B.A.S.E. in One Hour 53 Minutes

[guest]

We just returned safely (and bust free) home from nailing out BASE in less than 2 hours in Portland, OR. Wind conditions were less than optimal (i.e. Australian definition). Landing areas chosen under canopy. Police, rangers and security guards were reportedly unimpressed.

This was the result of extensive planning (i.e. about 30 minutes worth). DJ and Nik weren't even that hung-over. We only got lost once, which added about 15 minutes to the time. One rig was also joint-packed during this time.

Thanks to our extensive ground crew who asked what the hell B.A.S.E. stood for. Thanks again Brian and Chris.

More details to follow.

[guest]

so how many did it take?

[guest]

Loved it! ROTFLMAO!!! Happy jumping boys! oh, and don't forget the pizza toppings! :-)

[Dwain]

BASE in less than two hours was something I had wanted to do for sometime – ever since Ray and I found and jumped a new tower near CP. The discovery of that object meant that we had all four objects of BASE in almost a direct line and in close proximity. Access to each object is reasonably easy and they are jumped with some degree of regularity (well as much regularity as 4 current BASE jumpers with 27 objects within 1.5 hours drive can do).
The record of 3 hours and 22 minutes set in Arizona last week was enough to generate interest in the sometimes-lethargic crew. Packing 4 rigs each and finding a ground crew was the biggest hurdle to overcome.
Sunset Sunday night was the planned start time. Nik stumbled in through the door a couple of hours before departure after partying all night in Seattle. All his rigs were unpacked. A 30-minute nap and a frenzied packing session helped sober him up. DJ turned up at the last minute looking in usual DJ form. Yes, I had a couple of finally tuned cutting-edge athletes as jump partners ;-). I inspired the team with speeches such as "If you hit the wall or break a bone on landing, just stay still and we’ll come back and pick you up once were done jumping". (Slim I wish you would have been here to help me scream militant abuse - we all missed you).
Ray joined us for the first load from CP jumping his homemade "Soft Cock" Velcro container.
The first jumper exited the cliff at 9:17pm precisely (just after sunset) and the clock was running. The wind conditions were not great – a strong L-R wind pushing towards the buttress. However we were all experienced in jumping this object in these conditions and made the necessary adjustments (launched more to the left with longer delays to open lower in less wind).
We landed and were picked up by our ground crew (Chris and Brian who were along to witness their first BASE jumps). We then promptly took the wrong exit from the freeway and got lost (I endured much abuse over this – pertinent payback I guess). We eventually backtracked loosing about 15 minutes in the process. We climbed and jumped the tower and then had to slam pack one of Nik’s rigs in the car headlights.
We were back on the road around 1 hour after the clock had started. The two-hour barrier was not looking good at this stage. Also the fuel guage on the car was sitting on empty adding to our stress.
We pulled up to the appartment building and immediately commenced our assualt. I know this object pretty well and had serious concerns about the wind direction and strength. DJ was also spotted by a resident climbing the outside of the building to get into the fire escape. "We forgot our keys" was all I could mumble as a lame excuse.
As we walked onto the roof we noticed a person standing there. This would have been normal cause to back off and wait until the roof was vacant, however the clock was ticking and judgment was being compromised (which we were aware off, but accepted). In this situation honesty proved to be the best policy and the resident was thrilled at the prospect of watching a BASE jump first hand.
An evaluation of the wind conditions was unsettling. There was clearly turbulent air in the landing area and in our planned path of flight (given the wind direction and location of other buildings). Also it was not clear which was the best direction to land. As I climbed over the railing I visualized an accident occurring and all the resultant lecturing about "compromising one’s judgment and safety standards in order to achieve a rather pointless record".
"Well, at least we are aware that we’re doing the wrong thing" I thought. Still all of us were very experienced in flying BASE canopies in turbulent conditions and hitting small landing areas. Also we all had vented canopies (2 * Vtec, 1 * Blackjack), which maintain cell pressurization better in these conditions.
"Which way do you think we should we land?" Nik inquired on the exit point. "Work it out under canopy" I snapped back "GO GO GO" (all safety standards and pre-jump planning out the window).
The canopy rides were interesting to say the least due to turbulence, lots of obstacles (including moving cars) and a period of significant downdraft but we hit the landing area and landed well. Well done to Nik and DJ – they definitely rose to the occasion and performed under pressure (I keep forgetting they’re not Australian).
The time was 10:57pm. We had exactly 20 minutes to the 2-hour deadline. We jumped in the car with canopies bundled in our arms, and Chris started driving to the bridge. In the ten-minute drive (crammed in the back seat) we managed to totally gear up for the final jump. We stopped on the bridge, jumped out of the car and Chris and Brian continued driving down the bottom. It was 11:07pm and we had 10 minutes to go. We were feeling pretty smug and about to start congratulating ourselves when we spotted what looked like a police car parked down the bottom. A large police station resides near the landing area and the parking lot under the bridge is a common hangout for police to sit and eat donuts while waiting for their shift to end. In the past we have waited up to 45 minutes for them to leave before jumping. Chris and Brian checked out the car and radioed up that it was only a security guard. All systems were go and at 11:10pm the last jumper landed.

It was a super fun thing to do even though it was a total circus and could have been executed better.
Admittedly though, the most impressive thing about us achieving BASE in under 2 hours is simply that we have the four objects so close together. Hat’s off to DJ who had to return home to an angry girlfriend for not spending the evening with her (yet again DJ double booked and yet again BASE was the winner).

Thanks again Brian and Chris for driving and putting up with the mayhem!

[guest]

Oops,.... maybe next time it might be in order. B.A.S.E.

[Yuri]

Yo !

Congratulations guys!!! And Dwain, happy honeymoon !!! ;-)

bsbd!

Yuri.

[guest]

>Congratulations guys!!! And Dwain,
>happy honeymoon !!! ;-)


Yuri~

Behave, you naughty boy and stop teasing my cute & cuddly honey-bunny! (OK, I'm dead meat now...) We're home now; I smuggled him safely back into the country :-). He was worried that I was going to leave him in some dodgy labor camp w/ no passport.

Hope the remainder of your trip was bomber. Nice one last week - thanks for removing the nasty spider.

Luv&bsbd!

[guest]

I hope you had a wonderfull honeymoon too you cute and cuddly honey bunny !

[guest]

:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9:9

[guest]

Never underestimate the power of ......an open canopy

[guest]

Awwww... c'mon now!

When you're the ones that are in love, YES, it is grand! It's also :-( and x( and :'( and :* and :7 and :D and :o, and yes, it sometimes tends to make others gag (trust me, we even roll our eyes at ourselves). But such is Life ~ gotta be true to ourselves, live right, fear no man and create our own realities and happiness.

[guest]

"Sometimes too much drink is not enough"

[guest]

Enough!!! This is the "BASE board", not Karin's "dear diary". Right then, we're all very happy you and Dwain are in love. Now then, scamper off to Inspiration Point or better yet Lover's Leap and leave us to BASE jump.

[guest]

But it IS, it IS, it IS my "dear diary"! OK, you're right, enough already. But please forward additional beta on Inspiration Pt and Lover's Leap ~ perhaps we can jump while we're there.

[guest]

Wow! Need some help reaching that knife SR?