lifewithoutanet

I jumped in a similar pair of Solomons for a long time. Now I only jump those in Twin and frankly, I much prefer my boots. Proper boots will provide you with much better protection than any shoe. Consider going that route instead. -C.

Well, Merry Xmas, Cleatus. Let me know when you make it back to the mainland. Abbie, Jaap (Russel?) and I will be in Twin Jan 13-18. We're inducing labor on Mrs. Aiello on the 16th, but jumping all other days. -C.

Looks like I'll be in Chamonix sometime around the second week of June. Would like to make a trip to the Swiss Valley, too. -C.

Sounds like a good idea. Okay.

Please drop me a PM. -C.

These are just a few of the quotes that are sticking out to me and I felt compelled to include them in this post. My opinion on this matter is that Moab should really be treated with the respect of any other location where you're not a local. If you blaze into town and burn an object that I or my crew are jumping, whether it's an encounter w/ local law enforcement or emergency services, we've got to deal with it once you're gone. The same is true for anyone visiting your local sites. Moab is a little different from your average urban/populated area, though. The most prominent locals are Skydive Moab and Apex, and as pointed out by Clint, they've got businesses to run. There are other locals, though and still, contact w/ a local or not, respect should be shown. The ramifications of any sort of fcuk up in Moab damage not only the scene for the locals, but for the BASE community as a whole. Moab is a destination hotspot for all of us and we need preserve our freedom to jump there. It's our freedom to lose. Plenty of people will say and have said that jump numbers aren't everything. That is true. But when a local doesn't know you, they have maybe three meters on which to judge you as a jumper. Not necessarily in order of importance, they are: 1.) Jump numbers. 2.) Reputation. 3.) Attitude (including preparedness, caution, skill, etc.) Of those three, which is the most significant factor that would give you a feeling for a jumper, site unseen? What else could you really base an opinion on? Attitude and reputation bring personalities into play. Jump numbers are quantitative. The more jumps you have, the more times you've been under canopy in a BASE-specific environment. There's something to be said for skydiving your BASE canopy and getting experience under that wing, tuning your brakes, etc, but you have a lot more time to react out of a plane and it's just not the same. So, jump numbers may not be scientific, but a number is an absolute and does tell you something about a jumper that can't be skewed by personal differences or perceptions or misperceptions. If you're alive and uninjured at 50 jumps, it does say something. Personally, I think there's less difference between a 50 jump wonder and a 100 jump wonder than someone w/ 25 jumps and 50. As an experienced jumper who I greatly respect once said to me, "40 some odd jumps...you've just started to realize what you've really gotten yourself into. You probably thought you knew around 20 or so, but now you're really starting to get it. That'll happen again around 70 or so." It's a renegade sport, but ultimately it's up to all of us to exercise respect and restraint. You're doing yourself no favors taking a great step forward off the cliffs of Moab, but you are when you're making another trip to Twin for object avoidance drills, packing errors (twists, lineovers). -C.

Thanks, Yuri. I might be over there anyway, so I'll be sure to reach out to you when the time comes for help finding some jumpers. -C.

Nice graphics and all, but it looks a lot like "masturBASEing" to me. -C.

Way to exercise judgement. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. The crane probably wasn't up for one night. You can go back (or not) when you're ready. -C.

What's up, Mike? Heard you met a few of my stateside friends at AF. Sounds like you fockers had a blast. Talked to Gary yesterday...KL06 is gonna be bad-ass. Anyway... My greatest worry when it comes to temperatures is actually more relative to moisture in the air combined with temperature. I have two concerns: The most obvious being any moisture that could freeze a packjob. Not necessarily to a frozen brick of a canopy (although that has happened), but even to the point of making it a little crispy and rigid which could lead to a snivel/slow opening. The other is more on the effects of freeze/frost/thaw and the effects that process could have on lines and canopy skin. As moisture freezes, it expands and could cause damage. I'm thinking it would have to be a pretty significant amount of moisture in order to really have an adverse effect, but I might as well throw this out there. -C.

Damn. -C.

Anybody have any info on Moscow in 2006? I've talked to a couple of other jumpers and we seem to come up w/ a little preliminary info on early July, but none of us have any real details. What little we have, we might have just made up amongst ourselves. -C.

I don't know that I'd really care about the harassment I might receive. Though unjust and completely uncalled for, I think I'd be a little more concerned about the attention I might be drawing to BASE at a time when other jumpers in the park might be planning some actual aerial delivery of their own. Said one NPS Ranger to another, "Well, it's not that Abbie guy with the stickers and photos and rig-looking backpack who we arrested--and who seemed to really enjoy the strip and body-cavity searches--but I'm glad we staked-out the meadow anyway. We got another of those fuckers and he's got some really nice gear we can add to our collection." Not saying this is your intent, I'm just saying that such actions could have repercussions beyond the little injustices perpetrated upon you. -C.

All things being relative, this doesn't put you too far up on the adult scale. Maybe on Jan 16th, that will change for you. -C.

If what Abbie and Jaap were insinuating were true, it's not falling that he'd need to be worried about. That said, have fun trying to get back into the country, Abbie. Expect a surprise on your way back in. -C.

Only because you clap and smile like a retard. We know it makes you happy. Plus, you don't take long and it's not like I can feel the thumbtack you call a penis. "Hey, look. It's a cock, only smaller." Phucko. -C.

BASE isn't going away. For that matter (and for better or worse), it's only getting bigger, so it will still be around when you can afford to get the complete setup. Don't go halfway. You then run the risk of becoming comfortable (read: "complacent") with that setup after X jumps off of whatever object. "It'll be okay to take this off [whatever], just this once." Just my $.02. -C.

And thus, the mystery of just what Abbie was doing w/ a bow and arrows that day is finally revealed. -C.

It would seem to me that perhaps figuring out a better way to control the excess bridle and shorten it accordingly, based on your desire at each site might be a better approach than deciding on a fixed length. I want to spend a little more time considering what ways you could do this and what the impact would be for each method, but maybe this will spawn some interesting ideas in the meantime. -C. PS 140'?!?! Faber...when did you raise your hard-deck?

Quite simply, "Because I can." -C.

And still your sigline remains unchanged. Wanker. -C.

F U, man. I've already watched you die once. It's TIVO'd into my head for the rest of my life. Do it again and I'll not only piss on your grave, you'll get a nice posthumous Cleveland Steamer to boot. -C.

Noun: an asshole for your condom -C.

You could always try the ARGON Helicopter Inspection Service route. -C.

The only consideration I'd have if I was you is that if there are locals jumping this building and you had been caught, your presence might have been enough for building management to take action to lock it down and post those signs. While not reckless burning of the site, it may have the same effect. The only reason I mention this is because it seems you have some motivation towards BASE already. Would be a shitty way to get introduced to the locals. Probably best not to be wearing any skydiving/BASE jumping shirts or insignia when/if you go back. -C.