somethinelse

Sorry it took me so long in getting back to this post... BUT- if you do jump at a DZ that is NOT in USPA and/or you don't have a licence(yet)- Does this present any higher risk factors or hazards to low-time jumpers who -most likely- have a lots to learn yet? Just curious! This is especially interesting to me since I don't have my licence yet....I REALLY missed jumping this year.... THANX

Good outfitter Stores have a pretty good supply of dehydrated foods and one-dish meals. Some of it is pretty tasty too. Yeah, gorp/trial mix for the sweet tooth. Oatmeal if you like that. Personally I gotta have coffee...BUT I haven't figured out how to best to make good camp coffee yet! DO you worry about bears where you're going?

You say you have 240 jumps but no license....How can that be? I thought you had to have a license to jump...? Due to not enough $ I couldn't take up with my AFF this year from last year...TRAINING IS EXPENSIVE! WOW...Have you found a loop hole to avoid the expense of training and stil be able to jump?????

JUST thinking... Some replies to my NATIONAL PARK SERVICE...? posting got me to thinking. I'm trying to get going in a different career path. My nephew who jumps does not mention during interviews or employer discussions EVER anything about skydiving interests. SMART!?! Is it smarter to not ever bring it up at work and to AVOID THE SUBJECT? To try to keep work and jumping completely seperate parts of your life, or what? I don't want to keep messing up with my BOSSES regarding my own time and what I do outside of work. Looking back, when I first starting with tandems and was all psyched up and coming to work all excited and wanting to talk to everybody about it...I think I actually just alienated some and TICKED OFF quite a few others! Please HELP me out here...LILA.

No way! Job market is really a bummer right now! And I am now seriously considering reinventing myself "professionally". After a divorce(some years ago) I began working my way- TOO SLOWLY- though university to get my elementary ed. teacher's degree. And at this point I am only about 2/3 the way there. I have now got heavy student loan debt and slow progress. I now know that I need to enter into a different career path, continuing to take classes when I can, and make teaching a late second career path. So this is where I'm at...tring to jump start my life with a drastic change in direction in a different career. *SIGH* ANY HELPFUL INSIGHTS FOR ME???????

It's cool to be able to be part of discussions or give input without my age being a preconcieved factor. Just like to put in or not put in a picture next to your sign on name here... I like having no preconcieved ideas of WHO or WHAT I am JUST because I may happen to be from a different generation than you. But because of that very thing- there's lots of times when I can contribute or understand because I have "BEEN THERE & DONE THAT!"

Thanx for the great thoughtful and thoroughly many dimesioned PM on your take on the NPS. So, umm, whatcha doing for a livin' now? I'm thinkin about going into the interpretive side of things- only for the summer of 2004 to see what NPS is like. I guess I'm considering reinventing myself (again)... I still don't know what I wanna be when grow up! Thanx Mark! -Lila

Do you NOW or Have you ever worked for the National Park Service? I'm seriously considering working for the NPS...first as summer job next year to see what I think about it as being a possible full time opportunity for me. I really would like your tips, advice or insights if you could give it to me. Thanx

Powered parachutes... There DOES seem to be a lot of those around here. But I think that the drone of the engine would take away the peaceful serenity and zen-like experience of being under canopy for me. I know MY MOM wants to try out a ride in a powered parachute. But Personally, I don't know if that would be for me. But it is a valid option, I guess... Thanx for your .02

WOW! These posts are really inspiring...HMMMM- How do you PLAN out cross-country canopy rides? 'Cause it's NOT like with a hot-air balloon ride where there's a ground crew chasing around back roads following to retrieve ya when you land, right? SO...How do you figure out from such a high altitude WHERE you're gonna land?

What was your longest canopy ride? AND How did it happen for you? Mine was after I needed to pull out of freefall at 7000' due to bad exit timing. I REALLY liked the long canopy ride back to the DZ though! Tell me about your experience...

thanx for your good input! yeah for some reason my post on the BASE forum got bumped over into TALK BACK...?! I don't get that really...But you all did a interesting round of comments any ways, I suppose! So far I only gotten half way through AFF- and am thinking about other ways to get air time besides jumping out os a plane to do it... I actually enjoy the canopy riding more than the freefall...at least at this point in my (in)experience anyways... So this paragliding-ridging soaring thing LOOKS EXCITING - and long canopy ride would be really AWESOME!

VERY good! I WILL check it out...Thanx Quade!

Hey, I saw something totally cool that I would love to try out myself...I really would like some sort of input, please. I'm a newbie stalled in my training due to $ troubles...I've missed jumping so bad-and really look forward to air time again. There's a lot stuff that I just that I don't understand or know about yet...Like this: a while back this tv show(CSI)showed where these guys were on the edge of these high bluffs and catching the strong winds from their bcaks off of the bluffs and into strong up drafts for really long canopy rides. Can you tell me what this kind of parachuting is called? I appreciate any info you can give me at all. - LILA.

You've gotta point their about most of the slant of those who're gonna reply here with their .02 worth. Although I am NOT married, late last year, while in training I had to reevalute the effects and all the repercussions and possible consequences that skydiving was having on my young daughter... Currently I'm grounded due to $ hardship...But I've had lots of talks with some in my family who'd rather NOT have me jumping at all... MOSTLY I think it's because of their fear for my well-being -ie- health and safety. I DO plan on taking up with skydiving again... ...hopefully soon when I land a good paying job! -LILA.

watched this really cool CSI show yesterday...It had some story based around a type of parachuting sport that I've never heard of let alone seen before... Seems like a kind of hybrid between BASE jumping and hang-gliding to soar at great heights/long distances. I live in Michigan,and hang-gliding is done off some high bluffs along Lake Michigan in Frankfort, MI where there are really good updrafts. I've been wanting to check out gliding... CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME MORE ABOUT THIS PARA-GLIDING VARIATION OF THE SPORT??? thanx lots - LILA:)

My folks have a farm that backs up to our local airport...Now that I been skydiving, it's seems like there's LOTS OF PLANES CIRCLING AROUND... I've noticed this more this year due to being stalled in student status till I get $ rolling in again. *DEEP SIGH*

SUNMAN- Are you by chance a teacher and a tandem master FROM MICHIGAN???

As a newbie, and knowing already that experienced jumpers got their own rationale for why they do or don't do WHATEVER... AND just being the overly curious (sometimes obnoxious?) person that I am anyways, I'd approach the jumper after I'd watching them land an while they were packing, I'd say 'Hi' introduce myself, talk and maybe learn some more...FRIENDLY like.

1)3 HARD OPENINGS: messed up my back to the point of needed to stretch out ALOT before doing much of anything for about a week afterwards. 2)TWO LANDING INJURIES: One time flared to high and came down pretty hard- nothing serious though, and another time came in on landing with wind and dragged my foot under twisting it backward- But then again only sore for a few weeks... Nothing too serious for me. With more experience might happen only infrequently...

I think it is pretty hush-hush... ya know, 'cause it's like, ya know, ILLEGAL? Here's a FUNNY short story for ya though: I'm older than most of the jumpers that I've met so far... I grew up in the 60's OKAY? Well, anyways, I was (still am unfortunately) a student last year, and just shooting the breeze with some regular, long-time jumpers at this DZ. We were standing outside by the hangar, but with in easy ear-shot of the packing area. Joking around I said, "KNOW WHAT MY 3 FVORITE DRUGS ARE?..." I swear I paused only a second or so, barely missing a beat but only for humour's intent, ya know? But it got really quiet so I know people must have turned to stare and or listen! I continued... "...ADRENILINE, ENDORPHINES and SEROTONIN!!!" The people I were talking with just about bust a gut laughing...I could literally feeling everybody relax and returned to whatever they doing. In hind-sight it was an ODD situation- but I THINK IT WAS CURIOUSLY FUNNY!!! Whatcha think about THAT?!

Joellercoaster, Thanx for your experience out of a caravan!! Now THAT sounds like it'd be a totally awesome exit experience! Exiting out of 182 seems really turbulent to me. I needed to get about four jumps out of a 182 to get used to my sensory overload issues!

GEEZ Canuck! I am SO jealous! I wish I had BIG $$$ to move thru quickly and jump a lot... TANDEM FIRST JUMP: July 24th, 2002, day after my birthday I GOT HOOKED right then... STILL ON STUDENT-STATUS: 9 JUMPS SO FAR!

Hey J! I appreciate your take on what you're jumping. AWKWARD to learn with. the exit takes , like...1-2-3-4 steps to do: Step out onto step over wheel, grab strut, look forward (then this little exit dance, up-down-step) backward - ARCH! I gotta think that EXITING FORWARDS with a leap really would be so much easier- at least psychologically! But I gotta admit, the arch and stability IS (or has been) easy for me with 182s so far. What really gets me jittery is the LONG RIDE TO ALTITUDEin 182s!

Thanx Quade! Lots of info and helpful too! Gives me somethings to think about, that's for sure! See Ya...Hope ya have a great weekend- with what is left of it anyways. :)