pre-bridge day event--are you coming?

[flynylon]

Clockwork Orange--the big S countdown

Viddie this my little droogies:

There's less than two months left until Bridge Day!

I am organizing a BASE-oriented event at Skydive Orange, Oct. 11-15. With 200 miles separating the two, I do believe Orange is the closest Super Otter DZ to the bridge. Dulles Int'l Airport is 80 minutes north. What better rallying point for the kick-ass people in our community to hang out, have fun, skydive, party like rockstars and even learn more about fixed object jumping?

If you want to take part, I need your feedback!!!

In order to plan the week's events, I need an idea of who's coming out to play with us. At the minimum, I am planning on AT LEAST a couple BASE seminars and workshops, an ass-kicking blowout (would you expect anything less?), food and kegs. The more people I hear from, the more events we can all look forward to, including dead-air helicopter jumps, a DJ, t-shirts, demo BASE canopies, manufacturer's reps, etc. Registration for the event will probably be about $25.

So, PLEASE email flynylon@msn.com with your preferred email address (for updates), # of base jumps (or skydives if none), types of seminars you want to attend, beer preference, # of people you are bringing.

Take off the whole week! Come play with us! It'll be real horrorshow, my grahzny malchicks and devotchkas. ;-)

Rave on!!!!
}( }(

[Tree]

So this is what it has come to..... skydiving boogies for BridgeDay. GoWayLow, where are you! Please sort this out. Next thing you know there will be a call for AADs on base rigs, and minimum pull altitudes. I knew having a BASE Zone on DZ.com could only lead one direction.

Tree :*

[base428]

Something similar to this event was proposed last year also by another jumper. I'm not sure how to look at things like this. There will be some jumpers who'd like to attend one of these "plane jumping" boogies......however, Bridge Day is a BASE jumping event.
The good folks at Orange are great and you'll have a blast if you do attend.

------------
Jason Bell (BASE428)
Email: jbell@vertical-visions.com
Web: www.vertical-visions.com or www.bridgeday.info

[flynylon]

Thanks Tree,

I guess this was a totally crazy idea, huh? I got on to this because every year, ppl put out the call for where to meet up before heading to Bridge Day. I started thinking I could invite everybody to my house, but I don't have enough room. Then I thot, geee, walmart has a big parking lot and they don't mind overnight stays, but alas, what's there to do at walmart? I started thinking about amusement parks, but if yer like me, I hate pre-packaged excitement. Then it struck me: 95% of BD jumpers are active skydivers. Oh, and almost 90 skydivers will be making their first BASE jump at BD this year! 1+2... Hmmmmm. Wow. I know where there's a great DZ. :+

I dunno, I just want to have a kick ass time with a bunch of cool people from all over the country before we all make the expedition over the mountains to WVa. I would like to see even more bonding and learning from sharing experiences. I'd like newer jumpers to understand the difference between flying a new Flik and flying a Raven IV or a big, old f1-11 9-cell. I want new jumpers to experience dead-air exits (as long as I hear from enough people to be able to get the aloutte down here) before they roll up the windows from the bridge. I also wanna party like a f#cking rockstar.}( I guess that doing all this at one of the coolest DZs in the world is a bonus. Its also a bonus that Clockwork Orange registrants get $15 Super Otter jumps on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. :P

You won't get any argument from me about distaste for the whole BASE Zone/BASE incidents mingled with skydiving incidents (my dz alterego is mnischalke, btw).

So, should I still not expect to see you at this non-boogie?;-)

[Tree]

Hey Mike,

I like Orange as well, but it just strikes as odd that a BASE event could somehow be held at a DZ. While jumping a heli may give a somewhat similar feel to a BASE exit, it really doesn't do anything to prepare someone mentally for stepping off an actual exit point. It is the mental part that makes people flail, as a simple head high exit is no acrobatic feat, unless you are scared silly with knocking knees and a serious buzz or hangover. I'm all for gathering together and that is what BD is really all about for base jumpers. Seeing old friends and making new ones, and thinking about another year that we have made it through, and those who did not.

There has always been a nice seperation between skydiving and base and I think that has been a good thing. There are so few similarities beyond utylizing a parachute to participate, that I just see the further DZ.comitization of BASE as not necessarily a good thing. Its not that I don't think anyone who wants to BASE shouldn't, but commercialization of BASE will lead to pepole getting involved who shouldn't, or wouldn't otherwise, and this leads to lots of busted up and dead skydivers and a higher public awareness of BASE that really isn't in anyone's best interest.

Have a good party, and I'll see you in Oak Hill,

Tree :P