RhondaLea

After Lee died, I remember talking to one of the guys at the dz--someone I'd known since he started skydiving--who was just learning to base jump. Lee had been his teacher. In the course of the conversation, I said, "don't you count?" He said, "Counting is for wussies." I started as a static line student, tried a little AFF and went back to static line. After I had about seventy-five jumps, I stopped wearing an altimeter most of the time because by then I knew where I was. Seems to me that if you can't keep track of a minute's worth of seconds in your head--and for base, it's far fewer--you have no business walking out of the house in the morning, much less jumping out of an airplane or off an object. As a technological wonder, Chris, it seems an interesting idea, but in another way, it is a lure for some people to go beyond their skill set. "I can do because I've got a little electronic marvel in my ear to warn me if I'm getting too low." But I could be ignorant; the above was a quick and visceral reaction, mostly because of the mention of Lee. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I must admit I hadn't really thought of it this way, because I only ever jumped a 7-cell canopy, and except for allowing one other person to pack for me, I always packed for myself--with care and attention. Then too, there were three separate rigging errors in the packing of my reserve, one of which was discovered by a friend when he cutaway his base canopy during a test jump. The other two were, thankfully, discovered during subsequent repacks. I guess that except for the reserve repacks I actually observed--and one of those did not inspire a lot of confidence because the boys just couldn't seem to close the rig correctly--I was always a little more certain about my own pack jobs. My point here is off-topic for the subject, but there's a secondary unintended point, which is that counting on your reserve to save your life may be a pipe dream. Riggers are experienced and well-trained, but they are also fallible human beings, and mistakes happen. My personal observational experience is that most base jumpers use more care packing their single canopy than many riggers use in packing a reserve. There are, of course, notable exceptions. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Oooohh... I've been waiting for a comment like this. Do I take it from that rationale that you will not be prepared to pull silver again - after all your reserve IS a single parachute system after all. Sorry to repeat myself from previous but I have to emphasise to all ppl who skydive the following; The fact that you are willing to cutaway from a malfunction on every skydive that you do and place yourself in freefall with only one parachute makes you a willing user of a single parachute system on EVERY SKYDIVE. So don't go poo pooing single parachute jumps when you are doing them yourself. If you don't like i then you either need to stop kidding yourself that you have 2 canopies all the time, give up skydiving, or get a tersh. There.... I said it... whew!!! Thx g. I don't think Jaye was disparaging single parachute jumps, and I don't think she discounts the risk of skydiving. I think her point is that skydiving with a two container system provides two chances for survival rather than just one. All a tertiary reserve gives you is a third chance. And if things are so screwed up that you need it, you're probably dead anyway. That said, from where I sit, the danger in base is a lot less about a bad canopy than it is about everything else that can go wrong in an environment where there is too little altitude and too little time to take corrective action. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

When they're acting like a mestrating bitch just for practice. You spelled... ...oh wait...you're not $kin. Dictionary It's kind of like a marriage, Abbie. You can only spellcheck one person at a time. PMS: Just before their periods, women behave the way men do all the time. Robert A. Heinlein [/url]

While I agree that Bridge Day is a relatively safe way to get into the sport, I would argue that taking a FJC at the Perrine is significantly safer. I'm not being a smart ass, Jaap: Why? rl Edited to add: I don't care who answers, Tom or Jaap, but I'd like an answer to the question, please. If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Amen to that! And a double amen to that! I'm still your friend, Walt, even though you failed to give me the advice about my clothes lo those many years ago. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

It's your biochemistry...uh...no, that's not it... It's because you're a boy. PM follows. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I'm sorry, Jason, but this ain't right. I figured it would be a cold day in hell before I'd ever agree with Mr. Nitro about anything, but I just got a report that some guy with a pitchfork and horns is over at Sears buying snowblowers. Some of us are good at online communication. It does not make us wonderful people. More important, the converse is also true. Gerry is a nice guy, and as Nick said, he's been around a long time. Maybe asking him about longtime BASE traditions makes more sense than telling him he violated one. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I don't know how it is with girlfriends, but with boyfriends, the testing period is the only time they're on good behavior. Who wants to forego that? rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

A good percentage of jumpers don't know shit about their gear anyway, so I don't think it matters. What might matter more is that after the cutting and sewing comes the quality control inspection. I've only ever known one inspector who wasn't a senior rigger, and she's a special case. That being said, what I would add to Avery's comment is that anyone who doesn't fully embrace the concept of "test jumper" should seriously consider selling his/her gear. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Uh...$kin? You...um...spelled your username wrong, sweetheart. rl P.S. So how about that hangover this mornin'? If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

A reasonably wily and clever asshole, but you need a few more years to reach $kin's advanced agebility. Be-beep! rr If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

...which is generally to increase their chances of not getting eaten by a predator. Bottom line...no direction and hoping it's their brother who gets fucked rather than them. Yep...sounds like BASE jumpers alright. Hello, I had planned on staying out of this, but must enter, if just to say, touche Mr. $kin. I must be prescient, eh, $kin? It's a sad fucking commentary when one of the rare few people to whom your analogy does not apply is the first to acknowledge its relevance. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

