Mike Allen, BASE 163 ... And The Very "First" BASE Board

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In the summer of 1989 the internet is populated mostly with thoughtful intelligence. Bulletin Board Services (individual BBS’s) are going up all over as $3000 IBM 8088s hum away in people's garages. It all takes place at the blistering pace of 1200 bps. And the discourse is polite.

This is a time when the intricacies of the net kept all but the most technological out of the loop. When the small private BB services became giants like AOL it opened the net to the great unwashed. And now, go ahead and check out rec.skydiving, all of the magic is gone . . .

GEnie (a General Electric company) comes online, as I recall, in the late 80s, and along with it the very first "BASE Board." Started by me. This board is the first time BASE jumping went public on the internet.

I managed to keep the archives, especially stuff posted by my friend Mike Allen. Below is just a small sample from that time. Mike is a hardcore BASE jumper, photographer, and skydiver and he's tragically killed in an automobile crash in March 1992 on Florida's deadly highway, Alligator Alley.

GEnie called their boards Roundtables, and the BASE jumping Roundtable is in Category 11, topic number 22. Comments in [...] are mine and put in as I posted this today.

Message #39
Thursday, April 24, 1991
Fr: M.Allen28
To: BASE-194 [me]

Yessir Nick, I'm alive and breathing. And this old gravity keeps bringing me down. I didn't see much activity in this topic in the last month. I'm wondering how many actually participate. Must be some really elite sup-topical sub species for sure. [Mike is referring to the small amount of BASE jumpers at the time who are computer literate enough to log on and post messages]. I did read several reams of material that spewed forth upon my floor by the BASE sub-genius generated since this topic's inception. For what it's worth [it was worth a lot] I'll throw in my 2 cents when something sparks a neuron.

REMEMBER: Practice Safe BASE, and Always Wear Protection. Good Advice for the 90s.

C-ya,
Mike


Ah, the moon is so big and bright tonight. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart to know people from all corners of the world are jumping off stuff. What a wonderful nutty, nutty world.

C-ya,
Mike


Ahoy Matie, and all that Jolly Roger talk. As you know, me and my local fixed object aviation chapter have been practicing our flying quite diligently off short runway objects. I just love good aviation. We need to find a way to stop traffic and have the guards lay off us. Hm, maybe I'll get with Jean Boenish on that . . . What? You mean nobody really controls our sport. NOW I'M REALLY INSECURE!!!!

C-ya,
Mike

Looks like "The King" Mark Hewitt will break the 500 BASE jump mark this weekend. Mr. Stein shouldn't be far behind and Rick Payne is at 340, did I leave anyone out? I'm at a respectable 132. (I'm pacing myself). [Mark is known as the KING, in those days, and folks like Richie Stein who are hot on his heels call themselves the JACKS and like saying they are just one broken leg away from being the KING. This must have made Mark very nervous] http://www.baselogic.com/forum/images/happy.gif

C-ya,
Mike

I think I'm getting burned out jumping these Florida antennas. Maybe I'm getting R*A*D*I*O*A*C*T*I*V*E*!!!!!!! I'm developing a taste for microwave food. It's a bad sign. I think I'll come out to sunny California and jump her monolithic protrusions. Or maybe launch off some pretty coastal bridge and land in the surf. Or plummet off a glassy building in downtown LA waving to myself in the mirrored panes as I whiz by. I need to relax anyway, so what the hell, I'll leave Thursday. I FEEL A BASE MISSION COMING ON!!!

C-ya,
Mike

I'm online now in California, THE LAND OF BIG THINGS TO JUMP OFF OF" and after sorting through my Junk E-mail (JunkyMail) I cruised over to the board to see what's happening. I'm just back from Yosemite where I helped film some hang glider pilots launching from Glacier Point. It is very spectacular to see and I envied the pilots their legal status. I'm also reminded how unfair the system is to BASE jumpers. Now I don't want to fault the hang glider pilots in any way, but BASE jumping is not anymore dangerous, at least not in the park. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there has never been any BASE fatalities or even any serious injuries off El Cap. [Mike is right about the fatalities at the time, this is years away from Susan Oatly's death, the first at El Cap]. I see a few inconsistencies in the National Park Service's bottom line in regards to BASE jumping. There have been too many years of animosity between rangers and jumpers. I don't see any end to that in sight. So the jumping will continue and so will the cat and mouse games.

