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This post may end in one of the biggest flame wars I've ever seen, but I hope not. I'm a long time visitor to the site, but a first time poster, so I guess I should introduce myself...My names Jon, and I'll be 20 in July (flame #1 :P). I was the kid that all of you warn repeatedly not to do things, but despite the many warnings (flame #2), I decided to listen to myself instead of others. I started skydiving on my 18th birthday, and it became an addiction...probably what most people would consider an unhealthy one. I was enrolled in college, had a 4.0 gpa, and dreams of being a chemical engineer...But then school got expensive. So in the middle of my 3rd semester of college, with everything going right for me, I took all the money I had and started walking. I walked across alabama and into mississippi before I let my friends turn me around. The ground isnt as bad as some people think for sleeping on, but thats beside the point. I came back, and started traveling as much as I could (which wasnt very much, since I was a poor college student that just left everything) but in a vehicle this time to different dropzones in the southeast. I skydived in Alabama, Georgia, mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida before base jumping caught me eye. So I gathered as much information as possible, read books and watched videos, talked to anyone I came in contact with about it...and then I bought my rig, and climbed to exit point with 232 skydives, and made my first base jump off a 121.9 m FM antenna. Some people I mention that to think it was the worst decision of my life, but I think it was the best...afterwards it was all I could think about, I dreamed about it and woke up everyday looking at a packed rig that had to be jumped. I've made several jumps since then, but that's where I'm at now...I have the option of going back to college, graduating at 22 years old, being an engineer and probably living a pretty good life by society's standards, but with everything in me I don't think that's who I am or who I want to be. I've always wondered what would've happened if I didn't turn around from my walk...I had plans of walking all around the United States, but I let people hold me back. I say all this and give this long introduction to say that I'm wanting to try again. I want to live my dream of traveling on foot throughout the U.S., but this time I want to take my rig with me. I would take my cameras and harnesses, my cell phone, and all the chargers...just like last time, I could charge things in waffle houses or walmarts. (I have someone to pay my phone bill for me while I walk, by the way.) I could make video blogs every so often to let friends and family know I was well, and I would keep my phone off but have it for that "just in case" scenario. Last time I wanted to see things, like mt rushmore and the great lakes. But this time, I want to get some crazy base experience and meet people, instead of seeing things. Would anyone be willing to hook a brother up with some local jumps when I passed through, and if so what are some ways I could get in touch with locals while I'm traveling? Or is this the worst idea you've ever heard and you think I'm going to die? Most people do, so I wont be offended. Thanks ahead of time for any input/advice.

I agree.

I would finish your schooling first. Then go nomad for a few years..

I thought the same thing too. I got an out of state job and worked to make money for school, as you cant be considered independent until your 24 and my parents make too much money for me to get financial aid, but have too bad credit to cosign a loan. But my boss decided to not pay me almost 50% of my pay for the time I worked. I could sue him, I could get my money...but I'll eventually get screwed some other way. So I was really left with one option, and thats military. My dad served, and my brother is serving, so I have nothing against the military...and I may take that road later, I'm just not ready yet. It seems life is all about who can get screwed less, by friends or the government or whoever...and if I take this path It's all on me. Unless someone runs me over and breaks my legs everything is in my hands.

Life is full of complaints, complaints are driven by the "grass is always greener" phenomenon within the human brain. I want a gf, i want to be single.....I wanna live in the city, I wanna live in the country. Everyone one complains about what they dont have and what they strive to achieve, only to realize that whatever it is doesn't satisfy them. The society we live in is a fucked up place......

All that being said, my suggestion would pretty much be a +1 to the post above. Go back to school and finish then do the whole nomad thing. Its the smarter way to go since its much harder for people to get them selves to go back to school when they are older, not impossible but not as easy. Get your degree no matter how much it sucks (i studied mechanical engineering so i know).

You can do "The Walk" but most likely a few years down the road you are going to realize that you really wish you had gone back to school.

or...

You can go back to school now and get your degree and a job and then a few years down the road your going to wish you had just picked up and done "The Walk".

I think the second route would just be an easier route for you to take since it will allow you to make the easier transition from Societal COG to Nomad instead of the much harder reverse transition.

Either route you take good luck and try not to look back, too many people waste a huge portion of their life wishing and regretting. If your ever in NY ill find a place for you to crash and my mentor can find someone to take you for a jump (depending on how safe and experienced you are at that point :)

Find a way to finish school. You don't see it now, but when you are 40 and try to get a job, you will barely be qualified to be a Fuel Transfer Engineer, no less a Chemical Engineer.

If you jump a lot you'll probably never reach 40 so no worries... :D

Without doubt - finish your school first. It's often boring & tedious but is the best investment you can ever make and you'll really appreciate it later on. Also get three years of work experience right after you qualify.

Do the walk-about thing later. Don't think you'll have to bin that idea. You can and should still do it.

Skydiving & base is for fun and in no way should it supplant the opportunity to make a meal ticket (education) for your self.

Do the right thing; postpone the wanderlust and invest in the rest of your life.

John

No doubt education is important...I just don't see how I could do this thing later in life. and maybe my brain is warped by all the thoughts people force into my head, but after graduating college I see myself getting a job and a new house and a wife and kids and everything else that comes with life....if I wait my path would look like this- Graduate college, 22. Get 3 years experience, 25. Quit my job, get rid of all the bills I have (since walking around jumping off of things doesn't usually pay well), then go walk. Given I'm still alive, come home at 25-26, get another job, get stable again, and then helloooo marriage. I don't guess there's much wrong with that, but right now I don't have any of the responsibilities I'll have later, and giving things up would be a lot easier. That's just the way that I envision it, but I also wanted to be married at 20 at one point in my life so... ;) Right now everything just seems and feels right. I don't have much going on here, I just finished my seasonal job, schools definately not happening this semester...and this rig is ready to see some action!

To much planing around here ... Do what is making you happy. As some said, live for today tomorrow may never come.

(Btw the end of the world is next year so don't give a fuck )

Shit! Almost 8 years in BASE and you are telling me I am probably going to die in another year? Looks like I had better get my affairs in order

man, every part of life can be a blast if you make it that way. School, your roaming, marriage, work etc etc. But certain things will be easier when you're younger. School is definitely hard to come back to. I'm 28 and finishing my senior year...
But if you want to roam, then that's a lot easier to do when you're younger too. I guess just pick what's most important to you.

my $.02 finish school and then roam if you must. Or roam in summer during school. I always thought about a job driving truck in summer but that might not appeal to most people.

I think I'm going walking...I want to wait until after my birthday (don't wanna miss out on the cake) and then head out...that will give me about a month to plan and decide where I want to walk, and get some contacts for some local jumps when I'm passing through. So I guess that's my next issue. Anyone wanna hook a fellow baser up with some jumps, and where would be some sick places to walk?

Save up for a ticket and head to Europe man, walk your way from Spain to Turkey with a bunch of North South detours on the way.

This might be wrong but it also seems like there is a much higher concentration of legal jumps there than here. Last thing you want is to end up broke with no shoes and in jail

I've heard recently that the average length of base carrier is 6 years (which is probably based on absolutely nothing) so you're already doing some extra time :)

I say follow your heart, ditch school and begin your REAL education called life.

"Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school." ~Albert Einstein
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." — Gandhi

Here is a different take on the educational system that goes against the mainstream... not saying it's true, it's just another point of view.
http://deliberatedumbingdown.com/

Why walk when you can ride and get to more places? Maybe a cargo bike to haul your tent, sleeping bag, pillow and rig? http://www.cargobikegallery.com/...0&max-results=50

you've seen into the wild a few too many times. life on the road isnt filled with interesting characters, dee thoughts written in your diary and anectdotal adventures. any asshole can use life as an excuse, ditch school and take off wandering, just as any asshole can use school as an excuse for not doing the things he loves. both paths are the easy way out. challenge yourself, step the fuck up, be a man, and figure out a way to do both.

I've never seen into the wild, but everyone I talk to my trip about brings it up so maybe I should check it out. And I like the idea of cargo bikes...but ishhhh there expensive. Maybe I can find a way to make my own for a little cheaper. Any ideas?

any ideas?....?
why can't you make up your own mind. work out how to build one youself. it's not rocket science. or maybe you DO need to go back to school.
to walk or to go to school? just do what YOU want to do. Seems like you are relying too much on what other people think. You shouldn't be bringing other people into the decision, least of all some randoms on the internet.

Just walk to school bro, study hard, jump when you can. All bases covered.

I wish to echo this thought.

to the OP...
BASE is about making your own calls and being responsible for them. YOU will bear the burden of a bad call. we live in a country that aspires to "nanny-state" where all the risks get mitigated by others. this is NOT true in BASE.

your choice to walk or school seems so trivial compared to the harsh realities of BASE. thus, my advice is to NOT BASE until you learn how to make the easier choices.

+1

+1

>>I started skydiving on my 18th birthday

Me too! August 15, 1978 - Lake Elsinore. Only made a few then and didn't get hooked until some 8 years later when I was in college and tried it again.

I took 6 years "off" between graduating high school and starting college. I didn't travel much - mostly spent the time in the forest, living that whole life and doing a lot of reading and listening to music. It's where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do.

I possibly could have gotten further in my IT career if I hadn't taken all those years off, but who is to say? I don't regret doing it for a second and think that you should do whatever feels right for you at the time.

>>I want to live my dream

A whole lot of folks die without even trying. And a whole lot more don't have the means to attempt it or they don't even have a dream. How fucking lucky are you?

You can always change course and do something different, as long as you don't end up dead or in jail or busted up real bad. Shit - even if you do end up dead, at least you lived your dream for a while. So, go for it (whatever it is), be careful, and have a blast while you are young.

Crash, BASE 350