lifewithoutanet

That's why I said "if it's a little charge". I guess my advice should have read "find out if it's really worth fighting first". I agree with you, though...probation or jail time makes it worth fighting. -C.

Getting a lawyer generally costs the county/city/state additional money because they then have to fight you fighting them. This has been known to force DA's to come up with assurances that us pesky BASE jumpers won't get away from them again: urban aerial delivery laws. My advice, if it's a little charge like trespassing, screw hiring a lawyer and just take it like a man. You play your cards, you take your chances. -C.

As well as no mass at the end of the control line to help that toggle spin up around a line twist, too. -C.

Yes.

If you're talking about a pack job, hopefully Spacey Tracy will chime in. He uses this method for one of his rigs. -C.

Happy birthday, young lady. -C.

There. I fixed it for you. -C.

Yes, it's ridiculous, but if you want to beat them, you need to think like them. You need to understand (no matter how illogical it may seem to you) why they may feel this way. Plenty of other (and probably far more) people pay for gas at the same gas stations, stay in the same hotels, eat at the same restaurants and drink at the same bar when visiting TF. Far fewer of those visitors require life-flights and ambulance rides as frequently as we have. Far fewer 'user-groups' show up and draw attention (wanted or not) to themselves as we do. I don't agree with this shit, either, but understanding why they think one way is the first step to changing their minds. -C.

Don't take this too out of context, folks...no need for anyone's taint to get too chaffed by what I'm about to say. But this is an awful lot of "advice" being tossed about by people w/ little to no experience in BASE. -C.

I wasn't there, yet, so I don't know for certain the windspeed, but others have posted 5-10, so I'll use that. Hell, I'll assume 10 for the sake of argument. I'd qualify that as higher, but not too high for a front-floater from the dark side w/ a westerly wind. And I applaud the fact that someone's teaching newbies object-avoidance drills. Right, and one of diminishing value with the constant bickering (which I'm guilty of falling prey to on this thread), blamestorming, high-fiving and general patting ourselves on the back, rather than discussing shit that will help keep us alive. Maybe you don't need that kind of help and honestly, I hope you don't. That would be one less person to worry about if you've got your shit so together that you don't have anything left to learn. If you've got something to say, something you disagree about, back it up instead of just pointing fingers. Say why it's a bad idea. Shit, prove me wrong or anybody else on here. I'll welcome that because it means that I'll have learned something. -C.

You must consider what is holding your slider down and how strong it is. In the event of a broken riser, that half of the canopy will be trailing above the other half, likely streamered and unpressurized. If the riser breaks and that half of the canopy generates enough force, you very well could send the OTHER half of your slider back up the lines, constricting the "functioning" half of your canopy further. Not saying it's a bad idea at all, but as relatively improbable as a broken riser, something to consider. -C.

You explained nothing but what was obvious to the people who weren't at the exit point. They chose that side for the exit. That's not very substantial information. Do you know this for sure or is that just your assumption? Did he float the exit? What type of delay was the jumper supposed to take and did he stick to it? Did he open on-heading? You know exactly why I was calling it a cheap shot and it's just fucking tiring. You seem intent on taking the piss out of someone every chance you get. You were there...how about you enlighten us with the facts and why you think it was such a stupid decision? Back your claims up with thoughts of your own if you disagree with something. Hell, that much I'd respect. -C.

Never miss a chance to take a cheap shot, do ya? C'mon, man...this is tiring. Ask your questions or pose your oppositions, but maybe elaborate a bit with a little information for those of us who weren't there and might not have been at the exit with the jumper. -C.

Thank you, Rhonda. That's flattering, but it's simply wisdom I've picked up from others in this sport and nothing original or my own. A shame it's not as obvious as it should be, though. -C.

Fly free, Shannon. Condolences to family and friends. -C.

We all have a lot to think about after this weekend. But I'm going to put something out there that I think has been missing... Jumping straight into incident analysis is skipping a very important step. Now is not the time to question anybody else's actions or reasons for jumping but your own. It would seem that the immediate reaction would be to first focus on the mistakes, situation or consequences of another jumper--or in this weekend's horrible turn of events, jumpers--but that puts one in a false sense of security because hindsight being 20/20, we fool ourselves into thinking we know what we'd do in those circumstances, or worse, we convince ourselves that we'd never put ourselves on that load, or into that situation on a jump. Don't dismiss the possibility because "it couldn't happen to me". Absolutes are a horrible thing to live by, and what you think you'd never do as a newbie, you may find yourself doing as you evolve. Evolution progresses with few measurable distinctions. Are you ready? Or do you just think you are? Time spent analyzing someone else's actions, preparedness or motivations is time better spent first focused on yourself--NOW. For these are things we each individually control, but can only hope to influence in others. Face it, no one is going to do any of this for you! Once you understand for yourself, why we do what it is we do--or for those of you who don't, yet, why you THINK we do what we do or why you THINK you want to--then the real shitstorm of thought begins. Understanding that death is a possible consequence of BASE is NOT understanding the risks involved. That's merely accepting the possible outcomes and consequences. If that's as far as you get, you shouldn't be jumping. Have the courage to be truly, brutally honest with yourself. Do you understand why you jump or why you want to? How many times has the reason changed since you started? What motivates you? If it's anything or anyone other than yourself, you shouldn't be jumping. Do you feel the same now as your first time? Have you done EVERYTHING to prepare yourself for the inevitable times that you open with multiple line twists, facing the object you just left, hopelessly unable to reach your intended LZ--and as perfectly as it could be put--with your canopy on fire? Or has it just worked so well the last few dozen times that you're "ready" to try something new? Now that you've done this...hopefully when you analyze an incident, you'll do so with a different perspective, maybe one that's a little more humble. The path to saving each-other starts with saving ourselves. Please, all of you, put forth your best foot every time. It's not just the first step that's a doozy. -C.

Condolences to friends and family. Track In Peace. -C.

The honor of crashing a plane on a BASE trip has already been taken by Abbie and I, Ray. No need to try and outdo us. -C.

Pack it in the same bag as the heroine and cocaine and I'll bet you they don't even notice the T-Stake. -C.

I think you nailed it in the first sentence, Dave. I don't even carry-on my lockpicks...especially the pocket-knife style one on my keychain. -C.

He ended up completely solo? Thought he had a few companions on this trip. In any case, thanks for the update. -C.

Russticle The Tusticle and I should be there sometime Fri evening/night. -C.

PM'd. Don't worry about compensation. edit: I'm leaving for Europe on June 10th, but won't be in Norway until June 19th, so if anyone else can help Stein earlier, drop him a note. -C.

Anybody active in/around Wyoming in the early 90s, please PM. Thanks. -C.

BASE Jumping: Not Suicide, But Sure Looks Like It It's actually not that bad an article. -C.