Bridge Day hilights from a BASE whuffo

[guest]

Well I went, however, I did not jump. It was an amazing site with the view and the jumpers. Especially the guy that did 8 front flips and deployed right when his chute cracked open smashed into the water (who was this?). Also the few tangles with the rappelers and the tree landings. The gainers were an awesome site as were the people "trying" to find the pull out. All in all I will definitly be prepared for next year. If you are mildly interested in jumping going there will probably push you over the edge. Figuratively speaking of course.

[Mike]

He 'only' did 7. We rewound the tape several times saturday night. This guy is a friend of mine, but I'll let him claim this one himself (if he wants to...)

[guest]

"only 7" maybe so, but its the new record, and not too shabby considering the record off Kjerag is "only" 8.
Way to go Tibor!!
Mike- BASE515
ps the video is on the way.

[Mike]

I used the word 'only' in total sarcasm, of course. I watched his jump from the top and I actually stopped counting the flips after about 5 or 6. I think it threw me off when I realized I was about to watch my friend die. But, he didn't. As you said, way to go Tibor!

[guest]

Tibor, nice job on the flips good thing the water is soft! How many do you think you can do from 1700 ft? BASE 515 and myself have a nice "A" that we can take you to. I bet you $20 you can't do more than 10. I'll do the video and buy the beer! C-YA Jason

[base428]

The 7 flips was way cool, but I wonder if this guy actually knew 7 flips and then dumping (quickly) would allow him to open in enough time? I saw the video Sat night and had this guy taken an extra 1/4 second delay (or had a pc hesitation) - HE'D BE DEAD. Just ask Tim from the Spiders about pc hesitations....

Asking "How low can you go" or "How many flips can you do" is only asking for another victim. Hey, maybe next year someone'll do 8 flips and then we'll all ask why we didn't stop the nonsense when he bounces. I get really bothered by people who constantly try to freefall objects that are lower and lower each time. What are these people really trying to accomplish here? So what if you can freefall 200' over land? If you do it enough times, eventually the reaper will kick your butt and I'll still be here in one piece. I only have respect for those with tons of jumps, because they chose to play it safe and have fun, not having to impress other jumpers by going bigger each time.

You have to know your limits and judging from a bunch of bridge day jumps, MANY don't know their limits. People trying backflips on their 2nd BASE jump, some idiot asking me if he should try 3 front flips on his 2nd NRGB jump and 28th BASE jump, and other crazy jumps are the reason why God is at bridge day. God is in WV each Bridge Day, trust me.

My 2 cents,
jason
BASE 428

[Micke N]

I agree with Jason, I can't see why so many BASE jumpers with so few BASE jumps (and skydives) feel they must do so much aerobatics to feel good about their jumps. Or actually I DO understand but don't like it, the YAHOO-factor is many times way to high.

If you KNOW what you're doing, if you know the risks involved, than it is a calculated risk. That's OK. There are some jumpers out there doing some awesome ##### with both the skills and fully understanding what they are risking. Sometimes they get hurt or die, but they know/knew the risks and we have to respect them for that.

/Micke

[Yuri]

Yo !

There is a valid point here: many people don't know their limits indeed. However, the only way to find your real limits is to push them hard. This is a personal challenge that nobody but the jumper him/herself has a right to judge. BASE is about pushing the limits, whether you live or die trying. I understand very well that your primary goal may be to survive: there is a lot of old rich people playing golf and it's hard to say they are wrong. It does sound stupid, however, when they keep asking "whuffo you jump from them bridges?" - mostly because they'll never understand. You ask the same question, dude.

To make the point further, if YOU had taken an extra 3 second delay (or had a total) - YOU'D BE DEAD. No sh_t! You see, drawing the line can be very tricky...

On a personal note: some jumps are very dangerous but also very unique, exciting or just a lot of fun. An experience, visuals and memories earned on such jumps are worth a fortune. If you do them all the time, you will run a good chance to die prematurely. If you don't do them at all, however, you are, well, a looser.

Common sense rules the world. Have a long one! ;)

bsbd!

Yuri.

[base428]

Yuri also has a valid point - we are BASE jumpers and testing the limits is what we do.

I guess my point is that the whole "aerial craze" that has overcome Bridge Day and the BASE world should be looked at more. We often tell skydivers to "get 100 skydives" before they BASE, but we don't recommend that BASE jumpers "get 50 BASE jumps" before they do aerials. Perhaps we should all recommend this. Judging from the slop I saw at BDay99, it's needed. Heck, I felt no need to try aerials until after my 100th BASE jump several years ago, so why must some BASErs feel the need to try one on their 2nd BASE jump? Because it's what "everyone else is doing".

