RippedCord

I fail to see how the answer could be anything other than "yes." The days of indentured servitude are over and in today's free-market economy, those who weren't instructors would find something else to do, and therefore wouldn't currently be instructors... :D AMDG

Yes. I would be very angry with myself. AMDG

Well, you can get a feel and follow it on an hour by hour basis here at weather.com AMDG

From the Taft website. WOW! AMDG

90 miles out, 90 miles back...up hill, both ways :) AMDG

115.5 But we get 10 points for "colitas???" I must be a god because I don't know what "The Straight Dope" is. AMDG

Great...what's the first number? AMDG

WTF is a 5.8-10?!? Are we talking BSR's or is this some type of rock climbing richter scale like classes for a river's rapids? Trad climbing? Belaying Bag? Full Rack? Anyone? AMDG

I've got this down to a science now: For me, day 4, after 72 hours, is always the magic time for me when 99% of the physical pain and discomfort has passed. My mind is a also a little spacy for about 3 more weeks while my brain learns how to function without the nicotine. My last quit date was May 8, 2003 at 6pm--59 days later, I started skydiving. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

I went to an Ace hardware store but was unable to find this. Is it a spray? Does it come in a tube? in a stick? I ended up getting something called Multi-purpose Siliconce Lubricant by a company called "panef." It came in a 2 oz. tube. I smeared it over my cutaway cables and wiped them down completely with a paper towel. There were no nicks or cuts in the cables. I guess the idea is just to make sure they come out of the cable housings (preferably hard housings) in a smooth unobstructed fashion? I also played with the three ring system, moved them around, and just wiped them with a dry paper towel. Am I missing anything? AMDG

Michele!

I searched for "Ace Pure Silicone Lubricant" lubricant on the web and got some DZ.com results as well as results for condoms and sex toys. Would WD-40 work just as well, or would it be better to use nothing? AMDG

As a moderator, one is held to a higher standard. AMDG

Whether labelled as such fairly or unfairly, the infamous "Patient Zero" was an airline steward. AMDG

Au contraire! You must care deeply, or the tone you used would not have been so angry. AMDG

...and... commit to a minimum of 5 jumps for the day.

Protrack $291 $251 This was the best price I found for the pro-track and is the price I asked the dealer to match.

And your itinerary is? AMDG

So, should I downsize or not? AMDG

What's an "up jumper?" AMDG

That's a short day!!!!...where are you??? And just think, if Earth spun 30 times faster, we'd get paid twice a day, but the women would bleed to death.... AMDG

She baited you and you ate it up. AMDG

Doubtful--my guess is that the result will be skewed low. AMDG

With apologies to Mike Muscat (who authored this punchline): "The amount of money spent on skydiving and crack are probably about the same, but the crack addict's family is likely to have a more successul intervention." AMDG

Sheer terror (where I felt my blood was running cold up and down my legs) was replaced by healthy fear around jumps 4-5. That level of fear decreased noticeably again to where I could really start to enjoy the ride to altitude and smile and joke along the way when I got my own (albeit used) equipment at jump 44. This is a great story from someone who is a great skydiver (and super guy) who did not start out as a natural skydiver. AMDG