Local News
Bridge Day appreciated around the world
FAYETTEVILLE — Tammy Maxwell had her first shot of Bridge Day BASE jumping adrenaline Saturday, and the thrilled woman could not wait to tell her friends — in Australia — about West Virginia.
“It’s gorgeous, so beautiful,” the Byron Bay resident said. “The people — everyone is friendly. They like us BASE jumpers. You people rock!
“I’m going to tell all my mates to come here. The camping and hiking here looks phenomenal. Bridge Day rocks, mate! Yeah!”
Bridge Day attracted an estimated 155,000 people to Fayetteville’s New River Gorge Bridge Saturday, including 377 BASE jumpers from 10 different countries. It is West Virginia’s largest one-day festival, and it is the largest extreme sports event in the world — bringing jumpers from across the globe.
Maxwell raved about her first Bridge Day as she described her 876-foot plunge from the bridge — platform to riverbank.
“As you stand (at the platform), your gear is checked twice,” she said. “You know you’re fine.
“...You go to the edge, and say, ‘Three! Two! One! See ya!’ Then, you go. And it’s, ‘One-thousand, two-thousand, three-thousand’ — then you throw your canopy while you’re going fast and turning away. It’s such a rush, especially when you’re fairly new. At the edge, you just breathe with your arms up and your head high. ... The silence. It’s different. ... For me, it’s an adrenaline rush. It’s so peaceful.”
Chris “Flummi” Wengel flew in from his Munich, Germany, home just for Bridge Day.
“You have a beautiful bridge, and we’re so glad you’re letting us do this,” he said. “...This is my third year in a row — it’s the adrenaline. The people here are just so nice. You have more than 100,000 people looking on.”
Wengel said BASE jumping at the New River Gorge was especially wonderful, to him, because of the fall scenery.
“It’s just beautiful,” he said. “You have the view, the trees, the valleys, rolling hills. You have the red and orange trees. It’s so nice. The morning haze coming from the canyon — it’s like Indian summer.”
As he landed on the New River’s banks, Wengel’s hands were shaking. Even after 250 jumps, he explained he still gets nervous — but he was ready to jump off the bridge again.
“Oh yes, baby! I am!” he yelled — with his hands still somewhat shaky.
London resident Alastair MacArtney has BASE jumped for 10 years, but he also made his first Bridge Day jump Saturday.
“It’s a world-famous event,” he said. “...It has been fantastic. The local people are really nice. When you walk past them, they’ll stop and talk to you.”
BASE jumpers at Bridge Day — no matter from where they came — were friendly and sociable, willing to welcome a new friend into the fold, MacArtney said. While BASE jumpers are a close-knit group, he noted they are not closed off to anyone else socializing with them.
MacArtney believes Bridge Day should not just be once a year. Other locations, he said, allow BASE jumping year-round — and this benefits the towns allowing it financially.
“It would bring in a lot of people, and that would be good for business,” he said. “...When you have elections, if anyone’s agenda includes this being done every day, whoever stands for that manifesto should be elected.”
— E-mail:
apridemore@register-herald.com
- Local News
-
-
Management plan available for review; meetings scheduled
Members of the public have the opportunity to study the results of hours of scoping sessions and background work as the National Park Service’s draft General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (GMP) and draft Foundation Plan for New River Gorge National River have been released for public review and input.
-
World Day of Prayer
Montgomery area church women gathered at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on March 5 to celebrate World Day of Prayer.
-
Bridgemont sponsors cultural diversity event
To commemorate Black History Month in late February, Bridgemont Community and Technical College staged a cultural diversity event on campus.
-
Gamin’ in Gauley
The new game room at the Gauley Bridge Community Center drew children of all ages to its opening night event on Friday.
-
‘Way Out West’ to open at HFT
It’s not “Unforgiven,” “Gunsmoke,” nor even “Blazing Saddles,” but “Way Out West In A Dress, Or Life’s A Hurdle When Your Wearin' A Girdle” is, well, let’s just say a different kind of western about a big misunderstanding and a cover-up, but still with plenty of the standard “good triumphing over evil.”
-
Dinner recognizes some who helped bring Scouts to Fayette
Bridgemont Community & Technical College took some time out last week to recognize individuals who helped attract The Summit: Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve to Fayette County.
-
Smithers prepares for elections
The City of Smithers has elections in its future.
-
Town to open game room, seeks volunteers
The Town of Gauley Bridge is ready to open a game room in the Gauley Bridge Community Center, which is dedicated in the memory of Ruby Winebrenner.
-
New Fayette super answers questions
Questions on the role of the Fayette County Board of Education were answered Monday night during state-appointed superintendent Dwight Dials’ first meeting with the board.
-
Special event marks Black History Month
When she needs a little guidance in fulfilling her duties as chief justice of the state Supreme Court, Robin Davis simply reaches into her left-hand desk drawer.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Management plan available for review; meetings scheduled
