[Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island

Mark Kaynor mark@kaynor.org
Fri, 17 Jan 2003 13:08:17 -0500


Bob,

Not being familiar w/ parachuting, I have no idea what "riser knives" are.
Care to elucidate?

Also, I've managed to forget to watch the show every time it's been on so
far. I don't suppose you've heard of any plans to rebroadcast? Did anyone
out there video tape it, by any chance?

Mark

----- Original Message -----
From: "rhendy" <rhendy@earthlink.net>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 11:17 AM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island


> Mark,
>   That is a great link!  I guess my memory was 'pretty' good in my
previous
> post.  Apparently he only flew the one time.  The activity is unbelievably
> dangerous and our balloonists were tethered by no less than three
different
> means, and they had two separate riser knives (if you are familiar with
> parachuting equipment), and the prevailing wind had to be just right so
that
> if one of them actually managed to get away, they could descend into the
> water where a boat was standing by.  Safety briefings were conducted by
none
> other than the individual who was the crew chief for both the Brietling
> Orbiter, and Steve Fossett's balloon: the only two manned balloons to
> circumnavigate the earth.  He was a fascinating man to meet.  We sat
around
> a picnic table talking balloons for about two hours that day. What an
> experience for me!
>    Believe me, the BBC took no chances and spent and incredible amount of
> money to shoot that sequence.
>
> Fair Winds,
>
> Bob Hendrickson
> S/V Getaway
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mark Kaynor" <mark@kaynor.org>
> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 11:40 AM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island
>
>
> > Ron,
> >
> > http://www.darwinawards.com/stupid/stupid1997-11.html
> >
> > Mark Kaynor
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Ronald Lipton" <lipton@sprynet.com>
> > To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> > Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 10:23 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island
> >
> >
> > > As for the US... I seem to remember a story about a man who
> > > went up with a set of He balloons tied to his lawn chair.  I do not
> > > remember the outcome.
> > >
> > > Ron
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "rhendy" <rhendy@earthlink.net>
> > > To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> > > Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 6:48 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island
> > >
> > >
> > > > Cluster Ballooning has never been done (outside) in Europe before,
and
> > as
> > > > far as we can determine, it has never, ever been done by a woman,
> > > anywhere.
> > > > (The science advisor for the show, Graham Hoyland, built all of the
> > > > challenges before the shows were done.  He built his cluster
balloon,
> > and
> > > > flew it in a hangar in Manchester, England.)  You would be surprised
> how
> > > > much that amount of helium costs in Europe!  For that reason, it may
> be
> > a
> > > > long, long time before anyone over there ever repeats the feat.
> > > >
> > > > Fair Winds,
> > > >
> > > > Bob Hendrickson
> > > > S/V Getaway
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "Steve Alm" <salm@mn.rr.com>
> > > > To: <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> > > > Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 3:04 PM
> > > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Bob,
> > > > > What was the "thing" you did that was never done before?
> > > > > Slim
> > > > >
> > > > > On 1/16/03 8:25 AM, "rhendy" <rhendy@earthlink.net> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > Doc was the pilot because he actually owns a hovercraft and is
the
> > > only
> > > > one
> > > > > > of us who had ever driven one before.  He drove through the
wrong
> > gate
> > > > > > because it was downhill from the starting box as opposed to the
> red
> > > gate
> > > > > > which was slightly uphill.  He was hoping that the blues would
> fail
> > to
> > > > > > arrive at all which would throw the race to us if we were the
only
> > > craft
> > > > to
> > > > > > complete the course.  What you never saw in the episode is that
> the
> > > red
> > > > > > machine was the only one to complete the course at all prior to
> the
> > > > race.
> > > > > > We were running our machine at about 30mph all around the beach,
> but
> > > > > > somewhere between the tinkering time and the race (about four
> > hours),
> > > > our
> > > > > > machine lost its ability to move.  It is just one of life's
little
> > > > > > mysteries.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Fair Winds,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Bob Hendrickson
> > > > > > S/V Getaway
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > > From: "Steve Alm" <salm@mn.rr.com>
> > > > > > To: <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> > > > > > Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 3:08 AM
> > > > > > Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >> Bob,
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Let me be the first to congratulate you on a job well done!
The
> > red
> > > > team
> > > > > >> made all the right moves.  Frankly, I was embarrassed for the
> blue
> > > team
> > > > > > with
> > > > > >> all that arguing alpha-male crap.  I thought you had it all the
> > > > > > way--better
> > > > > >> hull design, winning the challenges, etc.  But why did Doc get
to
> > > > drive?
> > > > > >> YOU'RE the pilot.  He even drove it through the wrong damn
> gate!!!
> > I
> > > > > > think
> > > > > >> we'd stand a better chance with you at the controls.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> You looked great on camera, Bob.  I think you should look into
a
> > > > possible
> > > > > >> career in Hollywood.  Start with commercials and work your way
> up.
> > > :-)
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> Slim
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> _________________________________________________
> > > > > >> Use Rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > _________________________________________________
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> > > > >
> > > > > _________________________________________________
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> > > >
> > > >
> > > > _________________________________________________
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> > >
> > > _________________________________________________
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> >
> > _________________________________________________
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> >
>
>
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