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About LinkBacksWell don't get me wrong I did find the idea of being solo liberating and relaxing in a way. But I was also combining a lot of other firsts on that jump too, so I think that had a lot to do with it.
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June 5th, 2009 Well don't get me wrong I did find the idea of being solo liberating and relaxing in a way. But I was also combining a lot of other firsts on that jump too, so I think that had a lot to do with it.
June 5th, 2009 I actually prefer to solo....but I guess thats either (a) No one likes to jump with me, or (b) I dont like anyone else I have metOriginally Posted by lifewithoutanet
, or (c) I am just unsocial.
...Anyone like to chime in with why they like to solo?
June 5th, 2009 I like jumping with friends, however, (and I'm sure I'm not alone in this opinion), BASE jumping friends are notoriously undependable. I mean I still have no idea why I hang out with you people.
That factor has led to most of my solo jumps. Big plan, 100% no-shows.
Solos have a special quality to them in that the peer-driven, egotistical confidence that enables you over the edge is GONE. It's just you and that little voice...arguing...rationalizing...over and over. Nothing like it.
June 5th, 2009 Im just picky as hell about who i do urban with.
June 5th, 2009 Romania October 2003
Just looking for some altitude
I had been on the road in Romania for a week, trying to find a perfect safe cliff to jump. The whole roundtrip was planned with help from google links, and some good friends on the way. I did not find what I hoped to find, but found some interesting low stuff, and a 400 meter cliff. Wind and weather stopped me from making an attempt. I had one little hope left before my return home, a picture of the top of a dam I had printed out. The website information said it was 166 meters high.
We drove up to the top, and I looked over the edge, it was perfect, a bit tight down there, but at that time, anything would look good to me. The only problem I could see, was the army protected the location. A army guy came running over to our car, and told us we could not stop there. So we made an hour drive further up in the mountains, while I was thinking hard about the situation. I really needed a jump now, so I made the decision, I was going to jump the dam, even the army was present on the location. One week on the road without jumping was enough. I went trough a plan, and realized I would get caught anyway since the army had 24 hours call on the place. I had the feeling I should go downstairs to check the landing (something I always did, and as a rule for all my jumping), even it looked just nice and flat with a conkreete road. Something I found out later it was not the facts. I guess I was tricked by the light. I made the back way in at the bottom of the dam, and found the road was more than 20 meter high up in the air, and that changed my plans from believing it was straight out a nice landing job, it turned out to be a technical issue. I was a bit angry of my selves since I should have known, or should have been thinking this is a dam, and the nature of a road below a dam can not be on the ground. Anyway I would not risk a landing up on the road, so I had to land downstairs at the ground below, which was tight, short and gnarly even with a power line at one side. Again one army guy came running up, and wanted me to go, I said "thank you very much, what a nice dam, I see you again soon" with a big smile, I am not sure he did understand what I said. All communication was trough a local. I knew they had guns, but could not in my wildest idea believe they would use them on me. Romania had a history from past, but in my head, I truly believed this guys did not want to harm anyone just stealing som altitude even in this terrorist age. At least that was my idea at the time, and I did not feel that would be the danger for this jump. Neither I felt I would burn the site since it was already a hot location with the army present.
We drove up to the beginning of the tunnel in front of the dam, and geared up, whent trought the details in my head. 166 meters dam, wide at the top ending very tight at the bottom with a conkreete road surrounding the landing area, a very small, short gnarly landing with the powerlines. I knew I had to get on the target right after opening, hanging on to my brakes, and fly at the stall point from one side to the other, to nail a safe landing. On the top of this, it was the Army all over the place. I was feeling very pumped up, and excited at this time, but also very focused about what to do, and the risk involved to my actions. I did have som thoughts about the local guide could also get in trouble, but the guide assured me it would be okay, and not a big problem. I forgot the army. (made it an issue not worth worry about that time), and walked trough the tunnel when cars passing. I knew I had very little time to find the middle point over the landing area, and get off since the army with AK-47 would try to stop me as fast they would see me. One car slowed down, and those inside the car looked strange at me, and then for hurry to park at the end of the road, in front of the tunnel, and came running out. I believe they understood what was going on, and would not miss the show. I only registered it happening, but that was outside my range for important issues. I had my head totally turned on to the target. I was pretty fired up at this time, my legs moved by themselves like they was on automatic gear, with only one thing on my mind, to get a jump, a jump I really needed after travelling around in Romania for a week. I felt I had full control of the situation, pumped up, all senses on high level, everything else around moving in a slow pace, observing every detail, and leaving out those I did not feel was any danger to complete my mission. Did not see any reaction in the army tower yet but it was just a matter of time before they would see me walking on the road, and figure out something strange was going to happen.
