Tuna-Salad 0 #1 January 12, 2009 Alrighty so after I got the title 100 jump wonder, I started thinking to myself stuff like "you did it 100 times and got away with it why keep pushing limits" I jumped yesterday and was thinking to myself "what the fuck am I doing here? am I really going to do this again" Paul at Zhills said the door monster would come back.. is this what he meant? I think im more afraid of having my first malfunction, and with my luck it will likely be the worst case scenario, 2 canopies out + horse shoe or something. Is this normal? Do people with thousands of jumps ask themselves why they do it sometimes? Oh I also had a dream yesterday that I had line twists from my head up to the canopy and managed a stand up landing after determining I was too low for a cutaway. Am I losing my mind?Millions of my potential children died on your daughters' face last night. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CSpenceFLY 1 #2 January 12, 2009 Yes.Wait till you get to 300 or 400 jumps with no Mal and start thinking you're over due. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #3 January 12, 2009 I think you can go one of two ways when you hit 100ish jumps. You either think you know it all and get complacent and start taking more risks that you're not ready for, or you start to have a tiny inkling of how much can go wrong and how very little you actually do know about the sport, and you do what you did - which is start to wonder wtf you're doing and whether the risk is worth it to you. I went through it just over 200 jumps - went through a period where I didn't stay very current, and every time I would go back to jump all the newbie butterflies were back again and I wondered why I even did this. Eventually I broke through it with a couple of really fun weekends of skydiving with good friends and got back into a more regular schedule of jumping and back into the groove of it."There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fastphil 0 #4 January 12, 2009 hmmm... is it that you might die, cause that'll happen anyway. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
half-a-greek 0 #5 January 12, 2009 I've had the dreams before, and it's always the weird impossible shit like what you described... It's just anxiety getting into your subconscious, just take a deep breath and remember what you've learned. I think everyone kind goes through what you go through. Even guys with thousands of jumps get butterflies still, try getting them to admit it tho Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckakers 370 #6 January 12, 2009 QuoteAlrighty so after I got the title 100 jump wonder, I started thinking to myself stuff like "you did it 100 times and got away with it why keep pushing limits" I jumped yesterday and was thinking to myself "what the fuck am I doing here? am I really going to do this again" Paul at Zhills said the door monster would come back.. is this what he meant? I think im more afraid of having my first malfunction, and with my luck it will likely be the worst case scenario, 2 canopies out + horse shoe or something. Is this normal? Do people with thousands of jumps ask themselves why they do it sometimes? Oh I also had a dream yesterday that I had line twists from my head up to the canopy and managed a stand up landing after determining I was too low for a cutaway. Am I losing my mind? Train for the mals and don't do things to give yourself one. That'll take care of 99% of your fears, statistically, anyway. Don't worry about the dreams. They're dreams. They're fun if you don't let them haunt you. As for your mind - see the beauty. Whether riding in the plane, climbing out, doin' the deal, turning to final, or walking in, there are a million beautiful things that can happen and a million horrible possibilities that come with them. See the beauty. Train for everything else. How's that?Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,340 #7 January 12, 2009 Quote I've had the dreams before, and it's always the weird impossible shit like what you described... It's just anxiety getting into your subconscious, just take a deep breath and remember what you've learned. I think everyone kind goes through what you go through. Even guys with thousands of jumps get butterflies still, try getting them to admit it tho Me too. I've had a bunch of dreams where I open at about 5 (yes five) feet. I also had a moment when, while tracking away from a 2-way, I realized exactly where I was and what I was doing: I was 3/4 of a mile above the earth, falling towards it at 120mph with nothing supporting me and only the faith that I had packed correctly to keep me alive. That was odd. It made me question whether or not I wanted to continue. It all comes down to how bad you want it. Is the risk worth the reward? IMO, there's nothing wrong with asking that on occasion. reevaluating what you do (everything-not just skydiving). And I do know jumpers with lots of jumps who freely admit nervousness before jumping. They say its what keeps them on their toes, and if it ever goes away, they'll know it's time to quit."There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tuna-Salad 0 #8 January 12, 2009 This is good stuff.. People pay for this kind of advice The dreams heh.. oh man I wont even go into those. Just nice to know I'm not losing it. Millions of my potential children died on your daughters' face last night. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BUBLHED 0 #9 January 12, 2009 Losing it, FAR FROM IT! It's a very good thing to evauate what you are doing and why. You should do this everyday. We have to stay sharp and at the top of our game to survive. Asking these things is part of that process it keeps us thinking and planning for the time when we really need it. IMO if you keep thinking this way it will help you have a long career in this sport. If that's what you want to have.ATTACK LIFE ! IT'S GOING TO KILL YOU ANYWAY!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #10 January 12, 2009 damn I must be fucked I have 1526 jumps with out any malfunction or cut away!It doesn't bother me one bit!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gearless_chris 1 #11 January 12, 2009 I had my first cutaway on jump number 52. It wasn't scary at the time I did it, but around a week later I started thinking about all the stuff that could've went wrong. I was nervous on the jump after that even though I had made several jumps in the meantime. The first time I did the July 4th demo at Rome city the winds were 65 MPH at 5,000 and dropped all the way to 20 MPH at the ground. The tops of the trees were 150 feet above the landing area (gravel parking lot in the middle of the picture between the marina, and the house) so the wind was actually almost zero. That was pretty darn scary too, especially after I found out Stan was concerned enough that he was to call it off until I went (Stan has done a lot of dumb stuff). That still didn't make me question my sanity, that came at Rantoul '06. We were waiting to get on the Otter when mark hit the poop truck. The guy running the Otters said,"We're still jumping if you still want to go.", so we went, and I questioned my sanity all the way to altitude. I kept thinking this is crazy we just watched a guy get seriously messed up, we didn't officially know he died until we landed. I might have quit then if Stan wouldn't have made us go on that jump."If it wasn't easy stupid people couldn't do it", Duane. My momma said I could be anything I wanted when I grew up, so I became an a$$hole. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eightate8at8 0 #12 January 12, 2009 QuoteI had my first cutaway on jump number 52. It wasn't scary at the time I did it, but around a week later I started thinking about all the stuff that could've went wrong. I was nervous on the jump after that even though I had made several jumps in the meantime. The first time I did the July 4th demo at Rome city the winds were 65 MPH at 5,000 and dropped all the way to 20 MPH at the ground. The tops of the trees were 150 feet above the landing area (gravel parking lot in the middle of the picture between the marina, and the house) so the wind was actually almost zero. That was pretty darn scary too, especially after I found out Stan was concerned enough that he was to call it off until I went (Stan has done a lot of dumb stuff). That still didn't make me question my sanity, that came at Rantoul '06. We were waiting to get on the Otter when mark hit the poop truck. The guy running the Otters said,"We're still jumping if you still want to go.", so we went, and I questioned my sanity all the way to altitude. I kept thinking this is crazy we just watched a guy get seriously messed up, we didn't officially know he died until we landed. I might have quit then if Stan wouldn't have made us go on that jump. You totally lost me there.. when did a fatality that you witnessed come into play? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #13 January 12, 2009 You kind of mentioned two areas. Why do I like jumping? Should I be worried about all this? The "why" is kind of personal. Many reasons for that. For me, I love to be in the sky with my friends. Simple as that. You need to answer that one and be sure that you really want to keep jumping. It is too dangerous to do for half-assed reasons. I hope you always stay a little concerned. When you get complacent, you will do stupid things. I don't mean going over the edge, I mean disrespect for the sport. Among people who I know personally, with 500+ jumps, I would say that half have broken/fractured something at one point. Even if you manage the risk, it can certainly still hurt you. So, think about it. Read the "gear checks" threads. Maybe open a couple of hundred feet higher on nervous days. Get on the plane ready to go in emergencies. Don't rush your goals. Think about them, learn, and be patient. (If it takes 6 months to get a skill, instead of 4 months, that is certainly ok.