another Editorial --------------------------- Extra BASE jumping days proposal merits further study Jason Bell of Vertical Visions, who annually coordinates BASE jumping activities at Bridge Day, made a proposition to the Bridge Day Commission Monday that bears some study. On first blush, Bell's idea of conducting BASE jumping activities from the New River Gorge Bridge on days other than the third Saturday in October sounds a little nuts. After all, the sheer logistics of allowing BASE jumping from the bridge even one day a year is a gargantuan task. Listening a little longer to Bell's idea, however, leads one to believe it has possibility. He's not suggesting closing the bridge down totally, he told the commission. Instead, he wants BASE jumpers to have access to the catwalk. Bell and co-worker Bill Bird pointed to locations such as Twin Falls, Idaho, where BASE jumping is legal year-round and has grown into a cottage industry for that area. "There is some competition out there for Bridge Day," Bird said, passing out a flier that had promoted a legal three-day BASE event - with competition - the week before Bridge Day off the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado. "This may have affected our attendance." Bell believes expanding BASE jumping to other days could economically benefit the area. "At first in the late 1990s, (community leaders in Idaho) didn't know how to respond to us," Bell said of the jumping community. "Then they saw the dollar signs, and now the local chamber of commerce is promoting us. "They are embracing jumpers and the tourists who come to watch them." The same could be said for the New River Gorge National River area, he told the BDC, if his proposal is accepted. "We don't want to change Bridge Day at all, but this would benefit jumpers, the community and the state of West Virginia," Bell said, adding the status of BASE jumping in this area now could be likened to whitewater rafting in its infancy. "And look how rafting has come up through the ages," he said. Bell's idea is one which merits study, but gaining approval from all the different entities involved in allowing such a move is a process that will take a while. Matt Darpli of Oak Hill and Colorado owns Bridge Climb USA, a company which - after a few years of work - still is in the process of getting a project finalized to offer guided tours of the bridge's catwalk. Sharon Cruikshank, director of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and New River CVB and a member of the Bridge Day Commission, said Darpli has put a lot of work and study into his proposal and that Bell's proposal could be an economic boon, but it will require a lot of legwork on his part. "I could see where it would be good for business, but there has been no plan submitted. We need to look at a proposal before we can do anything." Bell said he hopes to have a plan ready to submit by year's end that calls for expanding local BASE jumping possibilities. It's worth a look, and a second and even third look. Tourism has become a major player in the economy of southern West Virginia, and such a proposal - if it proves sound - could grow into another successful cog in the industry. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Nick, many thanks for coming to Bridge Day 2004 and shaking hands with those who truly admire you. Please continue to fill our days with excitement as we read your posts online. I can't wait to read your book! And to all the old timers who showed up at Bridge Day......thank you! (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Due to the numerous requests for me to post the scoresheet for an unnamed judge, please see the two attachments. I can only surmise that these scores were not utilized to determine the winner. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Nope, I'm working to get Bridge Day extended to at least 2-3 days and could use the information on jump numbers to show the Bridge Day Commission. Any info would be appreciated. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

EDIT: I guess speaking my mind will offend some of you, so I've removed some of this post. I've experienced some things that have shaped my comments about organized base events, especially when working with certain groups in the past. There is a great deal of knowledge, planning, and execution that is necessary to pull off such an event. Hopefully, we can all learn from the mistakes of the past. I wish Robin a fast recovery and nothing but the best. PS. How many jumps were made last year, and this year, at the GF Games? PPS. Gear checks happen LONG before arriving at the event. It is critical that each jumper submit details of their canopy and harness, and that the organizer contact any jumper with equipment that is inadequate before the event begins. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Note that I spent $4500 of my own money on building a new exit ramp this year for Bridge Day (16' long, 10' wide, 4' overhung, 8' off the ground). It had a 4' overhang and Russel's bar stuck out an extra 2' beyond the edge. That makes it 6' out. This was the largest ramp we have ever had at Bridge Day, with the most overhang. Last year's was about 2'. I can only thank the good Lord that the ramp was fabricated in time for Bridge Day (1 week before!). Russel is living history when it comes to paraplegic BASE. There is no textbook we can reference on this subject. We have all learned a lesson and fortunately Russel had a great jump and a very memorable award for Paraplegic BASE #1 at the Saturday night party. I actually cried a few tears today when driving back to Fayetteville for a Bridge Day Commission meeting......Russel's courage is beyond description. There were many tears during his two standing ovations Saturday night. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

390 jumpers showed up and made 645 jumps in another amazing Bridge Day. The weather was cold and rainy, but we fought our way through it to make a lot of jumps even with weather holds and a train that decided to park under the bridge (I hate trains!) We had four jumpers transported to the hospital, but only one of them broke something (foot and toes). The other three jumpers had sprains or sore backs, but zero injuries. A major storm that included hail and 40-50 mph winds hit at 1:30pm and the rangers said to me "I guess we're gonna call it". I told them with the wonderfully large 6 hour window they give us each year, that we will never "call it" until it's past 3pm. We commenced jumping at approximately 2:10pm! Never give up! Highlights: Russel Metlitsky's solo paraplegic jump with a 3 second delay (although he did nip his toe on the steel after swinging a bit too much on the bar).........Red Bull's giant rope swing jump.......My scissor lift (man-lift) jump from 20' above the road deck........the Triax guys doing a 2-way from the boom truck basket........and the guy who hit the Live TV truck mast and transmitter in the LZ shortly before we went LIVE (it was later repaired). The BASE Videofest was a very successfull event with hundreds of jumpers, 2 big screen TV's, and 15 entries!!! The Saturday night party was the best I've seen that included a guy on stilts with a monkey mask, streakers, and 11 kegs of beer. Also, the Continuum II premiere was standing room only! I recorded the Live TV broadcast on my DVR if anyone wants a copy. So far the first 45 minutes are pretty cool and I'm actually still in complete shock at seeing jumpers on live tv. This is amazing coverage and they are mentioning my push for jumping off the bridge legally EVERY DAY of the year! I knew we made major progress this year when jumpers told me they went back to the hotel after the storm and watched us jump until 3pm on TV. Cya next year. More info soon. Thanks to everyone who attended..... (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Just when I finally got all my BASE manufacturer links, addresses, and phone numbers in order! Another corporate buy-out Good luck to both of you. Cya at Bridge Day. Good luck Anne. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Water landings will be cold, but you don't need to wear anything special. Just bring a change of clothes and keep them in your car or at the exit point. If the weather is nice, it'll be 70F at mid-day. However, it's been known to snow every now and then. Maybe a fanny pack with fresh clothes in a ziplock bag would be a good idea? cya there (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