C-ya,
Mike

Yes, I'm out here in granite land and I want you to know I'm not taking anything for granite! I saw a lot more BASE rigs at Bridge Day this year than ever. And this says to me that BASE jumping is continuing to develop into it's own sport. But on the other hand I must report there were still a few small skydiving pilot chutes, and as usual a few misguided individuals. BTW, "The EXTREAM EDGE" [an early BASE video] is being put out on LAZER DISC, NOW I'M IMMORTAL!!! [For the next several months you could walk into any electronics store in the country and see Mike Allen photographed by Tom Sander (I believe) jumping from antenna towers on every big screen in the store]. I wonder what John Q. Public will think of this film. Did we raise anyone's blood pressure, did we really take people to the extreme edge? I think it's a bit much to expect from TV. But I believe it is all worth the effort. At any rate I had a blast shooting the film and I think that is evident. Now if we can just get them to go for a nice high cliff I think the American public will like that too!

C-ya,
Mike

That is the last time I hear from Mike Allen. A few days later he is gone. A wonderful and surprising thing happened when I posted the news of Mike's accident on the board. Lurkers, hundreds of them, wrote in to offer condolences. We even received something from the upper management of General Electric itself. Mike's writings, along with some others on the board at time, gave many a nice introduction to the sport that I'm sure hasn't been forgotten.

When I see what has become of the electronic community, the ignorance, the hate and discontent, I can only reinforce and paraphrase something Mike Allen already said. "What a nutty, nutty world!

Nick
BR

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Hi Nick -

What a great post! As I said before, I love reading historical stories. Reading this one gave me that magical fuzzy feeling that many of us know so well. It also makes me think about how I got into the sport...

Near the end of 1996, I was sitting in Korea surfing the internet when I came across "The BASE Board". I was a young skydiver at the time with a whopping 170 skydives under my belt. I had heard of BASE jumping through skydiving, but knew nothing about it. As I read the postings on the board, a small spark ignited inside of me.

As a climber, I had seen many pictures of "The Bla**". For some reason, even though I knew nothing about BASE jumping, I decided right then and there that I was going to jump the Bla** as my first jump. So in a state of excitement, I posted my first message on the BASE Board.

"Hi - my name is Bryan. I'm an experienced skydiver. I'm going to make my first BASE jump at the Bla** Can*** in ********. Can anyone give me any information about the jump?"

At the time, I didn't realize how naive I was. I recieved a few flames on the Board and an e-mail from some guy named Mick Knutson. It said, "Dude - the Bla** is an advanced site and is not for beginners. There are many other sites better suited for learning. If you really want to learn how to jump, call this guy I know. His name is Adam Filippino and he has alot of experience. His number is blah blah blah."

After reading this and reflecting on my hasty posting, I realized that I had alot to learn. I kept my mouth shut and lurked the BASE Board for the next 10 months while I was waiting to return to the United States.

During those 10 months I actually learned a few things. I read *every* single posting and plucked out useful information between all of the flames and personal bickering wars.

I came back to the States and settled down in Northern California. One weekend, I was hanging out at the Parachute Center in Lodi. Some guy showed up and started packing a BASE rig with a dozen people watching him. Oh my gosh! A BASE rig! A BASE jumper! I didn't say anything - I just watched him pack and tried to learn what I could. When he was done packing, I watched as he showed a video with a bunch of guys jumping off some cliff in Utah - some kind of competition for jumpers.

When the video was done, I walked up and introduced myself. I was dumbfounded when he introduced himself as Mick Knutson. Wow - this was the guy that e-mailed me in Korea and he also owned the BASE Board. Even though he didn't know it, he was my first contact in the world of BASE.

I instantly told him that I wanted to learn how to BASE jump. I could tell that he was beseiged by requests and that my request was going in one ear and out the other. But I longed for a way into the sport. I gave Mick my number and told him to call me anytime and I would be happy to ground crew.

I waited as several weeks went by and the phone never rang. I saw Mick at the drop zone a few months later and pushed and pushed for him to let me ground crew. A week later the phone call came...

Seeing a BASE jump in person for the first time sent chills down my spine.

