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ebluesky

You... and you alone?!?

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Curious to know how it goes out there... and be curious to know your experience level if you do reply. Oh, yea, and what kind of object(s) (if that matters to you in this case).... Thanks!

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I've done an "A" completely alone (though I did have a cell phone and let people know where I was) and an "E" sort of alone (I yelled down and asked some passing bikers to stand by, just in case things went wrong, they were more than happy to oblige ;)).

We've sort of had this "To Solo Or Not To Solo" debate before.

My opinion is that the whole sport is about comfort levels. Each person has their own and I like to think most people will respect it and not push someone to go beyond their personal level.

I personally enjoy solos. It's quality time with myself. I feel a greater sense of accomplishment when I do something completely by myself... prepare on my own, assess conditions, decide whether to make the jump or not (and yes, I have climbed down from solos many, many times).

But that's just me. YMMV. ;)

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

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Hey Elisa, nice to meet you over Memorial Day, hope your ankle heals quickly.

Baxter.

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Right now at least 75% of my jumps are solo, meaning no ground crew. Although it's a lot more fun when your jumping with friends, it's also a awesome feeling when you get to the top of you favorite "A" at sunrise with not a soul in sight. Dennis McGlynn would say ," BASE is a inner thing, we do it for ourselves". When I do solo jumps, thats when I know exactly what he was talking about. :)
"When it comes to BASE, I'll never give advice, only my opinion"

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Hey Baxter... nice to meet you too! Just saw your mug as was enjoying the compilation footage of the 19-way... *so* getting a kick out of watching BASErs dirt dive, I just can't tell you....

Ankle's about 90% now... just a "blunt trauma," no fracture, no ligament damage... lucky and grateful! Hungry to jump (and am on the road, hence the poll topic).

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods....

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You paint an awesome picture! I'm really hungry for the same level of independence, to be able to go for it when I want to go for it. But being a bit new, I'm being a bit cautious... this creates a LOT of inner tension (go/no go).

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Yes, you're right... I read a couple interesting threads along these lines... one over the winter about Fear (where a series of the posts dealt w/ going it alone) and one recently that dealt w/ the solo issue. I am just curious to see how it "polls," amongst the forumers anyway... and, ok, I'm trying to develop my own practice... which I'm guessing will be a combo of accepted practice (f/e, making sure to call the locals when on the road... totally agree w/ that) and personal decision-making... all this under the heavy influence of the jonesing factor, if you know what I mean ;)

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I have done a few solos - including solos without a soul knowing you are there.

My first solo was an A i have done a few times and I also did my first B solo (but with telephone groundcrew).

yes there is something amazing about doing them, yes your confirm why you BASE, yes its so personal - but I wont do one again - I dont want to cook from the inside cause i get hung up on a heavily loaded A - i dont want to bleed to death from a compound fracture, I dont want to die from over exposure, I dont want to die from something that being with one other person could have prevented - its just a personal thing - if you want to do solos then fill ya boots - i guess its a "personal acceptance thing"........ :P


be safe always

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I can hear a gentle humming in my ears. The sound of a car engine, coming down the hill. I manage to lift my head only a few inchs off the rocks. Nothing will focus. The car passes unseen behind a mound of earth. I lower my head softly back to the cold, hard ground. Absorbed once more by sleep......
........I'm cold. Really cold. My fingers are numb, I can't push myself up onto my knees. There's just no strength in my arms. Another car whistles by, blinding me with its lights. I could reach out and touch it, but all I can do is watch, as the tail lights fade into the darkness. I can't remember anything since leaving the DZ. I know what I've done. I'm face down at the bottom of an object I know well. Its not hard to work out. I'm in my harness. I'm wearing my full face. My fox is spread around me. Brakes still stowed. Another set of head lamps push back the night. The frost glisserns on the rocks, before I'm plunged back into darkness. I stuff my rigg and try to pull my self to my feet. One hand on the cliff, one hand on the stuff sack. I'm trying to focus, trying to let go of the wall, without falling down. God I'm cold. I'm shivering uncontrolably, but wait, there's my car. If it had been any closer I'd have landed on it. Staggering over, I lean on the trunk to drop my container off. Its wet. Looking down at my hands, they're red with blood. I stare up at the exit point, I don't remember leaving. I don't even remember driving in here. Slumped in the drivers seat head pounding, I fire the engine, kick in the heaters, but all I want to do is sleep. I rest my head on the wheel, I just feel numb. No pain , just no power. My body doesn't want to play. I mustn't sleep. I need to drive. I'm a hundred miles from home. Its getting light and I need to be at work. I slip her into first, flip on the lights and roll out of the most beautiful place I have ever seen. The moon light makes the cliffs glow. I only make it ten miles, down to the first gas station. As I go to get out of the car I realise I'm still wearing my helmet. Reaching up to take it off, I feel a warm tricle running down my back. The guy looked at me prity funny as I paid for my coffee, but he didn't say a thing. I guess he just figured it would be better just not to ask........

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," BASE is a inner thing, we do it for ourselves". When I do solo jumps, thats when I know exactly what he was talking about.

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When i do solos i know im an jump-oholic,im adict, i dont feel its cool or that i like BASE.i know BASE jumping is dangerus,i know that doing solos make the rescue further away,i know that when i do solos,i harm my gf that loves me so much.I know that i dont think of my kids´,family or freinds. I see nothing cool or good in that.

I have 40 jumps were 30 of them are solos,2jumps were whith other jumpers in the tower,the rest 8 jumps were ground crew jumps.I have jumped a new object solo.

I had an accident 8,5 month ago were i were alone in the dark for 2 hours,bleeding and not abel to move,not knowing when someone would find me,and if they would before i had ruined my chances.

