tplyons 0 #1 March 9, 2013 Hey all, I'm a 26 year old adventurer looking for the next big adventure in my life. I love to explore the country on motorcycle, and now through scuba diving. I've always been fascinated by airplanes and skydiving, so it's next for me! I'm looking to get certified this year, after making my first tandem of course. I'm in North Jersey and am looking for the right dropzone. I've heard great things about one, but have found some VERY contradictory reviews on Yelp which hasn't led me astray while traveling the country. So what to look for in a DZ? I'm willing to travel a bit for the right one. But all and all, hello!Your Neighborhood Friendly Candyman -Timothy P. Lyons Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisD 0 #2 March 10, 2013 Yelp is for wimps and women who feel that the world needs to kiss their ass's, and Yes that's a stereotype and a disservice to women everywhere. Never the less, this recruit has seen more attempts by abusive whuffos try to get even for their own ignorance or percived injustice on Yelp then anywhere else. What to look for in a dz is a loaded question, that if serious and you persue jumping this question will answer itself as you gain experience. For a starter your going to have to show some initative (pls excuse my spelling) and do some leg work. We have a whole secton here on places to go,...read, go, read some more, go etc...But what do I know, "I only have one tandem jump." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #3 March 10, 2013 New Jersey? Skydive Cross Keys in south central NJ is the only one I'm familiar with. It's a good place. If you're up in the north part of the state, you can cross the Hudson and go to The Ranch in Gardiner, just south of New Paltz."Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tplyons 0 #4 March 10, 2013 Quote Yelp is for wimps and women who feel that the world needs to kiss their ass's, and Yes that's a stereotype and a disservice to women everywhere. Never the less, this recruit has seen more attempts by abusive whuffos try to get even for their own ignorance or percived injustice on Yelp then anywhere else. What to look for in a dz is a loaded question, that if serious and you persue jumping this question will answer itself as you gain experience. For a starter your going to have to show some initative (pls excuse my spelling) and do some leg work. We have a whole secton here on places to go,...read, go, read some more, go etc... Thanks for the insight. I've actually lurked around this site for a while and have read many of the reviews around here on many of the sites I'm looking into. I've been eyeballing Skydive Sussex based on the recommendation of a friend, and the reviews here all seem to be glowing, however, the reviews here are over a year old whereas Yelp's reviews are more recent and much more negative. Didn't know if this meant a change in ownership or management. As far as what to look for, this is the one place where advise is most helpful going in. When I started scuba diving, I went to several shops and got a great vibe from two of them and dove there. I found out later that one of the shops I got a good vibe from was run by guys with questionable business practices. Had I not had the insight of members of a forum like this, I'd be diving with that shop and who knows how much unnecessary money I would have spent. Being that it's still winter and snow is all over the ground, there's not much jumping going on, so no local legwork to really be done. When the weather gets nicer, I'll see what I can do about being a hangaround at a few of these local DZ's. Thanks for the input though!Your Neighborhood Friendly Candyman -Timothy P. Lyons Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tplyons 0 #5 March 10, 2013 QuoteNew Jersey? Skydive Cross Keys in south central NJ is the only one I'm familiar with. It's a good place. If you're up in the north part of the state, you can cross the Hudson and go to The Ranch in Gardiner, just south of New Paltz.Thanks, I'll look into these two. Looks like the Ranch is about 90 minutes north of my place and Cross Keys is about two hours south. The two real DZ's I was looking into is Skydive Sussex in Sussex, NJ and Sky's the Limit in East Stroudsburg, PA, both of which are about an hour away. I'll continue digging. My birthday is in less than 3 weeks and I'm hoping to get a feel for a place soon. My parents have offered to pay for my first jump for my 26th birthday and I'd like to take them up on it.Your Neighborhood Friendly Candyman -Timothy P. Lyons Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #6 March 10, 2013 Cool beans "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiverbry 0 #7 March 10, 2013 Done a couple of jumps at Sky's the Limit pretty good vibe thereBry -------------------------------------------------- Growing old is mandatory.Growing up is optional!! D.S.#13(Dudeist Skdiver) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tplyons 0 #8 March 10, 2013 Quote Done a couple of jumps at Sky's the Limit pretty good vibe thereBry Great news, thanks! So far these guys are seeming to be the most consistently praised in the area. I think I'll see what I can do about spending a day hanging around there to get a feel. Is this kosher in the skydiving community to hang around a DZ and ask questions?Your Neighborhood Friendly Candyman -Timothy P. Lyons Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyingRhenquest 1 #9 March 10, 2013 Quote Quote Done a couple of jumps at Sky's the Limit pretty good vibe thereBry Great news, thanks! So far these guys are seeming to be the most consistently praised in the area. I think I'll see what I can do about spending a day hanging around there to get a feel. Is this kosher in the skydiving