Idaho BASE Adventure!

I hath returned both alive and well from my trip to the Mountain West and the far off land of Idaho. Twin Falls happens to be a rather beautiful place. 

Attending the Snake River BASE Academy was an incredible experience. I learned so much about the sport and how much knowledge it takes to safely jump most objects. Safe being a rather subjective concept in the world of BASE jumping. I was honestly surprised at how much of a different animal BASE is from the world of skydiving, with which I am much more familiar. The technical aspects of BASE make it really cool to someone like me. BASE jumps at most locations require extensive planning and and knowledge of gear, weather, the object, exit points, timing. Which I think is pretty neat.

The course and my vacation ended up being incredibly tiring. 20 hour days while on vacation was a lot more than I expected and certainly more than the casual nature of learning how to skydive. I had a lot of problems with packing the BASE rig. But I also had problems learning how to pack a skydiving rig. So that was pretty understandable. 

The pinnacle of the course was, of course, the jumping itself. Let me tell you that there is absolutely nothing in the world like standing at the exit point while BASE jumping. You just need to take that one leap into the unknown. Walking the razors edge between life and death. The rush and the high is like nothing else. I can see how someone can very easily get addicted to BASE jumping. But now I have compelling urge to gather more gear, practice fundamentals. Return to Twin Falls and go through the course again. Then head out into he wilderness and see what BASE is all about.

Snake River Base Academy is an amazing thing.

Final Equipment Check and Secondary Fermentation.

*This was a touch delayed due to time constraints before my journey. But I am posting it anyway!*

We are on the eve of my next adventure. Far into the distant land of Idaho. As I am a very meticulous person when it comes to such journeys. I will share with you the methodology of my final equipment check. Largely taken from my time in the Army. I just love seeing everything laid out before I pack it up and go on my way. I'm a bare essentials kind of guy. This is what I need and think I might need for the trip. 


Here we have a cool helmet(with awesome stickers. Very important), goggles, knee pads, BASE packing items, clothes, GoPro Camera(charged and ready), SD card reader, small camera, boots... Probably missing some stuff but whatever.


Additionally, because of the trip I have to move my IPA into secondary fermentation a few days ahead of schedule. But my apartment is quite warm most of the time and it looks like the yeast has done its work for now. But the process is simple and awesome. Seeing your own wort-made-beer is an amazing thing. All one must do is check the gravity to see if it is in the right ballpark and then let the beer sit in a clean carboy for a few more weeks before we can put it into bottles. And the gravity is good.

Now I must be on my way, off into the Mountain West!

Book Club: The Great Book of BASE.

I acquired this book after signing up for a BASE First Jump Course in Twin Falls, Idaho. Never having heard of it before. After reading this book, I am compelled to tell the world how motherfucking awesome it is. I read through this book in one sitting. All the while feeling a sense of awe and wonder at the subtle complexities of what is physically, a simple act. 

Even if you have absolutely no desire whatsoever to get on a plane and skydive, let alone BASE jump or anything like it. You'll find this book to be an incredible read. For someone who thinks strongly about attention to detail it is fascinating. From a purely technical standpoint, there is so much to think about when putting yourself on an exit point. I had always known that BASE is very complex for those who care to understand it. But being the sport that it is, and skydiving as well to some degree, it draws the Mavericks who are willing to throw caution to the wind.

Over my skydiving career I had put a good amount of time into understanding what makes the parachute system work and why it is designed the way it is. But that is only natural, as I am a professional software developer. An innate sense of curiosity if you will. BASE parachutes are a completely different animal from their skydiving counterparts. Bridal lengths, slider material, closing systems are all much more important details than they are for a skydiver.

There was a portion of this book that really struck me. I was thinking, "Hey! That is totally me!" This particular part discussed two jumping buddies of drastically different personas. One being the Maverick type who just wants to jump. The other being someone like myself who meticulously inspects both equipment, location, and weather. Both achieve the same result this is true. But I believe in doing it "correctly" as I perceive it. It is your life after all. Take the time to ensure that the gear is right, the situation is right and you are in the right state of mind. Do the deed, then drink yourself silly relishing in the experience with a bunch of other crazy ass jumpers like yourself.

Other interesting parts cover the Ethics of BASE jumping itself. In the sense that objects should be treated very carefully so that others can continue to enjoy using them. Which I imagine is pretty hard with the sort of rebellious attitudes that BASE attracts. In order to protect the usability of BASE objects it is imperative for jumpers to respect the locals and the general rules surrounding it.