If you haven't found a place to stay for Bridge Day, the Holiday Inn Oak Hill now has camping available for $20 per tent per night. Showers and bathrooms available, but no campfires. Please contact the Holiday Inn at 304-465-0571 for reservations. Bridge Day weather: http://www.bridgeday.info/weather.php (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

http://www.bridgeday.info/photogallery.php (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

You haven't been to Bridge Day, have you? Nope, skydiving gear is still allowed. There's a lot of history in using skydiving gear from this bridge. Since most injuries are landing related, I don't think it would help much to ban skydiving rigs. Can't wait to meet many of you. Cya soon. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

I'll be there! Check out the attached file....it's the new exit platform (20' long, 10' wide, 8' overhang). alanab base428 bolas brits17 chrissay cielodiosa cocheese dixieskydiver + other club guy Phil douggie edwinsneller eUrNiCc jennejenn hookitt krisflyzs mayberry + wife MikeJD + more brits!! pullhigh scottbre sinkster skydiveelis skysporto stevebabin supafly swooper120 & Friends weegegirl wrongway zennie (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Sean from National Geographic Adventure Mag asked us a question that some of you may be able to answer. I used to jump with Bob Wolf, but he no longer jumps and I've lost contact. If anyone can help, email Sean direct. HERE IS THE EMAIL SEAN SENT US ---------------------- sleslie@ngs.org phone = (212)-819-2151 I'm emailing from National Geographic Adventure magazine, and I'm trying to locate one of the five original Bridge Day jumpers - the first legal ones. I think the first legal jump was made by Mig Fernandez, Ken Hamilton, Andy MacIntyre, Dennis Wood and Bob Wolf. Any idea how I can find those guys?

Slim, my friend, sorry to hear about your accident. Hopefully, you'll be home soon reading this thread in front of your own PC. This is a busy month for BASE, and we can expect something to happen here and there. But when it happens to one of the best, that really hurts. My prayers are with you Slim. Cya. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Tom, I'm curious if you've gotten any negative comments from anyone who charges for their FJC? What you are doing is very admirable, to say the least. I also can see that the other FJC instructors are probably not too thrilled that their business is being taken away. Keep up the good work. Cya in 11 days. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

As soon as a jumper is under canopy and flying away from the bridge, we send the next one off. This is nonstop from 9am-3pm. Last year, I think we put off 836 jumpers in something like 311 minutes (5 hrs - 11 mins) with some down time due to train holds. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Here are some stats on the number of jumps made at BD2003. Before I started organizing, I used to routinely make 3-4 jumps. The hardcore jumpers with multiple rigs have made up to 6 jumps. Last year, we actually had some down time with no jumpers in line. BD2003 STATS (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Thanks to Donk for volunteering to run the BASE Videofest this year. One small addition to what Donk wrote....... The prize pool for this contest includes a snowboard, clothing, and maybe some cash. We are also expecting to have prizes from several BASE gear manufacturers such as PC's, toggles, % off coupons, etc. Cya there. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Check it out (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Space, are you back home yet or did they snatch you up at the airport? Anyone heard from Space lately? (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

Yes, there is a new organization that has already put a lot of time into this. I'm sure you'll hear more about it in the near future. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.

I have talked to at least one of your crew about these bogus charges from the NPS. In addition, I have also conversed with the NPS about this. The NPS states that, coincidentally, there was a photographer down in the gorge for an earlier jump your crew made at 8am that day. Photographers don't usually visit the gorge at 8am, especially with such low light that time of day, so I find that quite odd. Anyhow, you guys got nailed at around 11am from what I heard? A little bit late in the day, to say the least.... My suggestions: 1) Tell the judge you weren't over NPS property, as the park isn't under the South end of the bridge near the RR tracks. Bring maps if you can. 2) Tell the judge aerial delivery involves the use of a parachute, and obviously, you weren't using a parachute Despite the fact that the NPS knows the park isn't under the bridge, they ILLEGALLY charge you with aerial delivery. I have argued with Gary Hartley about this numerous times, but he refuses to stop charging jumpers with that bogus law. Basically, the NPS is going to do this until someone challenges them. And after that, you can bet that there will be a local or state law that will prohibit jumping from that bridge. Keep in mind you are dealing with the LOCAL judge on this and the good old boy network. You wouldn't believe the stories I've heard lately in regards to other non-jumping related stuff. This issue really bothers me and I'm not really sure how to address issues like this. I think when they interview us for the live TV broadcast this Bridge Day, maybe I'll bring up the issue. Let me know if I can help you further. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.