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Hey Blind -- No matter how desperate the situation, there is always a way to save enough money for BASE gear. To pay for my first BASE rig, I stopped skydiving and started working as a packer. And believe me, that is nothing compared to what other jumpers have done. One of the regulars on this board sold his plasma until he had enough monay to buy a rig... Please don't jump your current set-up from a fixed-object again. It is an accident waiting to happen. Pack rigs, sell your plasma, become a man-whore, or even get a 3rd or 4th job. Do whatever it takes! Tree and Tom have made some gracious offers to you. They have been around for awhile and have seen a LOT. And they don't want anything bad to happen to you. Huge kudos to them for stepping up with solutions! (I know you are very appreciative too) Bryan

Jimmy -- Wow. Thank you for taking the time to share this story. It was fascinating reading and will hopefully spark some thought into people's eyes about the challenges they may face during a rescue situation. (Chad H. and I once had to rescue a friend that was hanging from a guy wire 500ft off the ground and 40ft away from the tower) It sounds like Lee and Brian are f-ing studs. Huge kudos for their heroic efforts... And best wishes to Maggot and Marty -- heal fast brothers! Bryan

I completely agree with everything that Tom and Donk are saying. Over the years, I have seen an increasing trend that goes like this: A person learns at the Perrine and make 50 to 100 jumps in rapid succession. During their time at the Perrine, they get bored (which is understandable) so they start hucking tricks. Then they migrate to Moab and think that after a flat and stable jump from the frozen pizza cliff, they can start throwing tricks off every cliff they find. Each one of us is in this sport for our own reasons. Skill levels and risk tolerance vary from one person to another. Regardless, here is a piece of advice: Build your skill set slowly. Each and every object is different. Slow down and understand the risks that surround each jump you do. It takes time and experience to learn the risks that surround a particular jump (all of us are still learning each and every day, regardless of how many jumps/objects we have). I have seen far too many people treat a BASE jump as an absolute. Example: "I've done a TARD-over off the bridge, it'll be ok here." It certain situations, it might be an appropriate move with outs if things go wrong. In certain situations it may not. Do you know the difference? It sucks when you hit an object. For the folks on Nick's list, it sucks even more. Make no mistake about it, there's risk on every jump we do. Do you understand what you are really getting into before you leave the edge? You should. If not, you are doing a disservice to yourself and those who surround you. Please note that my comments are not directed at those who just had accidents in Moab nor are they directed at any one individual. They are directed at the growing trends that I have observed over the last couple of years. Adam Filippino once said: "A thinking BASE jumper is a good BASE jumper." This statement is just as much true today... Bryan

Sorry, that is a skydiving thing. This is BASE... Bryan (not picking on you ragglesnarf -- just educating)

Ok, I know this is straying from the original post, but after Nick's "phone booth pack job" story, I can't resist. So DJ, Shotgun Ray, and Manbird are driving to Idaho. Manbird's car had no air conditioning and since it was summertime, the windows in the front were all the way down. Sitting in the backseat is DJ, and he is bored to tears. So he grabs his unpacked rig and decides to give it a back seat pack-job while they are cruising down the interstate. He dumps his stash bag into his lap and realizes that it is slider-up. Oh well...no worries mate! Somehow, in spite of the wind and Ray's incessant comments, he manages to get the canopy into the container and closed. Over the rail he goes and announces that he's going to take it easy on his back seat packjob. He throws a gainer and gets a somewhat decent 45 right opening. That quirky jump set off a world of creativity for DJ and later that weekend, he brought us the infamous "Higgly Wiggly". If only I had a dollar for each smile the Portland Crew has given me over the years... Bryan

Hello -- I went to the Black & Gold last year and had a great time. It was well worth my trip from Idaho and the Golden Knights put on a first-class show. To help answer some of the questions that people have been asking: Golden Knights Website This is the Golden Knight's website. You'll need to click on the "5th Annual Black & Gold Inter-service Parachute Competition" link that is on the right-side of the webpage. When the next page comes up, there are 4 more links with more info like Schedule of Events, etc. I'm unsure if camping is allowed, but if so, it would be full-on roughing it. The Knights lock up their facility at the end of the day, so you would be without any running water or toilets once things shut down. There are no showers on-site either, so be prepared for that as well. Your best bet is to call the Knights and find out if you can even camp on-site before considering this option. Hotels in the area (10 minutes form the airport) are dirt-cheap. It is easy to negotiate 2 queen beds for $29.99 a night from places like Days Inn, etc. You cannot be on leave for this event. I'm in the Air Force and it was easy to get Permissive TDY (other services may vary). Last year, there were vendors out there on Saturday and Sunday (the 2 busiest days of the 4-day event). Vendors included an assortment of skydiving equipment manufacturers, including the PD canopy demo program. There were also some food vendors but if I recall correctly, the food folks weren't out there on Friday and Monday, so you may want to bring out your own food on those days. As I said before, it was a great event and the Knights really went out of their way to help folks in any way they could. My hats off to them for taking time off from their training to provide an event like this for military members. I hope this helps, Bryan

