BridgeDay

Bridge Day is almost here, and we want to make sure you have the full schedule of events.  So here it goes:

Friday, October 14, 2011

Get ready for some jumping

• 5PM to 9PM – The WOAY Taste of Bridge Day at Smokey’s on the Gorge

Saturday, October 15, 2011

• 6:30AM to 10AM – Pancake Breakfast at the American Legion in Fayetteville
• 8:30AM – Shuttles will begin at all designated parking lots.
• 9AM to 3PM – Annual New River Gorge Bridge Day, presented by Subaru
• 9AM to 10AM – A large American flag will be jumped from a plane by the All Veteran Parachute Team.
• 10AM – Motorcycle Awareness Parade will cross the Bridge
• 10AM to 4PM – Bridge Day Car Show at the Quality Inn on Route 19
• 10AM to 6PM – Bicycle Swap at Marathon Bike in Fayetteville
• Noon to 6PM – Mountain State Cornhole Tournament in downtown Fayetteville
• 1PM – See Mollie Seidler make her tandem BASE jump, courtesy of Hometown Subaru
• 2PM – Stephanie Bercht leaps from the Bridge with her tandem BASE partner, thanks to her winning video and Subaru
• 2PM to 6PM – Chili Cook-Off in downtown Fayetteville
• 2PM to 6:30PM – Live Music by Three Card Monte and Break Iron at the Fayetteville Courthouse

This is the second part of an interview with expert BASE jumper, Jason Bell, who has so many BASE jumps he quit counting and has thrown himself off the New River Gorge Bridge over 100 times.   Jason and his company, Vertical Visions, now have the distinguished and difficult job of coordinating BASE jumping on Bridge Day.

One of the things people notice is different jumpers have different amounts of time they hold onto their chute before throwing it.  How long do you typically wait before throwing your pilot chute?

Vertical Visions Setting Up, Bridge Day 2009

I normally wait 3-4 seconds before deploying my pilot chute.  Pilot chutes are small 42″ diameter miniature round parachutes that are tossed into the airstream in order to create drag to extract the main parachute.

Many first time BASE jumpers will hold their pilot chutes in their hands while in free fall.  More experienced jumpers store the pilot chute in a spandex pouch on their back, which they cannot see.  This may sound crazy, but jumpers know the location of their pilot chutes better than the location of their nose.

What is going through your mind when you are standing on the platform waiting to jump?

I’m nervous.  We keep a portable toilet at the Bridge Day exit point for this very reason. Normally, I’m too busy checking my gear to worry about my family, bills, or my job.  It’s kind of relaxing to be able to not worry about life’s everyday problems.

After the parachute opens and I enjoy a 30 second parachute ride into the gorge to a soft landing, I realize that this is the most amazing sport in the world.

Where’s the worst place you’ve landed jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge?

I landed on the railroad tracks at Bridge Day a few years back.  My parachute opened with numerous line twists, which is similar to what a person would experience if someone twisted them on a swing set.  If not cleared quickly, line twists can can be fatal since the jumper can’t normally steer or flare the parachute.

Have you ever injured yourself jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge? What did you do?

Unfortunately, yes.  Back in the 1990′s, I thought it would be a great idea to propose to my wife while BASE jumping at Bridge Day.  I prepared a special flag that read “Jenn, will you marry me?” and even made some test BASE jumps with it.  On the last jump of Bridge Day, I opened my parachute and deployed the flag.  The flag didn’t fully open and I accidentally dropped a steering line while clearing the flag.  Not wanting to land in the river on my proposal jump, but lacking the steering lines that permit a soft flare, I broke my ankle on landing.  She said “yes”, and off we went to the hospital.  It was one of the best days of my life and I’ll never forget the experience.  I wouldn’t change a thing.

What makes Bridge Day worth attending?

Bridge Day is worth the effort to attend because admission is free, the view from the bridge is breathtaking, and there is no other place on the East coast where spectators can watch adrenaline-hungry parachutists leap from a perfectly good bridge.  With 450 BASE jumpers from 10 countries and 40+ US states, the six hours allotted to jumping are well utilized with continuous leaps from the 876′ New River Gorge Bridge.

In addition, Bridge Day offers spectators a view of what it’s like to fly like a bird, something that every person has probably dreamed at one point in their life.

So now you have a better idea of what it’s like to BASE jump.  Are you ready to give it a try?

One of the biggest draws for the Bridge Day crowd are the BASE jumpers.  Anyone who has ever watched these thrill seekers launch themselves towards the rocks and water waiting a mere 880 feet below wonders, “What makes these people do this?”.

Well, we found the answer to that question, and a few others, when we chatted with Jason Bell of Vertical Visions.  Vertical Visions is a parachuting and BASE jumping company in Bridgeport, WV and this is its tenth year as the Bridge Day BASE coordinators.  Owner Jason and his partner Bill Bird are the co-organizers and both have extensive skydiving and BASE jumping experience.

