Bridge Day newspaper story

guest · October 9th, 2001, 08:29 AM

Visit Fayette anyway, say parachutists

Tuesday October 9, 2001

By Rick Steelhammer
STAFF WRITER

A group of parachutists who had planned to jump off the New River Gorge Bridge during Fayetteville's annual Bridge Day celebration on Oct. 20 is urging Bridge Day jumpers to come to Fayette County despite cancellation of the 21st annual thrill show.

But instead of jumping off the 876-foot-tall Fayette County span, 'chutists are being urged to book whitewater rafting trips, take hikes, and enjoy the area's outdoor activities in more conventional ways.

Last Thursday, citing excessive new security costs, members of the Bridge Day Commission voted to pull the plug on bridge-related activities, including parachute jumping, during this year's fall festival.

"We need to set an example for the rest of America that we will not let thugs and murderers keep us from living the wild, wonderful lives we have chosen for ourselves," Colorado BASE jumper Robin Heid wrote on a recent Internet skydivers' news group posting.

"All of us who were planning to go to Bridge Day have already budgeted the time and money to go there," Heid continued. "The people of West Virginia need us to come anyway. ...The economic losses that community will feel because of Bridge Day cancellation will be enormous, and they will be appreciative and forever grateful if we stand by them now as they have stood by us for 20 years."

Bridge Day Commission chairman Keith Spangler said he had heard that many of the 300 BASE jumpers who had arranged to jump from the New River Gorge span were planning to spend the weekend of Oct. 20 in Fayette County as a show of support for the festival.

"A lot of them want to show their support by coming here and taking raft trips, hiking in the fall colors, and taking in the Spirit of Bridge Day festival," said Spangler. "Obviously, they want to come back and jump again, and I'm confident that they will be able to."

Spangler said plans are already in the works to have BASE jumping return to next year's festival, where the parachutists have been the main drawing card for the event's 170,000 attendees.

"We will be asking very soon for a commitment from the state to back our board in providing future support for security so that the cancellation of BASE jumping doesn't happen again," he said.

By having a year to plan for and raise the extra funds needed for intensified security, the Bridge Day board should be in a position to give the green light to parachute jumping and public pedestrian access to the bridge during next year's program, Spangler said.

"We're committed to seeing that Bridge Day and all of its activities continue," said Spangler. "We just didn't have time to work those issues out between Sept. 11 and Bridge Day weekend," he said. Event boosters also lacked the money to pay for added security costs, which would have been at least four times last year's level.

One silver lining to having normal Bridge Day events canceled is that West Virginians "are finally giving Bridge Day the attention it deserves. There's nothing like it anywhere in the world."

While there were no direct terrorist threats over holding Bridge Day, there were recurring rumors of suspicious behavior and an anonymous bomb threat, Spangler said.

The alternative Spirit of Bridge Day festival being planned will include a "Taste of Bridge Day" food sampling of New River Gorge restaurants, to be held at Smokey's on the Gorge on Oct. 19, from 4 to 9 p.m. Food samples will cost between 50 cents and $3.

Vendor booths, craft demonstrations and music will open on the streets of Fayetteville, starting at 9 a.m., and doors will open for an Eddie Money concert at 5 p.m. A community church service and gospel music presentation is scheduled for Oct. 21.

To contact staff writer Rick Steelhammer, use email or call 348-5169.

© Copyright 2001 The Charleston Gazette

http://www.wvgazette.com/news/Other+News/2001100927/

guest · October 9th, 2001, 08:50 AM

It's so ironic that Robin Heid doesn't even go to Bridge Day.
When was the last time Robin spent a dime in West Virginia?

guest · October 9th, 2001, 09:24 AM

i heard he showed up in 1987, but i'm sure he didn't spend much money because he has been the main one who has been telling all the jumpers since then to boycott bridge day. all in hopes of getting WV to pay all the jumpers the big bucks to come out and jump for them.
it is ironic indeed, but maybe he has changed and is now going to save the world and lead all us jumpers into the light of rightousness and prosperity.

i vote robin should be king, he's the man!!

wanna be

:7

**Skypuppy** · October 9th, 2001, 12:45 PM

Robin made no bones to me when I asked him about the bridge - he doesn't go and so he wouldn't have planned going even if the jumps were still on. Robin may not be popular but what he says about supporting the area does make sense, although it may not be practical for some. I did hear from someone there were lots of other objects in the area.
Incidently I saw Robin jump the bridge in 1984, my first year. He was the passenger on a tandem jump by tandem master Ted Strong. I thought that took a lot of guts, on both parts. I doubt there had been a tandem BASE jump before that. If I'm wrong that would make an interesting post.:+

guest · October 9th, 2001, 04:50 PM

This is typical of Robin's tactics. He writes some BS on the board that portrays an illusion of his being an accepted member of this BASE community. Maybe that helps him believe it to be true. Sorry little guy, you are out. Robin has burned every "bridge", alienated every group, and is a total slut (Robin wouldn't go to Bridge Day unless you paid him). Big help, huh? Don't let him talk to anyone in West Virginia, he'll just piss them off.