I'm a gear freak too -- at one point, I had 9 rigs. Perigee Pro w/ Mojo 280 Perigee II w/ Ace 280 Composite ZP Perigee Pro w/ Ace 280 Perigee W w/ Tektite Javelin w/ Stiletto 150 Javelin w/ Spectre 150 Vector III w/ Spectre 170 Talon II w/ PD-253 (for demos) Eclipse Tandem w/ Icarus 400 But I left my full-time jumping job, and no longer have 2 of the skydiving rigs. Perhaps it's time for more BASE gear...

Moab weather in December seems to vary from year to year. Generally speaking, the winds are very calm. As far as temps, you can expect very cool mornings with afternoons in the 40s and sometimes 50s. However, 2 years ago they had one of the coldest Decembers on record with nighttime temps in the teens and daytime temps in the high 20s/low 30s, but temps that cold are rare. After a snow storm blows through, your jumping is only limited by the approach to the exit point. Those who have been to Moab know that many of the approaches are up slabby sandstone and these approaches can be dangerous when covered with snow. Be sure that you have a safe "runout" should you start sliding down! One example of a dangerous situation would be the "step" at the top of the slabby hike up the back spine of the frozen pizza jump. If it is iced over and you slip, you have about 5 feet to self-arrest before going for the big ride. At any rate, there are plenty of jumps to be had in the snow, just be cautious on the approach... A few tricks worth mentioning for jumping in the snow: 1) Carry a small, 6-inch broom-head with you. Use it to sweep away snow for foot placements as you walk up the sandstone. You can easily store it in a cargo pocket for the jump down. 2) If the exit point is really iced over and you are worried about slipping, turn your stach bag inside-out and fill it with dirt or sand that is near the exit point. Construct a "dirt-lane" over the ice for your running exit. December in Moab is a great time of the year to visit. Lodging and food are dirt cheap. The weather is generally cooperative if you don't mind cooler weather. And the town is nice and quiet -- a pleasant contrast to the freakshow that you find there in the busier months. Have fun! Bryan

Chad was PCA'd by one of the Twin Falls Sherrifs. Life is good in Idaho...

After several months of traveling, I've finally settled back down at home. It feels good! So, I decided to head out to the Potato Bridge to make a few jumps and more importantly, see friends. As usual, it was a stellar weekend. With folks from Seattle, New York, the Cnetral U.S., Australia, and Denmark, I'd say we had a pretty good geographic representation. As he has done so many times, Tom welcomed jumpers into his home and cooked up several meals (I bet Tom has fed over a hundred hungry jumpers by now). Now we've all seen silly tricks at the bridge before. McConkeys, TARDs, McJJs, Free Base'ing (big balls), McCut-aways, Tard-overs, all sorts of daisy-chain jumps, etc. etc. Well, this last weekend, Tom pulled off another silly trick. "The Catch and Release" performed by Tom Aiello and Katiemonster. Tom and Katie did side-floats facing each other. Tom was slider-down and was being PCA’d by another jumper standing on the bridge. Katie was going slider-up hand-held. After they jumped, Katie threw her pilot-chute at Tom’s chest and he caught it. He then held it through his deployment and PCA’d her. Henceforth the name: “Catch and Release”. Just another fun, silly antic at the bridge. BASE jumpers have been doing silly tricks since the beginning of time. Post your silly trick here... Bryan

Per Flare -- Hello my friend! I just sent an email to your hotmail account. You will be well taken care of... I'll never forget our adventures in China -- memories that will last a lifetime. And when that is through, we will merrily talk about them in Valhalla. C-ya soon, Bryan All -- these 3 guys are some of the finest around. It's time to lay out the red carpet...