Jason and his wife, Jennifer

Jason is originally from Morgantown and has a Mechanical Engineering background.  It was at WVU where his passion for jumping out of and off of things was spawned.

It didn’t take Jason long to become an experienced skydiver.  After only one year and 150 jumps, he trekked down I-79 and Rt 19 for his first Bridge Day BASE jump.  Jason was kind enough to take a moment out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge.

How many years have you been BASE jumping now?

18 years, which is nearly half my life.

How many BASE jumps do you have total?

I stopped counting around 7 years ago after I reached 500 BASE jumps.  It’s exciting to quantify jumps when you first start, but it became time consuming and unimportant.

How many of those jumps are off the New River Gorge Bridge?


I’ve got 100+ jumps off the New River Gorge Bridge over the years.  This bridge is an amazingly safe object and hopefully jumpers will get to legally leap from the catwalk outside of Bridge Day in the near future.

How was your first Bridge Day experience?

I waited in line for over 5 hours to jump, but enjoyed every minute of the adventure.

What makes jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge so exciting/scary?


We BASE jump entirely because it’s scary.  After 18 years of jumping, I still get butterflies at the exit point.  The New River Gorge Bridge is one of the tallest bridges in the USA, which makes it an ideal location for safe BASE jumps.  As a mechanical engineer, I can also appreciate the structural beauty of this bridge.

Tomorrow, our interview with Jason continues…

Five days and counting until Bridge Day 2011.  And what’s our office like?  CRAZY!

Although we work all year long to get ready for Bridge Day, these last two weeks are crunch time.   Not a problem for the Bridge Day Team.  That’s life and it makes things interesting.

The most interesting question so far?  “Are horses allowed under the Bridge?”  We love animals as much as you do.  Dogs, cats, and horses.  But not on Bridge Day.  With all the people in attendance, it’s just not the right time to introduce your pet to the beauty of the Gorge.

Posters are ready to go!

Vendors

At this point we have our vendors lined up and are happy to say that we have more vendors this year than at any time since 9/11.  It takes some planning to make sure everyone has the right booth and all the food vendors have their health permit.  Martha and Sharon have been working their tails off.  Make sure and come hungry, as we have some great food vendors!

Sponsors

And great sponsors!  Subaru is on board again as our presenting sponsor and will be previewing the NEW Subaru 2012 Impreza.  You will also enter the Bridge through Red Bull arches at each end of the Bridge this year.

So what else keeps us busy?  Answering questions from media that want to cover Bridge Day.  We love this part because it gives us chances to showcase the New River Gorge and that is our job.  This is the opportunity for the New River Gorge, and hopefully the sun, to shine.

What else would you see if you were a fly on our walls?

• Lights on the phone bank flashing.

• Stacks of the 2011 Bridge Day posters waiting for Ginger Danz to sign in the Bridge Day tent on the south side.

• A picture of the Bridge with cut-out witches placed strategically on it.  Don’t ask.

• Stacks of signs and corners filled with flags to mark the bus routes & parking areas.

• Orange and green vests for the volunteers that answer questions & give directions.

• The GEICO Gecko.  Okay, not really, but he will be at Bridge Day

• Pop-up tents and recycle bins ready to make their way to the Bridge.

• Boxes of Official Bridge Day shirts from Sustain U.

We have a big Bridge, and I think we need a bigger office.  See you at Bridge Day!

Today we are happy to announce the winners of our Tandem B.A.S.E. Jump Contests.  Drumroll please…..

Stephanie Bercht is our video contest winner!  Her “BASE Hooping” video received the most votes, and her charity, World Hoop Day, will receive $1,000, courtesy of Subaru.

Mollie Seidler is the winner of the Hometown Subaru Test Drive contest.  Mollie is currently a med student at Marshall University.

Congratulations!  And a big thank you to all who entered both contests and to those of you who voted.

Next up: Stephanie and Mollie will suit up and jump off of the New River Gorge Bridge on Bridge Day.  Will you be there to watch?

One of the most dangerous parts about parachuting off the New River Gorge Bridge is the landing.

Bridge Day Pick Up Boats

Jumpers may end up hung up in the trees, or a busted “something or other” from crashing into the rocks wouldn’t be very nice either. But the scariest of all landings could be the water. Well, it would be, if it weren’t for the rescue boats that pluck the unlucky jumpers out of the drink each Bridge Day. Some may recall our post last year about, the famed “Pick Up Guys“.

These boats are filled with professional rescuers who have a combination of boating skills, swiftwater rescue training and advanced first aid knowledge.

Here’s a short history of how this necessary Bridge Day service came about, and here is a quick video of them in action on Bridge Day.

The Team
The Dragan family is this area’s first family of whitewater.

Brother’s Jon, Tom and Chris started Wildwater Unlimited in Thurmond in 1968 and were the first to take people rafting on the New and Gauley Rivers.

