Basejumper.com - archive

I've recently read a few threads that people really would rather die in BASE than be timid and never have lived life.

Fair enough.

how about, broken and battered from BASE?
(it is more common than ending up on The List.)

broken backs, broken femurs, lost foot, limps, paralysis, etc. have occurred, and probably will again.

then there are lost jobs, broken marriages, criminal records, and other social costs.

just playing Devil's advocate. the positive aspects of BASE can be quite seductive. the downsides can be quite harsh. (not everyone can be Miles...)

do you expect to look back and be proud of taking the risk, or will you question your judgment?

As a retired BASE jumper who has had plenty of time to look back on my choices, I have no regrets--mostly because I was not permanently injured nor was I ever arrested.

I never worried all that much about dying; I was far more worried about getting mangled and *not* dying.

I still actively skydive (it's far safer, cheaper and more convenient for me) but interestingly, many skydivers seem to have developed a need to risk getting mangled and not dying.

It's better than falling off a tractor and breaking your leg.

To say I have no regrets would be lying (I have one jump for sure), however, it's been more than 6yrs since my injury, and if I had the chance to do it all again, I would. If they could repair spinal cords and make me as good as before, I'd be out there going just as hard all over again!!

Then again,....I'm just a stupid, stubborn Canadian who doesn't know when to give up.

Tacky. True for sure, but tacky.

I'm an extreemly inexperienced jumper. Strangely enough, BASE makes me a little sad. Theres a certain part of me that didnt want to get involved in BASE. I recognized that the training and experience I wanted would end up resulting in a BASE jump being made. I say it makes me feel sad because even though theres a ton of things I respect about BASE jumpers, I don't think I like the fact I have become one. Its a reminder of my selfishness, my ego, and need for an unnatural amount of personal gratification at the expense of my long term health. It also clearly puts me into a group of people that have a propensity for getting badly hurt and having forshortened lives.

Someone who is preparing for their first jump told me they wanted to wingsuit base jump a big wall for their 30th birthday. I was completely taken aback by their comment when only a year ago it probably wouldnt have concerned me that much. Now I know just enough to realize the amount of time, effort, money, training, firsts, and experiences needed to make that happen assuming a reasonable (uh oh shades of gray) amount of risk assumption. I said the following to him:

"What you need to recognize is the many intermediate steps you need to make to achieve that goal. Every time you want to get closer to the required skill set you have to put all of your eggs in one basket, and then throw that basket off an object. Theres a whole lot of unavoidable basket tossing necessary to get where you think you want to go."

I guess it boils down to this. I can see certain goals that I have with my jumping. The experiences I have had so far are life changing and exactly what I was hoping for. If I cant articulate my end all be all goal, then I have to assume that I dont have one. Thinking about the risk that will be assumed in reaching those goals is a scary proposition and throws all those negative things right back in my face.

I would never give up what BASE has given me so far although it would be nice to have been a person who have lived life without the need for those experiences. Is BASE jumping a sign of strength or a sign of weakness? It is a source of pride or is it a source of regret? The real beauty of extreeme sports is that they seem to smash polar opposite ideas and feelings into a singular life changing act.

These thoughts ran through my head in a quick
6 second flash just moments before my first jump:

what in the fuck is wrong with you? it is 5 am,
you are on the wrong side of this railing, with
three guys you don't know, in a state you have
never been... you took off work and are paying
to do this? WTF? I am not right, this is retarded,
is all of this because of fucked up parents and
a bad childhood?? this is totally ridiculous...

These statements were made by a newbie I took
out to static line Wanda moments before he did
his count, exited, and hit the bridle with his boot:

Really? Really man? This is how it is, I actually
have gotten to the point I need to do shit this
dumb to get my rocks off? Oh well, fuck my life.

Statement made to my wife about BASE:

Honey, I swear I wish going to a football game
& screaming about someone else doing something
did it for me, I really do, sorry, it is just not me.

