Bridge Day™ Rappel Selection Process:
2010 BRIDGE DAY™ RAPPEL
Post Office Box 71
Elizabeth Way
Fayetteville, West Virginia 25840-0071
304 574-1037 Fax 304 574-1300
Email: bridgedayrap@passagestoadventure.com
www.bridgedayrappel.com
July 15, 2010
Thank you for your interest in rappelling off the New River Gorge Bridge on Bridge Day™, Saturday, October 16, 2010. The results of the June 19 lottery and team information are enclosed. Twenty-four teams entered the lottery and all were selected.
Twelve to fourteen participants from each team will be allowed to ascend and/or descend a fixed rope from the catwalk beneath the New River Gorge Bridge. Substitutions and additions will be accepted until Friday, August 27. Bridge Day™ Rappel registration will begin at noon on Friday, October 15, at Passages To Adventure on Fayette Station Road. There will be an orientation meeting beginning at 6:30 PM on Friday, October 15, at Passages which all rappellers must attend. No attendance means no participation.
Additional information about Bridge Day™ will be sent to you later this summer. For now, you may wish to make lodging arrangements if you wish to stay in a motel. Many of the local motels are already filled.
We will again have camping available at our “new” headquarters on Fayette Station Road for $12 per night per person. The cabins rent for $47 per night. Reservations are required and you must make reservations and pay in advance by Monday, September 6. You can raft the New River on Thursday or Friday, October 14-15, for $49 plus taxes per person. You can raft the Gauley River, the #8 whitewater river in the world, on Sunday, October 17, for $89 plus taxes per person.
The New River Gorge Preserve has luxury homes available for rent $400 and up a night. These homes sleep up to 20 people. There are two homes that can accommodate more. Hot tubs, grills, kitchen, bath rooms, beds, linen! You need bring only your food and rappelling equipment. These homes are within one to two miles of Passages on the New River Gorge rim. Please contact Delores at 304 574-1802, delores@nrgpreserve.com.
As has been the case the last seven years, the entire New River Gorge Bridge will be closed on Bridge Day™. The Bridge Day™ Commission is again responsible for the shuttle transportation on Fayette Station Road. As in past years, Passages will have one bus to assist in the shuttling of both rappellers and BASE jumpers.
Bruce Smith will again be our Safety Officer. Thank You! Any questions or concerns about equipment should be discussed with him. Bruce will also have some of his On Rope items to sell at Passages on Friday afternoon, October 15. You can also place orders with On Rope for them to bring up to you for Bridge Day™.
We will offer the ascending ropes again this year. Thank you for your comments about them last year. It seems everyone liked this new addition. Thanks to Dr. Peter Hertl and Extreme Rappels for their help and assistance with the ascending ropes!
You must complete the Rope Ascent Request Form and/or Tandom Rappel Request Form and return it by September 6. All ascents and tandom rappels must be approved in advance of Bridge Day™. You must bring your equipment to the Orientation meeting and have it checked by Bruce Smith and his safety officers. Final notification of who will be allowed to ascend “our” two ropes and do a tandom rappel will be made that night, Friday, October 15.
There is a Team Training Log that each team must complete and return by September 6. We need to know what your team is doing to prepare for the Bridge Day™ rappel and when each team member’s last rappel was. This is a currency requirement that was implemented by the Bridge Day™ Commission four years ago.
The Rope Ascent Request Form, the Tandom Rappel Request Form, and the Team Training Log are all on line at www.bridgedayrappel.com. Thanks to Jeff Facer for hosting and publishing the website!
We will have the high line at Bridge Day™ again this year. The high line will be the same as last year. Larry Smith, Terry Zornes, Benjy Simpson III, and Extreme Rappels will rig the high line. Thank you Larry, Terry Zornes, Benjy III, and Extreme Rappels!
We have two advertising, marketing, and sponsorship opportunities. Please contact us if you are interested in increasing your company’s visibility at Bridge Day™. “First come, first serve.” The deadline is Monday, August 30, with your check and JPEG ad.
T-shirt imprint and 2"X4" Orientation newsletter ad |
$600 each |
Orientation newsletter ad |
$75 each |
As the group leader, it is your responsibility to communicate with your team members the information that you receive about Bridge Day™. Please tell your team members that they can access everything you know from our website, www.bridgedayrappel.com. The group leader is responsible for the individual actions and behavior of his/her team. If there is a problem with a team member, that team will be prohibited from participating in Bridge Day™. Please encourage all of your team members to be patient and resilient.
Please check your team information. Any needed info and/or concerns must be corrected by Friday, August 27. Any missing information will mean that individual and/or team will not be allowed to participate at Bridge Day™.
Please contact me if you have any questions and/or concerns. Thank you for your cooperation and participation. I look forward to seeing you Bridge Day™ weekend.
Sincerely,
Benjy Simpson
Rappel Coordinator