Overall it is a lot to take in. A bit scary, but very much exciting. Once it got into advanced techniques I kind of lost interest. My goal right now is simple, stable, and predictable exits and openings. Always the cautious sort, I feel that I should act as my experience level dictates. Or below it. Either way, perhaps I will see you at the exit point someday.

*I feel I should mention, that like the authors of this book, reading this will in no way teach you how to properly BASE jump. It is a reference, not an instruction manual. Best textbook I've ever read however.

A Day at the Lake...

Sunday is a lazy day for most of us. Even myself, boundless energy that I seem to have. Ont his fine Sunday I headed out to Lake Travis. The lake is currently a shadow of its former self as the water levels are around 60 feet lower than their average. Texas has had a pretty bad drought for the past few years and Lake Travis is suffering terribly for it.

But there's a twist! I am the type who lives to be outside of the comfort zone. As most boundaries are just silly anyway. The rather arbitrary nature of social norms has always been a funny thing to me. In the same vein as the very Creator of the universe itself telling you to not masturbate. So we went to a place called Hippie Hollow. A portion of the Lake dating back to the 60's. It actually has some other name for it. But that name is unimportant as nobody refers to it by the name proper. Back in the age of the Culture Shock, those of like minds would congregate here and beat on drum circles or whatever in the nude along the Lake. This is interesting to me because Texas is quite conservative to say the least. The fact that this park has survived for so long is impressive. As there have been many attempts to shut down the lewdness, I am sure.

According to local history. The original owner of that part of Lake Travis leased the land to the county indefinitely under a number of conditions. One being that the clothing optional part of it remained. Hippie Hollow becoming the only "public" area that allows this in the entire state of Texas. Texas is a big place and this is quite unique. With all of the characters that live in Austin and the interesting things to do here. How does one just "go" to the lake? I say, let us make even a day at the lake something out of the ordinary!

And so I went to Hippie Hollow and enjoyed the quiet lake shore. As rocky and uncomfortable as it is. But I must say, it is rather liberating to walk around in the buff. I'll certainly be back! The people are exceptionally friendly and social. Comfortable in their own skin and I admire anyone with that trait. A little confidence can get you a very long ways and it is a lesson that a lot of us have a hard time learning. Fake it till you make it as it is said.

Endurance Saturday.

For most, Saturday can be a day of rest. A recovery from the escapades of the divine Friday. A reprieve from the threat of actually having to work. But to me, Saturday is a day to just cram full of all the fun things I could want to do.

Like most people, I go out Friday night. Or at the very least stay up late. As it has been said, in order to live a long life you must have something to live for. So stay out late and let the ramifications be damned!

On Friday I stayed up until about one in the morning. Never having needed much sleep. I woke up at about 6 o'clock in the morning. Just in time to see the break of Dawn. Best time of the day. Every time Dawn is on the horizon, it is the birth of a new day. And absolutely anything could happen. An amazing feeling that happens once every 24 hours. Sometimes the world is just an incredible place.

At 0700 I began the day. Which means a run of some distance down under the Mopac bridge here in Austin. The hustle and bustle of the morning exercise crowd here is quite impressive. Hordes of people running, walking or biking along the river. Today was rather pleasant and I ran a good 5 miles at a superb pace! At 0800 I drove at high speed to Skydive San Marcos for some fabulous skydiving.

Sadly, I captured no pictures of this. However! It was a really strange day in the skies as far as winds go. Bumpy rides, bad landings. Biffed it coming in on my second jump. Got some road rash out of it too. Additionally, after every jump some part of my parachute rig broke. Very minor really, but the key to surviving dangerous adventure sports in the long term is to be anal retentive about even the smallest of details. All in all I had to fix my leg harness, brake stows... and right as I was packing up I noticed a hole in my deployment bag. Which will have to be fixed the next time I am there. Woe to the Sky Gods on this fateful day! But the clouds did have a silver lining. Literally! I did an excellent Sit Fly jump with a German guy. Righteous docking and we drifted through this cloud for a long time. Quite surreal. Wish I had a captured it with the GoPro. But here's a different image from a week ago at the same place! 

After returning home, some friends and I brewed beer with my wonderful new brewkit. Back when I lived in Tampa, I brewed all the time. Like a Phoenix arisen from the ashes this hobby has come back to me with a vengeance. This time I have a nicer setup too. So with a few of my friends from the Tampa area, we brewed beer and drank beer. Played the Settlers of Catan (which I will discuss again at a later time) and generally had a good time. The beer brewing was a success. Although I managed to lose the connector for the kitchen faucet. So as brewing advice to you lot. Don't drink and brew. This has led to me being hosed down every time I turn the faucet on without thinking. Annoying, yes, but also kind of funny...

Steaming Wort!

