Basejumper.com - archive

Found this online. It would be a great idea to have it more than once a year or make it legal year round. The sign when we drove into town said "The Coolest small town". I was thinking "Twin Falls" is the coolest small town. It has legal year round base jumping!

From the article and per the mayor:

Manchin said he would like to explore the possibility of allowing BASE jumping from the bridge’s catwalk, underneath the highway surface, and allow it more than once a year. If BASE jumps can be done from the catwalk, it would probably not interfere with traffic.

Stephanie Doyle, a Frederick, Md., BASE jumper, hopes Manchin will continue to explore expanding BASE jumping by using the catwalk.

“BASE jumpers would be thrilled,” she said. “You would get a lot more visitors here, who will come here and spend money. No doubt. There are some people who go to the other side of the country to visit a bridge where this is legal. To have it expanded on this side of the country would be incredible.”


Article:

http://www.register-herald.com/local/local_story_292231918.html

I'll expand on this later in the week, but many of us spoke with Governor Manchin at Bridge Day about jumping from the catwalk. My wife and I gave him lots of facts about the economic impact to the area (we estimate 1000 jumpers and family members travel to BD each year spending nearly $500,000 while in the state). I think we're finally making some progress after chipping away on this project for many years. We're going to pursue discussions with Governor Manchin very soon.

In case you didn't know, it is expected that the NRGB catwalk will be open for tours in 2009. This is an important step in legal jumps beyond Bridge Day. Legal jumping outside of BD would be low key - no spectators, no ramps, no banners, no rushing to jump that affects safety, etc. More later.....

LINK: http://www.register-herald.com/...story_292231918.html

I read this in the paper after the event as well. It sounds like good news for east coast jumpers. We should all write Gov. Manchin to thank him for the extra hour and let him know how often we'd visit if we could jump more frequently.

This year we proved that we can make 1000+ jumps with 25%+ first time jumpers without any serious injuries and it sounds like the governor is finally entertaining the idea of expanding access to the bridge. Now is our chance to express our gratitude and support!

CLICK HERE TO WRITE GOV MANCHIN!

done.

let's keep up the positive pr and thank those who help!

we need something here on the east coast.
that would be great having a legal place to jump that i can drive to.

Or email at: Governor@WVGov.org

Twin Falls rocks!!!

But being a Florida boy it would be so
much more convenient and cheaper to
visit NRGB a couple times a year.

I just thanked the Gov. and offered to
provide free economic data to support
any provisional plans to offer jumping
from the catwalk year round.

Message sent

i wrote and told him that it is an extremely bad idea!

if people are allowed to enter the catwalk, the death rate by trolls could increase exponentially!!!

Not if we're properly armed!

I don't think Stane wouild appreciate you bad-mouthing his products that way.

the Governor replied. So much for getting a personal response. At least he just CC'ed all the BASE jumpers in that email.

Did you guys know we were jumping the Gauley Bridge ???

That's funny, mine was very personalized:

So good

You are as funny as you are tall

It looks like he copied the same cookie cutter response to everybody. I responded asking him directly to consider opening up the catwalk for more frequent jumping. We should definitely push the issue now. He's more likely to hear our arguments while Bridge Day is still fresh on his mind.

I did not even know I enjoyed my time at Bridge Day! I just told him I would travel from Norway to his district, and spend time to jump the bridge if they expanded the jumping with more days!

You guys need to slip him your business cards next year. I received a personally signed letter from the Governor last week. I'm going to try to set up a meeting with him to discuss catwalk jumps (sorry NPS).

Gauley Bridge, New river Gorge Bridge...what's the difference, just a couple (eight) hundred feet, right??

This link takes you to the postcard from the original gauley bridge day:

http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genImage.php?locId=23536&imgId=Contrib-8114

Seems the Governor is lost. Gauley Bridge is a "TOWN" about 45 min away from the NRGB, which is in the town of Fayetteville. Gauley Bridge is not a bridge.

well, there WAS a bridge i crossed....
i think it was like, maybe 25-30 ft