
base428
Members-
Content
1,078 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Feedback
0%
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Calendar
Dropzones
Gear
Articles
Fatalities
Stolen
Indoor
Help
Downloads
Gallery
Blogs
Store
Videos
Classifieds
Everything posted by base428
-
Bridge Day Lodging Best place to camp is "Rivers". There are also a bunch of hotels in nearby Beckley. Check out the link above for more info. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
Here's a screen capture from video that I shot of myself and nine other jumpers. It's a 48" boom camera attached to my helmet, pointing back at me. Enjoy. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
Maybe Morpheus, Baxter G., or Tim Webb can give you a ride.....they usually drive from Florida each year. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
Why not goto www.supercircuits.com or www.polarisusa.com and buy the same parts for less? I've been using lipstick cams since 1999 with a lot of success....all purchased from the above companies. Good luck. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
Jean is not coming to Bridge Day as far as I know. We offered her a free plane ride, hotel, and rental car, but some additional costly items were requested that we could not provide. If you want to know more details, PM me and I'll elaborate. Rick and Randy Harrison, NickDG, and 3-4 other old timers will be there and they are all confirmed! (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
We're very glad to hear that you're coming home. Tell us some cool stories when you get back. Cya at Bridge Day! (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
Easier said than done, Quade. If *you* have any cutaway designs you'd like to offer to the parachuting world in order to make things safer for everyone, by all means, please post them here. Personally, I'm happy with a hook knife when I jump my line of bellymounts. That's not to say I haven't spent many hours trying to incorporate a cutaway system into my designs. It really depends on what type of jumps you're doing. If you're making a solo BASE jump or doing a 2-way skydive with a buddy, then no worries. If you're doing head-down or 100-ways, then maybe you should consider the increased risk. Did camera flyers really think helmet cutaway systems were "silly" in the past? I doubt it. Times change, technology changes, and demand for a specific product or feature changes. I'm sure bellymount cutaway systems will be implemented in the future, but for now, the demand is not there yet. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
Bellymounts should be worn under your harness, which makes a cutaway system *very* complex. You would have to cutaway all four points of contact with the main belly plate, or cutaway the swivel mechanism itself. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
Thanks for the heads-up, Jib. If nobody ever complains, how are we to know the good from the bad? I had a similar situation a few years ago when I waited 6 months on a pair of freefly pants. I complained online and, as expected, there were a bunch of a-holes ready to defend the company. Deposit or not, if I say I'm going to hold something for you, then I'll do it. That's just good business. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
Good point, Nick. I guess it really depends on the person. I logged my jumps for 11 years and never once went back to read them. If I have to read a logbook to trigger a memory somewhere down the road, then it probably wasn't anything special to remember in the first place. I just think, as of late, that jumpers are *very* much caught up in the numbers game. I've heard many jumpers say that they're going to the Perrine and they're "going to make 25 jumps". I go to the Perrine not to make X number of jumps, but to have a good time and jump until I'm tired or satisfied. It's not about the numbers to me. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
I stopped logging skydives and BASE jumps nearly a year ago. It's kinda nice not knowing how many I have, and not having to compare (or be compared) to anyone else. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
BASE jumping is a self-regulating sport.....post her name (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
I've been soaking them in Palmolive. Thanks for noticing (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
Perhaps I didn't explain my method in enough detail. I hold the S-folded bridle as tight as possible until the canopy is extracted and line stretch essentially pulls the S-folds out of your hand. The person doing a PCA would not even really have to know when the jumper actually left the object, as all he has to do is hold onto the S-folded bridle as tight as possible until it's yanked from his hand. This method also prevents PCA'ers from accidentally releasing the bridle and/or PC too early and sending the jumper into freefall. I not sure what Johnny holds onto during a PCA, but if the PC is taking the brunt of the force, then that's dangerous and it can damage your equipment. Why hold onto a bunch of F111, ZP, or mesh when you can hold onto the bridle and let it take the impact force? Do you think the cord running from the apex (top) to bottom of a PC is stronger than a bridle? What if the PC rips or the inner cord breaks prematurely? You may want to ask Johnny, but I believe his thread is trying to explain how to get an open canopy a little faster by holding onto the PC harder (in my case, holding onto the bridle). If Johnny holds onto the PC, then as an experienced jumper of 12 years myself, I'd say he's endangering the jumper. PS. Johnny is one of my best friends, by the way! (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
