solo base, story

[leroydb 0]

I know that it normally isn't worth it (solo base),
but after a whole weekend of checking out new sites and beautiful weather, I hadn't made 1 jump. Note that I still had a blast. Yet I was still yearning a jump.

On my way home I was passing by a local Object and stopped to check the winds... 5-10 on ground, 10-15 on top... I was actually thinking abotu it the whole way home... I parked away from the object, the moon was just a sliver but the stars light up the sky quite well once your eyes adjust. I didnt think much on the way up, I was just assessing the conditions. Once at the top I thought they were good to go.... then the waiting begins.....

no sh!# there I was.. ok just kidding...

Well I get ready.. tighten my straps a tad... prep my PC... decide to go with an open mushroom, then change my mind to go with a closed MR... then redecide to go with an open mushroom.

Then some more waiting for the headlights to pass.. then the wind picks up.. then dies.. then more waiting for cars...

Then... The perfect time, no cars and calm winds.

(PAUSE) This whole time the little voice was telling me no no no, wait wait wait... then well the little voice went silent... the voice then said it was OK, like he gave me permission...
(/PAUSE)
So I finally went, landed, got my stuff stashed, and got out.

This was my first solo base. I normally would not go alone, I told someone i was jumping in case something went wrong...

This was one where I learned alot. Alot about myself, why I jump, and even got some understanding abtou why others might jump.

Again, 99% of the time I WILL NOT solo BASE, but everything seemed right and even the voice in my head was in agreeance. I am still coming down from this jump...

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[unclecharlie95 3]

hmmm, I need to take my "little voice" back to the store or something - because he just keeps saying "no, no, no .."

First solo is one you'll never forget. A lot more scary when you're alone. Changes the emotion of the jump completely.

But remember to always "Phone a friend".

Nice story, keep em coming

J

BASEstore.it

[leroydb 0]

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But remember to always "Phone a friend".

A very VERY important point! I would never recomend anyone jump alone, but if you do, please call a friend or 2 just in case, ok?

FWIW, that was #68... who owes me one? better go to the GF

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[Faber 0]

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I know that it normally isn't worth it (solo base),

damnit i knew i did somthing wrong, i just calculated that 162 of my jumps wasnt worth it

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I told someone i was jumping in case something went wrong...

please carry a phone,call before you jump and soon as your landed..

congrats whith your first solo BASE
solos are all about beeing alone in the dark knowing that if you fuck up you might wont make it..Its about knowing your self your limits and know to step back if needed.

Besides who dont enjoy to stand or sit on a object looking out you have all the time you need. looking arround knowing that your the only person arround.. yeah i like thouse silence times were i can get brain fuck whether to jump or not,and no matter if i jump or not i had nearly the same pleassure.. its all about living the life of BASE

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[BASE813 0]

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I know that it normally isn't worth it (solo base), .

i disagree............

pure solo is a beautiful thing.........

but not advisable........

[leroydb 0]

ok it was worth it, but as you said... it is not advisable

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[cornishe 0]

"A real base jumper finds a site, jumps it alone, and never tells anyone about it." -CS

Abbie Mashaal
Skydive Idaho
Snake River Skydiving
TandemBASE

[brits17 0]

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"A real base jumper finds a site, jumps it alone, and never tells anyone about it." -CS

In that case, I'm fake

_______________________
aerialkinetics.com

[hookitt 0]

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In that case, I'm fake

I have proof to the contrary.

Oh as a BASE jumper? I suppose that would include me as well.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[QuickDraw 0]

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stars light up the sky quite well once your eyes adjust.

Especially the one thats 93 million miles away.
Congratulations Leroy, big balls indeed.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[lifewithoutanet 0]

Congrats, dude. Have often wondered when and under what circumstances my first solo might occur.
-C.

[leroydb 0]

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***
In that case, I'm fake

I have proof to the contrary.

Oh as a BASE jumper? I suppose that would include me as well.




I guess I am not real :-)~

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stars light up the sky quite well once your eyes adjust.

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Especially the one thats 93 million miles away.
Congratulations Leroy, big balls indeed.

