The Lunatic Fringe Podcast

The old quip in our sport goes “If you’re not any good at skydiving, you may want to consider golf”, Yet James La Barrie came at skydiving from a decidedly different angle. Raised on Antigua, what most would call a remote island in the Caribbean, James knew almost instinctively that how you treated a person was just as if not more important than the services you offered them. It was his customer service way of approaching people that not only helped in his profession as a golf club pro, but eventually led to his becoming a skydiver. As a long time dropzone manager and video concession owner, James learned that getting people out to make a skydive was only half the battle. Now working as the host of the up-and-coming podcast The 20 Minute Call, he and his guests dive head first not only into those things they have achieved within our sport but the linch-pin moments that have helped to lead them on their own paths deep within the Lunatic Fringe. 

Another kick ass mid week reboot with... Death!

On this edition of Lunatic Fringe, Omar Alhegelan, Junior Ludvic and I tackle the difficult subject of death, and how we as skydivers deal (or don't deal) with the end.  From denial to humor, we speak about how we and those around us cope with it, and try and speak openly about a subject that most skydivers work really hard to avoid; when we at last shuffle off this mortal coil.

Getting his start in skydiving at the ripe old age of ten years old, Max Heidenfelder dedicated the entire day he did his first jump to skydiving. Then he didn't make another jump until he was twenty eight. For Max, the tunnel was the real kicking-off point. It led him to skydiving through not only his growing love of airports, but through friends. Exactly the combination that would take him to Dubai first for the Winterfest Boogie, and then as an instructor. Enjoying a balancing act between tandems, tunnel time, paragliding and family time, Max is thoroughly enjoying walking his own path with the Lunatic Fringe.

Another kick ass mid-week reboot with Ray Ferrell!

I think it's safe to say he may have pissed off a few people in his day. I also think it's safe to say that he gave more assholes like me with a little potential a chance to shine than most ever would. From a true country boy with a real desire to fly to the owner and operator of one of the longest running mid-sized dropzone's in the US, Mr. Ray Ferrell has his footprints all over the world of skydiving. He was there with the pioneers of RAM air canopies and a crazy new kind of flying called "Relative Work", and became his own kind of pioneer as he helped to design the first ever skydive specific aircraft. Listen in as he paints a picture of a wonderful 30 year career building dropzone's, parachutes, airplanes and life long friendships on his journey with the Lunatic Fringe.

Skydiving since 1994, Jason Moledzki is about as deep into skydiving as you can get. 14,000 skydives. 1,400 base jumps. A PD Factory Team legacy member with 60 gold medals. Cofounder of Flight-1, the absolute industry standard in canopy courses and cohost of the popular podcast Trust the Journey, Jason has had the opportunity to see airsports from every angle, and with all those varied views comes a whole lot of wisdom to pass on to the Lunatic Fringe.

Another kick ass mid week reboot with Michael Washburn of Sky Trash!

Don't let the package fool you.  Michael Washburn, or should I say, Officer Washburn, Retired US Army Ranger may not be large and imposing, but this guy has been there and done that! Coming to civilian skydiving later in life after a military freefall career that left him less than thrilled with the sport, it was a chance meeting with a guy named "Noah" who flew "wing suits" that drove him to chase a new dream.  Years later, as the team captain of "Sky Trash" wing suit team, he's got a humble outlook, but big dreams, and when it comes to chasing them, you can most certainly see the "Ranger"! Join us on this edition of Lunatic Fringe.

Starting his skydiving journey later in life than most has given Marshall west a bit of a different perspective on our sport. Growing up in Northern California as an avid skateboard and water sports enthusiast, Marshall definitely had outlets during his younger years. It wasn't until after he was deep into family life that skydiving entered the picture, but his initial impression of the sport didn't really draw him in. Until that first jump. That was as the saying goes, all she wrote. Purchasing altimeters and eyeing rigs before he was even through AFF, there was no doubt in his mind that skydiving was his new passion. Happily willing to admit this may have come about as a midlife crisis, it's a crisis Marshall intends to stretch out as long as he can during his journey with the Lunatic Fringe.

Another kick ass mid-week reboot with Ivo Ninov!

A climber since he was very young, Ivo Ninov had to learn to overcome his fear of heights in order to follow his passion, and overcome he did. Without any real pretense or ego Ivo will tell you about his countless climbs in Yosemite, setting record after record up some of the most formidable rock on the planet. As member of "The Stone Monkey's", He, Ammon McNeeley, Nicola Martinez and two other world class climbers set their sites on BASE as a means of "transportation" back down the mountain when their climbing day was done; but Ivo will be the first to tell you that skydiving didn't come naturally to him, and was one of the hardest learning experiences of his life. Yet this, just like most every other goal he's set for himself was one that he achieved, going on to mark his path in the BASE world as one of the top athletes of his time. Join us on this episode as we get a look at Ivo's continuing path on the Lunatic Fringe.

Now a rightful and somewhat overdue inductee to the prestigious skydiving Hall of Fame, the one and only Omar Alhegelan takes the opportunity to sit down and talk about his origins in the sport and incredible opportunities along the way, as well as those he continues to push towards. From his almost predestined beginnings helping to mold what has become modern day freeflying to helping guide such groundbreaking events such as Everest Skydive, Omar continues onward with his quest to do of all things, make a really cool skydives! As welcoming and gracious as ever, Omar Alhegelan not only continues to be a wonderful ambassador for skydiving across the ages, but just another big kid enjoying his journey with the Lunatic Fringe. 

Another kick ass mid-week reboot with Luigi Cani!

Fear.  It's the one thing that the best in our sport have had to contend with, but for Luigi Cani it was almost too much.  Having started his skydiving career with static line jumps that terrified him, he couldn't understand why something inside him kept pushing him back into the airplane, regretting it almost every time. Yet it was that same fear that taught him just how valuable and special the path he had found could be, and what has driven him through an amazing 25 years in our sport.  Not satisfied with the ordinary now anymore than he has been at any other point in his career, the soon to be 50 year old icon in our sport is beginning his training toward yet another possible world record on the 34, with a firm grip on his goals deep in the Lunatic Fringe.