On a side note - I limped before BASE and getting
arrested would be a minor inconvenience, dying
would suck for my wife but really I worry most
about becoming paralyzed.

Twice a week I help a paraplegic exercise his legs.
He was a skydiver, BASE jumper, rigger, and rode
motorcycles - now he struggles with things we all
take for granted.

Please be careful out there all you fellow freaks

right now i have more on the line than ever before.

for years ive been a carefree irresponsible person when it comes to my future and work and what not. now ive finally got myself a rig and a steady job. i dont care much about my job itself, but god forbid i fuck up and get arrested for tresspassing or something along those lines, what would kill me would be a dishonorable discharge.

all i have to do is play my cards right 4 more years, stay uninjured, and out of trouble, and the GI bill is literally going to give me a quarter of a million dollar education, not just for free but uncle sams gonna pay me to go to school.

just not gonna allow myself to get too deep in the near future and go too hard.............

Now, I debated with myself whether or not to say this, but I am damned certain someone else has this same mentality...

Whenever I got into BASE my thoughts were anything perminent (being paralized mainly) would result in suicide. And the more I jump the more solidified that mentality becomes.

Selfish, I know... but I can't be the only one.

For me it would entirely depend on the level of paralysis and so on.
A friend of mine recently became paralysed from the waist down after falling off a horse.
You can live in a wheelchair, although it's limiting.
Full body paralysis would be a different story, though...

It may be selfish, but if you don't have any dependants, it's your life.
Anything that has 'the right to live' should have the right to die.

Wow. Sorry 'bout the phrasing.

Sweet, I feel less like an asshole.

You are right though, and I don't have any dependants. Full body or partial, I'm outa here.

And for me, I wouldn't be living in a wheelchair, I would just be surviving. Big difference.

I used to think the same way, but you can still live life in a chair. This kid proves it

http://www.youtube.com/...&feature=related

daamn. dude has persistance. thats awsome!

"the sea inside"
its a good movie
deals with exactly what you speak of

Look heavy.

Thanks.

this kid has no fear. i've seen the end were he succeeds but i never saw the fuck ups...puts it in perspective.

thanks for posting this, i'm gonna show it to my kid. she's in a wheelchair and i keep waiting for the moment she starts popping wheelies...after all, she is her mothers daughter : ).

Ben here is Badass:


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19088976/

His dad is a long time jumper, and they hang out a my DZ from time to time. Ben made it onto Letterman and the wheelchair company replaced his chair and have the original one displayed in their lobby.

As most know im broken right now and Docs say i wont be able to walk on my leg unassisted for 6 months. That was just over 2 weeks ago so i have had time to think about BASE.

Not once has it crossed my mind to quit, i live, breath and dream this shit. I have put way too much of my time into BASE to justify walking away after a boo boo. I have already selected an object for my first jump back which will be a water landing to break myself in slowly and maybe a bit prematurely for a hard ground landing on my leg.

I don't think i have ever completed anything in my life, skydiving and BASE jumping were the first things i fully committed to and i can totally understand a whuffo saying "what a waste of life" as they have never done it.

I'm proud not to be a BASE jumper as any donkey can do it these days with the perrine and bridge day. Also we have our fair share of retards in this sport too (we hjave a couple in our group). Im proud to be an Ohio jumper, sure we'll never buzz cliffs 2 ft off the deck in a wingsuit, but these are my family and friends. Im proud to be Cincy BASE.

Respect! Get well soon

I am not bad off, its not a major injury..... but

Every day I drag my leg behind me until it warms up... I feel pain every day in the winter, its continually getting worse each year...

Regret? None, it actually reminds me each and every day of the other aspects I have enjoyed from the sport.

The same way my BASE number tattoos reminds me each day I see them, the dragging walk to the kitchen to put the coffee on and walk around to warm up reminds me....

But again, this isnt a major injury, and I have no idea how I would feel if I was worse off than just a daily limp and seasonal pain...