Because of this extensive knowledge of the New River, they became the official rescue boaters of Bridge Day. But their first event with a boat in the water was completely different than it is today. The way the rescue boats are run now, it is a team effort between the Dragan’s company, Dragan Diversified Inc. and the National Park Service. It is still very much a family affair, with a Dragan family member in almost every boat.

The Task
The very first year the Dragan’s participated as a rescue boat for jumpers was 1981 and they were approached by a jumper to have a raft down in the water as a “target” more so than for safety.

In fact there was a year where safety wasn’t provided for the jumpers. The unfortunate death of a jumper who drowned after his chute drug him down through the next rapid established the need to have a safety presence in the water.

Now they have 8 boats on the water and the boats they use are very specialized to the task at hand. The jumpers aren’t signaled they can jump until the boats are in certain staging points after cleaning up any prior issues.

The Crafts
They use 2 different water craft as rescue boats and each one is used for its unique abilityOne boat they depend on is an aluminum hulled jet boat. There are two of these and they are used for their speed and maneuverability. These boats allow them to get to jumpers in the pool area of the river very quickly.

A Jumper's View

The other boat they employ is an inflatable pontoon boat with a motor called a mini-snout rig. These boats are used because they can navigate the rapid areas safely and work better around the rocky banks.

The park service also employs their snout rigs above and below the rapids on each end of the landing pool as additional safety and to alert and control any river rafting traffic in the event of an emergency. They too, have a boat designated to take medical personnel to jumpers who may need immediate medical attention.

The New River, which flows under the bridge, has two Class III+ rapids on each end of the pool where a majority of the jumpers end up landing. Swimming in the New River without a PFD is definitely not advised, but the addition of the gear a BASE jumper will have on makes it extremely dangerous. It must be rather comforting to the jumpers to know that they have rescuers with over 40 years experience ON THIS RIVER in the boats waiting below.

Have you ever seen a jumper land in a precarious spot?

Bridge Day is one of the coolest events out there (and yes, we’re biased). But where else are you going to be able to hang out with thousands of people on one of the world’s largest structures and take in some of the most beautiful scenery and craziest people on the planet?

With more food than a fair and vendors selling everything from New River Pet Rocks to hand knit wool socks, Bridge Day is a unique event that showcases our wonderful fall scenery and our very own engineering marvel.

Here are some of the secrets to making your Bridge Day the best Bridge Day ever.

Family Fun on Bridge Day

Lodging 

Choosing where to stay can make a huge difference in how you’ll access the bridge. There are many options that are in close proximity to the Bridge and require either a short walk or shuttle ride to get to the event. Close options are:

• Comfort Inn in Oak Hill
• ACE NRG Campground
• Adventures on the Gorge
• Other cabins, campgrounds, and hotels

Planning

The best way to make the most of the day is to plan, plan, plan. Take a look at the Schedule of Events to help you figure out how to take advantage of all of the activities taking place. Allowing yourself extra time to travel and planning for all the activities in advance is key to having the best Bridge Day in history.

After the Bridge

In order to get traffic moving again and clean up after the fun, the Bridge will start being cleared at 3:00 pm. But that doesn’t mean the fun is over.

There is a car show at the Quality Inn until 4:00 pm.  In downtown Fayetteville, you can check out the Mountain State Cornhole Tournament, Chili and Cornbread Cook-off and live music by local bands.  There’s free parking in Fayetteville for these events, so you should have no problem getting around.  If you opt to walk into Fayetteville from the Bridge, you’ll be able to catch a free shuttle from there to all of the designated Bridge Day shuttle parking lots until 7:00 pm.

And many of the local bars, restaurants and outfitters also have live music to take you late into the night.

Bridge Day Possibilities

Here’s an example of what an ideal Bridge Day Itinerary might look like:

• Taste of Bridge Day- Adventures on the Gorge Friday, October 14, 5-9pm.
• Pancake Breakfast – 7:30am at the American Legion Fayetteville.
• Fayetteville Farmers Market – 8:30am
• On the Bridge – 9:00am. Walk across bridge, see jumpers, visit vendors, and take in scenery.
• Shuttle to the Bottom -12:30pm. Go check out the event from a entirely different perspective.
• Car show – 3:00 pm Quality Inn
• Downtown Fayetteville – 4-6:30pm Music, food, and fun.
• Live Band, The Wild Rumpus – 8:00pm Rendezvous Lodge, Adventures on the Gorge

This is just one way to spend your Bridge Day. No matter what you want to do, remember to plan as early as you can for lodging and shuttles.

What is your idea of the best Bridge Day ever?

Drumroll please…

The Winning Poster

Congratulations to Ginger Danz, our 2011 Bridge Day Poster Contest Winner!

Look for Ginger’s poster at Bridge Day on October 15; you’ll be able to purchase your copy there.

And a big thank you to all of our entrants and voters.  See you on the Bridge!