The important thing is that the bridle comes in and out of the same end, so it shouldn't make a difference if you tilt your hand slightly and the bridle comes out of the top. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
Those look like the pants worn for the 34 sec delay in Italy. 550 Euros for the complete package is $673 US. Ouch! (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
One of the reasons I posted this is because my experienced jumper friend was holding the PC at the handle while peforming PCA's. I told him his method is, in my opinion, dangerous because the forces are transmitted through the small center cord in the PC. I've also seen several jumpers with torn/missing handles because the person doing the PCA held onto the handle too long and it ripped. PCA's should only utilize the bridle for extraction, not the pilot chute. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
After chatting with fairly experienced jumpers recently, I found that there are many PCA methods in use today (some good, some bad). There seems to be little talk on this forum about the most acceptable method and I feel this subject has been ignored for quite some time. I'm not saying my method is the best, but it was taught to me by some of the old schoolers in the early 90's and it has never let me down. All you have to do is S-fold the bridle in your hand so that the bridle goes in, and out, of the bottom of your hand. By squeezing the S-folds as tight as possible and not letting go, the jumper will have peeled his/her velcro and achieved line stretch before the S-folds are pulled out of your hand. The PC is held very softly in your left hand (using two fingers). In some cases, a glove for your right hand (bridle) is advised, but not required. Many of you probably hold the PC in order to extract the shrivel flap and canopy on a PCA. This is dangerous for the jumper, as it can damage the PC and possibly promote early PC release and subsequent low-altitude freefalls. I'm interested in what methods other jumpers are using, and if there is a method that should be singled out as the most acceptable. Pics are attached. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
I've read everyone's replies and I'm somewhat surprised at some of them. First off, some of you are quick to judge me by my screen name (base428) and automatically assume that I'm out cutting locks off doors and trespassing every weekend. NOT! There are plenty of legal BASE jumps out there. Whatever I do in my spare time really has nothing to do with my right to bust the local vandals and thieves. There is no hypocracy in what I did. If you do the crime, do the time. If I get busted BASE jumping, then I'll accept the consequences. But keep in mind, vandalizing and stealing property is far different than hopping a fence. If it were my house that they were stealing from, I can only hope that my neighbor would do something about it. I've enjoyed this quite a bit. I've even been flamed via PM, which I enjoyed thoroughly. Hey, it's just the stupid internet. For all of you who say I'm hypocritical, I'll be sure to not give chase when I see someone try to steal your $4000 rig and $1500 camera at the DZ. All in fun..... EDIT: Base311 and Base861....you guys are funny (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
I don't really mean to toot my own horn here, but I guess I'm smarter than the average bear. I have a surveillance camera outside my house that clearly shows the purps driving by and then me chasing them. The actual "car dragging the girl" happened off camera though. PS. In no way did I detain her. PPS. Thanks for the tips, Deuce. Good points. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
Just so you all know some history, I got vandalized 7 times over a period of six months when building my new house a few years ago. They tipped my porta-john 7 times and caused $600 in damages, not to mention a really shitty smelling house. After I busted them on video, they found my other apartment and damaged my vehicles 3 additional times. I actually had a reward posted for quite some time. I'm no stranger to being vandalized. I live in a neighborhood where the kids know they can get away with A LOT and even if they do get busted, there are little, if any, penalties. Juveniles have it made. Anyway, when I caught the porta-john vandals on the 7th tipping, I got the guy on video. He was a 17 year-old son of a very important, wealthy family in my town. Despite the video, the prosecuting attorney didn't charge him with anything. I was told the charges would never stick, and the kid's dad probably called in a favor to the prosecuting attorney. Yes, the theft of realtor signs is very petty. However, it's a really big problem in my town (I think the kids try to out-do each other by stealing the most signs). The juveniles in my neighborhood are always causing problem, such as last month's 25 orange cones blocking all the roads to my house. Can you now see why I merely tried to get a license plate number? Unfortunately, the girl got hurt while fleeing, but that ain't my problem. Gotta go, cya. PS. Make sure your reserves are in date.....otherwise, it's ILLEGAL (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
Hell yeah, I've climbed many A's, some with permission and some without. Have you ever hopped a fence before? God, I hope so. So what the hell does that have to do with last night's situation? Are you saying that because I have trespassed a few times in my life, that I should not have the right to catch thieves who are stealing property from my neighborhood? Are you bored? Has Johnny Cochran been whispering in your ear lately? (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
That's some funny shit. Me liable? Yeah right. "I caused them to flee by yelling at them".....how funny. And for all you non-BASE jumpers out there, you probably aren't aware that we have plenty of legal BASE jumping sites all over the world (hell, I run one of them, Bridge Day!). Just because I have a BASE number, that doesn't mean I'm vandalizing or stealing things....nor does it mean I can't bust the local vandals. I've jumped legally off all the letters, B, A, S, and E, for your information. It's really sad when society forces some of you to look at the law-abiding victim (me) as, perhaps, the criminal. Pathetic. Just make sure you don't jump through any clouds....that might be illegal. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
So I was taking my dog out for a piss at 10:30pm tonight when I saw a car drive by and three juveniles got out. They proceeded to steal three realtor "house for sale" signs next door. Ironically, we've been wondering who has been stealing realtor signs and then placing gobs of them at various properties near my house. No big deal really, but I don't take too kindly to juvenile punks.... Reference this thread awhile back where I busted 7 other juveniles through a nighttime IR camera system as they were vandalizing my house for the seventh time. As you can tell, I have no patience for vandals or thieves. Anyway, I ran after the car and just as they were loading up three stolen signs, I yelled at them and the chaos began. Two of the three managed to dive back into the slowly moving car. The third didn't make it. The third one, a 15-year old female, tried to dive back into the car and was dragged down street for about 15 feet before nearly getting run over. She did a few front flips on the blacktop as her "buddies" drove the getaway car out of sight. I asked her if she was OK, and she appeared shaken, but with no broken bones. She was a little bloody on her shoulder and elbows. My first priority was her safety, so once she said she was OK, I gave her the best vandal speech that my 33-year old brain could deliver. She was nervous and kept checking her wounds. I asked if she wanted an ambulance or other assitance, and all she wanted to do was leave. I got the license plate of the getaway car already, so I questioned her about the driver. After telling her that I had a security camera and I knew the license number, she spilled her guts and told me the driver's name. Then I told her she is free to go, as I cannot hold her, but I'm calling the fuzz on her. She really wanted to just "go home" and kept asking me if she could leave. She walked off into the night on her own free will. As we all know, if I tried to detain a 15-year old female, my ass would be hung! I ran back into the house and told my wife. Now, we're starting to get concerned that she is injured worse then initially thought. We call the fuzz and they interview me. The license number and name check out. Now, we'll just have to wait and see if they catch them. What an exciting night. I've only lived on this street for a few years and I've busted two groups of vandals. Who's next? (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.
-
More thoughts on this tangent.... -The weather has been very good to us at Bridge Day lately. What are the odds of having great weather on the 3rd Saturday of October each year? Sooner or later, it's going to rain and the river is going to be way up. I've seen the LZ under 20' of water before, so I guess it's only a matter of time before we have bad weather again. I dread the thought of canceling jumping. -A little tidbit of info on the RR track landings. In the past, CSX did fine jumpers for landing on the tracks, mainly as a liability issue. However, the current landowners below the bridge report this is illegal and shall not be imposed, as CSX only has a right-of-way. -I spoke with Jean Boenish last night for over 2 hours. We are trying to pay for her way to Bridge Day this year, but we have to pay for everything.......airfare, rental car, gas, hotel rooms, etc. This is really putting a dent in my budget. Anyone got any great ideas on getting her to Fayetteville or raising some extra cash to do so? Cya. (c)2010 Vertical Visions. No unauthorized duplication permitted.