Author seeks info on BASE pioneer John Carta

[Author]

Hi:

I'm finishing a book that, among other things, covers the exploits of BASE pioneer John Carta, BASE #118. In February of 1984, Carta used a specially-constructed ramp to jump a motorcycle from the roadway of the (edit: location name ~JU) Bridge, over the pedestrian walkway and railing, and into the (edit: location name ~JU) Canyon n California. He landed successfully in the canyon of the (edit: location name ~JU), below. Among other exploits, I believe he claimed to have jumped from the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Cara is known to have jumped from the (edit: location name ~JU) Bridge on April 22, 1990, with Joe Walker. That day both men had their BASE chutes siezed by police.

The next record I have of Carta is his death in an airplane crash September 29, 1990, at Clear Lake California. The day of his death, Carta was not jumping. He is said to have been wearing multiple plaster casts from injuries sustained in a previous jump.

Here's what I want to know:

Does anyone know how to reach Joe Walker? I'd like to interview him.

Where did Carta sustain the injuries he was recovering from the day of his death?

Does anyone know anyone who knew Carta in the final months of his life (1990) and might be able to account for his activities during that time (including the jump in which he was injured)?

Thanks,

Jordan Fisher Smith

[pringles]

found at
http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/...?authorID=8311

Author/Illustrator Bio:
Jordan Fisher Smith has been a park ranger for more than twenty years in Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska, and California. Nature Noir is his first book. He lives with his wife and two young children in the northern Sierra Nevada.


Here is our chance to help out a park ranger.

[Author]

Matt:

Thanks for your note. Do I detect a note of irony? (I'm smiling, here. I can take a joke.) But one is always at risk of missing something when one makes judgements of people in broad categories: black, Muslim, park rangers and cops, dope smokers, women...but that's just my opinion.

In my book (which covers the history of the (edit: location name ~JU) Bridge), I've treated Carta and his exploits with genuine admiration. No one else has ever written up his story, that I know of. Yet he was one of the pioneers of your sport, and did some truly remarkable things. I assume you know all about him and would have nothing to learn from my research, but maybe someone else would like to know what he did.

Regardless of my duties back when I was a ranger, I think BASE jumping is a legitimate sport, and I doubt very much that the owners of places where it is illegal are in danger from the BASE jumping. It seems to me that BASE jumping is what I'd call a victimless crime (like smoking dope, homosexual sodomy in some southern states, and nudity on remote beaches). In my opinion law enforcement officers have enough to do without enforcing such things.

Do what you think is right, but be thoughtful, if you will.

Thanks,

Jordan Fisher Smith

[baseninja]

I think everyone would love to help you write a book about the innocents that have rotted in jail for jumping every American's treasure, or those that died trying to avoid Federal criminal prosecution. Or even the incredible volunteer legwork that some jumpers perform trying to get the NPS to "consider" allowing us to recieve "permits".

How about writing a book about all early pioneers who loved BASE jumping so much, that they risked their life and freedom to excercise gravity?

Illegal Aerial Delivery? Whatever...

[Author]

Thanks for your input. It sounds to me like you could write that book better than I. My service with the national parks ended in 1983; I returned to work for them in 1992, but I never had anything to do with the federal prosecution for BASE jumping you refer to, nor did I ever work at Yosemite, so I really don't know much about the subject. All I can suggest to you is that you find a literary agent and pitch the idea. Good luck with that and thanks again for contributing to the thread.

JFS

[Author]

Hi:

I'm finishing a book that, among other things, covers the exploits of BASE pioneer John Carta, BASE #118. In February of 1986, Carta used a specially-constructed ramp to jump a motorcycle from the roadway of the (edit: location name ~JU) Bridge, over the pedestrian walkway and railing, and into the (edit: location name ~JU) Canyon n California. He landed successfully and to the best of my knowledge was then prosecuted by the Sheriff of Placer County. Among his other accomplishments was a jump he claimed to have made from the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Carta's last known jump from the (edit: location name ~JU) Bridge was on April 22, 1990, with Joe Walker. That day both men had their BASE chutes siezed by police.

Carta died tragically in an airplane crash September 29, 1990, at Clear Lake California. The day of his death, Carta was not jumping, but just along for the ride. He is said to have been wearing multiple plaster casts from injuries sustained in a previous jump.

