Basejumper.com - archive

Anyone know when it begins this year? Thanx in advance!

c-ya

On the Bridge Day Web Site it says "available July 1st".

From bridgeday.info "Registration will officially open on July 1, 2005 around 2pm Eastern Standard Time (19:00 GMT). "

do these jump passes sell out as quick as the rolling stones tickets? should i be waiting for the clock to roll around to buy one?

or am i the only one who thinks i'll be the ONLY person without a jump pass on july 2nd ?

Yes. They are sold in priority order, so if you want to jump early in the day (hence, be able to jump again), you ought to get one as early as possible.

I'm not sure when they sold out last year, or how many slots there are. But I do know people who've tried to get them later, and found them sold out.

450 slots sold in 6 days last year. I believe 300+ went in the first 10 hours.

This short article will explain more about BD2005
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Bridge Day is the Super Bowl of BASE jumping with one day of legal parachute jumps from the 876' tall New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Over 450 BASE jumpers and up to 200,000 spectators are expected to attend Bridge Day 2005 on Saturday, October 15th.

Bridge Day is the largest extreme sports event in the world held on the third Saturday in October every year in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Bridge Day is unique in that it is the only day visitors may walk across the bridge, BASE jumpers can parachute from the railing, and rappellers are allowed to descend and ascend fixed ropes. Vendors line both ends of the bridge selling stained glass, crafts, shirts, photos, and refreshments. Bridge Day is West Virginia's largest one-day festival and is rated one of the top 100 festivals in North America.

But adrenaline junkies beware - Bridge Day is only six hours long. Jumping outside the small 9am-3pm window could result in a hefty fine and a year in prison. Many jumpers have recently petitioned the WV Department of Highways, Congressmen, and Senators for increased jumping days from the bridge's catwalk; an idea that has gained many supporters due to the positive financial gain for local businesses. Americas tallest bridge, the 1,053' tall Royal Gorge Bridge, hosts a 3-day BASE jumping event each year. Twin Falls, Idaho welcomes year 'round BASE jumping from their 486' Perrine Bridge and the local community embraces jumpers who bring millions of dollars in business to the area.

Jumpers from all over the world will be lined up to take their turn leaping from the world's second longest single arch bridge. Most will fall from the bridge for 3-4 seconds before deploying their parachute. Then they'll spend the next 20-30 seconds floating down to the designated landing zone located on National Park Service property at the edge of the New River. WV Media will again broadcast three hours of live TV coverage of the event to more than one million households in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio.

BASE is an acronym for the four types of fixed objects that are utilized for these foot-launched skydives: (B)uilding, (A)ntenna, (S)pan, and (E)arth. Jumpers first skydive hundreds of times from aircraft before attempting to BASE jump, which is undoubtedly the world's most extreme sport. Unlike skydiving, BASE jumpers often use only one parachute, as the lower exit altitudes of 200-1200' above the ground do not normally permit deployment of a reserve parachute. After leaping from each of the four different types of fixed objects, jumpers can apply for a BASE number. BASE numbers have been awarded for over 24 years to more than 1000 people worldwide.

BASE jumpers have jumped from the New River Gorge Bridge every year since the first Bridge Day on November 8, 1980 (the only exception being the cancellation of Bridge Day 2001 shortly after 9/11). The first Bridge Day saw five skydivers making BASE jumps from the bridge in the early days of the sport of BASE jumping. Over the years, Bridge Day became the place for thousands of skydivers to make their first BASE jump. It is also the largest gathering of BASE jumpers each year, complete with first jump seminars, packing classes, a BASE gear trade show, and a film festival.

The average BASE jumper at Bridge Day last year was a college-educated 35 year-old male with more than 1200 skydives and 64 BASE jumps from various objects. For every 89 males that take the plunge at Bridge Day, you'll find 11 females along side them ready to enjoy the ride as well. Last year, over 442 jumpers and staff members made 645 jumps in rainy weather with only a few minor injuries. "If the weather cooperates this year, I'm confident we can break the 1000 jump mark with no injuries in six hours of jumping", reports Bridge Day BASE Jumping Coordinator Jason Bell. "However, if we were able to legally jump from the catwalk beneath the bridge throughout the year, invisible to motorists above, then we wouldn't have to sacrifice safety in order to get everyone off the bridge on Bridge Day".