Hi Jason -- I have made 3 landings at 11,300ft and 8 landings at 10,000ft. I jump a 280 with a "heavier than average" wingloading. When landing at altitudes above 10,000ft you can expect a much higher forward airspeed and a siginificant loss in flare power. Stand-up landings can still be had, but there is far less room for error. Here are a couple of things to consider when jumping at high altitudes: - Landing is more difficult. Landing in the normal area is not as much as a concern as what you are going to do when you land off. Landing in a boulder field at 11,000+ ft is dramatically different than sea level. (chances are, you are are going to get really busted up) - Deep Brake Settings. Your DBS is going to behave even deeper at high altitudes, so if your DBS is already on the verge of a stall, you may want to consider a higher, more intermediate setting for the jump. DBSs vary from person to person, so it's hard to say...but definitely consider your DBS and make the decision that is right for you The jump you're thinking about is a very beautiful jump, but be cautious with the weather conditions and your delay -- it is a very unforgiving site. Have Fun, Bryan

Hi Nick -- In my opinion, he did not die BASE jumping. He died sliding off an object that he intended to BASE jump from. He did not make any BASE jumps prior to this, and therefore was not a BASE jumper yet. My vote is a definitive "No" for the top half of the list. And my vote is "No" for the bottom half of the list. (BASE jumpers who died outside of the sport) Bryan

Hello Everyone -- I was on the first load from March 1-11 and all I can say is WOW! No picture or video can describe the beauty of this place. I had an absolute blast and HIGHLY recommend this trip to anyone who is thinking of going. It is a once in a lifetime experience. Imagine falling asleep next to a warm fireplace. When you wake up, you roll out of bed and put on your rig, and walk about 100 yards to a waiting helicopter. Hop in and within 30 seconds of take-off, your flying in a canyon that looks like the Garden of Eden. Minutes later you're perched on top of a high summit. Off to the side is a 2,100ft waterfall, but that's not what your focused on...your attention is directed to the 3,000ft drop right at the edge of your feet. After 18ish seconds of freefall, you open up in a tight canyon and your only real option is a small landing area cut out of the side of a hill in the jungle. Other than that, your only other options are the trees, the boulders, or the rushing river. It is not a sight for the timid, faint of heart, or the ill-prepared. After jumping till your heart's content, you hop into the helicopter for the short flight back to the ranch. If you have a packed rig, the pilot will give you a gentle nod and a smile as you climb down and hang from the helicopter's skids 2,000ft above the ranch. After letting go and sucking it down to a few hundred feet above the cabins, you open up and swoop right back to your cabin door. The rest of the day is spent eating some of the best food you've ever had, drinking Tecates, packing, and taking siestas (not necessarily in that order). Go to bed. Repeat the next day. And lose all sense of time. I would like to take a moment to thank Jay Epstein-Ramiriz for one of the best trips of my life. It was organized very well and you took very good care of us from start to finish. With that being said, the trip could not have gone as well as it did without Ben Nieland and Damian -- thank you guys for all that you do. Group dynamics between the jumpers was fantastic! Gabriel -- it was an honor to meet you and spend the week jumping and hanging out together. Keep up the great work in Mexico! Jason and Lisa: I had a blast getting to know you two better! I really appreciated your hospitality back on your home turf and it was even more fun spending 10 days together on this trip. Be sure to let me know when you head out West so we can show you our finest exit points. And way to hang in there during your B-day celebration -- impressive to say the least! Bryce and Annie: You two rock! Bryce-man, you're one heck of a fine jumper and I love your style. I'm looking forward to many a cool adventure in our home region. Oh yeah, is it a Black C___! Avery: Bro, all I can say is "You're Living up to it!". You were flying map-of-the-earth along the cliff's features and showing us all a taste of the magic that only a wingsuit can provide. And your 2-way with Damian from the 900ft waterfall was Ill! It was great hanging out with you on this trip and I look forward to many more. In summary, this was a trip with memories that will last a lifetime and smiles that will last forever. Thanks guys!

