freeflynick

For the benefit of those not there - care to explain what went down - and as always, video would prove it Cheers! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

I had a jungle carpet python for a few years before I left UK - GORGEOUS snake! His name was Ythan......and I miss him! He was only 2 generations out of the wild, so had to be treated with respect, but he only bit me twice, and one of those was the first day I had him. But the colours were fantastic, especially after a shed. Enjoy your new friend! Handle him often, and when he is bigger he will give you the best neck massages!! And PLEASE........don't name him Monty!!! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

Thanks folks, but I was lucjy enough to get the only hire car they would let go anywhere south of Houston and got in to Hou at about 11:30 - to face the pleasant anti-climax there!! But it was very freaky driving into Houston on 290 and 610 and only passing abandoned cars - hardly any driving cars - maybe passed 20 total from Hempstead into Houston....wish it was like that every day!! Cheers folks, and I hope y'all got as lucky as we did with Rita.... Nick Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

I have just travelled back from CHina to try and get into Houston to ride out the storm with my gf, but doesnt look like I will be able to get any closer than Dallas, and I think I might be stuck there for a few days......would greatly appreciate any hospitality that could be offered, since all hotels, etc. will be packed out, and a few days in the airport doesnt sound too attractive...... Cell - 713 205 4033 About to get on a flight from San francisco, so will be in Dallas about 5pm........ THANKS GUYS!! Nick Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

Here are 2 DVD covers that I bought here in China - I think they must just go to a critics website and download the first one they see without knowing what they mean!! (The DVDs were less than $1 each - just bought it for the cover - not to watch! ) Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

First I was given was a Madness tape - still got it, still listen to it. First I bought was Iron Maiden - Live After Death - a metal classic, got it on CD now and listen to it often and LOUD!! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

About 7 or 8 years ago I bought a magazine that had an interview with Adrian, and there was a photo of him headdown wearing a green 3-piece suit and a huge smile. Next to the picture was this quote from Adrian: "Whatever you want to do, Whatever excites you, Whatever makes you laugh, You can do in the air" I framed that picture and it still hangs on the wall in my house as a reminder of why I jump, of the freedom and happiness I feel in freefall, and of the wonderful people this wonderful sport attracts. That picture will now stay on my wall as a tribute to one of the most graceful freefallers I have ever seen, but sadly never met. Fly free Adrian.

Doing the Kit-Kat shuffle! (remember - Kit-Kats come with 2 or 4 fingers!!) Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

Yeah - that extra one square foot of reserve would make me feel a whole lot safer too..... Now get out there with the Firelite and tempt fate a few more times! Nothing quite like a game of "Ding Dong Dash" with Death to make a jump that bit more exciting!! Cheers! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

This reminds me of a guy on our DZ who said "I HAD to fly into the tree to miss the powerlines"!!! And you talked about the crosswind - it is only a crosswind if you aren't facing into it, which you should have been doing from at least 300ft as you set up to land. I'm afraid you have to accept the "tough love" approach when you post this kind of incident on DZ.com - its not that we don't care, its becuase we DO care. We dont want you hurting yourself or anyone else in the future. We want to get the point across that this was an elementry mistake - always make sure you will land in a safe area, prefereably into wind. Dont allow yourself to get sucked down by focusing on other issues (lack of batman) until you are left with on other options. This shows a lack of awareness, and skydivers die and kill others as a result of a lack of aweness. I have only done about 20 jumps in the last 2 years due to a lack of awareness of my own, and will have a permenant limp and painful future because of it! DZ.commers can sound like a pack of bastards, but we honestly have your best interests at heart. You were injured on what was basically an uneventful skydive - there was no real extra stress or emergency situation - yes, it was a new canopy and new opening procedure, but that isn't too much in the scheme of things. We want you to ask yourself HONESTLY how you think you would handle yourself in a high-stress skydiving situation - a high speed mal, another canopy coming at you fast out of the blue, etc. etc. If you can HONESTLY say that you think you could keep a level enough head to get it sorted, Good Luck in your future jump career - I hope you never have to face those situations. But if you find that you have serious doubts (and admitting to ourselves that we aren't as capable as we want to be is VERY tough) then maybe your fiancee is doing you a favour by stopping you both from jumping. I think my fiancee did me a very big favour (possibly saving my life!) after my BASE injury by giving me the option of doing another BASE jump or keeping her!! I know I made the right choice, and I hope you do. Until then, FOLLOW THE DOCTORS ADVICE! Dont try getting on your feet before he says, and I wish you all the best in your recovery and your future (see - WE CARE!!!) Cheers. Nick Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