I jump solos becours i have noone to jump whith(in this region),when i have no ground crew,its becours i dont want to ask people to watch me.Im not an attraction,and i dont want to beg people to go whith me.

Solo´s aint smart or anything like it,they are selfish ego stupied jumps,dont do them.

Do as i say not as i do;)


Stay safe
Stefan Faber

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Have only been jumping regularly since the first of this year. I have right at 30 jumps. Half of them solos. All from three A's I opened myself.

You'll notice in my posts I don't give technical advice on jumping, due to my low jump #'s. (I haven't been to the Potato State yet)

But to answer your poll: I do solo jumps. New sites, and sites previously jumped with other jumpers.

cya
Rod

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mf... you guys definitely have my admiration... I backed down from my first tower tonight. I'm ok w/ that, but it's not what I thought I'd be doing! Livin' to learn... sigh.

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I backed down from my first tower tonight. I'm ok w/ that, but it's not what I thought I'd be doing! Livin' to learn...

thats a far greater thing to do than jump a solo,its also the only thing that concerns me by jumping whith others(i have only my 2 first jumps whith other jumpers in the tower),which kind of pressure is that?Not saying that other jumpers say you should go,but the jumper not wanting to step down as other dont do it,and there fore migth do a jump they dont feel ok about..
I have walked down myself,on both solos and whith disapointed ground crew,i had no problems by that,i just feel a bigger hunger to drink beer after the climbing then;)

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

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I backed down from my first tower tonight. I'm ok w/ that, but it's not what I thought I'd be doing!



You should be just fine with it. Good for you for knowing when something doesn't feel right and listening to your instincts.

I'm convinced that we have a 6th sense that alerts us when things aren't right. A self-preservation instinct of sorts I suppose. Listen to it.

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Livin' to learn...



And learning to live! ;)

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

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its also the only thing that concerns me by jumping whith others(i have only my 2 first jumps whith other jumpers in the tower),which kind of pressure is that?Not saying that other jumpers say you should go,but the jumper not wanting to step down as other dont do it,and there fore migth do a jump they dont feel ok about..



I agree with you. Even though people like to say that there's no shame in climbing down, there is still that little bit of pressure (self-imposed) not to disappoint our peers.

When I'm by myself I have no one to impress or disappoint (including myself). Both me and my mentor agree that our thinking is clearer, more focused and less distracted. I've climbed down FAR more solos than I've actually done because I didn't feel conditions were right.

Yes, it is also true that I don't have anyone to immediately help me if something goes wrong. That's where letting people know where you are and what you're doing comes in. I call right before I jump and then immediately after. My friends know who to call and where to send help if I don't call back.

Oh, just make sure your cell phone batteries are charged. It would be kind of embarassing to call saying you're going to jump and then have the cell phone batteries go out. :o

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

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Oh, just make sure your cell phone batteries are charged. It would be kind of embarassing to call saying you're going to jump and then have the cell phone batteries go out.

or mincer forget it in the car,jump anyway,break the freaking leg so bad you cant move.:$[:/]:|:$ well i think i know a guy that learned a lesson there:P:)who me.. hmm it would bewrong to place names rigth;):ph34r::D

well now i also have morfine and a red ligt by me on the jump,so i can take the worst pain away and signal to people were i am.. as theres not much ligth in a watch or a cellphone..oh and if i mis my phone in the car again.. then i climb down:P:)

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

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I backed down from my first tower tonight


Living in the green and windy isle I think i have probably walked down / away more times than I have jumped.............

jumping in the car and driving home safe is a sucessful BASE night............ jump or no jump


dont say it faber - maybe its because i am a mincer! B|:P

be safe always

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dont say it faber - maybe its because i am a mincer!

actualy in that case you´r NOT an mincer;) but im sure i could diog some mincer stuff about you up somwere.. oh well i better dont:P

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

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yes, you're so right about that one! "Learning to live"... am definitely developing my own, quite literal rules to live by... maybe for the first time in my life! Yeeikes. Ultimately it was a good experience... my gang was so supportive, godblessem... "a good decision" they ALL said. Thanks! Honestly belive that nothing is ever wasted... in a wierd way, I guess I exercised a spectrum of "freedom" in a way I never have before. I've not exercised "no" in quite the same way I've exercised "go for it!" And, I also practically crashed my car today saying "I've got girliebabykahunas!" over and over until I was lol! (maybe you had to be there)

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mf... you guys definitely have my admiration... I backed down from my first tower tonight. I'm ok w/ that, but it's not what I thought I'd be doing! Livin' to learn... sigh.



I'm curious as to why you backed down?

Was it wind direction/speed, gut feeling, or.....?

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you also paint quite an indelible image... which sounds pretty authentic to me! I'm not in a hurry (well, ok I am) to put myself into a situation like that (but it wouldn't happen to me), so I promise not to (until I feel I'm ready).

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uhhh, "mincer"?... plz enlighten this suburban whitegrrl :)



mincer, noun; as in someone who minces - to walk in an effeminate manner. Often used as

"...you mincing poof"

see also
http://www.bartleby.com/61/88/M0308800.html


Just the usual charming non-PC insult us European types throw at each other all the time without meaning it. Unless the recipient is french.

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Raw honesty here-- I wasn't ready. My first tower. It towered up near 1000. All day I had in my mind we were doing something 1/3 of that w/ a pca, but the winds changed to make this one more appropriate at the last moment. An easy jump. I simply had no realization of what I was getting into until I was there... I wasn't physically or mentally prepared... and I didn't recognize it until 50 up. No drama, just a clear "NO!" I do believe I heard my inner voice!...not the whiney "do we have to?" or anxty "have I packed correctly?". Simply, irrefutably "NO."

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