Hats off to Lonnie, I am not sure I would be as strong and powerful as that hardcore fucker.... (if you have not seen it, watch his film)....

I robbed a quote from Tom A when I was asked by my doctors, employers (it was the statement that got me fired), family, non jumping friends (skydivers), when they all asked "So, you are going to give up jumping now?"

The quote I stole was something along the lines of, "If I didnt expect to get injured, then I didnt understand what I was getting into in the first place..."

I have a thought about going in.

I have heard people that thought they were going in get an accepting peace. I have also seen a video where the person going in screams like fuck.

If I am going in, I think I will regret my position, I will scream like fuck as I dont want to die. None of us wants to die, and when it happens, and if you know, your survival instinct will kick in and you will regret the position you are in.

The video I saw proved it, he knew, he screamed...

Jeb Corliss?

Not being afraid of death is very different....

I think he has been quoted saying something like "by basejumping, I get what I want either way. I either do something amazing or die."

Thats pretty fucked....

Pride and regret go together like apples and oranges. Ya caint have one widout the other. I have felt that I have achieved so much more mentally than if I i had stayed in a basically Caucasian trailer park like my cousins, and mom. Dont get me wrong though on that comparison. I was always seen as out of the loop. It is quite possible that if I could have hung out in the enviro that I would have been an expert on pimpin yo pickup, sortin out your dog or cockfight or grooming shrooms for profit.
Coulda gone with the fridaynight fight club too.
"Pride or Regret"? That is as inept as asking if a situation is lucky. Space and time and sumpin else. The pride one can have in letting the other driver go first in a crossing can be very regrettful when he gets smashed by a lorry/18wheeler. So it it matters nothing. It is like worrying about Sunrise. Its coming anyway. Ya have to deal with how well you prepared your loved ones for your death. I think it Castenada who said: If you think you have problems. look over to your left shoulder and you will see death. If to the right, I will say I will show you Hell. (Made that up somewhat but I hope youz see)
Take care
space

I know, right?

Go watch his documentary. I watch it some nights when I need a laugh.

What is your issue with Jeb exactly? I am open to objectivity.
I would just like you to spell it out. I would not like to see you play the "predetermination game". Drive the flame train and dont ride it is my style. Sheep ride.
Take care,
space

That statement is taken way out of context!
he was saying this when he saw base for the first time and that is when he knew it was for him, so when he said that, i have been lead to believe that he was having a rough time in life before base.
so thats were the if i die its ok or if i don't iv done something amazing is from.

(if that doesn't make any sense its because i'm a dyslexic retard)

Nick

I love Jeb, I just think he is hilarious.

+ 1,
Quite insightful as well. Play chess with him.
Take care,
space

I'm going to have to disagree. I have seen a person who thought they were going in as well. their parachute wasn't opening all the way and they knew they weren't going to make it. There were no screams nothing all he did was wave to the camera. Miraculously he did survive. I think it depends on your outlook on life and how you feel about your life. If you've had a good life why would you need to scream and regret your decision. You might not have done everything you want in life but if you had a good life i say embrace it and see what the afterlife as in store for you. It could be the start to a new adventure.

This rather reminded me of a Douglas Adams quote:
"Consider how lucky you are that life has been good to you so far. Alternatively, if life hasn't been good to you so far, which given your current circumstances seems more likely, consider how lucky you are that it won't be troubling you much longer."

Only those with dependants should really be worried about death, in my opinion.

Patrick de Gayardon screamed really loud before impact. My acquaintance was there when it happened.

Casteneda is awesome. Journey to Ixtlan; seperate reality; second ring of power.. etc
death is alwayse to your left. it will appear as a light, though if you try to look at it, you cannot see it. only if you look forward will you see..

This is how death works...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UBQFXQUqxE

This one of my favorites.
“… The thing to do when you are impatient is turn to your left and ask advice from your death. An immense amount of pettiness is dropped if your death makes a gesture to you, or if you catch a glimpse of it, or if you just have the feeling that your companion is there watching you."

take care,
space