ReLLiK75

Thanks for all the comments. I went ahead and pulled the maximzie feature. Also good catch on the spelling--that's fixed. As for the size, yeah....i did design it on a 20" wide running at 1680x1050 so I guess the only thing I can do is either resize that splash panel to something much smaller or pull it all together and create an "Enter Page". How do you all feel about those sites you go to and have to "Click to Enter the Site"? __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Hi all...I'm in the process of starting up a photography business on the side. I just got my webiste up and running and would appreciate some comments/critiques. I'm a little short on photos right now, but that will change in the near future. Under the sports/action section you'll find a few pics I recently took out at Crosskeys. I've got a lot more, but need to do some PP on them before placing on the site. Link to my website is in my sig block. Thanks! Wayne __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

I was just in Oahu three weeks ago. I made a jump at the Pacific Coast Skydiving Center and used one of their rigs. they have a few different size containers and a couple of different mains--up into the 200 range. I ended up jumping a Sabre 170 (normally jump a Pilot 168). The quality of the gear isn't fantastic, but if you're like me and only wanted to get a jump in to experience a skydive over hawaii, then just rent what they have. Put it this way...I don't know how long you're going to be in Hawaii, but we had two big suit caeses to carry us for 10 days. Plus we had scuba gear. Plus I had my laptop and a small bag of photography gear. Lugging all that around was a real pain. Now throw a rig and associated gear in the mix. Save yourself the hassle and rent if you're not planning on doing more than one or two jumps. Also, when I was there Pacific Coast was the only one with a turbo prop. Skydive Hawaii was running a cesna and had a tandem line that would keep them busy all day with no room for fun jumpers. I was able to make arrangements with Pacific Coast prior to even showing up at the DZ to get in on the first load, and I was still able to make it a two way free-fly. And I'm not sure about Skydive Hawaii (although they did recently --within last two weeks--have a fun jumper get seriouly hurt), but I had the owner of Pacific Coast personally brief and quiz me on winds/landing pattern. He made damn sure I knew where I was supposed be at each major point in my descent so as to avoid having to worry about outs or problems with getting blown around after turning on final. Not to say one DZ owner is more responsible than the other, but I'm just relaying my positive experience that I had with Pacific Coast. Cheers! __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Alright...looks like due to low interest this time around, I'm going to have to cancel this. But for anyone interested in using this extremly great group of people for future balloon jumps, the company's name is Droppin-in Ballooning. The owner's name is David Fields. PM's have been sent to those interested with David's phone number. Anyone else interested can just find them in the yellow pages! __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Me?? Tease?? Never!!! __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Would you like me to be?? __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Ok...unless we get two more solid commits for Saturday, I'm going to have to cancel this one and hand the reigns over to someone else to coordinate for a later date. I've had a couple of people PM me asking for the balloon company point of contact, so if you were one of them, check your PM--I'll fire off that info today. __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Actually...I did land in someone's backyard on Sunday. They didn't even blink. Although the "natives" were quite suprised to see someone walking around with a big orange parachute. They asked me if I had fallen from the sky!!!! __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Details posted again: Due to temperature, looks like only one jump in the morning will take place. Altitude will be approx 7k--maybe less, but definitely not more. Cost for the one jump will be $75. If there is enough interest for a second jump in the evening, it would be $25. Right now we've got two balloons. One balloon can carry 2 jumpers. The other can carry 3. If we have more than 5 jumpers, we can get a third balloon (cost to cover the third balloon will not be an issue). We will meet at 6 am in the parking lot of Weinburgers furniture on Washington Road in Augusta. __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Not sure why this new thread got created, but anyway... Defintely need to get a head count ASAP. Aside from our birthday suit jumper , please let me know if you're still in for Saturday AM. Looks like launch temps will be in the upper 50's which means we'll definitely get to 7k. __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Forgot to add: We will meet at 6 am in the parking lot of Weinburgers furniture on Washington Road in Augusta. __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Ok....here are the details for the balloon jumps: Due to temperature, looks like only one jump in the morning will take place. Altitude will be approx 7k--maybe less, but definitely not more. Cost for the one jump will be $75. If there is enough interest for a second jump in the evening, it would be $25. Right now we've got two balloons. One balloon can carry 2 jumpers. The other can carry 3. If we have more than 5 jumpers, we can get a third balloon (cost to cover the third balloon will not be an issue). I know these details make the event not seem as good a deal as we got in December, but flying the balloon in this weather is much more difficult. I actually got a chance to fly with them this evening and it took about 40 minutes and 30 lbs of fuel just to get to 4K. If you're still interested in this weekend, I need a definite yes or no ASAP. __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

That's correct. I'll have more details early this week and will post as soon as I know meeting place and time. __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

I'm really sorry you won't be able to make it. I'd love to be able to keep organizing these things, but unfortunately I'm about to move back to Philly (Cross-Keys here I come!). Between moving, getting married, and then the honeymoon, May is completely shot for me. I can always hand the reigns over to Jeff or someone else near Augusta to coordinate these things. These pilots are great to work with and love flying the jumpers. (One of the pilots actually became my realtor and sold my house in about 4 days.) So if the 29th falls through due to weather or not enough people are able to make it, it doesn't have to die. We've got interested jumpers and pilots who are more than willing to fly..... __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

I'm with you on the morning slot. If you remember from last time, the group really likes to party and I think they wanted to do something in the evening as well. I've actually been over to one of the pilot's house and he cooks up some mean fajitas while his wife mixes up some equally mean drinks. Perhaps those that can stick around can make an evening jump and then party a bit. __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

4 jumpers gets us one balloon and 8 gets us two balloons. I'm going to set the date for April 29th (Saturday). Don't know if we'll be flying in the morning or evening yet. Lets start a list to confirm jumpers: ReLLik BigM simplyputsi __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

I'm really thinking it's going to be the last weekend in April. If I can get a definite group of jumpers, I'll lock the date in with the pilots and we'll be good to go! __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Howdy all! Well, those of you who made the trek over to Augusta back in December for the balloon jumps might be interested to know that I've got the balloon company asking me to organize something again. They really enjoyed flying us and would like some jumpers to come back to Augusta. Prices would probably be the same (2 jumps=$100) I may even be able to get them to go $50 for one jump. The time frame on this one would be short. We're probably looking at something around the end of the month/first weekend in May. Let me know if you're interested!! Wayne __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Just ordered mine with the 18-70 lens kit. Will be here tomorrow. Gonna get the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 after I figure out how to use the camera. I think after that the only lens I'll need will be a 10-24. I've heard the batteries go fast on this camera and considered getting an extra one when I ordered it, but I'll wait and see how I do, usage wise, before spending the money for an extra battery. __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Actually, already have plans on Sat/Sun. Flying the fiancee out for a nice weekend in Napa. Things wouldn't go over very well if I told her we were substituting the original plan for a weekend of skydiving Which brings me back to my orignal problem of trying to ground launch off these awesome ridges around here but no clue how to do it or if I can just do it and not kill myself __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Is there anyone in the San Fran area who ground launches off the ridges around Fremont? I'd really like do this, but don't really have any experience ground launching. Is this something one can figure out easily and do without getting hurt while trying to inflate the canopy? I'm here working for 2 weeks and don't get off early enough to make it out to Byron, but my office is located about 3 miles away from some prime launch points so I would easily be able to make it over there and get some canopy flight in. __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Link to some of the pics I took: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/gallery/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Personal_Galleries/ReLLiK75/Dec_3_Augusta_Balloon_Jumps __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Thanks to all who came out today! It was completely awesome. I'll be posting the pictures I took a bit later. I definitely want to do this again, so let's get the next roster going of who's interested. Throw some dates out there of when you'd like to go and I'll set it up. The balloon company really enjoyed flying us and want to make next time an all day party. __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?

Got street room

Also...I've got some small binoculars I can bring, plus I've got two fairly large tarps that I plan on throwing in the chase vehicles. Was thinking we could use these for packing on. __________________________________________ Have you Got Flare?