"another level"

[skybytch 259]

I think I've "turned a corner", "taken my flying to another level", or whatever other cliched phrase you can think of.
When I got back in the air in January I expected my flying to be rough and was pleasantly surprised to be flying about as well as I'd been when I had to stop jumping. I felt like I didn't lose much over the year and a half or so of not jumping (I don't count the one jump I did halfway through cuz I couldn't stand it anymore ).
Then I hit a wall. By the end of March I was flailing! Washing all over the sky, "happy feet", falling too fast, you name it, I was or wasn't doing it. This persisted through April...
The first weekend of May I was flying okay; I'd gotten slip on sleeves to help me fall a bit slower and I seemed to have gotten the happy feet and washing around under control. Then I went to the big way camp in Eloy in mid-May. I started the four day camp as an okay flier; I left flying in control and "quiet" (term Kate used a lot - basically means no extra movements; can be used to describe a jumper or a formation).
After the camp I didn't get any video of myself until yesterday. I'm hard on myself when it comes to my flying - and I'm ecstatic over how well I'm skydiving right now. I'm not quite sure what made the difference, but it sure feels good. Anyone else get over a plateau, turn a corner, take it to a higher level lately?
pull & flare,
lisa
"Try not. Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda sez

[Lindsey 0]

I've not gotten over any plateau lately, but I was really incredibly shocked when I jumped with a 4-way at Emerald Coast that I can still turn some pretty nice points after nearly 6 years since I've jumped seriously at all.... Of course I've jumped plenty in that time, but after our little dz broke up, people went their separate ways, and there hasn't been a lot of good RW going on.... Like you, I wasn't sure of where my abilities would lie, but I was pleasantly surprised that I really hadn't lost a whole lot.... In fact, the biggest problem was that I didn't know the names of some of the formations that we were doing.... Makes me look forward to hooking up with some folks this summer even more.... I hope that by the end of the summer I'll be able to say that I, too, have taken it to a new level.....
Peace~
Lindsey
Ya' know Smack-water Jack he bought a shotgun
'cause he was in the mood for a little con-fron-ta-tion

[ltdiver 3]

That's GREAT, Skybytch!! Are you still wearing your booties (not boobies)?
ltdiver
____________________________________________
LightDiverCam

[BikerBabe 0]

Boy, Lisa, I know exactly how you feel. Do you have plans to go to the tunnel? If so, just wait.
I didn't jump much in 2001 at all (er...20 jumps!), and I think it was because I didn't have any clear goals in mind. Since the state of skydiving in New Mexico at that time was non-existant, I decided that the only way for me to get any quality jumps was to travel, so I started by getting some freefly coaching down at Eloy. That was fun, but while I was doing it, I couldn't help but be in awe watching Airspeed Vertical train.
Anyway, I went to the Skills Camp in February, then again in April (4 days only, but I'm now an addict), and I just returned from the tunnel 2 weeks ago. I know exactly the feeling you're talking about, because when I compare video of me from Feb. to video of me in the tunnel, I start to wonder if I was taken by body snatchers. It's not the same girl! My body position is changed, my awareness in the air is better, and I'm having more fun.
Plus, after going to these camps and hanging around so many driven people, the thing that's changed most is my goals for my skydiving...which has translated to more time and energy spent on improving my flying. I love that feeling!

[Jumperpaula 0]

I'd love to hear what you all have to say about your skills by the END of this summer! It's only June!
I kinda think of myself at the top of the first level and ready to move on to the next. Tunnel camp and serious skydives and coaches. I'm jumping with a lot of people off student status doing first time 4 ways and SCR's. Im looking at Next Season to "turn it up a notch" and really get serious about my skills. Although Im working on my own skills on every skydive.
GO on GO, and Present