base515

I made my first two BASE jumps at bridge day and my next two off a 135ft water tower at night. You know what? I was far more scared at Bridge day. Bridge day is one the best places to break into the sport, whether ya'll like it or not. That first jump, no matter where you are, is going to be a mind fuck. And there is no place better equipped to handle this mind screw than at bridge day. IT! is most definintly is a BASE jump. If you believe otherwise, you are setting yourself up to be a casuality. When you stand up there on exit for the first time, you don't give a flying crap about anyone behind you or around you. All you will see is the EDGE. And the realization of how low you are. To a skydiver used to skydive heights, the gorge looks extremely low. It will screw with your mind.They say skydiving is 90percent mental and 10percent physical, well then BASEjumping has to be even more of a mental strain. It's all about trusting yourself and confidence in your ablities. A first timer doesn't have that yet, and old timers better not ever forget it. Is it a easy BASE jump? Yes. compared to most. Is it safer? Yes compared to most. The bridge is very forgiving of screwups, but it is not to be underestimated or taken lightly by any means. Fatalities have occured, and will occur as long as people keep jumping there.The worst attitude peole have about that place is that, it is like any other skydive and you won't get hurt. It is not Skydiving!! It is a BASE jump. Respect it as such.I have jumped in every one held since i started there in 97, and will continue to in the forseeable future. Is it indicitive of most types of BASE jumps? no, I have for more night jumps there in the cold and dark than Bright daylight ones, I enjoy both. When you step off, legally or not legally it still feels the same, the same rush of air greets, the same rush of adreanline. The difference comes in how you have to go about it, to get it. Bridge day is a party, it is a circus, it a time to hang with old friends you haven't seen in forever, a time to watch the faces of the newbies as Jason said. The years i click off in this sport start and end at bridge day. A time of reflection, a time for planning ahead. It is probabily the best place to start learning how to handle the mental strains of this sport and to decide if it is for you or not. The art of sneaking, of climbing barbed wire fences, of bypassing elevator controls, of bullshitting your way out of trouble, all those things will be learned in time and you will continue learning for as long as you are in this sport. Why go to bridge day? simply put : it's just plain fun! Good luck to all the new guys and gals, you are about to step into a whole new world. peace nakedbase16 ps Brits like 813 are the reason we kicked them off our land so many years ago.. haha, couldn't resist. May we live long and die out

Nice job Kevin and Larry!! Look forward to the swapping of objects in the future. It was a pleasure throwing you off such a decrept old building. later Mike May we live long and die out

yeah, Pauly said something about you being a nice piece of ass, but i didn't know what he meant at the time If you are in Carolina I'm sure we can through you off something tall. Good luck with the Mexican Hole, wear a rubber, i heard those holes can be a little dark and hairy. later Mike May we live long and die out

Thanks all, This state is hopping now, nice to see it happening. 570, I'll be in town that weekend. We need to have another base boogie this fall. SOB'S unite! Down with the man! later ncbase1 May we live long and die out

Yo! Hey spider, aren't you a friend of Pauly's from Tx? If you're ever in Nc, Specifically Charlotte area drop me a line. I'm A licensed Electrician also, and have always wondered what would happen if the tower was struck while I am on it. I live about a mile (as the crow flies) from a 1400ft'r and have seen it get struck numerous times during storms. It seems to only get struck when a storm is centered over it, then it will get struck repeatly till the storm moves away a little and then the bolts that come down will strike close but not always the tower. I think it would depend on the path the current took on it's way to ground, to whether or not you got hurt. In theory since the tower itself is grounded, and you are not touching the ground yourself, you shouldn't feel the hit. Like hanging on to a high tension line as long as you don't ground yourself, the current passes you by. It should take the best path to ground and a human on the side of a tower would not be it. I have held onto the sides of metal objects before that got accidently energized and was not shocked due to these parts being grounded. If they had not been grounded i would have a nice jolt. With lightning though, who knows? It's all theory as always I think the wise move would be to stay off though, A theroy I don't want to test, but am interested in hearing others opinions on this subject. peace. Mike May we live long and die out

His body position was fine, definitly pilot chute induced 180 from crosswind, the fact that it was vented might have been a factor in some way. My opening was straight and i used a non-vented pilot chute. My delay was longer also, especially after seeing his jump. Hoping a little more vertical speed to offset the crosswind affect. Off-headings into the wind are the norm in short freefalls into down the wire winds. By staging your opening under the wire, you can merely slide slip the tower and land straight into the wind. A 180 correction would have to be followed by another 90 back into the wind for landing, with very little altitude to work with. I think i would have done the same thing. Had this jump been made from the 4ooft platform as we used to do years ago, i think we would have had a wire strike. Interesting to watch it was... Speaking of 180's two trips to the new tower resulted in 2- 180's for you, must be the body position. lol Congrats on 420, of course that means i'm closer to you,, later..base515 May we live long and die out