Posts Tagged ‘adventure vacations’

Bridge Day Weather Update- Friday Morning 10/16

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Morning, everyone!  One more day to go- hope everyone’s ready for Bridge Day 2009.

10 A.M. from the bridge, Friday 10/16

10 A.M. from the bridge, Friday 10/16

Got a weather report for you:  There’s been a lot of clearing up since this morning.

When I got to our Bridge Day HQ this A.M., I made a note in my notebook for this report.  Let’s call it “Accu-Porch” weather.  It was chilly and wet, some mist that threatened here and there to become drizzle.

We left for the bridge shortly after 9, and the gorge was socked in with fog.  The arc of the bridge was visible for at least a couple hundred feet from the north side.

As the rappel safety team briefed under the bridge, things started to clear up in the gorge.  The sky was still overcast (is still overcast).  But the wind, if there was any at all, was very mild.

It was chilly for the first half hour or so on the catwalk, but seemed to warm up after a while.

The weather report right now is reading 45 degrees F and drizzle.  There’s not any noticeable breeze, and really not any drizzle, at least right now.

If I was out in the weather (and I was), I would wear at least 2 warm layers and a waterproof shell.  A hat is a really, really good idea.  Gloves are a good call, too.

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A Weather Update

Thursday, October 15th, 2009
NRG Bridge 10/15/09 5 p.m.

NRG Bridge 10/15/09 5 p.m. Not bad for a Blackberry.

When you go somewhere, people usually say, “If you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes.”

The difference is, in the New River Gorge, it’s usually true.

We’ll be posting unofficial weather reports all weekend long here on the blog.  Also, we will be automatically updating the weather forecast here on the site.  So keep an eye out for us, and feel free to pass these posts along.

Right now, weather.com has an hour-by-hour forecast for the gorge area for Saturday that’s stating about 40 degrees F and 30% chance of rain.

For jumpers, the forecast is winds out of the NW at 8 mph.

Expect these numbers to change.  The new river gorge is right in the heart of the Appalachians, and the mountains can often shift weather to the north or south.

More updates coming.  Bundle up, get warm, and go crazy- Bridge Day is almost here…

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What You’ll See On Bridge Day

Thursday, October 15th, 2009
The Bridge Catwalk

The Bridge Catwalk

Bridge Day is West Virginia’s biggest festival.  There’s a reason for that.

People can come to Bridge Day expecting to see things that, really, just aren’t assembled anywhere else.  And, some stuff that you will.  The old favorites.

Here’s a bit of an overview of both…

The big attraction is, of course, the world’s largest BASE jumping festival.  BASE, if you don’t know, stands for Building Antenna Span and Earth.  Those are the 4 catagories of fixed objects that people parachute from in the sport.

The basic setup goes like this: The bridge is open only to pedestrian traffic during the event.  Right in the middle of the span is a large platform- the launch ramp.

Jumpers are lined up around the launch ramp with thousands of spectators around to watch.  The atmosphere is pretty exciting.  After all, these people are about to leap from an 876 foot high bridge.

And then they jump.  One after the other.

Bright parachutes, rescue boats in the river below, and a hot landing zone are all par for the course while the festival is going on.  The jumpers go pretty much non-stop through out the day.

On the southern side of the bridge, 800 foot long ropes are visible, hanging down below the arch.  This is where the rappellers are rigged up and ready.

Rapellers actually kick off Bridge Day by raising the U.S., West Virginia, and this year, National Park Service flags up the ropes closest to the center of the bridge.

Vendors always help to make for a great festival.  But the ones at Bridge Day are… a little different.  Not only will you find eats of all stripes, but there are crafts vendors, musicians, and lots of artisans, as well.

The vendor area is just off the bridge on both the north and the south sides.

You’ll also see a lot going on in downtown Fayetteville.  The shops run specials all weekend, and you can shop for outdoor gear, art, clothes, and music.  After the festival, expect to find plenty of people um in town at the 1st annual Bridge Day Chili Festival.

The bridge is a one-of-a-kind place, and Bridge Day is a celebration to match.  If you’ve never been, you’re going to see a lot more than you’re used to.

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Why Is Bridge Day Awesome For First Time BASE Jumpers?

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

Why Is Bridge Day Awesome For First Time BASE Jumpers?

‘Cause it’s in West Virginia?

Nice to know they're down there

Nice to know they're down there

Well, sure, there’s some hometown pride there, but there are other reasons, too.  I thought it would be interesting to look at some of the things that get a person ready for their 1st BASE jump, and why so many people come to Bridge Day in the New River Gorge to do it…

First off, there are two first-timer intro courses offered at the event itself.   Both courses are offered right here in Fayette County by instructors from the Snake River BASE Academy.

One is a four day long workshop that covers Bridge Day from A to Z.  The other is a specialized 6 to 8 hour run-down of all the essential training necessary for a great 1st jump.

Taking one of the courses is a requirement for first time jumpers at Bridge Day, unless they’ve been trained by an approved mentor.  Mentors have to have over 100 BASE jumps as well as previous Bridge Day experience.

All that speaks to just how in touch and safety oriented the BASE jumping community surrounding Bridge Day is.  With only 6 hours each year for bridge based jumps, the participants are very keyed-in to what makes a great event greater.  And that’s safety.

Bridge Day jump coordinators Vertical Visions have mapped out all the requirements for first timers in a FAQ that has pretty much everything you could want to know if you’re considering a jump.

