NoShitThereIWas

Getting caught in high desert winds on your Level 2 (second time jumping out of an airplane), wearing a 288 sq. foot Manta, weighing 150 lbs. (with gear), getting backed up while trying to cut through 26 mph of wind, downwind from the DZ and trying to get back. Getting further and further from the DZ you wonder if they will find you and you are not completely aware of all of the reasons why this is happening and wondering why there is nothing you can do to make the situation better except to try and choose a nice landing spot away from obstacles. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

Wow, I never even knew they had a Drop Zone in Belize! Time for me to do some research. How much did the jumps cost? Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

I love my Digitude. I never have to look at my altimeter for more than a split second to know exactly where I am at. I have never had a problem with its accuracy (unless of course you go above 19K or something). I would never have an analog altimeter again. Too bulky, heavy, annoying to wear. The only problem I have with my Digitude is that the little screws sometimes loosen and come undone. I tried putting some clear nailpolish on the screws when tightened and it seems to help a little. Other than that, an excellent altimeter.

Lets stay together- Al Green Keep on loving you- REO Speedwagon Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

I have lots of good stories about farting altitude. First, from personal experience ... when in doubt let it out at 10K. (Aaaah, my 4 way team loved me). I used to jump with an instructor, Steve Rafferty at Skydive Monterey Bay. If you farted while Steve was in the plane and he got wiff of it ... whew, you could just kiss your friendship with him good bye. Steve took it personally. His angry, vehement and clear message was, Do I come into your office, sit on your desk and emit vulgar, noxious fumes out of my body? Then he will tell you that in all of his professional skydiving, he would be built up with pain before he would ever fart in an airplane Then we would have these folks come up to Monterey from Cal City. To them, farting in the plane was a commendable accomplishment. It was really funny watching these guys in action with Steve on board. . And if you ever admitted to farting in the plane with Rafferty, and no one looked guilty enough to blame for the deed thereafter, you were automatically the culprit and he would point it out to everyone on board that it must have been YOU! LOL, just ask The Anvil (AKA) Vinnie-meister. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

My goals are to work on: 1) Swooping 2) FreeFlying 3) Get good at video 4) Get better at AFF 5) Get my PRO rating. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

Those were really cute pictures. If my daughter wanted to skydive (which she does and she is only 4) I would take her to the wind tunnel. If I had lots of money I would send her to a tunnel camp if she was old enough or go to one with her. Spending time in the tunnel can help teach someone how to fly on a quicker learning curve in my opinion and there is no stress of them crashing in. Not sure about the legal waiver though . I have heard they only need to be 4 but I would need to look into it further. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

Spooning Rocks! Nuff said and BTW, cool avatar WeegeGirl! Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

This was something which came to me through an instructor of mine. I found it very moving and thought I would share it: Just add on to the end of it how many people get to feel the exhilaration of true body and canopy flight and the freedom associated with it? This is called the World's Population in Perspective. I am not sure who wrote it but read: If we could shrink the Earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following: There would be: 57 Asians 21 Europeans 14 from the Western Hemisphere, both North and South 8 Africans 52 would be female 48 would be male 70 would be non-white 30 would be white 70 would be non-Christian 30 would be Christian 89 would be heterosexual 11 would be homosexual 6 would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all 6 would be from the United States. 80 would live in sub-standard housing. 70 would be unable to read. 50 would suffer from malnutrution. 1 would be near death. 1 (yes only one) would have a college education. 1 would own a computer. When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent. The following points are also something else to ponder ... If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are more blessed than the million who did not survive the week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the lonliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world. If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death ... you are more blessed than three billion people in the world. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace... you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. If your parents are still alive and still married... you are very rare. If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all. Someone once said, "What goes around, comes around." Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like no one's watching. Sing like no one's listening. Live like its Heaven on Earth. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

High: I am alive and healthy and so are my family and friends, the skydiving season is right around the corner and overall, life is pretty darned good! Low: I have a huge real estate exam tomorrow and am in class from 8:30 to 3:30 and then from 6PM to 10PM. Ugggh. High: After tomorrow, I am done with my real estate salesperson class, can go and take the State/National Exam and become one step closer to having one more job skill. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

Quote Because suicide can be defined as “deliberate involving of onself in an action and/ or exposing oneself to a phenomenon that can cause death”. Reply: Dude: I think your definition of suicide can also be interpreted as the definition of life. After all, isn't life a phenomenon which ultimately leads to death? Your next comment: "be informed that i am na authentic Polish skydiver and a holder of a FAI licence." Reply: Uh huh ... Next comment: "Perhaps God is malicious and deliberately designed it all so that everybody went to Hell? Have you considered such an option? :) " Reply: Ummm no but an interesting idea. BTW, I think there are probably many "slightly intelligent" people out there who are not religious and do not believe in God. (Just as a side-note) It all boils down to the fact that we are all going to die eventually. Suicide is just a choice to reach that place quicker than what was our "natural" or destined and inevitable death. There are many different reasons why people commit suicide. There are also many different reasons why people skydive. Although the same types of deficiencies in one's life may lead a person to skydive or to suicide, (i.e. divorce, boredom, escape, etc.) I do not believe the two are synonymous. And ... for the most part (about 99.9%) of the jumpers I know do not skydive to achieve the result of death. We may enjoy getting a break from "life" by speeding through rarified air molecules at 120 mph and we may seek to fly around and carve big white puffies in the sky under canopy, but in more of a life seeking way than a death seeking one. Peace and blue skies. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

I was a packer for a few years and I had just moved to an area in Northern California, called the local DZs and asked if there was anything I could do at the DZ and they trained me to be a packer. I had only gone through and just finished my AFF so I was fresh off student status. I had no experience, they taught me and my ex- boyfriend who also wanted to learn to pack so we were a team and that also helped us. You can make really good money and if you take care of your customers, you are quick and thorough, you can make quite a bit of money packing at a busy DZ. It is hard work, especially if you are packing tandems but if I could do it well for a couple years, you probably could too. Talk to the head packer in charge and the DZO of the DZ you want to work at and see if they will work something out with you. Some DZOs are really cool and let you make fun jumps for free when you are caught up with work. Some do not so I would check around and try and find the best work environment that suits your needs. There is a whole world full of DZs out there ... (sigh) Isn't life grand?? Good luck and Blue skies. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

I am a college jumper. Finishing up this year at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO but will probably continue on and somehow be connected with school and education actively for something new for most of my life. Even after I graduate I still want to go on and get another degree or two. You can never have too many degrees, ratings or hobbies in my book. I have always wanted to join a team and compete at Collegiate Nationals but have never had a student population with enough interest or experience to build a team. I don't know of any skydivers at Lindenwood (which is where I go now). It is a small private university. If anyone (students or professors) is interested in a throw together team or going to a skills camp together for a warm up for competition, I would be interested if I met the competitor criteria. That would be a blast. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

No shit there I was ... HeHeHe, couldn't resist posting to this thread The place: Blue Water Boogie, Parker Arizona The event: Thought I was gonna die but managed to pull one lucky ass landing off. Coming in on final approach into a tight D license/PRO rating LZ. Not too many outs unless you like landing in the Colorado River or in/on a casino. Caught thermals off some sloped areas and then my final approach became a slalom course of dodging and flying around chain link fences. Stabbed the flare out just at the right time, didn't panic as I completely overshot my target due to the thermals and landed going down a rocky sloped embankment. Yep within minutes came people to tell me how lucky I was as the same thing happened to someone else at the boogie. Unfortunately he decided against the slalom course and did a 180 followed by another 180 into the wind and broke his pelvis and I think a leg or two. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

Whew Hoo!!! Off to a good start! I don't know how it is physically possible that I didn't gain weight with the alcohol consumption over the weekend ... but I have lost 2 pounds since Friday. I think what is helping me is that I made a huge pitcher of iced green tea and people say that that helps speed up your metabolism and is also good for killing off free radicals. I have been pretty good about watching what I eat too and exercising. So now I am at: 126/124/112/2 Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

Well I guess I originally posted to the wrong thread so I am copying and pasting my original post. I am not all knowledgeable about monitoring my body fat but I am thinking about buying one of those body fat calipers ... original post: OK, it's Friday (according to master of the fat bastards this is the day we are to report in) so I am officially reporting in. I of course weighed myself virtually naked because I'm thinking we don't want all those clothes in the way So my official diet, work out program and all the other resolutions I made kicked in and started as of yesterday so hopefully this will be the start of something beautiful and if we all help each other out with this mission, there will be a lot of amazingly fit skydivers running around this summer . So far, I feel great. I will report back after the alcohol induced weekend on Monday but today my stats on the tonnage meter are as follows: 126/126/112/0 OK I am going to go do my 2 mile run, my push ups and my sit ups now ... Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