All in all it was awesome. How was your Saturday my friend?

A Platform Paradise.

These days I tend to avoid playing video games due to my vast array of other interests... and reading. But there comes a time when I am compelled to fire up the computer for an hour or so to play something that is just outright delightful. 

I mostly play games that revolve around puzzles, platforming, or mind-boggling complexity (looking at you Dwarf Fortress and SpaceChem...). The requirement is that I have to be able to pick it up and put it down at a moments notice as some other shiny object or book may draw my attention. Such is the life of a chronic hobbyist.

On my birthday last year Rayman Origins came out for the computer and I loved every second of that beautiful platforming masterpiece. Vibrant colors, cartoony characters and brilliant environments created by the most impressive imaginations I have yet encountered in the video game industry. Although there are a few others that will have my admiration for all time. 

 
 


Turns out that Rayman Legends is every bit as good as its predecessor. Actually it is even better! This time around it has more game modes, more challenges, leader boards, collectibles and so many other features that I have been outright overwhelmed by the content. Well worth my $40. As you can see from the images above there, it is just beautiful to look at. With themes ranging from castles and dragons, underwater, deserts and even the Mexican Dia de Los Muertos!

But the real thing that absolutely sold me about how awesome this was for an impulse buy is a certain musical level where you run through a world of knights and dragons to the tune of that Ram Jam song Black Betty. If you do not look at this and simply grin with a sense of overwhelming, childlike delight... then I know not what to say. But don't take my word for it, you can see it for yourself!

Book Club: Fear and Loathing.

Years ago, when I was but a lad, I discovered the writings of a one Hunter S. Thompson. Again, I don't remember exactly where I had heard about him at the them. But from the ages of 15 to 17 I undoubtedly read every single thing the man had ever written. However, at the age when you know everything a lot of the genius of his writing is lost on youth and inexperience. But I always loved the style more than anything. There was a kind of visceral tone to his writing. A rage and a defiance for no other reason than to enjoy defying someone. Somewhere along that line I read his biography too. What most intrigued me about him was the passion. In his youth he would sit and type out the Great Gatsby on his typewriter. Just to feel what it was like when F. Scott Fitzgerald put ink to paper. That is something far more interesting than any of his books. I don't rightly know what to make of that. But it is easy to admire such a trait.

With that being said. Last night, for the first time in many years I reread Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. His most well known title, but not my favorite. For that I tip my hat to Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 72'. I should also mention that, to those who do not know me, I almost never reread books. Except for a very select few. But perhaps I should relieve myself of that habit! This time around I caught many things that I'd missed in the days of yesteryear.

Back when I was 17 and knew everything, the idea of a alcohol and drug fueled odyssey into the Heart of the American Dream was an appealing thing. In a don't give a shit about nothing kind of way. In some ways it still is. If only to pursue a journey against the grain of what is socially acceptable. To just see it all from rock bottom looking up. For it is the strangest feeling to walk along some busy freeway in the dead of night. Hearing the trucks, cars and bustle of humanity pass you by. The world is a busy place and it has naught to do with you.

What really hit me this time was the absurdity of the book's premise in general. As our hero explains he was sitting in a bar in Los Angeles drinking beer and Singapore Slings with a side of mescaline. Although he is a writer for the paper, he wasn't really doing anything. Later he unexpectedly receives a call from New York City telling him that he has to cover the Mint 400 race in Las Vegas and that he needs to go meet another member of the company in LA to get money to cover expenses. Just think about it for a few moments. A stranger calls you whilst in a drunken stupor telling you that you must meet another stranger and get money to go cover an event out in the desert. Also, it has to be done now. Don't hesitate and don't question it.

How else could you do such a job where you are really just making it up as you go but to add your own personal flare to the matter. Flare, in the case of our dear friend Hunter, being to add as many drugs as possible to the trip and just see where it takes you. Which is definitely more interesting than simply covering a race from a detached and objective standpoint, as traditional journalism tended to do. But it does lead to a question. Who won the race? Frankly, I don't know and I don't care. So if you haven't already. Pick this book up and revel in depravity and debauchery. If only for a short time.

-T2

Casual Wednesday.

Shortly after arriving in Austin I discovered www.meetup.com. I forget now where I found it. Probably some kind of link from Reddit. But anyway, it has been the most amazing tool to find new groups of all kinds. From the awesome to the mundane, bizarre, creepy or even professional. There is a meetup for everything! I quickly gravitated towards the outdoorsy ones and joined the Austin Beer Run Club. Which is analogous to the Hash Club Harriers in Tampa. Basically every large city seems to have a pub run club. I've joined many meetup groups (clubs), but I'm only really involved in the running ones so far. But I am getting into tabletop game groups now was well.