Every time Mick would call, I would be there. It didn't matter what time of the day or what I had planned. I wanted to get into the sport and I was willing to show my dedication. One way or another, I was going to make it. I was quiet and observent - soaking up every detail like a sponge. I started ground crewing for other jumpers and quickly learned that every jumper has their own style and set of rules. Some good and some bad.

Many months went by...then one night the phone rang and when I answered it, Mick was on the other end.

"Hello..."
"Hi Bryan" said Mick.
"Hey Mick! What's up?"
"The moon!" Mick said.
I replied with, "Cool. Do you need ground crew for tonight?"
And Mick said, "Well, yes...I need ground crew. But I was calling to ask which one of my rigs do you want to jump tonight?"

My heart stopped as I realized that my time had come. 6 hours later I made my first jump and my life was forever changed. The spark that I experienced 2 years prior (when I saw the BASE Board) sparked into a full-blown flame. Just a few hours later, I was at CR ordering gear.

It took a couple of months to get my gear and then it was off to the races. I made a handful of jumps and then headed out to Moab to work as a volunteer for the IPBC. It was awesome. Dozens of jumpers. So much for me to learn. I was finally able to place faces with all those names that I had been reading about for 2 years.

Now here I sit, 10 months and 100 jumps later. The fire inside has only grown stronger. I've learned alot and also know that there is still so much more to learn. For me, BASE is all about personal discovery and personal growth. Never before have I felt this passionate about something. BASE jumping has become my driving force, and for that, I am ever thankful for discovering its rich rewards.

Just the other morning, Jack (one of my jumping partners) and I were returning from a first-light load. The sun was rising and both of us were filled with post-jump bliss.

Jack smiled and summed it up best by saying, "You know Bryan...so many people spend their entire lives asleep, while only a select few know what it's like to be truly awake."

Bryan

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Mike was the first person I met with the fire for BASE inside of him. I was 15 when he died, I started skydiving and BASE jumping the next year in search of myself. I am glad we still have the fire to persue the dream.

[guest]

I'm proud to say I was a part of the GEnie BASE scene back then.

The last time I heard from Mike, he and I were plotting to make a new BASE video. I was encouraging him to make a spoof of mine and Roger's film "Stealing Altitude". I had just suggested that he use the Jane's Addiction song "Been Caught Stealin'" for the video.

I met Mike twice. Once during filming of what became Tom Sander's BASE video "Over the Edge". Mike was one of the cameramen on the ground for the building jumps in Los Angeles. (I was up top helping carry gear for Tom and triggering the cable shutter release on his wide-angle 35mm still camera -- say, Tom, whatever happened to that "camera assistant" credit you promised? )

I later did a skydive with Mike in Florida at his Clewiston DZ. He filmed my 22nd skydive -- even loaned me a rig and jumpsuit for the jump.
I've never forgotten the sight of him freefalling in my face with that god-awful VHS tape deck strapped to his chest. The value of that set up made itself evident moments after landing when Mike hit the eject button on the deck and handed me my jump video with the words "Instant video. No dubbing required! How's that for fast service?"


And then some: no charge for the video services, as I recall.

While I was there he also gave me high quality copies of his videos "Radioactive" and "Nobody But Me (BASE Jumps Like I Do)"

I grew up in Florida near Alligator Alley. That stretch of highway is legendary for its carnage.

I was sorry to have missed getting to know Mike better.

- John Starr

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thanks for the warm posting....and useful....I agree with Nick...there is way too much chaff....but John....could you please email me?...I'd love to purchase a copy of your film...peace...jeff.....JLAVFREFLO@aol.com

[guest]

Thanks for posting this, Nick!

Funny, but right when the thread was running about "Stealing Altitude", I was thinking about Mike Allen, too. Probably my favorite video of all time is the one he made with Bryan Scott: "From Gravity Came Ground Rush". I got my copy about a week before Mike died. I've almost worn the thing out! (That's probably where I got my deep routed love of "Lunatic Fringe")

Thanks for rekindling all the memories.

And, thanks for being the magic of "my first."

http://www.baselogic.com/forum/images/happy.gif


PS: You showed me "Stealing Altitude" that night you picked me up at LAX.

Yeah, John, if you're reading this, I'd love to buy a copy of that, too.

[guest]

thanks for sharing bryan! gotta love the fire...