BASE 66 - A story of Fear, Fun & Freefall
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Base 66 - The Story

Before being able to sit down and write BASE 66 – A story of Fear, Fun and Freefall it took me more than 10 years to just get a perspective on what I had experienced. I didn’t actually consider our experiences to be interesting to anybody but ourselves. Who was going to buy a book about 3 young guys jumping off man made structures for fun? My father kept telling me to write the story of our near death experiences, camaraderie and adventures but I just wasn’t ready.

 

One day I was looking at my two kids playing and I suddenly realized that I had to write it for them, so that they would get a better understanding of who their father really is. I decided to write the book so that any human being interested in a tale about human adventure would enjoy it. If you do decide to take up BASE jumping don’t make the same mistakes I made. It’s not necessary with today’s knowledge, training camps, the internet, Base rigs and all the very experienced jumpers ready to share what they have learned.

 

I always ship my book signed and with a personal message.

Reviews

 

 

"BASE 66 is by far the best account of BASE jumping yet published.


I've read pretty much everything written about BASE jumping. Heck, I've written a good deal of it.

I make several BASE jumps every week, and I still found my pulse accelerating when reading Jevto Dedijer's accounts of jumps in the 80's. He accurately captures the excitement, the feelings, the comradery, and the sense of adventure that still permeate the sport today.

If you are a BASE jumper, you must read this book. If you are not, you ought to read it anyway. I've made it required reading in the BASE jumping (for non jumpers) course I teach at the College of Southern Idaho. I also recommend it to my BASE jumping students." 
Tom Aiello, BASE 579

 

 

"After reading this book, I have a greater appreciation for the pioneers of BASE jumping and the courage, fear and mental challenges they faced by being the first. This book captures the determination, frustration and excitement they experienced while blazing a trail in a completely new and thrilling sport. This is a "must read" for anyone that is interested in participating in the wonderful sport of BASE."

Robert Collins (Psycho Bob)

  

 

"Brother, I just finished it last night, and man, what a ride! You hit every point anyone who BASE jumps ever thought of and I found myself knowing where you were going, and wondering how you would write it, and not being able to wait until I got there…"

Nick DiGiovanni, BASE 194

 

 

"As a base-jumper myself, I can highly recommend this book! Not just if you're a base-jumper, but also if you love reading about the adventures of other people. This book not only manages to capture the thrill and excitement of base-jumping (and in those days it was many times more exciting), but it also shows how ultimately the most important part is sharing these experiences with great friends. If you're a couch-potato, start by reading this book and then go outside, meet people, and go on adventures!"

Jaap Suter, Base 1018

 

 

"This book is absolutely 'unputdownable'.
Mr. Dedijer has a writing style that reads like an old friend who's telling you what he's been up to since you last saw each other, it is gripping and feels personal.

I am a skydiver, not a BASE jumper, but Mr. Dedijer's narrative gave me an adrenaline rush as if I was making the jumps myself, reading this book actually had my heart racing at times.

Apart from the BASE jumping in the book, the underlying story is of a young man following his heart, taking on adventures with his friends. 'Adventures' is not a word used lightly here, since Mr. Dedijer and his friends can be considered pioneers in BASE jumping." 

R.B. Verbruggen (The Netherlands)

 

 

"Only those who dare can share!" was my motto in BASE-jumping - until I read BASE 66! Now, everyone can share the enthusiasm of pushing the limits."

Klaus Heller
BASE-pioneer, Germany

 

 

"This white-knuckle read is a must for anyone wanting to learn how to live life to the full - and still be around to tell the tale. Jevto Dedijer writes about his daring exploits in a way which made me gasp, feeling as if I myself stood on the brink of a cliff or a tower with nothing but a tiny chute to hang my life on. He puts you right into those chutestraps, creating that chilly sinking feeling in your belly and a small thought of envy - I wish I had had the guts to what he did. Read it!"

Gustaf Wachtmeister, Sweden

 

 

"Base 66 is a thrilling portrait of three best friends and their quest to live beyond the boundries of the ordinary and the expected. Their pilgrimage leads them to take death-defying leaps off of office towers, bridges, cliffs and antennae in order to join a select group of extreme skydivers known as BASE jumpers.
A must-read!

Base 66 is not only a primer for extreme sports enthusiasts; it is also a coming-of-age novel along the lines of Kerouac or Salinger. Well-written and descriptive, it affords the reader a look-back (complete with sound track) at the lives of these young adventure-seekers in the early 80's --whose lives are richer today for their remarkable achievements and resulting strong bonds of friendship. Every reader will be inspired to look for ways to go take the leap and go beyond the expected!"

Kelly Smith, New York 

 
"You never really live until you almost die.''