I started going back to the Run Club back in June. I've met a lot of people from all kinds of backgrounds in Austin. From tech nerds to teachers, independent consultants and everything in between. This has been quite awesome for me. Through this single meetup I've gotten in touch with other software developers, homebrewers, athletes and tabletop gamers.

But to the chase!  The club involves running about a 5k in downtown Austin near the Capital on Congress Road. From there we return to a bar called Doc's for $2 Mexican beer and $1 tacos. A bit of a different interpretation of the Beer Run Club than the ones I have been to in the past. But fun all the same. Here is the view as you begin the run. Pretty much the core of the city.

There is also a place in Austin called Barton Springs Pool. This is a natural pool fed through a ground spring. The pool sits at a nice 65 or so degrees at all times. Nice and brisk. There is usually an entrance fee. However, at 9PM everyday it is open to all for a Free Swim until 10PM. After a nice run, a few tacos and many a round at Doc's I've been going here for the Free Swim. Late night Free Swim attracts the most interesting of characters. This is the pool below in the wee small hours of the morning (8AM).

This is most true when the Full Moon comes around. For those familiar with this phenomenon, the Full Moon brings out the weirdness in people so to speak. The Free Swim becomes the Howl at the Moon swim and the free folk of Austin come out of the woodwork. Best part is that you get to literally howl at the moon with about a thousand other people. Which is something you just don't see everyday. In many ways, Barton Springs Pool is the focal point of downtown Austin social life. On New Years Day there is even the Polar Bear Swim, for those of you that would like to be brave and plunge into the icy depths of the pool whilst the air itself will chill you to the bone. It goes without saying that you'll find me there!

This routine has become my Casual Wednesday, as I call it. Running, tacos, beers, interesting people, and an icy plunge for a nightcap. Not for the faint of heart I suppose. But much more interesting than sitting at home and watching television. Moral of the story is that you just need to take that first step out of the door. Find some meetups and just go to them! Now if you'll excuse me I must prepare to nerd out with some tabletop games.

-T2

Restlessness.

Hello!

It has been a rather long time since I have tried my hand at the blogging game. But I feel the time has come yet again. So, let us journey again. Once more! And with feeling! 

But a little about myself. I'm 26 years old and originally hail from the wilds of the Oregon Coast. Specifically, a small town called Coos Bay on the Southern Oregon Coast. Some of you may know it as the home of Steve Prefontaine. Which it is. But eight years ago in 2005, I graduated from high school and joined the Army. Partly because of a love of challenges and excitement and partly because of a distinct lack of direction in life that led me to not want to go to college just yet. 

From 2005 to 2010 I was in the US Army serving as an Arabic translator and an investigator of sorts. I learned Arabic at a place called the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in Monterey, California. Going to DLI, I fell in love with the San Francisco and Monterey Bay Areas. They are hands down my most favorite spots in the US and the World. Someday I hope to set up shop there for good! 

Later on I spent a good amount of time in a certain city called Baghdad and it's surrounding areas. Mostly talking to locals, writing about it and sharing many a cup of sweet Iraqi chai. This was for a period slightly over two years. Overall, I quite enjoyed Iraq.

In 2010 I left the Army and began studying at the University of South Florida in Tampa. I can say that this is the time when I really came into myself. I was already 23 when I started and had a lot of college done while I was in the Army. I had traveled a lot and been in a "warzone" if you will. Suffice to say I had very little in common with my fellow students. Because of this, my interests and tastes ventured elsewhere. I started brewing beer at my place. I got into endurance sports such as triathlons and distance races. Then I got into skydiving and met a lot of really amazing people. I became quite the hobbyist.

In the Spring of 2013 I graduated with a couple of technical and math related degrees. After applying diligently I acquired a software engineering job in the great city of Austin, Texas. I've always liked changes of scenery and I felt that I had stayed in Tampa long enough. Since then I have begun working the good ol' Monday to Friday, 8AM to 5PM gig. But I really like software development and enjoy my job immensely.

Yet I found myself very, very restless. Always needing something to fill my idle time with. I felt awful any day that I did not do something. Even on weekdays while working. Then I realized that I should start making sure that I waste no more time. 

So out with Reddit and the senseless articles and crap I had been reading! As amusing as it has been. Out with watching stupid TV shows (that aren't Breaking Bad). No day should be wasted and everyday can show you something new, help you improve yourself, or simply be fun. The doldrums of office life, or life in general can be defeated! So come with me friends as we delve into books, adventures, the outdoors, and whatever else comes to mind. One must only break the surface of the placid waters of life to find a whole new world.

-T2