Advice on going it alone

[Almost 0]

Hypothetically ….

You take a FJC and make a couple of jumps. You come back home and need to jump, and figure out you have no one to jump with. You have two options, no jumping or jumping alone. So you will be jumping alone.

You have read all there is to read online and will probably go out and get some armor.

What extra advice would you give this person?

[TomAiello 25]

Take a cell phone.

Use "virtual ground crew". Either arrange that if you haven't called by some time, one of your friends will call in the cavalry, or call just before exit and tell them if you don't call back in 15 minutes, to come looking. Some people like to keep their virtual ground crew on the phone while jumping. I don't like that, as if you do go in, it's going to be unpleasant for them, and if you get into some hairy situation, there is some chance they will distract you.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[lifewithoutanet 0]

Quote

You have read all there is to read online and will probably go out and get some armor.

I'd say that about covers it.

Seriously, though...I think you'd be surprised to find that there are probably other jumpers within reasonable travelling distance and you'd benefit greatly by reaching out to them. You'll probably also find that even with a lack of jumpers in your area (which may only be your perception), a lot of 'your' objects have already been jumped.

Rushing into it and going it on your own doesn't guarantee your death or injury, but I'd say it ups the chances a bit. An FJC is just the beginning.

-C.

[Asylum 0]

Hello,

I agree with C and Tom.

Remember -- SoLo = So Lonely. Especially when the she-ite hits the fan.


There is too much infomation that will be overlooked(at this stage of your long-lasting BASE career) without an opinion other that your own.

With that said, there are times(few) where it might be the best option to be the only jumper.

Stay hungry and be prepared to travel.

_M

www.asylumbase.com

[wwarped 0]

Quote

You have two options, no jumping or jumping alone. So you will be jumping alone.

just because you JUMP alone doesn't mean you can't take someone along as ground crew.

see if a skydiving buddy will help out.
while it is NOT the same, you can discuss canopy flight, landing areas, etc. they also might be able to give a very basic gear check. (dude, you know the bridle is caught...)

even non-jumpers might have useful knowledge. some will have ideas on how to access an object. others might be trained paramedics.

it will be up to you to decide if anything said is applicable to BASE, but 2 heads are far better than 1.

use every resource available, then get creative!

DON'T PANIC
The lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.
sloppy habits -> sloppy jumps -> injury or worse

[avenfoto 0]

hypothetically... where is home?

[HELLvetic 0]

Hypothetically I guess it could be done... Not the way I would go about it, but feasible nonetheless. But soon or later, if you don't screw up/get hurt jumping alone, I think you will realize that BASE is a human adventure and that it makes much more sense when shared and lived with true friends. To me, at least, jumping is not the finality of this all...(I mean don't get me wrong, jumping is a crap load of fun!) but the bigger picture is the human adventure and the bonds that are created... to me that is what makes the whole experience so rewarding.
So if you want to go about it by yourself, go right ahead! make sure you have few luck tickets to spare and you might survive the early stages.
But after you jumped the same "easy/safer" objects 25 times in row by yourself you will realize that it's cool/ fun but now what??? Do another 25 jumps by yourself?

I personally think that with enough motivation, dedication and time, you too can go about it the right way...

Like Asylum puts it "Stay hungry and be prepared to travel" . Travel to the well known legal sites, and you will see that you will start to meet more and more people and if you fit the profile people will start to help. You might even find out there is a crew not far from where you live. But this is not going to happen if you don't put the necessary time in it.
Base jumpers are a shy bunch of people and they look like they are in a closed community. It's not true! You just have to approach it the right way and show the right motivation.
The ball is really hard to get rolling, but once it's rolling it goes faster and faster! Nothing that is worth having is easy to get!!!
Motivation and hunger is what will get you where you want to be and what will help you stay there with more safety!

Good luck!

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[ericmillionaire 0]

I'm in the same boat as you Almost. but I also have the problem of having no gear. It sucks. I just took a FJC and I cannot use the info that I learned.

[NickDG 23]

Going solo is something many will do once in a while and it's part of the sport. However, it makes more sense at some objects than at others. I wouldn't launch a back country solo where it's possible I'd have to fight off bears and coyotes with a broken leg. But I would, and have, launched from the Flatiron Building downtown all alone as I know someone will stumble upon me before I bleed out.

Some sites are so high profile two or more jumpers climbing a fence, or two or more canopies in the air, are just too much to maintain secrecy and security.

I don't recommend solos for most people, but for some there's a special quality and a cool dynamic to planning it, getting in, climbing up, standing there looking down, gearing up and actually doing it, and all by yourself. It harkens back to a time when we BASE jumped for ourselves and not for the show.

Another thing in favor of an occasional urban solo is if you are a well know and experienced BASE jumper you always end up the "senior" dude on the load and the others will be wide-eyed and looking to you for the answers. That's fine, and something I enjoy most of the time, but sometimes it's a responsibility that overshadows the reason you BASE jump in the first place.

We always said in the earlier days of the sport we did it to be independent, to show we needed no one's permission or support, and BASE jumping alone has that spades. In the end, BASE is sport full of dirty little secrets, and in the end, when it's all said and done and you're sitting on the porch of the Old BASE Jumper's Home , it's nice to have a few dirty little secrets of your own . . .

NickD BASE 194

[SickMonkey 0]

Why not?