That's what makes you so cool! I know what you mean with Seth. Talk about a shining star that passed too quickly... And as for Ed Trick, well, he's on an extended vacation to a place where they serve you three square meals a day and you have to be damn sure not to drop the soap in the shower. Ill Vision's current Team Members are: Avery Badenhop Dave "Clem" Major Harry Parker Henry Boger Jim Surber Super Johnny Saavedra Tony "Donk" DiCola Myself We're out there living up to it and having fun! As a matter of fact, next week Ill Vision is heading to some Big Walls in Mexico to play for a couple of weeks. We have some other sick plans in the works...so the future is looking bright! Say hi to hookit next time you run into him! C-ya, Bryan

Hi Chuck -- You certainly have a lot of experience...I'd like your thoughts/opinions on all the potential problems that could arise. (Folks, Chuck is a very experienced Instructor and I'm sure he's in the process of evaluating if it would be worth it) 1) Do you think your hand signals would communicate clearly and effectively with a student while wearing a hand-mounted camera? 2) As Canuck mentioned, there are all sorts of issues when it comes to spin-stops, etc. Something that large on your hand could endanger the student when you go in for a spin-stop or a roll-over. (imagine the student's face hitting your wrist-mounted camera...) 3) Entanglement potential. Think about when you have to pull out a student...I'd be worried about bridal entanglement with your camera. (for those non-instructors out there, yes, sometimes you have to use your left hand to deploy a student) My personal opinion is there are too many inherent dangers to jump a wrist-mounted camera during an AFF jump... Bryan

Hi Bonnie -- Now, don't get the "new" Ill Vision confused with the "old" Ill Vision. Believe it or not, there's some real gentlemen on the team now. Best Wishes, Bryan

Oh well. Tom and I will toast you after a day of jumping in Spring-like conditions. Holler the next time you wander this way! Bryan

Girlfalldown -- You should be driving to Twin Falls right now! We're looking at deep blue skies, 55 degrees, and very light winds all weekend-long. Then some wine-tasting after a day of jumping in Twin Falls....does it get any better? Bryan

Faber -- If and when you come to the US, be sure to let me know. And allocate some serious time. I'm going to make sure you get one hell of a tour! And sorry mate, you're going to have to bring your slider! Bryan

JFK -- Lodi slipped my mind. It's a great DZ and it's really worth considering. Lift tickets are WAY lower than just about any DZ out there. And there is a hell of a lot of talent hanging out there in every discipline. (including BASE) Bryan

Hello -- If you have 2 or 3 weeks of vacation time, it would be well worth your time to spend a week at the Perrine. Based on the number of jumps listed in your profile, it would be an excellent opportunity to work on a lot of basic skills in a short amount of time. April/May can be windy at times, but if you stay at the Perrine for 1 week, you should be able to easily knock out 20 to 30 jumps. If skydiving is part of your vacation too, then I would spend a seperate week at Perris Valley skydiving and playing in the wind tunnel. Look at it as 2 seperate camps -- one for BASE and one for skydiving. It will allow for focused training and would still be a blast. Have Fun! Bryan

Hello -- I was one of several beta testers for the new line configuration and here is what I have noted: Slider Down With the new configuration, I like the way the canopy responds to rear riser input when correcting off-headings (brakes set in DBS). Rear riser corrections feel more responsive and less sensitive to overcorrection, although this is no surprise since less of the tail is pulled down in the new configuration. Before the mod, rear riser corrections felt like the canopy was "falling of its line" rather than turning on a center point. The new mod eliminates this feeling and appears to make rear riser corrections more solid and much more predictable. Statistically, my slider-down heading performance has improved with the 5th line mod. Slider Up I have had excellent heading performance over the entire spectrum of delays. Hard Openings, which seemed to happen from time to time with the old configuration, have also been tamed. I cannot comment on rear riser corrections because I always use toggles to correct off-headings while jumping slider-up. (for slider-down, it depends on the variables surrounding the jump) Other Characteristics Noted (both slider up and slider down) Turn rate while using toggles is slightly tamed. Flare power is reduced by 5%. Overall Results I like the modification. For me, the positives outweigh the slight loss of turn and flare power. These opinions are my observations based on the following number of jumps on an Ace 280: Before the Mod: 121 jumps After the Mod: 74 jumps I hope this helps, Bryan

Gosh, I love the snowball effect. We're getting some real momentum here! I'll join in on the effort after make it through the next 48 hours at work. Tom, I'll be in touch this weekend... Bryan

Hi lawrocket -- Thank you so much for your informative and well thought out posts. You've raised a string of valid points and in my opinion, you are spot-on with your advice. If I ever make it out to Central California, or if you make it out to Idaho, let me know and a steak and a beer is on me! Cheers, Bryan