At once I found my exit point, I strapped on my helmet, breathing heavily once, jumped on the wall, and took another deep breath, when I heard a woice shouting. I guess he knew it was me again, and I heard "hey get down" It seemed to be english, I dont know, maybe i just thought so, but I did understand what he was shouting for sure. I heard my selves say okay, took another deep breath, the feeling of going in to the zone, where it is just me and the wall, nothing else matters, and stepped off. Wow those long moments with slow motion video like an care accident, where the time is stopping up for a moment, is worth it all. Where you have all the important issues going trough your head in a micro second, and you are totally free from anything else. I had a short freefall, and thought for my selves, "it would be nice if I had a 90 left", since it was so tight down there, and would help my flight a great deal instead of using a lot of foreword space in the opening. I trow the pilot chute, and waited the very long second where you hear the pilot chute take off, feeling the easy pin release, and the pack job being pulled off your back, before it slammed open with a 90 left. Wow could not be better. Got right on the toggles and start stalling the canopy, from right to left, and back to right before I let it open enough to pressurize for complete controll, coming down smoothly, and let it sink down to the ground. Dam it was a good feeling standing down there looking up at the dam for a breef second, the feeling of being in love came over me, and I knew it was my dam, and my very first dam as well. I hear a yahoo up from the top, and I guess it was those in the car, who for sure sheared a great intense moment with me. Suddenly I was brought back to the reality. I army guy looking down at me from the top of the road with a shocked face, he seemed not to know what to do with the situation. I asked if he liked my jump, he noods, and I start collecting the gear. My camera goes first in to the stash bag, since I was afraid they would take it away from me if they saw it, and thinking this was an army location, I did not want to provoke them any more with a camera in my hands. I walked slowly over to the climbing rail to climb up in to the army arms, while Im thinking, shit what now? It was the longest climb I have ever done, thinking of getting locked up for a unknown time and missing my flight home. When I get my head trough the road deck, I see him having the AK-47 pointing down but away from me "puh so far so good". I make the last climb up and stand in front of him, where I dont move a finger. He still seems shocked, but I guess he maybe thought the dam broke when he heard the canopy slammed open, I dont know. He tell me to wait, and walks back to the check point, calling somone I guess was in the headquarter at the top. I dont now what they was talking about, but I was feeling good, very good actually, and was thinking for myselves it was worth the trouble I possible could get in to. After 5 long minutes he comes back and wave me off, he dont say anything else than I could go. I said thank you very much. What a day!
Video of the jump!
YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.
Last edited by 434; June 6th, 2009 at 12:00 PM.
June 5th, 2009 The main thing I hate about Solo jumps, is if anything happens on the jump. A friend several years ago went on a solo jump in Colorado, and was injured and stranded for 3 days in the high country. He had a cell phone I think, but there was no reception, let alone any way for him to use it. He was the luckiest person I have ever heard of.I actually prefer to solo....but I guess thats either (a) No one likes to jump with me, or (b) I dont like anyone else I have met
...Anyone like to chime in with why they like to solo?
So, if nothing else, you should always have a ground crew, or something. Maybe even a person expecting a call just after the jump, that knows the exact location in case you do not call in. Frank G. used to do that as well on his Solo jumps.
June 6th, 2009 Telephone groundcrew is used alot...... just sometimes its nice not to use it.
My advice on TGC, is make sure that you have references to where you are, as sometimes the 999/911 wont know where "that big stick thing in the field next to the cow shed in Hicksfield" is.
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