What is it about B.A.S.E jumping you enjoy the most?

Rick Harrison: The intense rush and exhilaration you get on exit and opening; nothing to compare this with. Skydiving can be more of an accomplishment rush, like a big formation, but it’s not even close to the primal nature of what you get on a B.A.S.E jump. Also, most B.A.S.E exit points are beautiful since they are all up in the air with a great view, many in gorgeous surroundings.

How do you take one twin brother, retired Federal Attorney, 27 years of B.A.S.E. jumping experience, 59 years of life and sum it up into one interview? Simply stated, “It’s an undertaking of epic proportion”.

Rick Harrison, B.A.S.E. 38, the man who processes your B.A.S.E. number applications, who reads your stories and often responds with a comment in issuing your card, is in the midst of leading a long and productive life. Simply stated, “He has done some shit”.

I continued on the stream of thought, that there is an “us vs. them” mentality regarding B.A.S.E jumper’s and Law Enforcement with a follow up question that lead to Rick debating with me. “I notice a great deal of angry talk and name calling of park rangers and law enforcement in regards to being nabbed.

During my exchanges with Rick he made mention of his friendship with Iiro Seppepan that began on a trip back in 2002, I phoned Iiro and asked him to write his take on this B.A.S.E pioneer which follows: “I first met Rick and his brother Randy, when we did the Mexican Cave trip together. I had not heard about them before, not even by reputation, so I was in for quite a surprise.

Rick Harrison: "As you can see, I come from an old school belief that as long as I'm not hurting anyone else, then the government shouldn’t tell me I'm a criminal for wanting to jump off a public mountain in a National Park.

Skydiving was different back in the days when B.A.S.E. was born. Some of the B.A.S.E pioneers were actually Relative Workers (freefall formation skydivers) that got frustrated with too much regulation and politics that was evolving in the competitive world of relative work as skydiving drop zones transitioned from clubs to the bigger commercial centers with relative work teams being sponsored so they could afford 30 jumps a week.

I always used to tell folks that no matter whom you were there was very little politics on the edge of a building. We were all scared. B.A.S.E gave us the feeling we had sort of lost from years of skydiving. That feeling we got when we first fell out of a plane, the rush of falling. The object just made it more exciting.

We have all had to adjust to a more modern and crowded world even the world of B.A.S.E; I hope the public is beginning to be more willing to accept B.A.S.E as an appropriate activity that can be done in a relatively safe manner.”