Fun

Attempting to live an adventurous life in a nannying age

Wycombe Motorcycle Action Group

by Steve Baker 25 November 2009 in Politics, Fun Comments are Disabled

Following a number of private meetings across the Wycombe constituency yesterday, from Fingest to the town centre, I had the pleasure of meeting Wycombe Motorcycle Action Group. From MAG’s about page: The Motorcycle Action Group, (MAG), is a voluntary organisation, drawing membership from across the whole spectrum of motorcycling. Whatever […]

Empuriabrava skydiving photoset

by Steve Baker 20 October 2009 in Photography, Fun Comments are Disabled

Uploaded a new photoset to Flickr — Empuriabrava, Oct 2009: Here’s another favourite – a well-formed 5-way formation, high above the canals of Empuriabrava:

Empuriabrava, 19 Oct 09

by Steve Baker 20 October 2009 in Fun Comments are Disabled

Once the wind subsided, we had a great day. Eight jumps, knocked out as fast as possible: first an eight-way, then five-ways when three lads left for the airport. More photos when I’m not behind a filter blocking flickr.

Skydive Tramontana

by Steve Baker 18 October 2009 in Fun Comments are Disabled

Skydive Empuriabrava occasionally suffers a phenomenon knows as the “Tramontana”: a strong wind from the mountains. It’s been blowing since we arrived on Wednesday but it is forecast to subside today or tomorrow. In the meantime, this is as close as I’ll get to a skydive: It’s still a great […]

The bus to 15,000ft

by Steve Baker 28 September 2009 in Fun, Photography Comments are Disabled

Just uploaded a few shots from Hibaldstow. Here’s the bus to 15,000 ft:

Real Business – Michael Van Clarke’s crusade against hair-raising taxes

by Steve Baker 7 September 2009 in Politics, Fun, Business Comments are Disabled

In a move to expose just how much money ends up in the government’s coffers, London hairdresser Michael Van Clarke has started issuing all customers with a full tax receipt – and he’s urging other retailers and businesses to follow suit. … “Effectively, for every £4 we work hard to […]

Exit Steve

by Steve Baker 30 August 2009 in Fun Comments are Disabled

In the end, I made eleven jumps this weekend, seven yesterday and all good fun. Here I asked a tandem cameraman to shoot a solo exit: Exit Steve Originally uploaded by stevenjbaker I find I must make way too much effort to match my fall rate to the average skydiver, […]

UKS Boogie – Hibaldstow

by Steve Baker 28 August 2009 in Fun Comments are Disabled

So here we are, Mark and I, at Hibaldstow for this year’s UK Skydiver Boogie. Via Target Skysports: Welcome to Target Skysports, the home of skydiving in the UK. We offer sky diving courses from up to 15,000ft at our dropzone in Lincolnshire. I arrived yesterday in time to jump […]

My finest motorcycle?

by Steve Baker 18 August 2009 in Fun, Politics Comments are Disabled

After nearly two months of distractions ((Earning a living, poverty, banking and a transformation in motoring… it’s a quiet life.)), this week I have returned to the important business of riding my motorcyle. I tend to imagine I have mostly owned sports bikes — ZZR600, YZF-R6, Fazer 600, K1200S — […]

Skyhook reserve static line

by Steve Baker 2 August 2009 in Fun Comments are Disabled

Follow the link from the photo for a sequence of images showing how, when the main parachute is cut away in an emergency, the Skyhook RSL deploys the reserve parachute using the main as a drogue. The reserve is professionally packed in the white bag on the left, which pulls […]