Gerry
11-03-2007, 11:17 PM
Frankly, I am surprised I held off this long for these.
Both are huge cultural events in West Virginia (not much else is) and very, very popular spots with the outdoors folks.
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb257/gotlab/gauleyfest.jpg
GauleyFest.mobi/net
The Gauley River in West Virginia is one of the top white-water excursions in the US, certainly perhaps the number one on the East Coast with Class VI rapids. I have never kayaked the Gauley River. I used to whitewater kayak but I am not that good. I have done portions of the New River in WV and VA.
I did make a rafting run down the river once with a bunch of guides who were good friends. Ski Patrol in the winter, River Runners in the Spring and Summer.
We went in March or April right after spring thaw. The water was way up. And so was I...way up in the air.
Oh, and don’t let the name Pillow Rock fool you into thinking this is a soft landing.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=TTIGRHE9xj0
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LnHnE5DPvkc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dDu42oVDDpc
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb257/gotlab/bridge.jpg
BridgeFest.mobi/.net
New River Gorge Bridge between Beckley and Fayetteville, WV.
The tallest single span bridge in the world at 876 feet high.
Each year drawing over 200K people as the bridge becomes home to one of the largest gatherings of BASE jumpers in the world. Nearly 400 jumpers from 13 countries performed 804 jumps at Bridge Day this year. So it is not just a West Virginia thing.
For those of you in the states, you may recall several years ago a Chevy (GMC) truck bungee jumping off a bridge. This is the place.
This particular clip deals with death of Brian Lee Schubert, who’s parachute failed to fully deploy. I was not there when this happened but several of my friends were. Brian was more or less a celebrity to BASE jumpers and is credited, along with a couple of others, for creating the sport.
Schubert's death was the first time a fatality had marred the event since 1987, and the third since the festival started in 1980.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=C4heFUCV71k
Both are huge cultural events in West Virginia (not much else is) and very, very popular spots with the outdoors folks.
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb257/gotlab/gauleyfest.jpg
GauleyFest.mobi/net
The Gauley River in West Virginia is one of the top white-water excursions in the US, certainly perhaps the number one on the East Coast with Class VI rapids. I have never kayaked the Gauley River. I used to whitewater kayak but I am not that good. I have done portions of the New River in WV and VA.
I did make a rafting run down the river once with a bunch of guides who were good friends. Ski Patrol in the winter, River Runners in the Spring and Summer.
We went in March or April right after spring thaw. The water was way up. And so was I...way up in the air.
Oh, and don’t let the name Pillow Rock fool you into thinking this is a soft landing.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=TTIGRHE9xj0
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LnHnE5DPvkc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dDu42oVDDpc
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb257/gotlab/bridge.jpg
BridgeFest.mobi/.net
New River Gorge Bridge between Beckley and Fayetteville, WV.
The tallest single span bridge in the world at 876 feet high.
Each year drawing over 200K people as the bridge becomes home to one of the largest gatherings of BASE jumpers in the world. Nearly 400 jumpers from 13 countries performed 804 jumps at Bridge Day this year. So it is not just a West Virginia thing.
For those of you in the states, you may recall several years ago a Chevy (GMC) truck bungee jumping off a bridge. This is the place.
This particular clip deals with death of Brian Lee Schubert, who’s parachute failed to fully deploy. I was not there when this happened but several of my friends were. Brian was more or less a celebrity to BASE jumpers and is credited, along with a couple of others, for creating the sport.
Schubert's death was the first time a fatality had marred the event since 1987, and the third since the festival started in 1980.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=C4heFUCV71k