When did you take your first leap?

[freeflygoddess 0]

I was just wondering when everyone got started and why? I had gone with a friend of mine and her husband on New Years eve to watch him BASE off a cliff all weekend. I was hooked but the guy I meet there said you have to have 200 skydives before BASE jumping. So I went the next wekend for a tandem and was hooked. Now that I have been around a ton of BASE jumpers and skydivers I have noticed so many diffrent opinions on when and if to start...

[kevin922 0]

after 200 and before a balloon, my first will be at bridge day

done a heli many times though

[blair700 0]

Yo,

Hopefully you've seen this already, if not I'd encourage you to read it.
http://dropzone.com/columns/GettingIntoBASE.shtml
Later
Blair

edited to add:

D'oh, I started after 200 skydives, I have 0 balloon jumps.

[freeflygoddess 0]

Yes I did and many others like it. I wasn't wanting opinions on when someone should start, just when they did...I think it is def. a personal choice on when one is ready to start. I have done lots of ground crew for my ex-boyfriend and his friends and I have seen someone go in and someone with a 180 into a cliff and the wait for the rescue team to get him off was so long, made me really think twice about starting, but after a few really f-uped skydives and the way I handled what could have been very deadly situation without thinking or hesitation, I feel confident in possiably starting, but yet I think I want to do a couple of balloon jumps first to see what it feels like to actually catch up speed...So inother words still thinking about it, but was wondering what everyone started at and why...Just cause I am BORED...no money left after a weekend of jumping...lol...

[Skinflicka 0]

I started when Skypunk pushed me off a big stick.

I could take you to an object called "my boner" for your first jump. It's big stick too.

Do I win a prize?

Fun n hugs

Skin

$kin.

Prizes to anyone who gets to read my posts before Mr Aiello's son, Tom deletes them.

[freeflygoddess 0]

Really!?! What is the landing area like...Have to have video for my first as well.

[QuickDraw 0]

I'm pretty sure when the time comes, it will be arranged.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[Faber 0]

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I started when Skypunk pushed me off a big stick

I were about to travel up north when i heard Skypunk were dead,i jumped the next day... RIP

i had 400+skydives,no bellon

Skin when will you stop running away?ill catch you anyway..say when your back "home" next time ill see if i can arrenge somthing

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[Skinflicka 0]

Of course it will. Why do you think they call me Skinflicka?



S.

PS The LZ can be pretty hairy.

$kin.

Prizes to anyone who gets to read my posts before Mr Aiello's son, Tom deletes them.

[BASE813 0]

450 skydives (wish I had done more accuracy and CRW than I did) No balloon jumps. One day after making some plans with a certain "Rim Licka" I awoke one morning and just knew "its now time"

Think hard as you will have to spend time with some real deviants! is that what you really want?!?!

Skin - I hear that stick of your is not normally jumped by anyone and it is an object you can play with almost alone every night!?!?! Dont clear the landing area - thats just not cricket! What about the small creatures that reside in that forest area?! Dont clear their home!


Be safe always!

[QuickDraw 0]

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will have to spend time with some real deviants! is that what you really want?!?!

I already feel right at home.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[freeflygoddess 0]

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Think hard as you will have to spend time with some real deviants! is that what you really want?!?!

Well I guess I must be crazy then because I dated a BASE jumper when I was still a wuffo. We dated a long time, but broke up after 7 months of me jumping. He didn't like the fact that I jumped, which is really weird because he had taken me for my tadems and paid for them. I guess he thought I would quit after an injury I had and I didn't. Plus I am thinking a lot about BASE jumpng now and that pisses him off even more. Not sure if he is worried about me or more worried about the "deviants" I will be hanging out with.

[FLsurfer 0]

I did my first jump after 174 skydives. My friend who had did most of my AFF also became my BASE mentor. He showed up at the dz one day after working the summer up north. After the sunset load he asked me if I thought I was ready. Without hesitation I answered "hell yeah!". We had done a few CRW jumps before, but in hindsight, I wish I had done more.
200 skydives seems to be a good point to start but I definitely think it is jumper by jumper decision.

Problems just be opportunities in der workin' clothes.

[KevinMcGuire 0]

Hey Kathy, give a call and we'll talk about it

[BASE813 0]

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200 skydives seems to be a good point to start but I definitely think it is jumper by jumper decision.

Yes it is a jumper by jumper decision, but I feel that perhaps sometimes the jumper is not able to make that decision.

When i had 150 skydives I thought I was ready - i hooked up with some jumpers and by the end of the night was sure I was way outta my depth. I took the advice of one guy (who I now jump with) and went away and concentrated on skydiving. I got to 300 jumps and started playing with CRW and flying 7-cell canopies. I then got to 450 and still did not know if i was ready. I had some email chats with a guy who likes to flick skin and he made me question a few things - i then awoke one day (and it really was like that) and knew it was time. 2 months later I was in the potatoe state for two weeks hurling myself off a span with CR. Even after this i took some time to decide if this is was for me. It was only on my 10 to 15 jump number that I realised I was at home and had found something that was me. I did not find BASE - BASE found me. (quoted from someone else!)

I came back from the States to break up with my girlfriend over it, feel detached from people, told I could loose my job and have family members not talk to me..................... i stuck to my dreams and now am happier than ever................... BASE truely is the most amazing "life style" you can have.

I think that some people may think they are ready (as I did with 150 skydives) but dont appreciate the life changes that can / can not happen, the intense fear and emotions that you get from this - Only on the edge can you say that "yeah i want to do that"

200 skydives in the US i think can be current but in the UK this figure i think should be more like 500 skydives. And lots of CRW / Accuracy / 7 cell / CR canopy drills etc etc - best to try them out in a large DZ rather than under a 5 second canopy ride avoiding leg breaking rocks! (just ask faber about the urban trees in "large landing area - no problem!"

Just my 0.389 sheckles on the subject.............

[QuickDraw 0]

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I came back from the States to break up with my girlfriend over it, feel detached from people, told I could lose my job and have family members not talk to me.

I have already achived those requirements & without any mentor i might add.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[freeflygoddess 0]

Hey Kevin...How's my rig?
Hope who know who isn't complaining too much at you anymore. I didn't see her to tell it was ready. Hopefully she knows. Any ways, I will stop by and see ya next time I come out, which hopefully will be this weekend. Some guys here are planing a car pool due to the gas deliema here. I'll get my rig out on the first.
C-Ya
Kathryn

[BASE813 0]

those things are always over rated anyway!!

[fasterfaller 0]

After 1500 jumps and about forty baloon jumps . My first was a nice little cliff of about 500' .