tsisson

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I'd much rather be dead tomorrow than exist for 90 years like my grandma,

Although, sometimes it's not Dead that we get...it's Quad...then we're living in a wheelchair wearing a diaper... like grandma...

Yeah...I was thinking back to something that happened to me in the past...

I had about 150 jumps and was under a Sabre 190, loaded about 1.25...I was on my base leg to final and reached up grabbing a handful of left front riser. I pulled off a 180 degree carving hook and swooped the hell out of that Sabre.

You know what I learned? That swoop was an accident. I was not in control, just lucky. I couldn't do it 100 times in a row...I stopped, I slowed down, I'm still living and enjoying skydiving.

I'm glad I'm still here...

"Don't Leave" - Faithless

This was running through my mind as I was thinking about the number of incidents that happen because of poor judgement...

"Could I pull that off 100 times in a row?"

Whether it be landing an Icarus 39, landing a Mr. Bill, buzzing a bridge in a wingsuit, swooping the hangar, etc...if that question were honestly asked and answered, I bet it would give us some internal guidance and a different perspective on the limits and costs associated. I think we all know a few friends who wish they could go back in time and take back a mistake (wouldn't it be great if we had do-overs...)

I'm all for pushing the limits to explore and expand the possibilities...but if one can't be confident of pulling something off 100 times in a row (or even 1000 times in a row)...you are essentially playing Russian Roulette.

Personally, I'd think twice about doing anything that I felt I had a 1 in 100 chance of dying from....but that's just me.

Please...go slow and go careful...gather knowledge...use judgement...be smart.

Thought over...

I lived downtown for 7 years...Union Station to Skydive Chicago is almost 90 miles door to door...

You are looking at approx. 2 hours, maybe 2 1/4 hours to get out there. Traffic won't be too crazy getting out of the loop at 10:00am...

I'd estimate about the same timeframe on the way back in...maybe slightly longer as you may run into some weekend return traffic. On your way out, look to see if there is any construction going on on the 55 or on 80 and add an hour if there is for the return trip.

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But when love is unconditional and the dog has been allowed to dig holes in the yard for so long, what do you do?

I typically put the dogs poo in the holes before filling them back up, when that didn't work...I put up an electric fence around the garden and landscaped areas where the digging was occuring...at least that's what worked with my lab...

I'm picturing from my college days...on any given Saturday or Sunday morning, you could go out and witness:

A. The Walk of Shame (involving a young woman walking shamefully across campus after shacking up with some guy)

B. The Walk of Fame (same walk, only performed by a guy triumphantly returning after shacking up with some girl)

Typically the Walk of Shame/Fame would occur around between 6:30am - 7:30am. I know this because I was a rower, and was often returning from my workout at this hour...truly amusing...

What if none of us had ever made that first jump?

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Go here to check out the brace.
http://www.supportsusa.com/arm/ottoboch/shoulder/shoulder1.htm

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for that link...I suffered a severe posterior dislocation (came out the front) of my left shoulder about 4 years ago and it will come out from time to time when I'm doing anything athletically...generally it comes out on the ground when I'm putting my booties on...you should see the look on peoples faces when they see me put it back in!

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We all ride for personal reasons with personal styles. I don't get a lot of them. But I know what is comfortable for me and what makes it enjoyable. As you mature as a rider you pick up tips that make long hauls easier.
Riding is independent. Ride free.

AMEN, awesome story. Ever read the journals of Glen Heggstrom "The Striking Viking"?

http://www.strikingviking.net/

This is the guy who rode from Palm Springs to the Tip of South America and back in 12 months, getting kidnapped by the ELN in Columbia along the way, and upon being released continued his journey.

Also, my personal motorcycle hero is Gary Eagan...he currently holds the North/South transcontinental record for riding from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Key West (5700 miles) in 4 days and 5 hours (that's averaging 56 mph for the whole trip by the way!). He did this aboard a Ducati Multistrada Dual-Sport...This guy is probably the leading expert on long distance riding...

Ride ON!

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Maybe the people you know who have problems with their Harleys are stinkin yuppies who don't know the difference between being pissed on and a piston.

Or...maybe not. I have ridden motorcycles recreationally and for transportation since I was 16 (I'm 35 now). My friends have ridden for a similar chunk of their lives, and their dads for much longer. Not a bunch of Chain wallet wearing black tshirt sporting west coast chopper bell dangling knucklehead RUBS here...

Maybe I've just come across ALL the lemons in the last 20 years of Harley Davidson production...sorry to rag, I just wouldn't buy one again. But hey, if it works for you and you have as much fun on your bike as I have on mine, then all the better. Nothing like strapping on the tent and heading nowhere...

Not a good idea...no matter how deep you are going, I wouldn't skydive the next day. It is recommended that you not fly commercially for a period of 12-24 hours after your last dive, and a commercial flight is a pressurized cabin...skydiving is worse.

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Yep- spring here is very unpredictable! We've already had more jumpable weekends this spring than I remember from the past 3 years!

You know, when I was there...I can remember wanting to shoot myself in the head every spring because of the weather. Too windy, overcast, raining, cold and drizzly. Then, after a total shutout for the weekend...I'd wake up to go to work on Monday to see blue skies and perfect conditions on my way out the door to the office.

Memorial Day weekend takes the cake though...I looked at my log and saw that we had 3 straight years from 1995 - 1998 where we were shutout for the holiday weekend...all three days!

As far as cold weather jumping...the hot ticket are silk liners under your gloves, a fullface helmet, and neck gaitor. If I keep my hands, face and neck warm...it could be 20 on the ground and it's "jumpable".

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By "race ready" I mean that there aren't many differences between the bike from the dealer and the bikes that are raced. I didn't mean that they were legal for track use.

Sorry for the confusion.

I agree...race ready to me means that you can take it to the track virtually stock and be competitive. Any of the CCS type races can be run competitively on a stock sportbike. It's all in the rider. In fact, I was at Sears Point/Infinium last year for the AMA Superbike races and there was a privateer running a stock R1 (virtually right out of the crate) who didn't finish last...of course he ran slicks and safety wire, but that bike was the same bike you and I could buy at the local dealership.

Give me a factory prepped race bike and let me race Freddie Spencer on a 1980 CB750...guess who wins. Not me...

The FZ1 uses the R1 motor in "neutered" form...heavier crank shaft, smaller carbs (the new R1's are Fuel Injected now while the FZ1 is still carbuerated)...I'd say the FZ1 in stock form is down about 10-12 horsepower from the R1, although peak torque is similar. The FZ1 redlines around 11,900 I believe, producing peak power until around 10,000...while the R1 is around 13,900 with peak power around 11,500 (I'm not totally sure on this).

125 HP at the rear wheel is still respectable chain stretching power...and it will get your attention.

I wonder if "Stalker Girl" is going to come and watch the lake crossing?

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Have you ever ridden a harley?
Looked through some parts?
Watched a service department?

Yep...nope...yep...

I'd still ride with you! I'd probably even bug you to ride your bike.

I used to have an XLCR...cool bike, I wish I still had it...but it was a hunk of junk and alot of work. I've owned (in order):

Honda CB750K, CB750F, Nighthawk-S
Harley XLCR
Honda CBR1000F
Yamaha FZ1

I really miss the CB750F...to date that was my favorite bike...

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Your stereotype is completely wornout. Get a new one.


They are quality built solid bikes. Maybe not in the AMF years or the late 80s, but they are now. Apparenly, everyone just gets jealous and starts throwing rocks.

Hey, I'd hop on a Road King anyday...reportedly one of the most comfortable long cruisers on the market today. However, my view of Harley Davidson and their workmanship is not good. I wish it were different, because I'd love nothing more than to see a US Motorcycle company put a product out that can compete with the Japanese in performance/quality/reliability and price...but they can't today.

My friend rides a Buell...nothing but mechanical problems (Electrical, Engine Seals, Transmission). His father has a 2003 Electraglide...puddle of oil under it in the garage, has been in the shop 4 times in the last year to try to resolve the problem. A 3rd friend rides sportbikes and also owns a Sportster...the sportster has had oil leak problems since the day he got it, fittment just doesn't seem good.

I have ridden bikes on and off for 15 years...and by far the most reliable bike I know of is BMW. An 1150GS Adventure will do more than any bike on the planet in my opinion. I currently own a 2001 Yamaha FZ1...out the door for under $8900...set up for sport touring with soft luggage, bar risers, tall windscreen, and Ohlins rear shock...total investment was under $11,500. Bike produces 125 rear wheel horsepower and 70+ ft lbs/torque, can be ridden 700 miles in a day touring, works well in the canyons as well as on the interstate...regular maintenance includes 1 valve adjustment, 1 carb synch, oil, and new chain/sprockets at 18,000 miles. I've put 28K miles on the bike trouble free...and it's been ridden on the track a few times.

I have never seen a Harley Davidson that can match the performance of the Japanese or German cruisers or Dual Sports. The Japanese sport touring bikes are in a different class all-together, but all in all...Harley just doesn't measure up in my opinion.

OK...who's the wiseguy who recommended the Sportster 883?

Harley Davidson - the most efficient way to turn gas into noise without the harmful side effects of horsepower.

Buy a Harley...buy a good set of tools. A friend of mine rides a Buell, and the score from last year was 6 out of 10 rides, he came home in a truck after spending 3 hours screwing around with it on the side of the road.