community to hang around a DZ and ask questions? I hope so, that's pretty much all I do. Heh heh heh.I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisD 0 #10 March 10, 2013 A large number of dz's are jumping this weekend 3/9/2012...With a smile on my face you make the comment that there is not much jumping going around, your not even a student yet, and I'll be jumping in the morning, tommoro, so I'm having a little problem with your comment: "there's not much jumping going on, so no local legwork to really be done..." So and I really am smiling at your comments Give up Yelp, your wasting your time looking at tandem reviews by people that want to say "I jumped," (once) Break down your goals, try a few tandems if you want, you want to start an Aff program, here is the thing, everyone has a favorite dz, many individuals that work at particular dz's are going to reccomend their own. Same as bowling or any activivity. My point is that as time progresses, if youdecide to persue this, you will figure your question out for yourself! I don't know where "N. Jersey" is.... The ranch is worth the drive and has a larger and better student program in the area! This is not saying the other 20 or so places within 1.5 hrs of "N. Jersey," wont take you to where you want to go. It just sounds like you want someone to make some decisions for you! Can't say I blame you and we all want to support you think of it this way... you want to learn about skydiving you have come to the right place, find an instructor that you are comfortable with, there are many out there. Poor instructors don't get invited back, esp in this area...or learn at a dz that has a team approach, many people suscribe to the idea that more than one person teaches anyways as a system of checks and balances... You want your next adventure? Well your on your own, this is a place where skydivers hang out...I understand about money but worrying about "ownership" is probably the last thing, as a student, you should be concerned with... Their are many here that will go to great lenghts to help you as best they can. That said, comparing Yelp to this forum is kind of insulting, I mention that perhaps with/ in the best of intentions considering your comment that Yelp has more recent reviews ,... I cannot stress enough that reviews on yelp are a waste of time...as compared with information here If you have a specific question about a specific place, try posting again... well perhaps rather than lurking here you need to start actually learning some stuff now, or you can continue to seek advice on yelp... I'm suggesting that you never mention yelp again, this is from my learned experience.... At some point in time your going to actually take some steps,... when your ready, well be here... But what do I know, "I only have one tandem jump." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tplyons 0 #11 March 10, 2013 QuoteIt just sounds like you want someone to make some decisions for you! Can't say I blame you and we all want to support youNot looking to have anyone make decisions for me. I simply am looking for advise of questions to ask a new DZ before doing business with them. The reason I still scuba dive with the shop I do is because of the people and professionalism. Who knows if I'd still be diving if the staff ended up being a bunch of jerks? Quoteyou want to learn about skydiving you have come to the right place, find an instructor that you are comfortable with, there are many out there. Poor instructors don't get invited back, esp in this area...or learn at a dz that has a team approach, many people suscribe to the idea that more than one person teaches anyways as a system of checks and balances... You want your next adventure? Well your on your own, this is a place where skydivers hang out...I understand about money but worrying about "ownership" is probably the last thing, as a student, you should be concerned with...This bit helps, it's good to know that mediocre instructors won't be invited back. However, when I'm looking for an instructor, I'm not sure of what makes a good instructor or not, which is why I'm asking questions. QuoteTheir are many here that will go to great lenghts to help you as best they can. That said, comparing Yelp to this forum is kind of insulting, I mention that perhaps with/ in the best of intentions considering your comment that Yelp has more recent reviews ,... I cannot stress enough that reviews on yelp are a waste of time...as compared with information here If you have a specific question about a specific place, try posting again... well perhaps rather than lurking here you need to start actually learning some stuff now, or you can continue to seek advice on yelp... I'm suggesting that you never mention yelp again, this is from my learned experience....You seem really stuck on this Yelp thing. Simply put, I travel the country for work. When it comes to places to go, things to do when I'm on the road, Yelp hasn't let me down, not once. Same with my hobbies. The fact that Yelp contradicts the reviews on this site (here the most recent review at the DZ I'm considering is from 2010 and all are positive, while the reviews on Yelp are from 2012 and are negative) -- if there was a change in ownership, this could reflect it. This, and the website hasn't been updated since 2011. That's leaving a bad taste in my mouth that agrees moreso with Yelp's reviews than these. I'm here asking for guidance as someone looking to start into a new sport. If you think I'm here looking for someone to make decisions for me, you are mistaken. This is simply part of my research before I'm able to get out and see some of those DZ's for myself.Your Neighborhood Friendly Candyman -Timothy P. Lyons Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
