JOY

*****the numbers, just love the company my puppies... [email protected]

Greetings and Happy 06... All numbers are issued and in the mail tomorrow (jeez, there were 9 of you puppies). Love the AR folks, the MEGA wowmen from TX, the folks from PU, and those two across the pond that qualified right in the middle of the Turkey thing. Keep having fun! Joy [email protected]

We are off on holiday Dec. 22-28. Due to certain events around Thanksgiving, several people will be waiting for their number during this time; be patient, your dates and times are locked in and will be issued in order. Best wishes to you and yours, Keep having fun, always remember to pay attention to detail! Joy [email protected]

Thank you, Mask Man! We have done a legal gathering of non-lawyers!! More than two times and will do it again, Cyall, Joy [email protected]

Olek, If you see this could you please call me again? I am trying to reply to your emails but they keep coming back to me "access denied". Thanx, Joy PS. I can't find your phone number... 409-938-7807 [email protected]

Tom is correct. We keep the Night numbers and we keep the order the same as regular BASE. Night Cliffs seem to be the main thing that keeps the numbers low. My first night cliff was a Dome shaped rock in California that looks like it was cut in "Half" in June of 1982. Still my scariest one to date, especially since the old Golden Knights 5 cell stratostar snapped one steering line on opening and the other locked. That was after my brother exited and had a spiral opening and hit the wall before he could get it flying. Great Fun. Rick Harrison BASE 38 Night BASE 13 [email protected]

Greetings all, Rick and I finally got back into our house yesterday when the power was turned on. Guess you have all heard by now that we missed the bullet, the only thing lost was food in the fridge/freezer. We consider ourselves very fortunate and our hearts go out to those farther up the coast. The "BOOK" and all BASE records are safe and back where they belong, after all, they had their own suite and security for the duration. I will do my best to get the numbers due out by Monday, and the rest of the snail mail and email answered this weekend. First I have to get the lawn mower and grill out of the living room! Can't tell you all how much we appreciate your concerned letters and phone calls, the family certainly has grown over the years... Love to all, Joy [email protected]

Hey Ted, Good to know we have that futon as a possibility, the government is supposed to find us a room but you know how that goes. We are out of here first thing tomorrow morning. As per my previous post, all the important things are going with us including the cats, the bird, and the BASE records (already in my van). Anyone waiting for correspondence from us, please be patient 'till Miss Rita blows away. Cya, Joy and Rick [email protected]

Looks like this one may be a bit irritating... We are packing up and leaving tommorrow with our pets and the most important things. The BASE records are in my car. If you are waiting on correspondence from us, will get back to you in a bit. Cya, Joy & Rick [email protected]

Thanks Nick, Faber and others for your support of the BASE numbers, Joy and I appreciate it. Jean asked us to take over the numbers in 1998. Since that time we have had applications from all over the non English world. Former Russian States, Asia, much of Europe both east and west and some from Africa and the Mid East as well as plenty of others. Folks that read what Carl wrote on the back of the green BASE card know it was intended for the world. Joy and I feel that a BASE number does link you to the very beginning of BASE as a sport. It also places you in the timeline. It does not make you a better jumper than a person without a number. Whether a person wants a number is their choice. I just hope they are not making the decision out of a misunderstanding of what the BASE numbers are all about. Rick Harrison, BASE # 38 and proud of it. and Joy! [email protected]

Geez Nick, You do good homework! Thanx to all for helping to spread our info. I have taken care of the burble. Joy [email protected]

Hey guys, Kevin Vennel and I have been out in Galveston Bay all day and he's passed out in the living room. Boy is he going go love this thresd, he has a huge ego. This is Rick Harrison and Kevin, Smitty and I jumped together a lot in 83-87. Nigel, hello!! We had some unforgetable times. FYI, at New River 83, Kevin went off right after a guy from Louisiana. They yelled at each other to do CRW. It was the first 2 stack on a BASE object. Prettly good too. Kevin came out to New River this last year with Joy, Randy and I. We only did 1 on Sat. but another later on. NICK, behave! Join us at Perrine this Aug. 6-8. We figured we'd come out and do a few and maybe bring an old 23' round for fun. Anyway, the old days were great and there are a lot of crazy stories from those days. By the way, Smitty is still in Houston. We talked to him just before New River, but I think he's smart enough to avoid us. CYA Rick Harrison BASE 38 PS. Joy says I have to get off or I'll sound senile. Rick [email protected]

Nick Been getting the best air kisses I've ever had for many years in person, such a gentle boy, I'll have another... Joy. pm sent Love yaQuote [email protected]

Hey Nick, this is a great thread and brings back some crazy memories. This is a case of "I wouldn't do now what I did then, but I didn't know any better." Since it's Vintage, I want to tell my favorite jump story about mine and my twin brother's first night cliff jump off Half Dome in early 82. Randy and I had just been BASE jumping for a few months and had our S and B. Hell we were from Iowa and barley knew what a cliff looked like. We had been skydiving for 10 years and had already met Carl before. So we decided to go to Yosemite for a cliff and just figure it out. We got to CA and called Carl. Told him we were going to El Cap to make a night jump. Then he made his funny OHOHOH sound and said that no one had ever done a night jump off Half Dome. So of course we changed plans. You remember we all wanted to have some firsts in those days while there were still a lot of firsts to be had. After partying too late one night, we didn't get started up the trail from Curry Village until about 2:30 and we had to get up before dark to do wind tests and find the exit and landing areas. The hike was a bitch with our old skydiving rigs disguised under rain coats. Randy had a mid 70's SST Racer and I had a mid 70's container called a Piglett, made for 2 small rounds. My canopy was an old Golden Knights 5 cell Stratostar #106. It had over 2000 jumps on it when I got it. Well finally we barely make it up about an hour before sunset. We actually argued about where the landing area was since it's hard to see from up top. We located what we felt was the best exit point using a tip from Carl to avoid the diving board. It was cold as hell at night with snow still all around. We sat in a snow ring to block wind and just got scared. We had a pint of Wild Turkey on us to keep us warm, but our indigestion was bad due to fear and not eating we barely touched it. At 2:00 we flashed our ground crew on the ground and no light came back. They had built a small camp fire and the Rangers must have seen it from the Glaciar Point station. Anyway they ran them off. At 3:00 AM we went to the exit point, scared as hell. We had been waiting for a moon that never got above 20 degrees in the sky so it was pitch black looking down. Before dark, we had located a hump in a big mountain across the valley that was on the heading we needed to get to the landing area. We hoped we could see it at night and we barley could. We had calculated our glide angle and rate of descent at a 1.5 glide ratio which is about all you get out of a worn out stratostar. The day before we had stepped off one mile out from the Talus so we figured with a 10 second delay we would come over the meadow at about 500 feet. Before Exit, we were scared to death and decided (badly) to shorten the delay to 7 to 8 since we had a long way over the trees. He goes first, nice head high leg spread exit into a track in 3 seconds and I lost him. Heard the opening saw it for a second looking over the edge and he disappeared into the wall and came back out. Turns out he had broken a steering line and the canopy opened with a spin that took 2 turns to stop. I thought he was hurt so I had to get it together to go. I saw his canopy and it looked like it was flying randomly. I figured, Hell I'm doing a 10 to get further away from this wall. I go into an immediate track for a full 10 before I reach. Man did I get hammered but I was 200 feet from the wall. My left steering line locked and the right one snapped. Horrible left spin I couldn't stop with just a rear riser. Spun 3 times gettin within 20 feet of the wall and grabbed an opposite nose line and the canopy flew straight. Looked horrible but flew. I came in ove the landinig area and Randy was cussing and limping. He was so scared he needed a drink of Wild Turkey but when he hit the wall, it broke the cap and was totally empty. Anyway we did get to be the first night jumps off Half Dome, and lived despite our gear. Rick Harrison BASE 38 N.BASE 13 [email protected]

Surprise, two posts from me in one night. Believe me Tom, Joy and I always check the site, but intentionally stay out of most issues. This issue is important. Carl Boenish was a true gentleman by every definition. His motto was "Take only memories and leave only footprints". Same for the hotel. Our sport is crazy enough for most people to grasp let alone accept. If we prove we're just a bunch of wild people who don't respect the hospitality given us, we'll ruin it for everyone. Let's police ourselves. Rick Harrison [email protected]

My heart goes out to his mom and dad. I met them both when Thor Alex hosted my brother and I at Kjerag in 99. Jumped with him that morning and he died that night. His family and a lot of friends went 1000 miles north to Moriana for his funeral including the very first Fin and Norwegian cliff jumpers. Olav and Thor's dad was an old military aviator. All night after the funeral he had a long bird feather sticking out of his jacket pocket. I asked him what kind of bird it was from and he said, "It's a bird that flies". I'm sorry that they must endure another son losing his wings. Their spirits are alive above Andelsnes with the Troll spirits. Rick Harrison [email protected]

Hey guys, Nick is right. Carl meant for it to be world wide. By the way, if you read the back of the green plastic BASE card it says: "The USBA was founded in 1981 and dedicated to the safety, advancement, and positive public image of BASE jumpers and BASE jumping throughout the world" The reason Joy and I agreed to take over the BASE numbers is first, we knew and respected Carl. Second, it connects BASE jumpers worldwide with the very beginning of BASE as a sport, and third, Joy and I really do enjoy issuing the numbers as it is fascinating to watch the evolution of this sport and we love the stories you guys write. Whether a person chooses to get a number or not, is their personal decision. The card is cool though. By the way, I started Jan. 1, 1982 and got BASE # 38 in June that year. I still make a few good ones once in awhile. Blue Skies Soft Walls Rick and Joy Harrison

BASE # 1000 has not gone out of this house yet. We are waiting the 30 days to make sure it's the next date. Rick and Joy Harrison [email protected]

May lightning strike the next steak you grill and not put your pants on FIRE!!! [email protected]

Greetings all, As expected, the requests for the patches are fast and furious. They cost $15 which goes directly to Jean as she paid for them. Due to the limited amount, we are only issuing one patch per jumper at this time. Send date and location of a jump or BASE number to: Rick and Joy Harrison 7316 Houston Drive Hitchcock, TX 77563 USA So far we have enough to go to all who have contacted us, Keep having fun!!! Joy [email protected]

Sorry 428, but Nick is right. The patches we have are from the original batch that was designed in 82 or early 83. When about 8 or 10 of us were the only staff in 83, Carl and Jean had yellow polo type shirts for us with the patch on each shirt. They even embroidered our first names on them so we would be easy to spot for the new BASE jumpers that needed help with gear etc. I think Nick is right on the name, but Carl and Jean told me in 83 that he designed the patch for Carl to use to promote BASE jumping. Carl and Jean then bought the first and, so far only batch, from a real quality manufacturer. We posted the patches nearly 2 years ago after we visited Jean in LA for a couple days and came home with about 125. We figured some folks may want them. Unfortunately, contrary to the post by 704, they were never given in lieu of a card, since it only takes ONE BASE jump to qualify for the patch. I sort of wish it would have required a BASE number, but Joy and I simply refuse to change the original tradition. We still have about 80 left and Jean has at least 25. She charges $15. each, but they are a cool well made patch. We don't support anyone using the design to sell T shirts etc. We only sell them if you have made a BASE jump, so we feel like that is promoting the sport. Anyway, let us know if anyone is interested. I'm sure most of you know we issue the BASE numbers and our e-mail is: Rick [email protected] Joy [email protected] Drive Fast Take Chances. Rick Harrison BASE 38 [email protected]

Jon and a little later Chris Dragon have been some of our best friends at B Day since at least 84. In 82 and 83, we had kayaks and rubber rafts with orrs. In 83, after the first B Day fatality was a drowning, we used Jon's motorized rafts and experts to rescue us. Never had a problem after that with drowning. Jon was the best and always liked the BASE jumpers. I guess exciting sports ran in Jon's blood too. My best to the family and Thanks Jon for all you did in those formative years of B Day to make sure we got it right. Rick Harrison [email protected]

Some of the posts have much of the truth but I remember you there when you said we were spinning donuts. I've always liked that saying, but but as you know I was on staff with my brother Randy, Nick, Jean, Smitty and several others. Weather was bad and river way above flood stage into the trees. The deciding factor that the staff all voted on, was when John Dragon told us he could not use his boats to save anyone in that river and refused to contract with us. Therefore, no boats and nearly half of the registered jumpers had very few to no BASE jumps and many had low skydives. Yes the NPS trusted us to make the decision and we gave back the permit. The way jumping started had nothing to do with the river going down since there were still no boats. Myself and Earl Redfern were on top, when Bill Blake, the Chief Ranger came to me and said if some of your guys feel they can hit the road that weaves down to the river, they won't be busted since the NPS did not yet have jurisdiction over the roads. He also told us that to violate NPS rules, you had to intend to land on their land and if a good faith attempt to land on the road missed, they would understand and no ticket. The RR cops had always turned a head, but when they realized they may be the prime landing area, they balked understandably. About 40 jumpers made it and no one was seriously hurt, but some of the landings were great to watch. I watched them at the bottom with Bill Blake and he was actually quite impressed with the skill of navigating between the trees to hit that windy little road. All in all, if you had seen the river conditions with no boats and all the new BASE jumpers, you all would have understood why we gave bach the permit. At least a few of the hard corps experienced jumpers did make it and did a great job under very difficult conditions on landing. By the way, the NPS did not always own the bottom. In about 84 they condemned Dragon and ultimately settled out of court to get the land at the bottom and hence, B Day. Glad we always had the Chamber and the citizens on our side so they didn't have the muscle to stop it. Rick Harrison Director USBA BASE 38 [email protected]

Great story. No matter how long you do this sport, there will always be a rush at exit. That's why we all got into it. I still get that beautiful fear right before exit that makes it all worthwhile. Rick Harrison BASE 38 [email protected]

Right on. This was a great trip just for me to see at least 3 generations of BASE jumpers from all over. Joy and I see all these names on BASE applications and on the Zone, but it was cool to connect a few faces with names. Everyone was positive and after an hour of dirt dives it even convinced an old fart like me that we had good air and good separation. Utah did a great job. Also thanks to an old friend for putting us up. You just can't fool mother nature. It was a good time and a great task to get this many folks together. Rick Harrison [email protected]