Covet bonus days

[patworks 5]

Days that outshine the norm are ‘good.’ Days that instill ‘knowing’ are likewise enhanced. Days that permit another tomorrow are splendid. An edge-walker knows those as blood brothers. We walkers of the knife blade edge realize that any day whilst skill or happenchance allow living continuously are a bonus and a treasure. These are called “Bonus Days.” Covet any bonus days you have earned. Revel in life. Wallow in living. Treat yourself with love and care. We may not pass this way again. --------
"Bonus Days." Safety is survival. You should practice safety nearly as reflexively as you automatically blink when a raindrop nears the eye.
As a jumper, and interested observer of and participant in a few "Bonus Days", my more than 49 years of jumping suggests that you will likely become more safety conscious the longer you jump. In other words, you'll come to recognize the subtle distinction between a "might survive" and "comfortably survivable" situation.
Safety consciousness in parachuting can be described thus: The easiest thing to "do" is nothing. Unfortunately, in parachuting doing nothing is deadly, Occasionally a parachutist, or pilot, or motorcyclist, or mountain climber or hang glider will do nothing -
or the wrong thing -
for too long...............................
----------------
There are some adventures that are hard to squeak past, There are some adventures that are fairly certainly terminal ones. So whenever anyone slips past a "real close one," a new calendar is started and ALL the days survived thereafter can be termed “BONUS DAYS.”
These are those extra days you get after the near-crash.
-------------------------
As Freak Brother No. 2 Roger Nelson (RIP) told it:
“I reconfirmed my membership in the Bonus Days Club watching the ground 'stop coming' at about 100-150 ft. SPORT DEATH!
“What had happened was a typical brain malfunction, yep, I packed a total! So I really shouldn't have been doing a 3-man after-star. 'Cause when I threw out my pilot chute, it went 8 feet and stopped fully inflated!!! So, immediately I pictured Waldo Jecker, FB No. 22, and Tony "Frit" Patterson, FB No. 181, (both deceased), as I looked at the ground.
“Time was vital. I had a choice of two things, dump your reserve and chance an entanglement and streamer in, knowing I'm gonna bounce (the way Frit went in at Deland), or reel in my small 29" pilot chute and take it lower for a clean reserve opening. See, when I looked at the ground right after realizing my problem, I said “3 seconds” in which I had to play. So I decided to reel as I counted to 3. I hit 3 just as I grabbed the bottom. I dropped my head to get some air on my back as I dumped my reserve.
“Well, at this point, seeing where I was, I kind of thought dropping my head might not of been too smart 'cause I was about to bounce head first on the side of the runway. When all of a sudden, “YEA, BONUS DAY CLUB!!!” (To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)
‘I looked down, saw my shadow, screamed excitement and saw a jumper clapping my Z-Hills act."
That was a Bonus Day.

Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

[mjosparky 3]

+1 Well done Pat.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[format 0]

I'd say this guy qualifies for the club
Bonus Days Club Applicant

What goes around, comes later.

[tombuch 0]

After I survived a nasty wrap jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge, a skydiving friend at the local bar offered this toast:

The nasty Grim Reaper
Got lost in the haze
So welcome my friend
To Bonus Days.

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

[castle_bravo 0]

Those days of the bonus are sweetest indeed
Make sure they continue with every your deed
Revise the procedures and check all your gear
With that out of your way - forsake all the fear


P.S.: had a PC in tow and a nasty main-reserve PC entanglement not too long ago. Forsaking the fear isn't that easy though...

[airdvr 200]

My days began in the middle 80's riding a floating pud down to about 600'. Followed that up with a MI last winter. What is bonus days twice?

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne