[Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island

[rhendy]

Mark,
  Riser knives are hook shaped with the only sharp edge being on the inside
curve of the hook.  That way they will not cut you or anything else
accidentally (in theory, of course) but when you want to cut loose one of
your risers (one of the many strings running from your harness to the chute)
you reach up, 'hook' the offending riser, and pull.  'Pop' goes the riser.
You will also see them on slide-rafts on commercial airliners, too.  They
are used to cut the attachment line so the raft does not sink with the
airplane.

My episode (#2, Hovercraft) will run one last time on Sunday.  I think it
runs around noon. (right up against the NFL)  You can go to tlc.com and
check the schedule or, as they say, check your local listings.  Try it.  You
might like it.  I did.

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 1:08 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island


> 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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