First timers can’t register for Bridge Day without having at least 100 other parachute jumps (skydive or BASE).  That’s a good start to the experience needed to jump off the bridge.

And do you need to have gone skydiving before BASE jumping?  Well, let’s just say that it’s a really, really, very, extremely good idea.  Why?  Because BASE jumping without knowing how to skydive first is stupid :-)

I think we can all agree with the logic there.

There’s one more great reason for first time BASE jumpers to chose Bridge Day:  The New River.  The gorge is lined with trees and boulders, and the actual landing zone is room enough for seasoned veterans, but a river landing for a first timer is a great option.

Why?  Because the water is soft, and, as far as being a target, it’s easy to hit.  Oh, and the river is full of what might be the most experienced river rescue team in the world.  It’s said that the folks in the boats below the bridge on Bridge Day can get a jumper from the water before their head gets wet.

I’m sure there’s some truth to that, in most cases.  But what it really means goes back to the whole reason Bridge Day is good for first timers in the first place:  Safety.

Anyone out there going for their 1st jump at Bridge Day?  Share your thoughts with us in the comments…

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Motorcycles? Safety? Bridge Day? You Bet

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

Bridge Day 2009.  What a great day to be in Southern West Virginia.

Like this, but on the New River Gorge Bridge

Like this, but on the New River Gorge Bridge

The state’s largest one day festival is an absolute blast, and if you haven’t been to the festival, you don’t know what you’re missing. With arts, crafts, food, rappelling, high line rides, fall foliage, and plenty of BASE jumpers, the Bridge Day is not to be missed.

This is the one day during the year that you can walk on the Western Hemisphere’s largest single arch bridge, and take in the view of the New River Gorge. Fall colors are at their peak, and the bridge offers a wonderful vista over one of the world’s oldest places.

This Bridge Day is also the Second Annual West Virginia Motorcycle Safety Program Ride. This ride is to promote more awareness of motorcycles on the highways and safe interaction with other motor vehicles.

As motorcycle ridership has increased, so have accidents. There is a need to make all motorists aware of motorcycles and to watch closely for them during the riding season, which runs April through November.

The ride will be held on Saturday October 17 at 10 am (Bridge Day). Riders will meet at Songer Whitewater in Hico and travel south on Rt 19 across the bridge then, following Rt 16 North and Rt 60 East, back to Hico. This route crosses the New River and the bridge to highlight motorcycles on the highways to a large number of motorists attending Bridge Day.

The route also offers riders a scenic route through Southern West Virginia with views of the gorge and the fall colors. Riders will then have time to return to the bridge to enjoy the festivities.

While registration has closed for this year, we do want people to know that this is an ongoing event.  If you ride, but aren’t registered, you can still watch for us to come rolling across the bridge, right in the middle of all the action.

If you ride a bike and would like to participate in the ride in 2010, check the website for details. If you have not been to Bridge Day, make plans to do so. You won’t be disappointed!

Special Guest Post By:

Len Hanger over at Songer Whitewater, he helps organize the annual Bridge Day Motorcycle safety awareness ride.

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10 Alternate Names For Bridge Day

Friday, May 22nd, 2009

What’s Bridge Day?  The short answer is it’s the largest festival in West Virginia.

But it’s more than that, really.  Just saying “the largest festival…” leaves out the whole community feel of it.  The tradition.  The adrenaline.

Maybe if there were some more names for it, it would help describe everything that goes down…

  • “Y’all Are Crazy” Day- The big draw, of course, is BASE jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge.  If you don’t know, BASE is parachuting from a fixed object- in this case, a bridge.  A spectacle.
  • “I Can’t Eat Any More… Well, Okay” Day If there’s one thing you’ll find everywhere at Bridge Day, it’s food.  From the Pancake Breakfast in the morning to the Chili Cookoff that night, (and all day long, too) there’s plenty of grub.
  • “This Place Is Awesome” Day When you see the big crowd, and the jumpers, and the rafters and kayakers below, and the fall colors, all from this engineering marvel of a bridge, this is exactly what you’ll think.  Promise.
  • “I Do Need Some Art” Day We’re lucky to have some of the most talented artisans in the state come and set up shop.  Almost anywhere you go on Bridge day, there’s great art for browsing and for sale.
  • “We Need To Stay Another Day” Day There is no way to do everything you’d like to do in the New River Gorge in a day.  Rock climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, ATVs, paintball, rafting, kayaking, and on and on.  Sorry about that.
  • “I Should Get A Motorcycle” Day It probably helps that Weest Virginia has more CRPC  (Curvy Roads Per Capita) than any other state.  Whatever it is, Bridge Day draws tons of bikes.
  • “I’ve Got To Show My Friends This” Day This year -the 30th anniversary- Bridge Day is full connected, online, and mobile. Text bd30 to 77007 to find out everything, and tag the stuff you share with #bridgeday or #bd30.
  • “I Could Get Used To This” Day The New River Gorge is the world’s greatest backyard, basically.  People move to this part of the Mountain State to turn life into serious play.
  • “Fat Guy With A Funnel Cake” Day Self-explanitory.
  • “We’re Definitely Doing This Again Next Year” Day If we renamed the festival after the phrase most often overhead at Bridge Day, this would be it.

It’s a lot of things.  More than anything, it’s fun.  And who are we to try to define fun, anyway?  We’ll just stick with Bridge Day.

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