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catfishhunter

Ive come to the decison (well my body has) that I am pretty much done

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I don't think without a medical miracle that I will ever make more then a couple of jumps a year if that ever again. I am selling my first brand new rig to a kid that watched me jump into my customer appreciation days and said one day I am going to do that and went and did it. He is now a Marine and I couldn't be prouder of any kid (young man) especially one that isn't mine. I made him a heeluva deal since the Pilot 188 only has maybe 50 jumps on it but I couldn't think of a more fitting person to keep it aired out.

I am keeping my rig with my company logo'd rig and parachute for the occasional ride up with a tandem and hope that I am capable of not killing myself until my boy is able to make his first jump in 6.5 years but I think that is wishful thinking.

Its been a helluva ride. I have 2 state records, 1057 skydives a jet jump and a Rodriguez brother :) Thanks Chilli. I never got my 100 way but I have multiple 2 and 3 point way big ways and the only thing I have left to hope for us to be on the jump when my daughter and my son make their first. I hope my daughter makes hers this summer.

I was debating even posting this as I've pulled away from the site as many others have mainly because I wasn't feeling like a skydiver the last 4 years, then I read the post are you still a skydiver if you quit... Well I jumped from a fucking JET so yeah, I'm a skydiver always LOL...

Getting old sucks balls......

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

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giving someone a good deal so they can do the sport -- yeah, you're a skydiver! Enjoy life; there's a lot to enjoy.

Wendy P.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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Pretty much know where you are at. Getting my shoulder torn up in 2008 was bad enough and definitely slowed me way down..... but the TIA and the bad Ticker basically told me if I kept getting my high speed adrenaline fix that I would be one of those......

"She Died doing what she loved".

I do not want to be a hazard to others so I grounded myself.
Retiring soon and going sailing...

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I feel ya. I'm only 50, but have only made 5 jumps in the last 7 years and none since the 2013 Fitzpatrick boogie in GA. Too busy and too poor being a dad of two little girls and I just can't keep up with the sport. I haven't retired but just don't feel like going back anytime soon. Yes, getting old sucks. I have my arthritis and bad joints to deal with but I'm not at the point where I can't physically jump yet. I am done with chasing records though, and I've had plenty, including several state big way records (including two years straight of 100 ways in NJ) and a couple of state CRW records. Only the CRW records still stand.

I'm more proud of the Deaf World Records though, they were only 14, 15, and 16 ways, but deaf skydivers are just too few and too spread out to be able to do it more regularly. The last one had jumpers from US, England, Japan, Norway, Canada and a South African native from Texas. The communications were a huge challenge too, but we made it successful at all three events.

It's been fun. Maybe I'll return to the skies someday but I'm in no hurry, and it'll only be fun jumps thereafter.

I never did get to do that jet jump at Quincy... Got sick that day. B|

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

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Just a thought: we could always use new blood in the judges' community! I haven't exited a plane in flight in three years, but have remained incredibly active in the sport by judging.

ETA: Though I'm unavailable to do it this year, judging Collegiates is the most fun of all. Those kids are motivating! :)

See the upside, and always wear your parachute! -- Christopher Titus

Shut Up & Jump!

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I heard someone mention "exit sports" the other day, as in what do you want to do when jumping gets too hard on the body. She and her husband were moving into scuba diving. It got me considering the same thing. After 43 wonderful years of jumping out of planes, my knees are not what they used to be. I hope to have many more years of jumping, even if I get a few "replacement parts". But few of us dictate our future as much as we think.

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