I personally talked to two (2) jumpers after BDay99 who told me they "tried" a reverse flip (a "gainer" in layman's terms) and got stuck on their back. It just all amazes me.......

jason
base428

[guest]

I understand what you guys are saying and agree "I pushed it to my limit." I probally shouldnt have done it considering I invited my parents to come and watch me jump (they just about had a heart attack). I did my first quardrupal gainer and heptaflip. Afterwards my mom asked "why cant you just jump out flat like the other people." The answer is that doing aerials is something I want to do, not because I feel pressured but because it gives me the "juice" that I dont get from belly down BASE. I look up to jumpers like Slim, Frank Lapool, and Mario. To me they push the limits of BASE alltogether and someday I hope to be as respected as they are.
I may only have 78 BASE jumps, but they are all within the last year (BD98 was my first), and with the same gear which I feel I know very well(of course it only takes one time for things to go wrong). I didnt go stowed untill my 16th jump and did my first aerial on my 26th (a front flip). Some people have hundreds of jumps and never go stowed or do aerials and thats fine. The thing to remember is that BASE jumping is a very subjective thing. In addition after seeing so many people jump in a day at BD you cant help but get the feeling that nothing can go wrong. If they were bandit jumps at night off a tower I doubt so may would do aerials.
I dont encourage aerials but if you insist the best thing is to recieve some diving instruction. I have never been coached myself although I have spent a lot of time doing single gainers and double front flips off of the one meter sping board. I plan to start platform diving this winter.
Thank you for the concern, all the great comments, and the wonderful BASE board (a place to express them)!

Tibor Szabo

P.S. Hey adrenalineslut I might have to take you up on that "A" we'll do a two way, you can jump/film from above, Ill go low!

[guest]

Tibor

We will surely become more multi-faceted as the night turns to day in BASE jumping, and it's funny but when BASE jumpers show conservatism it's only because . . . well, if a 747 full of BASE jumpers went down I'd like the contract to haul away the medical aluminum from the ashes.

They learned to be cautious the hard way, and when they try to pass this on it's misunderstood sometimes, however . . .

Let's drop the term "Belly Down" as it sounds condescending even though I can't hear the tone of your voice, besides I'd prefer:

"The look at it coming position."

"The point the parachute in the right direction position."

"The you can't see my eyes are closed position."

Or even,

"The living breathing sack of potatoes position."

C-ya,
Nick

[guest]

after a successful collegiate diving career, and knowing how to move my body, and also knowing how to stop moving my body in still air (as opposed to skydiving) I agree that it is necessary to KNOW how to do aerials before you try them. Any diver will tell you the pain they went through learning new dives when they hit the water. BASE jumping is in no way as forgiving. It seems to me that the people that try aerials at Bridge Day do so because of the greater height, daylight, and also that it is a bridge, and you are able to fly under it if depoyed unstable. These are all valid factors, but when you see someone lined up against the ambulance, 5 minutes before exit, turn to their friend and say "Hey, I think I'll try a flip" it makes you wonder whether this person will get a ride to the top in the bus or an ambulance. If you want to start aerials, talk to someone who knows how to do them. ask about spotting on your way around so you know where you are, go to your local college and watch some practices and ask the coach for help. Get on a diving board, and preferably a platform. You will then know and respect what you are doing. and please, get a ton of jumps before you do one. Aerials are not forgiving

Hey Tibor, nice job, did you plan on 7 flips? Do you think we can talk them into installing a nice duraflex with a smooth ride on the ramp for next year????

[guest]

I’m one of those jumpers Jason talked to after Bridge Day. I have eight jumps from the bridge (4 of those on BD, the other 4 always done alongside an experienced jumper) and that’s the extent of my BASE career. However, I have sat outside of a 42 story building under construction at 4am on a Sunday morning waiting for those calm sunrise winds which never came, stared at the rooftops of downtown buildings knowing I have roof access but not the experience to do it alone, and have climbed an antennae twice only to climb back down. Each of these “no go’s” was my decision. Including the antennae when the conditions weren’t just right and I down climbed past another experienced jumper who went on and jumped in questionable winds – he had the experience to handle it, I didn’t.

I guess what I’m getting at is that everything comes down to an educated risk. Ignorance is bliss but it also gets you killed. Speaking for me, I’ve never done anything that I felt I couldn’t handle. I’ve pushed the limits yes, but never past the point of no return. Jason’s right. Bridge Day is the one day where for sure a greater force is looking over everyone. I would have never tried a back flip with my level of experience on a bandit jump. Bad body position, off heading opening, not being able to rotate, water and trains all spell disaster for pulling off a jump where only the jumpers know about it. But, after talking to experienced jumpers on body postion, knowing there were dozens of rescue boats, knowing where my outs were in case of a low off heading opening, considering the bridge allowed for a 360 degree opening and knowing not to hold onto it too long before kicking out if I wasn’t going to get it all the way over, I went for it. The first one I kicked out of, the second I pulled off.

Here’s where the experienced jumpers come in. Bridge day is the exception, There’s no way 80% of those antics would fly, or even be attempted on a bandit jump. There are wuffos to help you out of trees and water and paramedics on the scene. It’s the other 364 days that the new guys with BASE gear and desire need your help to jump safely, not burn sites, build skills and pass them along to the next generation.

[guest]

...is not me, Will Forshay. I've only done what Nick so eloquently refers to as "The living breathing sack of potatoes position."

(I didn't want to have any accomplishment from the previous post attached undeservedly to me.)

BD Video info: (see the 7 flips)

http://home.att.net/~wforshay