0
mangledspoon

Two Home DZs?

Recommended Posts

I have a weird sort of issue...
I jump at two dropzones, one only jumps every second weekend and the other every weekend, so I take turns with them both.
The first dropzone, let's call it A, I learnt there, have done almost all of my jumps there. I call all of the staff and few fun jumpers my family and love them to death. But most of the time I'm the only fun jumper and have to either jump by myself or follow a tandem / AFF jump. I stay here because I know I'll be given a job someday teaching, and because i LOVE the people... plus the parties are awesome :D
The second dropzone, let's call it B, is a lot further away (3hrs drive), has a smaller plane but AMAZING people and great jump opportunities. It's a fun jumper zone, with hardly any tandems or AFF and I love it to death.
The problem I have is I feel like everytime I go to dropzone B I feel resented by dropzone A, I go back there and everyone is all "secretive" about the parties and whatnot from the previous weekend (when I wasn't there) and what other goings on may have happened, I just want to know what's with that??
Anyone got any ideas?? It's not like I plan on deserting them or anything... it just doesn't feel very friendly to me whereas I have always been the one that gets there early, helps to set up, pushes the planes out, talks friendly to all the new jumpers...etc... :(

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Ya know, the best thing one can do to stay out of the small DZ drama is move around enough that by the time you come back around; you're treated as a welcome guest, rather than a disloyal family member.
Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It's fun to mix it up. No two DZ's have the same vibe: they're all a little different, and taking the opportunity to experience as much as you can will give you a better appreciation for all the sport has to offer, and make you a better skydiver in the end.

From what little you said about 'Dropzone A', it sounds like they're a tandem mill who resent fun-jumpers. I'm sure it's more complex than that, but I don't have all the details. If you don't go to any other DZ because you're scared of them resenting you for it, you'll end up becoming somebody who only jumps there and resents the other DZ's yourself.

Mix it up, see what's out there. It's fun to be a nomad
I got nuthin

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote


The problem I have is I feel like everytime I go to dropzone B I feel resented by dropzone A, I go back there and everyone is all "secretive" about the parties and whatnot from the previous weekend (when I wasn't there) and what other goings on may have happened, I just want to know what's with that??
Anyone got any ideas??



Get used to it. Some people are worse than the cliques in high school which wouldn't have them as members. Drop zone attendees represent a cross-section of society with skydiving as their only thing in common. A few people and skydivers both care about childhood cliques and didn't outgrow the rejection.

Bring beer with you for any one who'd care to join you for a drink. Arrange to have at least one skydiving rig and friend with you where ever you're going (at least call ahead and see if some of the people you want to jump with are there) and ignore any one who doesn't want to play nice. They'll either come around or be irrelevant.

I've jumped simultaneously at both student mills (that were close) and small drop zones (that were far but casual) and had pretty much fun at both (although when it got hot we only went swimming in the river at the converted crop duster strip).

As far as Dropzone A, most skydivers (there are a few exceptions like sky surfers and classic style+accuracy people) see the sport as a social one. It's like sex - while masturbation is fun, you want to be doing the real thing with one or more partners. If you don't have people to jump with you're going to get bored. If you're not going to bring your own partners (Dude, lets go to the dropzone Saturday at noon?) and the DZ A people won't accommodate you (small drop zones don't have all students all day long, and people in the sport for fun should be making recreational jumps when not instructing) you're going to have to head to Dropzone B more often.

You could also be that guy with the hairy palms who lives in his mother's basement. There's room in this world for all types of people, even sky surfers.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

I gave up on the home DZ concept a long time ago. Jump your ass off wherever you want and tell the people that don't like it to fuck off.



Agreed. It's not your S.O.; it's a DZ. When they give you sex on demand and help you pay your bills, they can tell you where "not" to jump. Until then, they can just STFU.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Get used to it. Some people are worse than the cliques in high school which wouldn't have them as members. Drop zone attendees represent a cross-section of society with skydiving as their only thing in common. A few people and skydivers both care about childhood cliques and didn't outgrow the rejection.



This brings to light an interesting question.

I was always an outsider in high school and not very popular. I wonder why I fit in so good at most all the DZs I have visited. Things that make you go Hmmmm.:D:D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Ya know, the best thing one can do to stay out of the small DZ drama is move around enough that by the time you come back around; you're treated as a welcome guest, rather than a disloyal family member.



is that the secret? Or maybe the places around me just don't care. Every time I show up (increasingly rare of late because of work), I'm certainly welcomed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I have what I consider 2 home DZ's as well. I learned at one DZ . Good people, decent atmosphere. I'd say probably more geared to fun jumpers. Then after getting my license, started exploring more DZ's in the area ( am blessed to have 4/all within a 1.5 hour max travel time) Have found that I frequent one the most. Shocking enough, not becuz of the price of the lift ticket, but because of the atmosphere. Not that I wont return to the other DZ's. But have found that when I do go to one DZ, I talk about my experiences @that DZ.. not necessarily those specific to other DZ's because I have found that there is an attitude difference FROM one DZ to anther and TO one DZ to another. I try deeply to NOT get involved in that banter as I am only there to enjoy fun/safe skydiving (from ANY DZ that I am going to. And isn't that the goal/shouldn't it be the goal of EVERY DZ?)
Anyone getting caught up in the drama and not the facts... give it up and stop tainting our sport!! blue skies
If flying is piloting a plane.. then swimming is driving a boat. I know why birds sing.. I skydive.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Quote

stop tainting our sport!!



:|


...if you are a drama king/queen and only want to stir up a negative vibe, then you're just tainting what I would hope to be a positive/safe/fun filled/learning condusive environment at ANY! DZ. Which is what I would wish for EVERY DZ....
If flying is piloting a plane.. then swimming is driving a boat. I know why birds sing.. I skydive.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Quit Jumping at Pinjarra, and go between york and hillman farm instead.
Hillman Farm (place B) is a great CLUB DZ, and there's some good skilled people there to be learned from.


Come to York a few more times and get to know the locals there. I did my 1st couple of years at Pinjarra, and since I left there for York, and Hillman, and Elsinore and Picton, and Willow Bank and Toogoollawah, I've neverf looked (or been) Back :)

Come to York this weekend, CREW and Flocking all weekend.

Rumour has it the Legend that is TEALLEY might even show up;)

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Squeak...the thread is a year old!

d00d prolly ran off with the circus and is blowin' midgets for pocket change by now!

yeah i know but i missed it last year whilst traveling, and hey..not at all often that someone posts stuff about 2 of the 3 main DZ in my state There only like 5 in total:ph34r::ph34r: and our state is 3 times the size of Texas:o:ph34r::ph34r:
You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0