dweeb 0 #1 April 15, 2007 At least as much of a tree as you'll see at Elsinore. More like some type of desert brush that looks like manzanilla but (THANK GOD!!) doesn't have the spikes to go with it. I did a perfect stand-up landing about 5 feet from the ground. Got grabbed into the middle of this thing. My risers got tangled above and the canopy actually didn't get entangled. Only the risers did. I was under 200' feet and the wind shifted and drew me off and into the shit. I'm still too cherry to have known what to do automatically. I kept trying to steer slowly but kept getting blown off. I saw the tree that I was going to hit and repeated the mantra "oh fuck, oh shit, oh fuck, oh shit" until the gods heard me and provided me with what was probably the best landing into this thing. I consider myself very, very lucky to have come out of this unscathed. Other than a couple of scratches and a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, there was no physical damage. Many thanks to Tink for getting me out. I hope the case of beer makes up for the soaked feet and having to scrounge for socks. :cheers: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fastphil 0 #2 April 15, 2007 "oh fuck, oh shit, oh fuck, oh shit" is not the correct response for that situation... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fastphil 0 #3 April 15, 2007 Oh yeah, the beer was a good response... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dweeb 0 #4 April 15, 2007 QuoteOh yeah, the beer was a good response... Isn't there a rule that you have to buy the guy that gets you out of a tree a case of beer? If not, there should be. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AdD 1 #5 April 15, 2007 Man some ppl owe me beer if that is true.Life is ez On the dz Every jumper's dream 3 rigs and an airstream Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dweeb 0 #6 April 15, 2007 QuoteMan some ppl owe me beer if that is true. As soon as he stepped on what looked like dry solid ground and it turned out to be a gopher hole and he sunk shin-deep into the mud, I asked him what flavor beer he liked. It's only fair. He pulled my ass out of some shit and fucked his shoes up at the same time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrEaK_aCcIdEnT 0 #7 April 15, 2007 Quote It's only fair. He pulled my ass out of some shit and fucked his shoes up at the same time. That means new shoes and beer. ExPeCt ThE uNeXpEcTeD! DoNt MiNd ThE tYpOs, Im LaZy On CoRrEcTiOnS! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #8 April 15, 2007 My only stand-up landing in my first 15-20 jumps was when I landed in a forest and my canopy got snagged just at the last second so I could have a tip-toe landing. I was on a manta 288 and 15 mph winds pushed me backwards on final.. it was my second AFF jump and I was on radio. It's scary landing in trees.. but damn it feels nice to drop through them unscathed! "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrismgtis 0 #9 April 16, 2007 QuoteIt's scary landing in trees.. but damn it feels nice to drop through them unscathed! I think my worst fear of landing in a tree would be falling straight through a spider web. You've never seen a grown man freak out like that, I tell you what.Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yoink 321 #10 April 16, 2007 Might be worth doing a quick search or asking your instructors about Target Fixation. Staring at something you really don't want to land on is the best way of hitting it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #11 April 16, 2007 When you're jumping at Elsinore, Perris, or Eloy, it's important to realize that while at first it may appear there are many good places to land all over the place, as you get closer to the ground you'll realize there's a lot more (and larger) dirt clods, shrubs, burrows, and bushes than you originally thought. Looking where you want to go, not where you want to avoid is as important as ever. And always remember to determine where you can land first, and then as a subset of that, determine where you want to land, not the other way around. Tickle is a good guy, glad he was able to help you out. He's got a lot of energy and puts it into chasing down jumpers and malfunctions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stayhigh 2 #12 April 16, 2007 Elsinore trees are no joke dude...especially ones between main landing area and student landing area. did my first 'blind man' landing in there... and go TICKLE!!Bernie Sanders for President 2016 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites