Death at Royal Gorge

**duster** · 11-24-2008, 12:11 PM

The news story below is about an upcoming stunt that has disaster written all over it.

What you really should see though is the death mentioned in the fourth paragraph. The story is referring to an Australian BASE jumper named Dwain Weston. In 2003, he and one other parachutist jumped out of a plane, planning to land on either side of the bridge over the Royal Gorge in Colorado. They were free-falling when something went wrong for Dwain. He hit the bridge - and was at least partially dismembered - at 120 mph. Here's the video of his last jump:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug1rCyeNujU&feature=related

ODDITY-Jet-Pack
INDEX:International, Social, Transport
Man hopes jet pack takes him across Colorado gorgeDENVER - A daredevil hopes to propel himself across a southern Colorado canyon using a jet pack powered by hydrogen peroxide.
Eric Scott tells the Rocky Mountain News he's never travelled as far as he wants to Monday -- 457 metres.
The Royal Gorge is more than 335 metres deep.
A bridge spanning it was the site of a deadly stunt in 2003 when a parachute jumper miscalculated and fell.
Scott works for Denver-based Jet P.I. The company developed a jet pack for stunts and promotions that is based on one developed in the 1960s for the military.
The original one could fly for only about 20 seconds.
(The Associated Press)
16:56ET 22-11-08

**Frank 'N' Howie** · 11-24-2008, 12:15 PM

Nuff said...

**Mrs. Watson** · 11-24-2008, 12:18 PM

I totally agree with that one, Howie!

Little Darwinism at work?

**ratkin638** · 11-24-2008, 12:19 PM

Maybe I'm just picky, but I'd like to be remembered in some way that doesn't have the word "SPLAT" involved in it.

**"What Tha....?"** · 11-24-2008, 12:26 PM

The Jet Pack Guy just made it over the Royal Gorge! He's safe and he broke the record! Amazing!

**guardmom2008** · 11-24-2008, 12:30 PM

Stupid...

**duster** · 11-24-2008, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by "What Tha....?"

The Jet Pack Guy just made it over the Royal Gorge! He's safe and he broke the record! Amazing!

Originally Posted by guardmom2008

Stupid...

And lucky

**RubySlippers** · 11-24-2008, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by duster

And lucky

yeah, when i heard about it i was NOT impressed. what a friggen dumbasss.

**TheMysterian** · 11-24-2008, 02:27 PM

Hitting the bridge at 120 mph

**Mrs. Watson** · 11-24-2008, 02:46 PM

This is one of those things I just don't understand. Bear in mind, I'm married to an adreneline junky who used to drive race cars. But it's like climbing Everest, and doing shit like this. Why? Just because you can?

**duster** · 11-24-2008, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by TheMysterian

Hitting the bridge at 120 mph

I got the feeling from the other parachutist - the guy who discovered that he was covered in blood and stuff when he landed - that Dwain more or less exploded on impact.

**Mrs. Watson** · 11-24-2008, 03:22 PM

YIKES.

I'm with Rat. I don't want my obituary to include the word SPLAT.

**ichabodius** · 11-24-2008, 03:23 PM

I saw a special on him on ESPN or something. His friend said he thinks he was trying to get as close to the bridge as he could for some reason and misjudged the distance and splat. He dented the metal frame of the bridge.

**Mrs. Watson** · 11-24-2008, 03:40 PM

UGH Ich!

WHY??

I hope he enjoyed those few seconds of the high before.

**Miho** · 12-02-2008, 09:37 AM

Umm so when he reappears under the bridge is that missle him without limbs?

**CORONERGAL** · 12-02-2008, 09:49 AM

My ex-bf took me there years ago. I remember there were tame deer all over the place, people fed them. Anyway, he made me take the sky tram over the damn thing to the other side. I had the shakes so bed 'cause I'm terrified of heights and he thought it was hilarious. He thought going on the sky tram would "cure" me of my fear. Ex's are ex's for a reason.

**duster** · 12-02-2008, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Miho

Umm so when he reappears under the bridge is that missle him without limbs?

Eeeeewwww Miho ... (and yes, it is

)

Originally Posted by CORONERGAL

My ex-bf took me there years ago. I remember there were tame deer all over the place, people fed them. Anyway, he made me take the sky tram over the damn thing to the other side. I had the shakes so bed 'cause I'm terrified of heights and he thought it was hilarious. He thought going on the sky tram would "cure" me of my fear. Ex's are ex's for a reason.

Lmao. Good point.

**CORONERGAL** · 12-02-2008, 10:35 AM

He's just lucky I was too traumatized to shove him over the edge. Would have saved me a lot of grief!

**lulubaines** · 12-02-2008, 12:32 PM

Ka-blooie. Yuck.

