Staying at your home dz

[gus 1]

I was just reading the 'DZ Politics' thread and it got me thinking about someting related. Why do we put up with it?
In my case I'd really like to travel around a bit more and try out lots of different dzs (I've only been to 4) but despite the crap I occasionally suffer, directly and indirectly, at my home dz there's one thing that keeps me there: I feel like I've made a big personal investment.
Do you know what I mean? It's taken quite a long time (about 2 years) to get to know a significant number of people there, the regular jumpers and the staff. More specifically I feel I'm at the point where the staff know me well enough to trust me and to leave me to get on with it. When I visit other dzs I'm lucky if I know a couple of people and I feel like I'm having to start over.

I guess it's about earning the trust and respect of my home dz peers.

Thoughts? Similar experiences?

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[Remster 24]

There's gonna be crap at any dz.... its just a case of wether or not its crap you're willing to put up with or ignore...

DZs are a bit like people.... you'll like some more then others, and some will like you more then others, with no real resons sometimes, just a case of chemistry I guess.

Remster

[BillyBob 0]

I think your right, for me it was sort of being loyal to the DZ that I trained at

[hohonukai 0]

I usually ignore dz politics because I get focused on jumping and having fun. I do feel the heart strings tug when I think of the dz I grew up at and the family I love very much. But going to different dzs is a positive thing, imho. Even family from the dz I grew up at has split a bit in different directions. What's awesome is that I know I'm going to run into them at another dz down the road. It's important to keep the core friendships. I also think going to another dz gives you an entire different vibe and perspective and allows you to grow as a person. Adding new bonds after spending some time there is worth it.

It's like a big web that stretches across the world with new adventures around the corner.

[gus 1]

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But going to different dzs is a positive thing, imho.

Definately. It's good to see things done differently, different people, different attitudes.

My question is this: are people put off from visiting other dzs by the fact that they'll loose the relationship they have with their home dz?

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[hohonukai 0]

Personally, by visiting other dzs, I was not intimidated that I would lose respect or love from family from the home dz. Actually, they (fellow staff) visited other dzs as well for boogies or just to have an adventure together. Mini-vacations away from the norm.

[jtval 0]

to me the piont of skydiving is to get involved. not neccessarily with politics but with the ppl. you cant get involved with ppl if you never meet them ...TRAVEL, but remember the way back home
you may learn something and bring it back to the dz. It keeps things fresh.
I am currently STILL looking for the dz in seoul. I got a list of people to contact...they may speak a different language and be in a different land but they all have the same types of names you guys do(skycameraman,freeflyguy1 etc)...My guess is that language wont be such a barrier if can find the damn dz! skydivers are skydivers. thier is something (chemically unbalanced) different in us!

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[sunshine 2]

I love traveling and meeting new jumpers. Me and Val have jumped at so many new dz's this summer and it's been great. I still know my way home and i know my "family" doesn't fault me at all for going to different places. Besides, the best way to appreciate your home is to see other places that aren't as nice

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[jtval 0]

nothing like a road trip to make you feel alive! ...thwen jumping at your destination to remind you WHY youre alive

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[CanEHdian 0]

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My question is this: are people put off from visiting other dzs by the fact that they'll loose the relationship they have with their home dz?

It shouldn't be that way - but unfortunately, it depends on the overall attitude and maturity of the core group at your home DZ.

Up here in Canada, we are all small DZs really, myself having started at one of the smaller ones in my area. Like everyone has said, it's all about getting out there and experiencing... so I did... 3 years in the sport and I've been to that U.S. (and Canada) to visit over a dozen different DZs, different sizes, etc... and planning to see more.

This variety and "opening of the eyes" experience that I've had has exposed me to so much more, made me more 'aware' and yes, also made my learning curve that much higher... but it unfortunately also created a 'gap' between my first DZ family and I - not so much about skills, but moreso about attitude and awareness.

Anyway, I truly believe that the best DZ you can find, imo, is a not only a 'family' oriented one (turbines would be nice! ), but one with individuals that choose to 'get out of their own backyard' to see what it's ALL about, to not settle for just what exists at home, to travel and learn... and bring it all back home to an enriched, more talented and that much more experienced & open-minded atmosphere... without ego!!

I tell ya, when you visit a large DZ in the U.S., with folks that jump more times in a year than the average Canuck does in a career... you learn a lot - and the first thing you learn is that you'll never know enough!

I think that if the majority of folks can learn that, then this makes for a wonderful environment at your home DZ.

I've actually been lucky enough to have found such a DZ not too far from home... and now I'm lucky enough to call it home!

Cheers,
CanEHdian

[hobbes4star 0]

i am with you i don't get involed with the politics. i just want to jump and have a good time. i have enough politics at work why oh why would you want them at your dz?

if fun were easy it wouldn't be worth having, right?

[Deuce 1]

Use this forum to get contacts at the Zones you are going to jump at!

I recently went to Perris and hooked up with some fantastic people. I had two great days of freeflying. One couple I met is going to come up for a weekend at Byron.

It's easier to get past the "how many points have you successrully turned on a 10 way" here, on the web, than it is with a person standing around in their gear. How's your sit, how's your head-down is also easier here. Ha! My sit is OK. When I was in Perris one of the guys says we're going to do a head-down, and I have to pull off that one cause my head down is still pretty disfunctional. Small yellow bus disfunctional, you know? Push your limits, but try to let somebody else be the one to crash a skydive.

Tell the people you're coming! I'll jump with any DZ.commer who visits my home DZ!

JP

[gus 1]

I'm so misunderstood .

I didn't mean that the people from your home dz would start to hate you or loose respect for you - if they really are your friends that shouldn't happen.
What I meant was if you go to a new dz it takes a whole lot of time and effort to build up the new relationship to the same level as the one you still have with your home dz - and that that might put you off.

I'm all for getting about and I agree with everyone that said it's beneficial to you and to the dzs you jump at - I was just putting something out there for discussion as a potential barrier for doing so.

But the effort is worth it (IMHO), you can never have too many friends!

Gus

OutpatientsOnline.com

[Shark 0]

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I love traveling and meeting new jumpers. Me and Val have jumped at so many new dz's this summer and it's been great. I still know my way home and i know my "family" doesn't fault me at all for going to different places. Besides, the best way to appreciate your home is to see other places that aren't as nice

So when is the Sunshine & Val show coming to SoCal???

[billvon 2,435]

>In my case I'd really like to travel around a bit more and try out lots
> of different dzs . . .

I think every skydiver has to do this at some point in their career. There's only so much you can learn from the same group of people. You have to get out and jump new planes, jump with new people, try new disciplines etc to really learn.

>It's taken quite a long time (about 2 years) to get to know a
>significant number of people there, the regular jumpers and the staff.

As time goes on and you meet more people it won't be so tough. You'll start to know people at nearby DZ's - skydivers travel a lot. I can walk onto about 75% of the DZ's in the country and know _someone_ - I will definitely know a friend of a friend.

[sunshine 2]

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So when is the Sunshine & Val show coming to SoCal???

Due to creative differeces, me and Val have decided to go our separate ways. We'll be featured on the E True Hollywood Story in a few weeks.

Seriously now, since i had to be silly and get hung up on a certain someone, most of my time will be spent in the midwest.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[Shark 0]

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So when is the Sunshine & Val show coming to SoCal???

Due to creative differeces, me and Val have decided to go our separate ways. We'll be featured on the E True Hollywood Story in a few weeks.

Seriously now, since i had to be silly and get hung up on a certain someone, most of my time will be spent in the midwest.

Are ya gonna make us wait in line?

[gale 0]

Interesting thread.

I'm a newbie at our dz but I know all the "he doesn't like him and she hates her" stuff already. And there are more fundamental issues with the way our dz is run too. But the thing is, it's really the only game in town. On Vancouver Island there are only two drop zones about 4.5 hours apart from each other. To get to a bigger dz it's an $80 ferry ride to get there ($40 each way, and 4 hours) and that just adds way to much the cost of a sport I already can't afford. So visiting places seems like a good idea if you have the money, but not likely possible as a long term change around here.

That being said, there are some great people where I jump too, and I wouldn't want to not have them around. Some of them are generous people who have gone out of their way to help.

Oh, and I do have some road trips planned - going to the nationals!

Gale

I'm drowning...so come inside
Welcome to my...dirty mind

[lippy 779]

I find this real interesting cause I just decided to change where I hang my rig. There are a lot of bad stories about my home DZ, but it wasn't untill I got out to some new ones that I realized what I was seeing there wasn't normal. I won't really call the new DZ my 'home' yet, cause I've only been there two weekends, but it seems like a real nice place, with some really great people.

I got nuthin

[freeflir29 0]

When I moved from Raeford back to Georgia it took me awhile to find a DZ to call home. I asked the advice of the great Skymonkeyone and he suggested a DZ. I walked in and after the first day I decided I was home. However, I still need a change now and again. I like to go visit other DZ's. It was definately a shock when I left Raeford. That place has it's own vibe for sure. Getting out to lots of DZ's really opens your eyes to the sport and allows you to jump with new people. After a few years.....you have friends in lots of places and can go anywhere to jump without a worry. So, get out...experience it all!!

[hohonukai 0]

Just had to add in something that is funny to me...if I don't like the "dz" I'm currently jumping at, I go to one of the two next door. Literally. There are three concessions on one drop zone. How cool is that. I dig the staff from all three too. So right now, I have 4 dzs that I call home so far.

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What I meant was if you go to a new dz it takes a whole lot of time and effort to build up the new relationship to the same level as the one you still have with your home dz - and that that might put you off.

Yes, it does take time. And yes, it is intimidating at first. But, no it won't stop me from visiting other dzs or staying long term at a new dz. I can be extremely shy at first, and some folks take that as being stuck up. It sucks. So everytime I've forced myself to initiate a conversation at a new dz, it seemed to break the internal barrier even more, because all that came back was positive. And if I'm still not discussing this thread the way you wanted it to turn, don't worry, I won't attempt anymore. Third time's a charm.

[Shark 0]

Alternatively, it gives you more opportunities to hook-up and burn bridges with new chicks...

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

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Alternatively, it gives you more opportunities to hook-up and burn bridges with new chicks...

BWAHAHAHA!!!

Seriously, though. While it may be a bit disconcerting walking onto a new dropzone for the first time, should you do the right thing and introduce yourself all around and make a point of having a good time, then the next time you go there you will have an "in". Likewise, as Bill stated, after a while (especially at boogies) you are SURE to run into people you have met elsewhere. I would have a very hard time nowadays finding a DZ that I couldn't find people I already knew and had jumped with. Travelling to other dropzones is cool, but where you REALLY make your connections is at national-level boogies where people come from all around. Go to a boogie, get with an organizer, then party with the people you skydive with; that's the ticket!

Chuck