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GPSJane 0 #14 January 12, 2009 When I got off ripcord to throw-out rigs it scared the hell out of me because it took to long to open and you couldn't feel it like the spring-loaded variety. This was compounded by my purchase of a brand new Pilot which opens very softly (slowly). I started to have dreams almost every night where I was freefalling without a rig, having mals, the whole lot. I also would sit in the plane and wonder what the hell I was doing there! I would suddenly realise that this is craziness. Funny thing is; I get it every time I jump and I am not current. The good news is that as soon as we go to the doorr I have to concentrate on the planned jump and the nerves go out the door! I remember my first jump away from my home dz with my brand new A license. They told me to do a solo first. I hadn't done a solo since static line. I didn't do much - a few turns then just looked around. And it hit me how incredibly crazy it is to be falling toward the earth like that. That was the closest I have every come to knowing what it's like to jump without a parachute. i almost panicked. Latler I realised that on my first jumps I was pretty ignorant; blindly jumping out a plane without realising the consequences should something go wrong. I have reevaluated and now that I am informed I choose to jump. Ignorance is bliss and we probably all start off a little ignorant but it's really not a bad thing to question what you're doing once you know better.Only skydivers know why the birds sing; they don't have to pack a parachute! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
antonija 0 #15 January 12, 2009 Quote See the beauty. Train for everything else. How's that? I really like this advice! I'm going to do my best to follow it.I understand the need for conformity. Without a concise set of rules to follow we would probably all have to resort to common sense. -David Thorne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pirana 0 #16 January 12, 2009 Quote Just nice to know I'm not losing it. I wouldn't consider an online forum as having cleared you. You very well could be losing it." . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #17 January 12, 2009 Quote I wouldn't consider an online forum as having cleared you. You very well could be losing it. Yeah, it's kind of like being in an insane asylum, and asking your fellow inmates if you're nuts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiverbry 0 #18 January 12, 2009 I never asked myself that.I always knew why---THE RUSHBryan -------------------------------------------------- Growing old is mandatory.Growing up is optional!! D.S.#13(Dudeist Skdiver) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #19 January 13, 2009 Do people with thousands of jumps ask themselves why they do it sometimes? Yes...I'd really rather do it ALL the time, not just sometimes! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jephprospect 0 #20 January 13, 2009 what's a 100 jump wonder? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
halorob 0 #21 January 13, 2009 I never question whether I should be skydiving or not. I could't imagine not doing this. I want to start base jumping though and that brings up a lot of questioning in my head. I guess we will see what happens at the FBJC. That bridge in Twin Falls is calling my name. I've never had any dreams about mals, my friend did have one about me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,384 #22 January 13, 2009 Quote Yes.Wait till you get to 300 or 400 jumps with no Mal and start thinking you're over due. I never had that problem. What's it like?"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #23 January 13, 2009 Quote Quote I wouldn't consider an online forum as having cleared you. You very well could be losing it. Yeah, it's kind of like being in an insane asylum, and asking your fellow inmates if you're nuts. Don't worry, you're fine. Woo hooooo! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
poe62 0 #24 January 13, 2009 Quote damn I must be fucked I have 1526 jumps with out any malfunction or cut away!It doesn't bother me one bit!!! The first time I ever got scared on a jump was when I jumped your canopy those two times. Your PC just didn't want to come out of my rig with my dumb girl arms. That's my first "real" moment where I was really scared and cursing in the air. I was two seconds from going to my reserve. I've had plenty more since then, but I like jumping too much to quit. I hope I can still say that many years from now.~Nikki http://www.facebook.com/poe62 Irgity Dirgity Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #25 January 13, 2009 Quotewhat's a 100 jump wonder? A new jumper who has reached the 100-jump experience level, and thinks he knows it all, when in fact he really knows very little. They are a dangerous sub-species, both to themselves, and to others. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