That's true. I don't have time. But I'll make the time, and "Herman" has plenty because he's such a good delegator, not to mention that he has sufficient accumulated "capital" to make delegating a pleasure for the delegatee. I would know. If all else fails, I can always cut down on my phone and online time...along with everything else I do for fun. Once I finish moving this weekend (back to the old neighborhood with Skydiving, et al., to the north, Mirage to the south and the sweet sound of Chopper 6 overhead every time someone breaks a bone), I'll have time to get caught up anyway. I don't care. I actually did think long and hard about it before I made that post. It's on the table, so we can either give it a go or not. rl P.S. I don't do PI, love, but I'll be happy to give you a "whiplash" demo. If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

If you want to grow up and be a lawyer, Abbie, you need to be more precise. There isn't a rule explicitly banning this sport--the NPS management policy flows from 36 CFR 2.17, but it's only a policy--and a badly written one, at that. If you can figure out a way to make a jump without using a parachute to save your life, you're all good. I would also note that a good administrative lawyer ought to be able to pick both the regulation and the policy to pieces. I have managed (it didn't take much) to interest my employer (biographical information on request) in the problem. He has a long history of involving himself in "causes," particularly when the issues are not especially straightforward and no one else wants to touch them. He has 50 years experience, but age has not damped his spirit. All I have to do is get my caseload down to a managable level, and we'll have time to discuss it in detail. Anyone who would like to provide substantive fodder for his review is welcome to send it on. Oh, what the hell... rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

There's no doubt that your stuff was used. One of the links at the bottom of the page is to your base history page at Basic Research. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Incidentally, I have no corner on the smartass market, Dr. Jekyll. Duly noted for the very next time we have an in-depth discussion about which decade we're in. True fact: you spelled "disguise" wrong. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Nope. Nick writes in the present tense, and even without that, it doesn't have his stylistic stamp. Most of the entries in the history are IP logged only, so unless someone confesses it's going to be hard to tell. That said, the originator of the article is from the UK and two of the biggest contributors are from Canada and Australia. There are also later contributions by a USian or three or more, but the bulk of the work seems to have been done by persons with funny accents. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

BEST There's another account of this somewhere that I read more recently, but I'm brainfogged this morning, and I can't find it. Edited to add: I found it on Blinc. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I don't care if you corrected it, you cheater, you still spelled "hypocrite" wrong. And the quote marks go after the period--speaking of which, that was last week. Pay attention. Furthermore, Rodney "why can't we all get along" King was not the 60s, but the 90s, and if I have to be your fact checker as well as your editor, I expect a substantial raise and a glowing performance review. I have picked a side. It's just not the side you happen to be on, o lawless one. Nor is it what you consider "the other side." My side is this: I see a lot of benefit in certain sites being legal, but I think the more important issue is that you make a unified decision and take the appropriate action to implement that decision, whatever the decision and action turn out to be. I don't care if you get along, do it anyway. From where I sit, it looks pretty aimless. Forget the "herding cats" analogy. It's more like sheep headed for the chute. rl P.S. If I'm to be split up the ass, it will not be from sitting on a fence. If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

Okay, m'love, I'll go with your analogy. Sort of. Buildings and antennas will never be wholesale "legal" although it may be possible (not very likely, but possible) to convince individual property owners to disregard that teensy-weensy problem of near-infinite liability. But earth and span are potentially the methadone clinics of the free base world. Question: How many of you outlaw types actually eschew legal sites when they're readily available? The fight for access seems reasonable, and even prudent, considering the high cost of getting caught. If we calculate the fines assessed over the years--not to mention the jail time assessed to the undeserving, and worst of all, the loss of Frank's bright light in the world--it seems well worth making the effort to secure sites that will prevent similar incidents for those who elect to do their jumping without all that running. And for those who prefer heroin to its putatively (but not really) less addictive cousin, there will always be a building under construction or a tower to climb. No one says you can't do both. It would be nice if both sides could just accept the difference in philosophy and support each other. "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." Benjamin Franklin But hey, go ahead, keep fighting with each other. It's worked okay for the last 20 years, so maybe you'll be good for 20 more. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

You tell 'im, Ray. Bastard wouldn't listen to me--and I begged. Maybe he'll listen to you. But don't count on it. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I read your post, Tom, and all I could think was, "My god, carpal tunnel here I come." Fortunately, Ted has saved me, by saying almost exactly what I think, probably in far fewer words. The only thing I'd like to add is that it seems to me if a board member expended his own funds on behalf of the organization, he should probably be reimbursed by the organization for the funds he expended. Just a thought. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I hope someone somewhere is starting a list of all the "skills" skydiving teaches that must be unlearned to base jump successfully. That being said, in the bad old days, students were taught survival skills in the context of a static line course. Now, mostly because of AFF and windtunnels, freefall skills are emphasized to the exclusion of flying one's canopy to the ground. On the other hand, flat and flare turns have been discussed to death on dz. com, and prior to that, on rec.skydiving, and they still are taught by those few small dropzones run by old-fashioned farts who have no use for "progress." Aside to Matt: there are few such small dzs in our neck of the woods. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

I thought that was called BS but I could be wrong. It's only BS when it comes out of the mouths of those who lack even an iota of credibility. rl If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb