lobo

BASE864, I think you're going to find this new DZ to your liking. How many people do you know that have jumped over 5,000 times in six years? Paul LOVES to jump! And he loves sharing that passion with others. He and Joanna are planning on having some kind of "event" every weekend. They want upjumpers to have fun at their DZ and feel at home. He said he's going back to the old motto of skydiving that you just don't hear much anymore, "What's the #1 rule of skydiving? Have Fun!" On a different subject, at the city council meeting last Monday night the city administrator of Harrisonville stated that PRIOR TO any discussion of a new DZ at their airport, LifeFlight had told them that they were considering moving their operation closer to where the majority of their calls come from. She did not elaborate on where that might be. . Sunshine, Blue Skies & Light Breezes

Thor, I couldn't agree with you more. Accentuate the positive, and reap the benefits! Sunshine, Blue Skies & Light Breezes

Martin, you hit the nail on the head when you said, "This is America, and it is a free market." Many years ago I owned a custom canvas shop in Florida. More than once, people that I hired, trained and taught the ropes to either quit and went to work for a competitor or opened up shop to compete against me. So I worked harder and made sure our products were superior...28 years later my old company is still in business...the others are all long gone. I've been jumping for 10 years now and one of the best side effects I've had from it is making friends from all over the country...and the world! So I was REALLY disheartened last night when I was shunned by Chris, Tommy & Jen simply because I attended the meeting to show my support for my other friends, Paul & Joanna. Apparently if you don't share their views on this subject, you instantly become a stranger. That's pretty amazing to me after being friends with some of them for nine of the past 10 years. True character comes out in conflict. I wish all of you would step back and consider what you are saying and doing and reevaluate WHY you are doing it. The sky is a BIG place to share. Best wishes and best of luck...to everyone! Sunshine, Blue Skies & Light Breezes

My son saw a TV show about skydiving when he was 10 and wanted to go jump. 6 days after he turned 16 we both did our first jump. My wife, his mom, used to have to take tranquilizers before taking a trip in a plane so you can imagine what a basket case she was that day. But she came out to the DZ and watched us both jump for the first time. She tried to take video but she was shaking the camera so much a friend of mine offered to shoot the video. She had no idea we'd be taking up the sport...hell, we didn't know we would...until we did that first jump and we were both hooked! She's only been to the DZ a handful of times, including watching me get out of a canopy wrap at about 300'...but she didn't know it was me until after the fact. Our son is now a jump pilot and plans to become a tandem master. I'm a coach now. I've never suggested that my wife do a tandem. She doesn't even like riding in small planes with our son as the pilot! She knows how passionate we both are about the sport and she knows "forbidding" us to jump wouldn't be in any of our best interests. Married or not, you and the Mrs. are still individuals and you both have to allow each other to remain individuals. Even more than that...you have to share in each others passions and encourage each other to be the best in what YOU EACH choose to do. No, my wife doesn't jump and she doesn't frequent the DZ...but she and I are hosting this year's DZ Christmas party and I guarantee she'll party with everyone as if she jumped with them every weekend!!! Sunshine, Blue Skies & Light Breezes

tomate, you only live once. You just discovered one of the best ways to truly "live" your life. It's awesome! Stick with it. Sunshine, Blue Skies & Light Breezes

I'm going to Honolulu on a business trip in about a week and have tacked on one extra day to get a few jumps in. Anybody jumped there that can tell me the best DZ on the island (if there's a choice) and if you know if you're required to have a flotation device? Sunshine, Blue Skies & Light Breezes