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For the reason I stated above - twenty years since I been on a bike. I want something to learn on that I can handle and won't handle me. After I got all the skills back, THEN I'll start moving up the ladder if I want to.

I've been riding for 15 years and I respect your decision to not bite off more than you are comfortable with. Take this advice...

You can probably find a Honda Rebel used for around $1500 with less than 10K miles. Be careful on how much $$ you spend at a dealer for this bike, as they will probably hit you with all sorts of add on charges such as dealer prep and conditioning (which is similar to "freight & setup" for a new bike). Don't buy the service package, as you can probably figure out how to change the oil and plugs...and any deep engine work could be handled by any number of local independent shops for much cheaper than the dealer.

I say be careful for how much you spend too, as this is a bike that can be outgrown very quickly as your skills improve. Would hate to see you finance something that you want out of within a year or two...

Buy a good helmet, gloves, jacket and boots. Dress like you are going to crash...

I always ask, and I always check myself as well if I'm not wearing gloves...

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I still don't agree

If we assumed the canopy flies at 20 mph heading north here is what we have: above 100' the airspeed is 20 mph and the ground speed zero. Below 100' the airspeed is still 20 mph and the ground speed 40 mph.

The problem is that the transition isn't instantaneous...the canopy needs time to accelerate back to it's normal flight speed as related to the relative wind. At 100 feet, the transition time is greater than the altitude available and you will impact the ground under a canopy that is not producing lift.

Again, the point should be clear that hooking in adverse conditions can set you up for catastrophic canopy collapse at an unrecoverable altitude. Please don't do this...

Where's John LeBlanc and Brian Germain when we need them?

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This is not true. The air speed is going to be the same; the ground speed is going to be different. A canopy that flies at 20kts will fly at the same air speed downwind, upwind, and crosswind regardless of the speed of th.e wind. The only thing that changes is ground speed.

Incorrect...abrubt changes in wind speed will affect the speed at which the air encounters the nose and leading edge of the canopy.

To visualize hypothetically: Imagine if there was a 20 mph wind coming directly from the north above 100 feet, and 20 mph wind coming out of the south below 100 feet and you flew your canopy through this shear zone. Flying to the north...the airspeed of the canopy above 100 feet is approx 20 mph, below 100 feet it is instantly zero and the canopy is no longer flying rather falling.

This is the concept of Windshear that has taken down airliners on final (remember Delta Airlines DC9 in Dallas, TX...or the Eastern Airlines flight that crashed in Denver).

Your wing will not instantly maintain airspeed through turbulence or changing wind directions.

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I would imagine you would be annoyed by people who commit crimes that put you out of work, too.

Actually, I'd be more annoyed that I was picking lettuce as a career choice.

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The bottom line is that people who break the law are criminals, and should be stopped. If you want to change the law, perhaps add a way for them to cross the border legally to work, then return home after they are done, then great. I'd be all for it.

AMEN...I definitely feel there is need for an easier work permit process. I definitely think a big part of the problem resides around the immigration process to get approval to enter to work. I think the difficulty in attaining approval is the biggest deterrent for a worker to return to Mexico during the off growing seasons.

Again, I don't pretend to have all the answers...but I'm with you on the above point on changing the laws to develop a legitimate immigrant work program that works for the Mexican/Central American/South American migrant workers...

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I don't understand why you have a problem with what they're doing.

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But as the sun goes down, problems keeping control of a group as big as the Minutemen begin to surface. Marc says, "There was a standoff and people got killed." The man from Tucson is asked to leave our group - because he keeps talking to reporters. John says, "People like that, they'll drag down, they'll drag down the whole thing." And as the night goes on, a drama unfolds across the highway. Some of the volunteers are carrying shotguns, which is against the rules and our group leader admits: Minuteman organizers are having trouble deciding what to do about it. Adahm/John says, "(What's up with the shotgun guys? How are you going to deal with those two?) I have no idea.. that's out of my.. I don't even want to go up there." Adahm/John says

This above part of the article does give me pause...

I've lived in Arizona, I've lived in Southern California, My family has a farm in San Diego, and I spent 5 years in the Central Valley near Stockton and Lodi, CA...I've never had a problem with migrant workers who are here illegally. It's not that I don't have to deal with them, it's just that I don't have a problem with them being here. I think they serve an economic purpose and there are benefits for both the illegal immigrant and the US employer, and that the whole reason for a migrant worker or illegal mexican immigrant to be here is driven by economic forces not by a sinister plot to bring our country down.

It seems we are putting all this energy into worrying about the loss of jobs to migrant workers, who are for the most part picking lettuce and working as farm labor...or in some cases going to work cleanup on the kill floors of the big meat packers in Iowa (IBP)...while we sit by and watch call center and technology jobs readily shipped offshore to India, Romania, etc.