Bridge Day 2009 Registration Starts July 1st at 2pm EDT
REGISTER TO JUMP HERE EVENT DESCRIPTION - Bridge Day is an annual legal BASE jumping event held on October 17, 2009 at 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. For most jumpers around the world, Bridge Day is a chance to make legal jumps, see old friends, and meet new ones.
For 100+ jumpers each year, it's the chance to make their first BASE jump. For those interested in BASE training, The Snake River BASE Academy will again be teaching a 4-day long course shortly before Bridge Day and a 6-8 hour Introductory Course on October 16. If you're new to Bridge Day, please read our Frequently Asked Questions. Last year, jumpers from 15 countries made a record 1062 jumps (average 2-3 per person), drank six kegs of beer, and consumed 150 pizzas. Jump slot purchases include as many jumps as you can make in six hours, pizza, beer, soda, T-shirt, shuttles, water rescue, seminars, video festival, etc.
Jumper registration begins on July 1, 2009 at 2pm EDT (18:00 GMT). Refreshing your browser at 2pm will allow the "ADD TO BASKET" button to be enabled. You will then be able to fill out the questionnaire and add a single jumper to your basket. If you have multiple jumpers on one order, please add each jumper's information separately to your basket.
Photo by Jessica Kluetmeier
CHANGES FOR 2008-2009:
1) BASE jumping headquarters was moved from the Holiday Inn Oak Hill to River Expeditions.
2) Skydive Inc. will have a C-182 and Stearman biplane available for experienced and inexperienced jumpers during Bridge Day week. Visit www.SkydiveTheBridge.com for further information.
3) Vertical Visions will be employing a handful of photographers/jumpers to assist in taking over the photo concession. Numerous enhancements are planned.
4) 38" PC's are OK for delays of 4-7 seconds. 42" PC's are recommended for 2-4 second delays.
5) Packing clamps and weights will be available in both upper and lower packing areas, free of charge. No need to bring your own.
6) Water and/or other beverages will be available in the lower packing area and at the exit point, free of charge.
7) Late Arrival Option - You can now complete the Bridge Day waiver, 2x2 photo, and video waiver prior to the event and simply show up at the exit point on Saturday morning to retrieve your Bridge Day jump pass and ID badge. This option is intended for experienced Bridge Day jumpers who may have difficulties arriving in Fayetteville, WV by Friday at 5pm. Click here for more info.
8) We're now offering full refunds for military personnel who can't attend due to a last minute deployment.
9) We're going to have a large BASE vendor booth near the upper packing area on Bridge Day. You'll be able to purchase basic BASE supplies, T-shirts, etc. We'll have BASE rigs in all sizes for people to try on and have their pictures taken in front of a simulated exit point. We'll also promote our sport, show videos, etc.
10) We'll continue the cool contests at River Expeditions such as:
- Stash Bag Contest - Simulate a BASE landing, remove full gear, and put in a stash bag in record time. We'll have a junky old rig available for you to use. Prizes go to the quickest stashers.
- Craziest ID Badge Contest - We see some insane 2x2 photos every year at Bridge Day that are used to make your ID badge. Now, you can win some cool prizes by having the craziest 2x2 photo. You'll still need to have an identifiable picture of yourself to comply with Bridge Day Commission rules, but feel free to wear a pink wig or shove a pilot chute in your mouth during the photo.
LODGING - We've got 50 hotel rooms (Comfort Inn New River), 50 motel rooms (Quality Inn New River), and 15-25 cabins, 3-6 RV sites, 15-20 tents on platforms, and unlimited camping at River Expeditions (BASE Jumper Headquarters) held for jumpers this year. Complete details are available on our Lodging page. Jumpers must call the appropriate hotel, motel, or campground starting August 1 at 2pm EDT. The jumper's last name and order number must be provided when making reservations via credit card. Due to the high percentage of unclaimed hotel rooms last year, Vertical Visions has switched back to a first-come, first-served system for handing out contracted lodging. Additional Bridge Day lodging options are shown on our website and jumpers are free to stay anywhere they choose.
MAPS - Click on the following image for an interactive map of Bridge Day lodging, shuttles, LZ, DZ, River Expeditions, etc.
OTHER INFO - There are exclusions to most of our rules and we're pretty accommodating to jumpers who have special situations. We are not the BASE police and we want you to have a great time at Bridge Day. If you have a special situation, don't hesitate to contact us.
ABOUT US - All BASE jumping activities at Bridge Day 2009 will again be coordinated by Vertical Visions LLC, owned by West Virginia BASE jumper and skydiver Jason Bell (BASE #428, D-16725). Jason will be assisted by his wife Jennifer, Charleston native Bill Bird (D-6977), and over 50 staff members.
MORE BRIDGE DAY EVENT INFO - 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.
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.
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, and a BASE gear trade show.
The popular 16' commercial aluminum diving board, first introduced in 2003, will be returning to Bridge Day this year. 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 from the massive diving board before deploying their one and only parachute. The Vertical Visions team plans to have a BASE jumping film festival and some special jumps that should make for an exciting Bridge Day 2009 for both jumpers and spectators.
CONTACT US - For questions regarding Bridge Day BASE jumping, please contact Jason Bell (jbell AT vertical-visions.com), reply to this thread, or visit www.bridgeday.info. For further whuffo-type information on Bridge Day 2009, please visit the official Bridge Day website located at www.officialbridgeday.com.
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Schedule
First Timers Page
The LZ
Hotels/Camping
Shuttle Buses to LZ
Our Main Staff
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Vertical Visions LLC
Jason Bell - Owner
PO Box 934
Bridgeport, WV 26330
Phone: 304-203-8500
Email: jbell (AT) vertical-visions.com
Bridge Day Website: www.bridgeday.info
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