**Nicki** · 12-02-2008, 12:36 PM

Duster, your thread reminds me of the Golden Knights Dana Bowman accident where he lost both legs when he collided with his partner. You can see the whole thing on this video. He went on to continue his career with prothetic legs:
Warning, very graphic Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJYyD_hnsKw&NR=1

**cleanskull** · 12-02-2008, 12:37 PM

Video would have been better with Patsy Cline's "I Fall To Pieces" as background music.

**cleanskull** · 12-02-2008, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Nicki

Duster, your thread reminds me of the Golden Knights Dana Bowman accident where he lost both legs when he collided with his partner. You can see the whole thing on this video. He went on to continue his career with prothetic legs:
Warning, very graphic Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJYyD_hnsKw&NR=1

Now thats stump jumping.

**Nicki** · 12-02-2008, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by cleanskull

Now thats stump jumping.

LOL, CleanSkull you are awful!

**Lisamarie** · 12-02-2008, 01:25 PM

okay Im sick wish I could get better look..Ill I see is him getting closer to the bridge and then the aftermath that I cannot make out......I have problems....

**sunshine74137** · 12-02-2008, 02:01 PM

Well if ya gotta go, I guess it would be nice to have an impression of yourself on the side of a bridge, Kinda like the handprint in cement thing, except on a grand scale

**Miho** · 12-02-2008, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by sunshine74137

Well if ya gotta go, I guess it would be nice to have an impression of yourself on the side of a bridge, Kinda like the handprint in cement thing, except on a grand scale

Would they send someone up to buff it out?

**duster** · 12-02-2008, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by Nicki

Duster, your thread reminds me of the Golden Knights Dana Bowman accident where he lost both legs when he collided with his partner. You can see the whole thing on this video. He went on to continue his career with prothetic legs:
Warning, very graphic Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJYyD_hnsKw&NR=1

Holy shit, that guy lived?!?!? I've seen that video several times. I just assumed, judging by the blood spray alone, that he was killed.

Originally Posted by cleanskull

Video would have been better with Patsy Cline's "I Fall To Pieces" as background music.

Lmao...Maybe someone can re-do the video, just for us ...

**Miho** · 12-02-2008, 02:30 PM

Ummm so any video of him actually going splat?

**RubySlippers** · 12-02-2008, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by Miho

Ummm so any video of him actually going splat?

there is a video of the Golden Knights guy... somewhere.

**1karenhb** · 12-02-2008, 07:47 PM

Wow, I was not aware of this story. I walked across the bridge Oct. of last year and went across on the skyway and went to the bottom in the funicular.

**Luanne** · 12-03-2008, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by duster

Holy shit, that guy lived?!?!? I've seen that video several times. I just assumed, judging by the blood spray alone, that he was killed.

It's not blood spray. It's that colored smoke stuff they release when they're flying in formation. You can see it coming off the heels of some of the other guys when they jump off the plane.

**Miho** · 05-22-2009, 08:53 AM

bump any luck with the uncut Weston video?

**duster** · 05-22-2009, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by Miho

bump any luck with the uncut Weston video?

I didn;t even know any existed...But that would be nice to see.

**Long Gone Day** · 05-22-2009, 09:28 AM

I will never, never sky dive.

**guardmom2008** · 05-23-2009, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by Long Gone Day

I will never, never sky dive.

I'm with you on that one. No skydiving for me.

**okidoll** · 05-24-2009, 09:03 AM

I know people love doing it, but I just can't wrap my brain around it. Jumping out of a plane.... You are jumping out of a plane.... Ah... Which is why I'm a boring person.

**guardmom2008** · 05-25-2009, 06:34 AM

Originally Posted by okidoll

I know people love doing it, but I just can't wrap my brain around it. Jumping out of a plane.... You are jumping out of a plane.... Ah... Which is why I'm a boring person.

I can't wrap my mind around it either, I understand that they do it for the thrill, well I can find a lot of other things to do for a thrill.

**Miho** · 09-09-2010, 09:01 AM

bumpie

**Crazy Cat Lady** · 09-12-2010, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by okidoll

I know people love doing it, but I just can't wrap my brain around it. Jumping out of a plane.... You are jumping out of a plane.... Ah... Which is why I'm a boring person.

Yes, a perfectly GOOD plane, not on fire or crashing or anything .... boring can be a good thing.

**Reecy** · 09-12-2010, 03:52 PM

Duster......... The guy speaking was so lucky to have lived. It sounded gross.

**Hippo** · 09-13-2010, 07:08 AM

This is to Coronergal:

I went there with my ex-husband and our three kids back in 1996. We walked across the bridge, and I was a nervous wreck, especially with three little kids, two of them only two years old. I don't remember a sky-way, maybe that's newer?

Anyway, my Ex divorced me about eight years ago, but when he dropped off the kids from visitation yesterday, he was wearing a Royal Gorge t-shirt that I had bought him there. I hadn't thought about that place in years, and it was a funny coincidence.

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