No big balls here, Nothing to prove to anyone, Just telling my BASE story as it unfolds and living life one day at a time. It dosen't take much to make me happy... :-)~


P.S. LIFE... Don't rush, and for gods sake dont copy me!

Leroy


..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio...

[base60 0]

The other day I had to run an errand across town. Whilst there I found a 17 story building under construction. I did a quick recon and found it acceptable. So three nights later I went back and jumped it at 8 in the evening. It was a static line from about 150 feet. I ran to the car, threw my canopy onto the passenger seat, (not easy with a zepo,) and drove off. Tearing off my armour and helmet while driving I realised that no-one had seen. So I drove right around the building, parked outside the Trophies bar and grill next door and walked inside for a beer. Sweet.

When I got home I filled in my log book and found that I am now entering my 21st year of base jumping. In all that time I've never been uncurrent. I've never done a backflip, jumped a wingsuit or been to Norway. But then I've never broken a bone or been arrested either. Of my 435 base jumps about 70 percent have been below 200 feet. I like it down there. About 97 percent have been illegal and about 75 percent have been solo. No cameras, no drivers, no jump buddies. I've seen a lot happen over the years. Seen a lot of people come and go. Watched base grow to become far bigger than we ever imagined it would. There are people out there doing things that blow me away. Things I will never do. My hat is off to them.

Still when it gets to certain time of night, I find myself walking outside to check the wind. Nothing on TV. I'm not tired. And the whole thing starts again. I like solo base because I simply never know when I'm going to jump so it's the easiest way. It is a little freaky. I mean few people know what the last thing they're ever going to see is. For me its going to be two trash cans and a four foot high brick wall. That's the off heading coffin corner on my local building. That's where I'll lay and bleed to death. But that's alright. Because every time I stand up on that exit point and look down, I only get stronger. I have come to believe that base reaches far deeper than all the bullshit that has come to surround it. Up there at night, looking across the city. Checking your gear alone. Thats when you come close to finding out all the secrets.

[lifewithoutanet 0]

Wow. Thank you for such a beautiful post. You showed me how far I have to go and how long it's going to take.
-C.

[fab777 0]

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Have often wondered when and under what circumstances my first solo might occur.
-C.

Mine did occur when I got tired of not jumping because of busy friends...

I then discovered there was far more in BASEjumping than the social aspect! This is more personnal, now.

Fabien
BASE#944

[base60 0]

Ooops. Just realised I should clarify something. The zepo I referred to is a Fox 225 with a zp top skin. Jake.

[Faber 0]

NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE

and im not alone on the solo slider off thing i guess. thanks for telling a storry i can read and understand you pretty much sums evrything up,even as i only were 7 years olsd as you started jumping.. he he
Respect
ps.i already lost ...broke a leg and got busted once..

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70 percent have been below 200 feet

even more lazy than me

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[fab777 0]

No, Faber.

You are not alone...

Fabien
BASE#944

[Faber 0]

Now i just wonder how do we make a solo BASE boogie

atleast we can make a sub 250ft boogie;)

Stay safe
Stefan Faber

[QuickDraw 0]

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Of my 435 base jumps about 70 percent have been below 200 feet.

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75 percent have been solo.

Amazing how close them two stats are.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning

[psycho 0]

ahh i remember my first solo. damn it was so good i had to run back up with rig # 2...
so were's this sub 250 boogie happening?

[BASE813 0]

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Congrats, dude. Have often wondered when and under what circumstances my first solo might occur.
-C.

My first solo came about on my 14th jump. I was still at this time still wondering whether BASE was something I should be doing - so one night alone I decided to go out to a tower and make a jump without anyone knowing. I spent the whole journey thinking "what am i doing" I spent the whole climb thinking about what I was doing and whether it was worth this cold lonely climb, once on top I spent 30+ mins just sat there looking around thinking about why I was there and thinking about my friends and family if this should be the last night of my life. I got my kit on and checked myself and climbed over and sat on the rail. I continued thinking about where I was and what the fuck I was doing there. Still even after all this time in this lone situation I still had questions. Then I decided to focus on the exit - I had that "calm" suddenly move over me and I was ready "3-2-1-CYA" and I was off into that time stood still moment - I pitched - I opened - I landed - I gathered my gear. I then ran off to my car giggling to myself, I stashed my gear in the car and sat in the drivers seat and took a breath - "yep, this is what I want to do" another giggle to myself............ I drove home and sat at 2am alone having a beer filling in my log book - still giggling..............