Here's what I want to know:

Where did Carta sustain the injuries he was recovering from the day of his death?

Does anyone know someone who knew Carta in the final months of his life (1990), and might be able to account for his activities during that time, including the location of the jump in which he was injured, just before his death that September?

Thanks,

Jordan Fisher Smith
Author

[Tom Aiello]

From the World BASE Fatality List

John Carta, BASE 118
Airplane Crash
John is still wearing plaster casts after being* injured during a BASE jump but managed to wiggle onto an aircraft, just for the ride, that later crashed during an air-show routine. John made many high profile jumps worth remembering such as his jump from Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa, which he said resulted in being chased off* by a group of irate locals. Another time he jumped from an airplane and landed on the South Tower of California's Golden Gate Bridge. He then used his reserve for the rest of the trip. John also rode a motorcycle over the side of a 700-foot California Bridge.

So it sounds like his injuries were sustained jumping. You might ask Nick if he knows more--but I imagine he'll want some more information about your project before he gives out too much more info.

[Author]

Hi Tom:

Thanks very much for your reply as moderator. Yes, I'd prevously read the account of John's life and death on Nick's site. The question is, where was John jumping when he got injured, before he died?

Do you know how I might reach Nick Di Giovanni? (there's a link on his site, but for whatever reason, it's not working for me) I'll be happy to share with him the details of my project. The portion of the book devoted to the (edit: location name ~JU) Bridge and John Carta's life and death is really pretty limited, but as I learned more about John, I was astounded at some of the things he pulled off. Since Carta doesn't appear to have been written about, I want to make sure I have the facts straight.

Thanks again,

Jordan Fisher Smith

[pringles]

Try this email for nick base194@aol.com

Nick are there any updates for your book?

[Author]

Thanks, Matt. I'll check with Nick about his sources for the John Carta history he's posted.

[Author]

In the course of my research and interviews since I first posted on this thread yesterday, one informant has told me that there was considerable criticism of John Carta's 1986 motorcycle jump from the (edit: location name ~JU) Bridge in the BASE community, because his stunt brought the heat down on a jump site which, before that time, had been used freely and often by responsible (and less showy, more quiet) users.

If anyone has any recollection of that, I'd be interested.

Jordan Fisher Smith

[QuickDraw]

Here's what I want to know:

Where did Carta sustain the injuries he was recovering from the day of his death?

Does anyone know someone who knew Carta in the final months of his life (1990), and might be able to account for his activities during that time, including the location of the jump in which he was injured, just before his death that September?

one informant has told me that there was considerable criticism of John Carta's 1986 motorcycle jump

This isn't concerning an outstanding warrant is it ?

[Author]

Thank you for bringing your point of view to this thread.

We're all going to die. The point is: how to live between now and then. One way to live is with compassion and understanding for others. If you look at the BASE obituaries on Nick's site, one thing runs through the accounts of those who were loved by others: friendliness; big-heartedness; a love of their sport; and a desire to share their world with others. Take a snapshot of yourself. Look at it. Are you living with that kind of big-heartedness? Or are you obsessed with someone you percieve as Enemy, spouting venom and paranoia toward that which you perceive as the Other, that Enemy.

As for the word informant, it's a word writers use to refer to people who they've interviewed. The man or woman who gave me the account about criticism of Carta for the motorcycle stunt did so in confidence, without desiring to be quoted in a public forum. My professional ethics as a writer are to honor that. As far as the warrant you've referred to, I wouldn't know anything about it. I've been retired for years.

With all of that said, my research on the tiny corner of the BASE story that I'm writing about has revealed to me the level of frustration within the BASE community about the free use of their sites. I'd feel the same way if I were in your shoes. I just wouldn't respond by threatening anyone's life, as you've just done to me.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

[Tom Aiello]

I just wouldn't respond by threatening anyone's life, as you've just done to me.

Huh? I'm certainly not seeing any kind of threat anywhere in this thread.

Quickdraw's sig line "hope you don't die" appears on _all_ of his posts, and has been there for quite some time. It's not directed at you. I've personally always taken it as a well wish to other jumpers. Personally, I've had friends I used "don't die" with as a farewell.

I think you might be overreacting just a little, there.

[pringles]

Wow that totally confused me. I always ignore those signature lines. I went back through and still couldn't find it. Thanks for clearing that one up Tom.