Why Travel? What's the Point?

[crotch 0]

OK. Excuse my idiocy because I'm a WUFFO, but help me with a question. OK. I've seen some people write about travelling to jump, but what's the point? jOK, so I jump out of a plane over Arizona or California or Alaska. But isn't the acceleration due to gravity the same any place you go? Same rush, right? Just stay home and jump and save some money.

Oh yeah, one more question. How come no minorities skydive?

[mr2mk1g 10]

I live in the UK. I've travel to the states to jump because of the favourable exchange rate and just to meet new people. I've traveled to Russia to jump because it's exceptionally cheap and they have some cool jump ships to experiance. These would fall under ecconomic reasons - ie it's cheaper to travel and do 100 jumps than it is to stay at home and do 100 jumps, even if you take into account travel expenses.

I travel all round the UK to meat people, jump with friends and to enter friendly competitions. I travel to some DZ's specifically for the scenery - eg I went to a DZ on a cliff overlooking the sea earlier this year - they have amazing views. I went there specifically for those views.

Some DZ's offer services others can't provide. EG over Arizona you're able to organise jumps with objects which you can't jump with over residential areas. Until last month, if I wanted to fly in a wind tunnel I pretty much had to go to the States - I would go to a DZ close to a wind tunnel.

You ever traveled somewhere for a holiday? I have - I took my rig. Sometimes then it's just a holiday... I just happen to be skydiving on it just like you might just happen to go to the beach while on holiday.

Everyone has their reasons... gravity is rarely one of them.

[piisfish 135]

if you are a rockclimber, it is very easy to compare...

A rock is a rock... why travel to climb a rock when you have one at home ??

Eagerness to live and discover and check out if the grass is greener on the other side pushes people to travel...

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[psipike02 0]

I agree with everything in the above post and many of my reasons are similar.

I travel because I wanna meet new people and get the advantage to learn new things from others. I'm still very young in the sport and I wanna be as good I can be. I'm saving up to go to Skydive Arizona for their christmas boogie, so i can have a good time, be in a warm climate for christmas, and fly in the windtunnel there.....Those are my reasons...


Oh, and minorities skydive.......at least this one does

Puttin' some stank on it.

----Hellfish #707----

[billvon 2,400]

>But isn't the acceleration due to gravity the same any place you go?

Yeah. But the weather, people, planes, dives, and scenery changes. It's like going bike touring instead of commuting to work on your bike. Exactly the same bike and road composition, but there the similarity ends.

>How come no minorities skydive?

They do.

[Thanatos340 1]

Many Reasons..

Skydiving is a VERY social sport. Meeting other Jumpers is the main reason I travel. Also Jumping different Aircraft, Learning new skills and Jumping over new scenery.

Jumping over Arizona surrounded by dessert is totally different than Jumping over Georgia with green Rolling Hills is totally different than Jumping over Florida which is flat but you can see the ocean.

Freefall is the shortest part of the Jump. Once you open your canopy, The scenery while flying along can be just as exhilarating especially if you are flying over new scenery.

Skydiving is about sooooo much more than just the Rush.

As for minorities.. There are many that skydive.

[mr2mk1g 10]

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I'm saving up to go to Skydive Arizona for their christmas boogie

Oh yeah boogies - I forgot boogies. Boogies are the party/meet of the skydiving world. Some are huge and have people come from all over the world to them, just as I dunno - fencing meets might attract fencers from US, UK, Oz France etc. Same fencing, same white suits... but it's still a party and a great get-together in a different place.

[skybytch 259]

Why travel at all? Because it's fun to see new places, meet new faces and experience different cultures.

Same thing with traveling to different dz's. It's fun to jump someplace you haven't jumped before. It's fun to meet and jump with new people. It's fun to experience the "cultures" of different dz's (and yes, they do each have their own "culture").

You can also jump different planes if you travel. It's fun to jump out of a different kind of aircraft than you normally do.

So, why travel? What's the point? The point is, it's fun.

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How come no minorities skydive?

They do. I know jumpers from every race.

[mattjw916 2]

The types of planes, the people, wind-tunnels, better weather, the vibe... I don't care about scenery personally though.

For instance at the closest DZ to me, on a busy day, you will be lucky if you can get 4 jumps in if you show up first thing in the morning. I travel to my original dz and you can literally jump until you pass out from exhaustion most of the time.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[jumpwally 0]

Same reason ya go on vacation,,something different ! you wouldn't stay in your home town and never leave would you?

smile, be nice, enjoy life
FB # - 1083

[Belgian_Skygirl 0]

I agree with everything said before...

The reason why there are few minorities that jump... I think it is due to money... in most countries, the minorities don't have the well paid jobs. Skydiving is expensive. In my opinion (I say opinion, so I don't know if I am correct) it could be a matter of culture as well... we have a rather individual culture and people do whatever they want (I am exaggerating, I know... it is just to make a point)... in many other culture, people tend to fit in the family or community values: if they are told by there community that skydiving is odd and not done, they won't as acceptance is important to them. You must know many of my family members don't like me to jump... but they won't excommunicate me... I can imagine an indian girl finds it more difficult than me to do whateevr she wants, and this is surely the case for skydiving.

I think we had a discussion about it somewhere, but i don't remember where exactly. This is a question that should be asked to the minorities I guess...

In the Bonfire there was the topic: Does Race or Religion really matter??? But again, I don't think most of us are what you call minorities.

-------------------------------------------------

No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

[JENNR8R 0]

To find those clear blue skies. I've driven 4.5 hours because the weather report for my DZ was for rain. I'm as addicted to this sport as any herion junkie.

What do you call a beautiful, sunny day that comes after two cloudy, rainy
ones? -- Monday.

[chaoskitty 0]

Not everyone travels. I can think of a whole dropzone of jumpers who don't know theres a whole other world out there.

But thats not me. I travel to different drop zones for many reasons. Maybe I feel like freeflying this weekened.. I'll go to a drop zone where I know there will be other freeflyers and possibly some coaches.
Maybe I feel like belly flying.. lilkewise.. I'll go where I know I'll have people to jump with. Or maybe organize a group to jump with for a day at a DZ convenient for everyone.

Jumping in different environments also improves your canopy skills. Imagine only ever parking in the same parking lot, and then one day having to parallel park. Could you? If you cant, you might die.

[Sen.Blutarsky 0]

As Bluto I've developed a certain notoriety at my dropzone and it's nice to escape that by visiting other places where I am plain ol' John Blutarsky or just John, at least until the partying begins. My home dz is Skydive Chicago and I've noticed our jumpers are of many different racial types and practice the Wiccan, Christian, Jewish and Muslim religions and probably others. I myself am a hedonist and consider myself a true believer.


Blutarsky 2008. No Prisoners!

[Tink1717 2]

I travel to fun jump. WHen I'm at my home DZ, I'm working. When I'm in Rantoul, for example, I'm fun jumping.

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Oh yeah, one more question. How come no minorities skydive?

While this statement is overly broad (minorities can, and do jump), it is a relatively accurate statement. I have often wondered at the lack of diversity at most DZs. I don't know if there is some lack of interest or the financial prospect is daunting or some other reason, but the DZs I frequent and have traveled to are overwhelmingly composed of non minorities. I think it would be a good thing for the sport to reach out to the minority population, diversity improves us all, but I have no idea of how to do it. On the other hand, I took a black woman for a tandem last sat. After we landed she said: "I just remembered, I'm black, we don't do this crazy shit." I almost laughed right in her face.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[psipike02 0]

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I just remembered, I'm black, we don't do this crazy shit." I almost laughed right in her face.

The funny thing is, is that yes it is a very funny statement, its incredibly accurate. Alot of my family, they don't understand why I skydive. My mother doesn't even like me talking about it to her and she goes into tears EVERY time, i talk to her about it. My dad and stepmom on the other hand are WAY cool about it. My dad wants to try a tandem and may even come out to arizona to do the windtunnel with me.

Anyways, but yes, you will hear that type of reply from alot of black people. They think its crazy and that only "crazy white people do it and i'm not supposed to do that" and i tell them why does that matter. I love hanging out and meeting new people and why does the fact that i'm black have to dictate what things I can do in life, thats bullshit. I'm a HUGE adrenaline junkie and skydiving is right up my alley and I LOVE every minute of it and will continue to do it until i physically can't anymore.

Many times, I am the only black guy at a dropzone, I was in Colorado this summer and I am at michigan (at least that I know of). And thats fine, I like being different and doing stuff that people are like, "wow you're fucking crazy." Damn right I am.....I love the reaction I get.

Like a guy said to me 2 years ago when I made my first jump as a tandem, "Dude, I'm incredibly proud of you right now...."
Me: "Why?"
"Because you're like the second black guy i've seen do this since like 1992, and thats awesome that you love this!"

Puttin' some stank on it.

----Hellfish #707----

[NWFlyer 2]

For me, it's really helped me to broaden my horizons in skydiving to travel. My home DZ is fairly small - go to bigger DZs and I can jump with larger, more experienced groups of skydivers (not that there's not some folks with great experience at my home DZ). I learn a TON from that. As mentioned, learning to land at different DZs is also a great experience... you learn how to handle different altitudes, different shapes/sizes of landing areas, different ways of handling canopy traffic. All of these are great for building skills and stretching your comfort zone so you feel more confident in handling the unusual situations.

And, as everyone has said so far, it's FUN! In my 200 jumps I've hit 10 different dropzones, some more than once. In a year in the sport I've made a bunch of friends both at my home dropzone and at other dropzones. I gotta travel to go see them!

"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

[tso-d_chris 0]

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I travel all round the UK to meat people.

Hey now-- take your dirty sex talk to the Bonfire.

[windcatcher 0]

*different aircraft
*different scenery
*different people

It's all about the total experience, not just the "rush" ( tell me again what a "rush" is, I just jump cause it's a hellalot of fun! ). Now, BASE jumping, I know there's a ground rush

Mother to the cutest little thing in the world...

[Ted 0]

if you haven't traveled & dont skydive how do you know, to use a term I hate, if minoirites skydive or not?

And what is a minority in your eyes? I'm Irish am I a minority?
I skydive & I know quite a few Irish people who do.
Veiwing people as a minority is geography... I being Irish, am a minority here in the states but I'm not when I'm at home in Ireland as a member of planet earth that makes no sense to me!

I have travelled alot as a skydiver & as a non skydiver.. I highly recommend the adventure of travel, it opens your horizons & makes you realise there are no minorities just plain old human beings... billions of us, alot more similar than we'd like to admit.

So Crotch my question to you is when are you going to join us in our global skydiving extravaganza?

Erica

[uponone 0]

Why not?

[dgskydive 0]

It's about he community that we have. Friends all over the place and getting to see them. some DZ's have small planes others have big ones. Certain DZ's have great parties. Some hav a more laid back family feel to them. Someplaces have better coaches and wind tunnels. Others have beautiful scenery.

Some places have better RW jumpers and others have better free flying. There are all kinds of reasons to jump at other DZ's.

Kinda like only going to one amusement park your whole life. IT maybe good but, others have good rides that you don't want to miss out on.

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Oh yeah, one more question. How come no minorities skydive?

Good question. You would have to ask them.

Dom

[CSpenceFLY 1]

First,please fill out your profile.
All of my reasons have been mentioned.Meet people,see new places,jump different aircraft,see old friends.If you live in the east,come to Andrews,NC the weekend of Oct. 15-16.You'll see what it is all about.Come do a tandem.

[Scoop 0]

Im trying to save up to have kick ass break away in the states next year. Eloy or somewhere similar...

Flights out there are pretty cheap if you shop around and so is the jump tickets. I did actually consider doing my whole AFF out there but decided against in in the end as I thought it would be better to meet the ppl im gonna be jumping with and have the have the instructors know my... erm.... funny habbits

Plus, im hoping that the weather is gonna be 10 times better, constant jumping! (course, ive probably jinxed it now)

[kelpdiver 2]

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I being Irish, am a minority here in the states but I'm not when I'm at home in Ireland as a member of planet earth that makes no sense to me!

We're no minority! We're everywhere! You can't go more than a couple blocks in San Francisco without running into an Irish bar.

Putting aside the money and cultural questions, the world wide skydiving population just isn't very large, so a minority chunk of it (50, 60,000?) isn't going to seem very big either.

As for traveling questions - you can do more than just skydive on a trip. Next week I go south to LA to see Cal stomp over UCLA, and before and after the game I can jump with the Chicks at Elsinore.