Making Smart Decisions
Looking back on a post I followed a year ago on Facebook, I thought it might be worth binging back up to the many people who never saw it. Regardless of a lot of it being "obvious" or "redundant", it never hurts to hear again. It definitely helped me when I was starting out (in pretty much the same situation) with my progression and keeping myself in check, and I still think back on it when making choices of how hard I want to push things in the sport.
"I met a lot more younger jumpers (like myself) last season and I was stoked on it! But it made me think of some advice I wish I could've given myself since I didn't really know too many other 18yr old jumpers at the time. Most the time (99%) I think people arguing on forums sound pretty lame, but I'm about to go full loser and do the same! If it helps one kid who's anxious to get into the scene like I was then it will be worth it for me.
You've seen every video, you know your jumpers from Ted Rudd to Fred & Vince, Scotty bob to karr. Shane McConkey is more of a Demi God to you than he was a person and you could debate the difference of aerial skills between Dwain Weston and Hartman Rector. You may know exactly what to say, that you're "not in a rush" and your only goal is to be jumping in your 80's, not flying down the most hardcore lines. But deep down you may want to be one of the afforementioned guys. You've seen the base-fatality list but it does nothing to deter you. You want to be the best. But what does that mean? The answer varies drastically depending on who you ask. Most would say there is no such thing, a matter of opinion, it's an art not a sport. Others might talk about Frode's or Julian Boulle wins in racing, Zak Tessier or Scotty bob who undoubtly seem to fly the hardest. "The Samari" who opens lines all over but doesn't post footage or Dave Barlia who has been BASE jumping since before you were born. The more experienced the person you ask is the more likely it is you will get the following answer, which is the answer you need to focus on. Whoever is having the most fun without getting hurt and doesn't die. It seems simple enough, except if you are a young jumper, which is who I'm gearing this towards, you have to understand certain things about "being the best" in that regard.
I'm writing this not because I think I'm better than you or any different, but because in my 6 short seasons in the sport I've made a lot of mistakes that, if I can help another young jumper avoid, this is worth writing. I started when I was 18, flew wingsuits, slider up/slider down BASE jumped and threw my first unpacked aerial all before I even had an A license or even 2 months in the sport. Welcome to death camp, I'm an idiot. I wasn't talented, I was lucky, but I learned. Understand you inherently are at a disadvantage. The frontal lobe cortex which deals with logic doesn't fully develop until you are 25 on average and I would argue it takes longer than that. You don't, and cannot fully comprehend some of the risks you are taking, it's part of being young, you will learn from your mistakes then grow old and become the hypocrite you said you never would be. In BASE however, you can die from your mistakes. Everyone at some point fucks up in BASE. There are two categories in this department, those with footage of their fuck up and those without. If (when) you do fuck up and people start rightfully criticizing you, understand the different categories of jumpers.
1. BASE gods - inexperienced person who is criticizing you for something they would "never" do strictly in hopes of seeming more experienced to other jumpers. Even if what they are saying is true, it's more about making them look good/cool than you learning.
2. Concerned experienced jumper- they have seen a lot of people die, they have had their personal friends die, they are saying stuff because they know you could've died and they don't want to see anymore death.
3. Experienced jumper. This person doesn't necessarily care if you die, they just don't want you to die BASE jumping. Your death will bring unwanted attention to their spot, their sport, and increases the already often negative connotation that goes along with BASE jumping. Go die doing something else. Understand your death affects more than just you, that's why people care so much. However if it seems like all you hear about base is death let me be clear, it can be done safely.
I personally wouldn't do it if I thought it was going to kill me, (I have never met a person in the sport who has a death wish) I know it can but I believe I can minimize the risks enough to make it reasonable. So if you are a teenager jumping what should you do? Train, go to a drop zone and skydive, if you were like me and couldn't afford to skydive at 18 (I lived on some skydive instructors couch in Las Vegas when I was 18 eating a strict diet of hot dogs) find mentors and learn all you can, get a job at a drop zone and save until you can skydive, you will learn a lot from conversations, there is more to experience than jump numbers, and the mountains are not going anywhere. To get to the point of flying down a mountain in a Wingsuit takes years, it will become your life, if you don't want it too, then you are not ready for it. It's the reason a lot of wingsuit pilots are able to deal with the chances of death this sport offers, because it is their life and without it they wouldn't feel alive anyways. You need to learn the difference between natural fear and un-natural fear.
-Natural fear meaning you're fucking scared because you're on the edge of a 2,000 ft cliff looking straight down about to jump. That is natural, if you want it bad enough you will conquer this, shut the fuck up stay calm and perform what you have trained to do. Regardless of how scared you are you should always stay calm and revert back to your training. Think of every scenario before a jump. What would you do if xy or z happened? Know as much as you can about what to do in every possible situation and if you do pound in it better be while you were trying to save yourself, not with your hands over your eyes screaming like a punk bitch because you don't know what to do. Sounds harsh? Train harder.
-Un-natural fear as in you are scared because it just rained and you've hiked a really long ways but you have never jumped off something wet. You didn't count your packing tools and when you called down your buddy couldn't find one. Turn around, don't say fuck it, it is not worth it. If you do say fuck it jump and you live, it will only create the illusion of safety that may damn your future decision making process. Your life is the most precious thing you own now shut the fuck up about how you don't want to hike down and jump tomorrow. Minimize risks and know the difference of being scared because it's scary or if you are scared because something is wrong. Also, don't tell me that you aren't scared, because then something is wrong with you or you are a liar and you need to have a serious talk with yourself.
When I was 19 I was in lauterbrunnen on exit with douggs, one of the more experienced people on the planet. We were about to jump high nose which, all though dangerous, is far from anything out of the ordinary for him to say the least. He had a couple extra things he was jumping down but again nothing out of the ordinary. While getting ready I couldn't believe when he nervously said "I need to get the fuck off this rock". I'll never forget that. Even when he was doing a jump he was "comfortable" with he was analyzing risk and still had natural fear, that's why he is alive after a long career. Everybody is scared, it's no big deal to be, but don't do something you shouldn't. I have pushed pretty hard in a lot of things in my life and I have no problem walking away from exits, if you ever feel peer pressure to jump something then you are in it for the wrong reasons. It's not a big deal to walk away, I would be more impressed by a young jumper who walked away from something then a young guy who pushes it. You can always do something better (safer), train harder and have more fun. Pulling higher makes you look like a better jumper. The mountains will always be there. Counter the dis-advantage of youthful decision making by training. Sorry for any spelling errors I wrote this on a phone on a flight after having way too much coffee."
-Johnny Strange
Ironically (and sadly) Johnny went in 3 months after posting this jumping a wingsuit exit in extremely high winds...
**edited to format into paragraphs to keep Space from getting lost**