It was this jump as a solo that I realised that BASE was something for me....... so so personal.

I made several other solos (including my first B) and each one is more of a memory than other jumps with people. I have such a personal time with a solo that they are with me for ever in pure colour!

saying that, I have grown older and wiser and walk with a limp and have much metal holding my leg together. I will never make a solo again (well, maybe not) - but I still look back and remember those pure happy times......

Love it for yourself............

[skypuppy 1]

saying that, I have grown older and wiser and walk with a limp and have much metal holding my leg together. I will never make a solo again (well, maybe not) - but I still look back and remember those pure happy times......

Love it for yourself............
__________________________________________________
Ain't that the truth.
I broke my hip on a base jump in 1988. My next base jump, in 2002, I broke my left leg. I've done some since then, but a lot less radical than I used to be. But who knows, if I'm ever not married again, maybe I'll start soloing again.....
At least it would keep me away from the booze!

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[freakydiver 0]

Rockin story 813. Truly the essence of what you folks take on in base.

I think that is a problem in mmaaaaaaaaany sports nowadays, both mainstream and alternative. People get into them for all the wrong reasons more times than not. It is the people participating that are truly into it for IT, not for anyone else, that are the happiest. I see quite a bit of that on my home DZ anymore, too many people trying to look cool and do the cool thing rather than just taking a step back and just havin fun.

Reminds me of a story - I grew up with a huge anger management issue. I used to get kicked out of soccergames left and right. One day when i was in my mid twenties, I remember screwing up in a game, and laughing at myself - this was an amazing first and a breakthrough. I finally figured out that life doesn't need to be so serious. From that day on, I figured out how to just participate in something becuase it was fun and I loved participating in it. I try to live my life that way now - sticking truly to the things I love. That in my humble opinion is what the essence of life is. When people ask me about base and the crazy individuals that particpate in them, I tell them - those "crazies" are out there living it up day and, more times than not, night.

Live on.

-- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." --

[BASE1036 0]

As I approached the A, all I kept thinking to myself was "Antennas make us stronger, and sometimes kill us" (Someones signature I had read here.)
I started to slowly climb, all the while wondering what in the hell I was doing out here alone. I went over everything I had done to this minute, from inspection to packing. There were mixed emotions of excitement and an overwhelming feeling of sadness, loneliness. The higher I got on the A the lower the feeling in my stomach sank. For the first time in a while, I felt like I was going to puke. Atop the antenna (650ft) I watched the city scurry below. People were driving to and fro completely unaware of the life in the balance above them. As I watched the clouds move across the moon, and the shades of night envelop the ground, I thought back to the first time I stood on the edge, ready to step forth into a new world. On that very night that I was initiated into a world of self realization, I was not as scared as I was now.
Thoughts of "Will my chute open?" have been replaced by thoughts like "Will I be able to handle the off heading that will put me into the wires?" and "who will it be that calls home to tell them I am dead?" I have learned so much since I survived my first jump, and yet even though the knowledge has made me a safer jumper, it does nothing to comfort me about the dangers I am about to face. in fact it heightens my awareness of the dangers around me. After about 40 minutes of watching the city, clouds and flashing red lights, I picked up my phone...called home and simply told my mom "I Love You" Though I didnt tell her where I was, she knew. She simply replied "Im ready" I didnt ask her what that meant, I simply hung up and stepped out into the darkness.
Is this what I had prepared my mom for. The call saying "Your son is dead - High speed impact with the earth."? For the first time this is what I was thinking in freefall. And then SNAP - The sound of my canopy filling with life. A beautiful on heading opening. I grabbed toggles, and as fast as it had started...It was over. The feeling of loneliness had been replaced with a sharp feeling of relief. That feeling only lasted a short while, as I was already thinking about the next time I would step out into the unknown. If anyone else had these feelings they would be classified as BiPolar - But I - I am just a Jumper and for that there is no cure....Just an on going treatment that keeps us patched up.

Daniel
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