OK, it's Friday (according to master of the fat bastards this is the day we are to report in) so I am officially reporting in. I of course weighed myself virtually naked because I'm thinking we don't want all those clothes in the way So my official diet, work out program and all the other resolutions I made kicked in and started as of yesterday so hopefully this will be the start of something beautiful and if we all help each other out with this mission, there will be a lot of amazingly fit skydivers running around this summer

It's near 80 these days??? Yep that little Shit (Skybeergodd) will be in Florida skydiving in 80 degree weather while us poor Missourians here back home will be ... Wait, our forecast isn't looking too shabby ... it is going to be a high of 60 here on Sunday and on Saturday, a low of 40 and a high of 50 in Sullivan ... Yep, we'll be jumping, it won't be 80 degrees but we'll be jumping. So let me make an "official" correction to the Skybeergodd. Kelly, the "freezing" temperatures will be here waiting for you just as you arrive back at Lambert on Wednesday. Yep, Wednesday is the day we are supposed to get that Arctic cold front coming in (which is the day you get back). Nice mild temps until then though. There now, I don't feel SO bad anymore. The bottom line though is that it won't be as warm here in Missouri without my Skybeergodd . Good luck to everyone attending the AIC course. Kick some butt and I hope you Deland folk take my hunny out and show him a good time while he's there. (But don't have too much fun without me) (Edited to add): oh and BTW, look at Andrea's post. See ... there's someone else who didn't know what the AIC was and she even lives near Deland. (uh-huh, himph) Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

Well Gosh Vinnie ... that's easy ... You and Chop Chop were there. So the ZHills Boogie had to have kicked ass! That must have been so much fun. I have only been to ZHills once, but once is enough to know what a fun place it would be to jump at. So, when am I coming to Florida for a visit? Glad to hear you started off the New Year right Vinnie. Dakota and I are sending you a Happy New Year wish for 2005 from Missouri! Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

LMAO! Thanks LadySkydiver, I needed that! Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

This thread was a great idea. I'll jump on this band-wagon ... It helped me a lot to have a friend to talk to when he and I went on similar diets/work out plans together. We both lost a lot of weight and shared our goals, successes, frustrations and really good ideas and recipes. It sometimes helps to talk to someone else who has similar fitness goals. I had a really busy year last year and sort of put the work out routine on hold when I started apprenticing for rigging. When I was done with that, things got even busier. This year however, my resolutions pretty much surround good health and I am pretty serious about sticking to them. Getting fit and dropping some weight is definitely high on the priority list. Since my weight fluctuates from 123-128 my goal is to stay as active as I can during the day and make sure I run a minimum of 2 miles a day. I want to drop 10-15 pounds, tone up, run 1.5 miles in 15:20 without huffing and puffing and do 20 push ups (man style) without even struggling. I am already stocked up on my SlimFast and healthy diet foods and snacks. Does anyone have any idea what percent body fat is good for someone my size? 5'4" and where/how/what is the easiest way to monitor body fat? Oh, and, congratulations to those of you who have already lost a ton of weight, that is inspiring. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

PS. I forgot to mention the most important thing about overcoming door fear ... Relax ... and just go with the dive flow. Relax ... aaaaah and just do it. Relax. Yes, relaxation IS the key. Don't relax to the point that you forget to look at your altimeter, but do relax and breathe and realize why it is that you returned. There has got to be something fun about it don't you think? Keep us posted on how your progression continues if it does. We've all been there at the door and after a while we just keep going back. Don't give up. Relax. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

Bob & Judy Celaya Nick Gough Rob Harris Greg Nardi Sammy Thistle Glenn Sugden Johnny Luv Jess Rodriguez Steve Rafferty Laura Mullen Roger Nelson LoudTom Startz Nanette Studebaker Clarence Lopez Kelly Hinson Scott Cowan Barry Holubeck Rob Walsh Larry Miyasaka Kevin Duke Mark Lacy and of course ... The FLYING ELVI Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

I was wondering if there are any AFF Instructors out there who have an exciting, juicier than average AFF story (or two) they would like to share, and if so, what was their method of action to deal with and correct the problem. I know there are some good ones out there hehehe Or ... have you had any "bizarre" or extraordinary students? Thanks and blue skies. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

Thanks for the help RiggerRob, Bigun and PeterK! I'll let you know how it works out if I end up washing these rigs. Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires." Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."