Look down a dozen or so thread for Vandevs "new base commercial" thread - they say say it is Dave Barlia? I'm stuck in China for a while, so I hope it is still running when I get home! Cheers!! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

Hmmm - its been a while, but doesn't (t-1)(2t-1) = 2t^2 - t - 2t + 1 = 2t^2 - 3t + 1 ?? I know I am probably missing something, so please explain what it is!! Cheers!! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

"A mighty fine turd cutter"!??? WTF!?? Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

Well, you made it look like the 4" curbs and 2 foot pool drop were perfect preperation for the 486 feet! Plus the fact that your nerves and nuts are obviously made from the same material as your wheelchair frame!!! Respect! Nick Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

Russel, Awesome achievement - to all involved. But I was most impressed with your exit technique - the precise control of the chair on exit was fantastic, you stayed head-high perfectly! I know you must spend most of your waking life in the chair, but this was a pretty specialized manoever - what practivce did you do for this? Did you practice into a pool or anything like that, or did you just use your experience and judgement for the exit?? Keep on breaking new ground, but dont let that ground break you!! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

I would have to blame the worst environmental polluters, of which the US is either No.1 or damned close to it. They have caused the global warming, which is heating up the seas and oceans, which are in turn fueling these larger than normal weather systems. If they would start putting the same kinda money they are pouring into the oil-based war in Iraq (which is hundreds of billions of dollars), and the money they will have to pay to rebuild Louisiana, into ways to start reducing the damage they are causing to the environment, they might to be able to help reduce the devastation that these climate changes are causing, which is going to keep getting worse and worse. "The day after tomorrow" movie is based on some pretty sound scientific predictions. It may not cause the instantaneous changes shown in the movie, but the changes ARE going to be huge, and they will be coming soon.....well within most of our lifetimes..... Have a nice day!! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

I shattered my heel on my 2nd jump at BD 2003 - did a really good job of it, and due to impact damage and with the help of a surgical fuck-up, I have very little cartilage left in my foot, so I have arthritis which is getting slowly but surely worse. But the real reason I won't be pursuing BASE is that after watching that, my fiancee made the ultimatum that I'm sure many of you have heard, and she isn't worth losing. I still skydive, but not nearly as much as before. But I have no regrets about making the jumps, I wouldn't have been true to myself if I hadn't done at least one BASE jump. PLF, PLF, PLF.......!! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

I have to do exactly the same......and once I can move without "Frankensteining", every step I take the rest of the day is painful, so I am reminded everyday that I took a trip to a big, beautiful bridge one day in 2003. I only made those 2 BASE jumps, and will be in worsening pain every day of my life because of it, but I don't regret it. I regret that I will never experience a terminal wall, or the solitude of an empty antenna at night, ot the buzz of evading the police after a downtown jump, but at least I have had a delicious taste of what the sport gives you. Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

Oh yeah......now I recognize it!! I've got a couple of them kicking around somewhere........ Well, I hadn't made an arse of myself all day up to that point....I knew it couldn't last! Cheers!! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

Nice vids! On the "base backflip 02" vid, if you pause at 0:20, you see something black appearing behind the jumper before he opens......any idea what this is? Just wondering....... Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

WHat had D done to his knees?? Swoop oops again? Never got a chance to ask about what you guys are doing for your honeymoon? See you soon! Nick Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

BILLY CONNELLY!!! The Big Yin.......without question the best comedian ever to grace the stage.......pure, natural genius. I think the Americans have a bad impression of him from a sit-com he was in called "Head of the Class" or something, which was supposed to be pretty lame. If Robin Williams (in his prime) said Billy was the funniest man he's ever met, that is a pretty good indication...... Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

Sunflower seeds - the ones still in the shells - make sure you have loads of them lying around - taken them to the pub.......they give you something to go with your hands and mouth (watch the more sexually frustrated dz.commers jump all over the one!) that used to be the job of the cigarette. Of course, didn't work for me, I'm back on them again, but will be quitting again very soon, so I'll be stocking up on the seeds.......but keep telling yourself, from the very first hour, how well you are doing and that just one drag would fuck up your good record. Good luck!! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

Oh, you didn't mean it? I thought you were asking someone to try to kill an enemy in an open internet forum. It is a real shame that sarcasm and wit don't go over well on the internet....... Just passing the "lighten up" back atcha! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."

That was definately back in the day when pop tops ruled! LONG LIVE THE POPTOP! Hobbes: "How come we play 'War' and not 'Peace'?" Calvin: "Too few role models."