The popular 16' commercial aluminum diving board, first introduced in 2003, will be returning to Bridge Day this year. "In 2003, I got the chance to make a BASE jump by springing myself over the edge like an Olympic diver. I was pretty nervous, much more than a normal BASE jump, but it's a jump I'll always remember", says Jason. BASE jumping aerialists from countries as far away as Australia and Russia will again travel to Fayetteville, WV to amaze the spectators with multiple flips and twists before they deploy their one and only parachute. The Vertical Visions team also plans to have a landing accuracy contest with cash prizes, a BASE jumping video festival, and some special jumps that should make for an exciting Bridge Day 2005 for both jumpers and spectators.

All BASE jumping activities at Bridge Day 2005 will again be coordinated by Vertical Visions LLC, owned by West Virginia BASE jumper and skydiver Jason Bell (BASE #428, D-16725). Vertical Visions was awarded the Bridge Day 2005 BASE Jumping Coordinator position by the Bridge Day Commission in December 2003. Jason will be assisted by his wife Jennifer, Charleston native Bill Bird (D-6977), and over 50 staff members.

Jumper registration begins on July 1, 2005 at www.bridgeday.info, a website dedicated to Bridge Day BASE jumping and expanding legal BASE jumping at the bridge. All 450 jump slots are expected to be sold within days due to the immense popularity of the New River Gorge Bridge with the BASE jumping community. "With only a handful of quality, legal objects for us to practice our sport, Bridge Day will probably be a popular place for new and old jumpers for many years to come", reports Jason . "I just wish we could do it more than six hours a year".

For questions regarding Bridge Day BASE jumping, please contact Jason Bell (click on the "base428" profile to the left for email address) or visit www.bridgeday.info. For further information on Bridge Day 2005, please visit the official Bridge Day website located at www.officialbridgeday.com.

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Vertical Visions LLC
Jason Bell - Owner
PO Box 934
Bridgeport, WV 26330
Phone: 304-203-8500
Email: Click on the "base428" profile to the left
Bridge Day Website: www.bridgeday.info

First 10 hours? Wasn't the website down for at least 1/2 of those?

Seriously though Jason, do you think all of those bugs are worked out for this year?

Ganja ""Who are the Rod..." oh, never mind" Rodriguez

Server was down for about an hour.


Hope so. Server upgrades are in progress.

75$ for one or two jumps is on the expensive side...

(No need to start summing up the costs to organize this type of event. I'm sure it's a whole lot of money.)

1 or 2? pack faster, or avoid the water! Just kidding stay safe! I got 3 last year...

The whole sport is expensive.

FYI: Some jumpers have made 6 jumps in 6 hours. I easily made 3-4 jumps each year before I started organizing.

I dont think 75 buck is that much, considering that they are legal jumps and you have rescue boats and medical personal on site to help..... That and you have TONS of experianced BASE personnel to assist you.. Plus I think BD is more about the experiance anyway... but that is just me

If you want a better price you could go to TF...

Dude, Bridge Day is soooo not about the jumps.

No..... it's about watching Tom swagger from room to room like a pirate on a boat. We may have to get him an eyepatch and a large sword for next year. I have attached a sample of Mrs. Aiello's son's work..... cheers.

I am in total agreement with Tom. Dude its and event, a party!!! Not to mention you also get the following:

Free T-Shirt
all the heart racing red bull you can drink
Free pizza
Free alcohol
The entertainment of people pounding in and crazy stunts that people seem to always survive.
First timers feaking out and shaking then their excitement when they actually live!!
Tree landings.
Tom low pull on a round close to breaking himself up again on a huge bolder.
video fest
Taking over the Holiday Inn!!!
Drunk Naked Women.
Funnel Cake
Down home cooking
Meeting great people and old friends.

$75 is cheap!!! I would still come even if I made 0 jumps!!!!

Sure, and we complained when it was thirty dollars . . . No, Bridge Day is about the best time you can have for $75. (Or, you weren't trying hard enough). Besides, it was nothing compared with the bill presented to me at the Holiday Inn, after four days stay . . .

NickD
BASE 194

I've never been there...so I didn't know there was gonna be funnel cake.


Not having been there...one would think this means 1 or 2 jumps.

Let's stop debating the 75$ now.

I paid around $7,500 to make my first jump............... WITHOUT a party to go to afterwards!

$75 is fuck all.................

Funnel Cake!!! Crack cocain of sugar rushes!!! Gotta be done!!!



No one is slamming you for your comments just trying to explain the event. Its an incredible weekend!

You couldn't have said it better Tom!