slcooper 0 #1 July 25, 2009 I took a vacation day today to get some jumps in, thinking Friday would be a slow day at the DZ, Skydive Spaceland in Houston. I was right, just me, a few tandem jumpers, and the Golden Knights doing some practice jumps.I'm on my 3rd student jump, where I'm supposed to be released. I get briefed, and board the plane with my instructor, and the Golden Knights. I'm already nervous, but the presence of a world famous team just adds too it, I love skydiving!!!!!!!!!! I had a great conversation with a few of them up to altitude, did a gear check with the the Golden Knight in front of me, shook hands, bumped knuckles, and watched them do a flawless team exit. I had a great 3rd jump after that, instructor released, flew in front of me to say hello, and had a great canopy ride. I've probably watched the video he took at least 50 times, can't think of a better way to spend a vacation day :) I love this sport!!!!!!!Why would anyone jump out of a perfectly good airplane? Cause the door was open! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pokerstar 0 #2 July 25, 2009 Welcome to the sport! It's big time fun! I was at SkyFest a month ago, and was manifested to do a solo, and one of the Golden Knights invited me to jump with him, one other GK, and another guy. We tried a horny gorilla, and it blew up almost immediately, but it was totally fun! How cool is it that me, a 30 jump newby gets invited to jump with those guys! Blue Skies!Fortunately, I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug, uh, regimen to keep my mind, you know, uh, limber. --- The Dude --- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #3 July 25, 2009 Here is a pic of 3 of the younguns getting their MB numbers and doing their first Magic Carpet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kbordson 8 #4 July 25, 2009 Yup!! It was 7yrs back... Probably one of the best experiences in my life. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slcooper 0 #5 July 25, 2009 QuoteWelcome to the sport! It's big time fun! I was at SkyFest a month ago, and was manifested to do a solo, and one of the Golden Knights invited me to jump with him, one other GK, and another guy. We tried a horny gorilla, and it blew up almost immediately, but it was totally fun! How cool is it that me, a 30 jump newby gets invited to jump with those guys! Blue Skies! WOW! That's an awesome story! I can't wait to get off student status when I can actually have some fun jumps and enjoy them for what they are, tumble out of the plane with a smile on my face and let gravity take control! I'm convinced that people who skydive are the greatest people to hang out with and party with in the world!Why would anyone jump out of a perfectly good airplane? Cause the door was open! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pokerstar 0 #6 July 25, 2009 QuoteQuoteWelcome to the sport! It's big time fun! I was at SkyFest a month ago, and was manifested to do a solo, and one of the Golden Knights invited me to jump with him, one other GK, and another guy. We tried a horny gorilla, and it blew up almost immediately, but it was totally fun! How cool is it that me, a 30 jump newby gets invited to jump with those guys! Blue Skies! WOW! That's an awesome story! I can't wait to get off student status when I can actually have some fun jumps and enjoy them for what they are, tumble out of the plane with a smile on my face and let gravity take control! I'm convinced that people who skydive are the greatest people to hang out with and party with in the world! It's amazing fun! The folks I have met since I started jumping are fantastic!Fortunately, I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug, uh, regimen to keep my mind, you know, uh, limber. --- The Dude --- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #7 July 25, 2009 Quote I love this sport!!!!!!! If you're a golfer, you'll probably never shoot a couple of holes with Tiger Woods. But in our tiny little sport, you'll get to jump with and be friends with World Champions. It don't get no better than that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #8 July 25, 2009 Quote Quote I love this sport!!!!!!! If you're a golfer, you'll probably never shoot a couple of holes with Tiger Woods. But in our tiny little sport, you'll get to jump with and be friends with World Champions. It don't get no better than that. I never thought of it that way but darn it, you are absolutely right! Who the hell IS Tom Hayden, anyway?My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #9 July 25, 2009 Yup- helped some of them get their Freak Brother numbers at SDC a few years ago. Might have been a 12 way? I was part of the base- that's a lot of pressure not to funnel a launch, huh? No FB base for them to dock on, no FB number! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
downwardspiral 0 #10 July 25, 2009 Nope but I did jump with Gia once. Waaaaaayyyy cooler. www.FourWheelerHB.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marcandalysse 0 #11 July 25, 2009 did they visit the muff trailer/tent for their initiation safety meeting ceremony when they received their muff number? "The reason angels can fly is that they take themselves so lightly." --GK Chesterton Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paul87 0 #12 July 25, 2009 Quote Quote Welcome to the sport! It's big time fun! I was at SkyFest a month ago, and was manifested to do a solo, and one of the Golden Knights invited me to jump with him, one other GK, and another guy. We tried a horny gorilla, and it blew up almost immediately, but it was totally fun! How cool is it that me, a 30 jump newby gets invited to jump with those guys! Blue Skies! WOW! That's an awesome story! I can't wait to get off student status when I can actually have some fun jumps and enjoy them for what they are, tumble out of the plane with a smile on my face and let gravity take control! I'm convinced that people who skydive are the greatest people to hang out with and party with in the world! I'll sign that statement"flying" is the most reasonable thing I ever done Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robskydiv 0 #13 July 26, 2009 In the late nineties, one of the Golden Knights Demo teams came to town. Among them was Trevor McCarthy, an 8-way champion. He organized the last load of the day. It was a pleasure jumping with him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyjumpenfool 2 #14 July 26, 2009 Had an opportunity to make a few jumps into the Oshkosh Air Show with the Gold Knights (the Blue Angels as well) many years ago. We even got kicked out of their C-130 one time. Apparently, Colonels don't like civilians in there aircrafts. Anyway, I know what you mean, the name “Gold Knights” has a stigma attached to it. Those were good times. You’ll look back at those jumps someday and realize how lucky you were. Hope you got signatures in your log???? Birdshit & Fools Productions "Son, only two things fall from the sky." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #15 July 26, 2009 I have jumped with a few Golden Knights, when they were organizing or part of a few big way camps. They were top-notch people. The best skydivers you could hope to be with. I have a Golden Knights 8 way framed photo autographed by every member of that team."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
turtlespeed 212 #16 July 26, 2009 QuoteWelcome to the sport! It's big time fun! I was at SkyFest a month ago, and was manifested to do a solo, and one of the Golden Knights invited me to jump with him, one other GK, and another guy. We tried a horny gorilla, and it blew up almost immediately, but it was totally fun! How cool is it that me, a 30 jump newby gets invited to jump with those guys! Blue Skies! That's what Skyfest is about.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jshatzkin 0 #17 July 26, 2009 Come jump at Raeford. We are swarming with Goldren Knights (they are stationed here at Ft Bragg). Some make a little extra money doing the tandem and instructor thing in the civilian sector too! The Golden Knights are down to Earth, cool people! Jen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thesaint 0 #18 July 30, 2009 Nice,...Good Stuff "If a thousand people agree on a dumb ideal, it's STILL a dumb ideal." Skully Bro #1 - POPS# 10440 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BDashe 0 #19 July 30, 2009 I could do a search but I'm feeling lazy and since the thread is up- anyone know if the GKs form a VRW team? I thought I heard something about that. Would love to play with em one day and actually look like i know what I was doing. Maybe I'd just turn points on my back like I do with the RW peops out here... And yes, the sport is very cool in that we do get to play with the pros. I explain it to whuffos that way a lot, nothing like having our John Elway teach ya how to fly a canopy So there I was... Making friends and playing nice since 1983 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dittodogg 0 #20 July 30, 2009 Also remember if you are military and want to go jump with them for free outta their aircraft (including the fokker). You can do it during black and gold week... Im pretty sure it is going to be veterans weekend up in laurenburg NC Details should be on their website soon. I was introduced to the sport yrs ago by one of them taking my wife on a tandem jump. Good bunch of guys and gals.Team Dirty Sanchez #455, Muff Brother #4197, SCR #14847, DPH -8, Dude #5150 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaGimp 0 #21 August 3, 2009 Quote I could do a search but I'm feeling lazy and since the thread is up- anyone know if the GKs form a VRW team? I thought I heard something about that. Would love to play with em one day and actually look like i know what I was doing. Maybe I'd just turn points on my back like I do with the RW peops out here... And yes, the sport is very cool in that we do get to play with the pros. I explain it to whuffos that way a lot, nothing like having our John Elway teach ya how to fly a canopy Last i talked to them, the VRW team is not yet formed, but they are practicing and getting coaching, they just started this year with the Canopy Pioleting team, so maybe next year they will have an oficial VRW team, and.....hopefully in a few years i will be wearing the black and gold and be back home at Raeford"Professor of Pimpology"~~~Bolas Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matthewcline 0 #22 August 3, 2009 Once or twice. It is cool, like mentioned here, to be able to jump with the sports Top Dogs and, even better, at the end of the day hang out and have a drink with 'em as well. Being a New "Old Guy" (or is it "Old" New Guy?) I can look back at my time in the sport and see that some of my students and past team mates are now part of that world class team. So yeah, when you combine those unique things this is a really cool sport! MattAn Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
merino007 0 #23 August 4, 2009 Did about 12 jumps last year in the Black and Gold Meet. Did a few hybrids and plenty of freefly jumps! Everything in excess is bad... except skydiving and sex! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DonTheGeek 0 #24 August 4, 2009 Quote Come jump at Raeford. We are swarming with Goldren Knights (they are stationed here at Ft Bragg). Some make a little extra money doing the tandem and instructor thing in the civilian sector too! The Golden Knights are down to Earth, cool people! Indeed. My rookie 4-way team had tunnel coaching and meet video/coaching by one of the Knights. Of course, we're kicking him out of the video slot for the last meet of the season but that's a different story ... I've also helped muff a few of them. When the team is in town they're out on the weekends doing fun jumps with the rest of us. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,625 #25 August 4, 2009 YES!... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
