Basejumper.com - archive

Just got back from a week in Twin Falls, Idaho attending Tom Aiello's FJC. I have to say that this has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life.

11 base jumps, 9 solo, a two way with my friend Zennie, and an awesome 5 way graduation jump are just the beginning of what I hope to be a long BASE career.

Tom, I can't thank you enough. Your course was thorough, your teaching technique well thought out and your respect for each of your students comfort level much appreciated.

I also want to thank your wife Cherie, she is a real sweetheart. Her love for you and understanding of your passion for this sport is what really made it all possible.

Way to go, Teresa . . . !

NickD
BASE 194

Well done to Teresa. Your appreciation will take you a long way in the world of BASE. With that attitude, you are welcome ANY time.

Also well done to Tom (& Cherie), you obviously have had a positive impact on Teresa for her to give you such a good wrap. The sport appreciates your input.

welcome to the sport!

Right on! It was nice jumping with you. Wish I could have stayed longer, but I enjoyed hanging out with you.




edit:typo

You looked like you were enjoying yourself

Peace,
Z

Awesome pictures Mike! It was really great to see ya there.

Anyone think that bent right leg in the last picture could have contributed to my off heading opening 90 degrees left?

My heading was consistently off the last few jumps and it was speculated that it could be packing (2-pin rig) or that I was pitching too hard, this seems like another possibility since body position is so critical in BASE.

excellent choice of footware. I hope you get into the habit of always wearing that sort of shoe

At least your knees wont get hurt.

I am glad your teacher advised you to make sure your knees where ok and your ankles had plenty of support just in case.....

Is that your rig?

If not and its a poster above me starting whith D,i would visit a doc to see if i were pregnent if i were you if you are i know who did it.. ive got prove,so does the owner of the container if its his

If its yours.. beaware if you ever invites danes arround you,having a rig like that could be dangerus.. atleast to the rig

Congrats on your jumps.. and as Mac says.. find your self a pair of boots to jump in..

You don't like my shoes?

I actually have a pair of Hanwags, they kill my feet. Apparently I have to take them swimming first to get them to fit right...it's on my to do list.

no we dont http://www.nfye.com/...ups/brokenbones5.jpg

One thing you may want to look for while you're packing is how hard you're wrenching on the pull up cord to close the container. If you're pulling one sideflap all the way to the grommet and then going for the other flap and tugging that one all the way to the center, you're doing some heavy duty distorting to your otherwise nice packjob. I've seen your packjobs and the problem isn't coming from the way you pack, more likely the way you're closing your container.

As you get more practice packing, your packjobs will get cleaner, neater, and as a result, smaller. It will become easier to close the container without distorting the nose.

Did you continue closing the container top pin first? I always sink the top pin first because it locks the nose in place. The part of the canopy that's controlled by the top pin is more important to heading performance than the fabric contained by the bottom pin. (IMO)

Once the top pin is in place, tugging on the pull up cord to seat the bottom pin is going to matter a little bit less.

If you make your way up here to Seattle, I can show you some cool tricks to close really neatly.

Yes it is my rig, no I'm not pregnant, and I have made a mental note to self...beware of Danes.

I've attached a few pictures of the group:

FJC1 Tom, me, Kate Cooper, James McAlinden, Michael Schwery, and Eric Fraley.

FJC2 graduation photo with honorary deathcamper pBASEtobe.

FJC3 Death Camp 05...What could possibly go wrong? Thanks for the t-shirts James.

love the work

Hey Russel
Get some sun on that skin... one month ago you were as white as on thouse pics...

i think one dane will arrive to the area next weekend or so(if his not there yet),dont kill him before he promise i can have his rig(even as its blue,say hello from me by the way..,if your still arround...

copycats

Tom,you still look fat(i would too if i were as great a cook as you),and what is that Orange thing on you,did you fight any marker pens lately

Kate Cooper !!!!!!!

Well, it's about time!

Kate said to me back in '89 she enjoyed reading The Fixed Object Journal and it "almost" made her want to do something "insane" like visit downtown.

Are we going to see BASE rigs for sale in Square One . . . ?

NickD
BASE 194

I was just on the phone with Anne H, and she said Kate had made one of the BR trips to Norway, so this wasn't exactly her first BASE jumps, but after this weekend, she is positively giddy about BASE . . .

Good show, Tom . . .

NickD
BASE 194

I actually looked at that several times, and we tried changing the closing technique, without much success.

Gotta pack neater!

Next course, you want to come out and teach the packing?

Deal!

Gratz again Teresa! Had a great time on our 2-way.

Come huck an A with us any time!

Not sure it's the bent knee so much as it looks like you may have your left shoulder dipped a bit further down. If you're baseball throwing the PC while handheld you may be dropping the left shoulder a bit, which could contribute to an offheading left.

> Anyone think that bent right leg in the last picture could have contributed to my off heading opening 90 degrees left?
Not the leg (a bent leg in itself does not do much to opening...) but the left shoulder deeper than right one did contribute to offheading.
Left shoulder deeper, left risers gets charged before right one, left side of parachute starts having lift before right side, you start turning left.

> My heading was consistently off the last few jumps and it was speculated that it could be packing (2-pin rig) or that I was pitching too hard, this seems like another possibility since body position is so critical in BASE
Yes, indeed, there is DEFINITELY NOT one single (significant) issue that definitely can cause off heading every time it appears, but for sure there are lots of issues that can, from time to time, cause a significant effect on offheading, and when several of them become significant in the same jump, here you are that you get a 180°....
The great D.W. (RIP) had this statement: "There are two categories of BASE jumpers:
1) BASE jumpers that got a 180°
2) BASE jumpers that haven't yet got a 180°"

should i join to show that you dont need all them tools and neat packjobs to get onheaddings?

And deafently the leg thing has nothing to say about your onheadding look at me and Russel as were in freefall,sometimes i think his more stabel than mebut we both get obnheaddings

 
Hi Everyone

I too would like to thank Tom for all his hard work and input which was clearly evident in the course we received - it was great fun and very comprehensive. I would reccomend it to anyone.

Also thanks to Eric, Micky , Kate and Theresa for all the fun, laughs and good times - it was a blast and i couldn't have picked a better bunch of people to share the week with.

The 5-way was awesome - and a fitting conclusion to an awesome week. Well worth the 11000 mile round trip plus 1700 mile drive !!!!

I am just about awake now and remembering all the great moments.

If any of you find yourtself in Europe, then my house is yours ...

As for the T-shirts i think we'll keep the originals just for our group - but i'll make a bunch of similar "Death Camp" shirts if there's a demand so if anyone wants one let me know.

James

 

copycats

- Not Really

hey superman i didnt see that it were you there

Now you better be ready for my next visit,plus i still didnt got to try your Kajaks...

Congrats on your return to the sport,im happy you did it this way..

 
Hey Faber

we superhero's prefer the low profile approach

You had better get ready for my visit - after both you and Nickolaj have invited me, i guess it's going to be BOOGIE TIME in Denmark soon !!!!

Especially now i KNOW that you can use a slider !!!

As for the Kayaks - anytime you fancy it ...As you know - my house is yours (but no having sex with my rig - It's just wrong !!!)

James

When do you plan to get here?

Not sure the phone # ive got on you is working...

Yeah i can jump slider up.. if i had a slider..Nikolaj got 1 of them and i just burned the other one...But hey bring your SL gear and ill take you to some funny place nah i have serval places you would jump..

I dunno when i return to UK,but lets see

Way to go girl Yet another added to the Texas women crew, woohoo!

What is the conventional wisdom on breaking in these boots? I don't want to ruin them, but I've definitely got to do something and fast.

Only thing to do is posting nude pics of you(nearly nude as you need to wear the boots ofcourse)


I guess you should just wear them...

Getting them wet won't hurt them. I've broken in boots before by wearing them into knee deep water (I filled a bathtub until it ran over the tops of the water proof boots) until they were thoroughly soaked, then wearing them the rest of the day. Be sure to protect your feet, though, as the break-in day can be pretty painful. You can also keep changing socks every hour or so, to help protect your feet (and dry the boots faster).

Disclaimer: I've never owned a pair of Hanwags, and my Crispi's didn't need any breaking in.

Thanks Tom, your suggestion seems more practical than Faber's , good advise about the socks.

huh?
atleast my way dont hurt your feets

good luck and dont get too big blisters