The111

I honestly don't like their stuff or their webpage that much, I can't stand the eXtReME!!! marketing attitude. Or the word for that matter. But that's just some leftover bitterness from when I rode BMX and ESPN started capitalizing on that word, wasn't too long before there were extreme dinosaurs and tacos on every corner. BUT... with regards to the Single Helix page, the quote on their mainpage is one of the most inspiring things I've ever read. It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. Ok I'm too lazy to go back and check but I think it was Teddy Roosevelt. I shouldn't quote without referencing the source. :) Edited again to add: Sorry dude, I noticed the part about you making the site after I made my comments... they're in no way directed at you. You know what they say about opinions... www.WingsuitPhotos.com

So do I, which is the one part of my post you neglected to quote. I was not trying to manipulate statistics (which I rarely draw conclusions from), but I was pointing out what I considere a reason for Tonto's observation: that freeway deaths he witnesses are strangers, and DZ deaths he witnesses are friends. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I can understand why some have recommended you "stay away" from the incidents forums, but I feel otherwise. Keep in mind that I don't have even 100 jumps yet and I still question my choices sometimes too. BUT... From a rational point of view, I don't think we should ever delude ourselves. If you are not totally cool with the fact that you could die on any jump, you probably shouldn't be jumping. I laugh when I say that because I sound like some hardass from a bad skydiving movie, but it's the truth. The choice to skydive is based on economics. You weigh what you can gain versus what you can lose and make a choice. I honestly think a lot of people delude themselves. I haven't been in the sport a long time or watched someone die, so I could be wrong. But often I hear someone say that after seeing a gruesome incident they take some time off and reconsider why they jump. Taking time off out of respect for the dead, or because you are so depressed you don't want to jump is one thing, but to say that you are re-evaluating why you jump, based on what you saw, implies that you were unaware of that possibility before. If you can't picture something like that before every jump and imagine it's you, I don't think you're being honest with yourself when you exit that door. And I don't claim to be entirely immune to this self-deluding either... www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I agree that skydiving is probably more dangerous. But think about this. At the DZ you jump at, you probably know 90-100% of the population there (I'm ASSuming obviously). So when something happens, of course you know the person. At the highway you drive on, you probably know 0-10% of the population there. So when something happens, it's not surprising if you don't know the person. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I'm not an experienced freeflier at all (learning to sit), but from a theoretical point of view, it is easier to get stable in any position in denser air. I am not sure if the difference between 5k and 15k is even enough to create a NOTICEABLE difference, but the difference is there. If you don't believe it, think about trying to sit at 25k. Or 35k. Keep this up and eventually you've left all air molecules behind and you're in a vaccuum. Try freeflying in THAT. The point is, we do use the air molecules to keep our bodies stable. I don't know if there is a noticeable difference in 10k ft to a skydiver (there is a noticeable difference to my lungs and brain), but the difference is there. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I think I speak for most of us when I say we already have the best ride on earth. P.S. Disney can shove it. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I went to Wendy's house after the fireworks and deckwood-works. And I actually got to jump a few times on Sunday. But yeh, we didn't get to talk enough, but I'll look forward to seeing you at the next one! www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Weirdo. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Holy shit. So I put up this tent on Saturday morning, even though there was only a 50/50 chance I would use it. I was bored and it was windy and I wanted to make sure I could still put a tent up. I ended up NOT using the tent anyway. So Sunday night after our wonderful feast at Hiram's I drove back to the DZ to take down my tent, in the dark, not too sober. The tent and I had a conversation not unlike those I frequently have with my new canopy. I swear to god I was jumping all over that thing and it was still all inflated. So I stuffed it half assed in the bag it's supposed to fit in, the bag of course wouldn't close, and I threw the whole thing in my truck. At home, I threw the whole mess next to my bed which I promptly collapsed on (I had to be up at 6am this morning). About 4am I woke up and was certain I heard something alive under my bed. I felt like a little kid searching for monsters under the bed, but I swear to god I got out a flashlight and crawled around looking forever. I was kinda scared. I finally gave up and passed out again. But there was a moment when I thought the sound was coming from my tent-bag, and I wondered if I brought something from the campsite. Tonight after work I pulled the crumpled up tent out of the bag to neatly fold it and was promptly greeted by this alien life form emerging onto my living room floor (see attached pics). I don't know WHAT the hell it is, but it lived for 24 hours crumpled up in my tent bag. There is a cat in one pic for scale. This thing terrified me, and I don't know why. It took me like a minute to shove it out the door and I made sure to knock him off the third floor balcony. I hope he died. He's probably waiting in my truck for me or something. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=736033#736033 www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Aah, she has an interpreter. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

That's what I thought, which is why I was surprised to hear a load was going at 8am too. I would have assumed the first load would go 20-30 min after manifest opens? PS - I still have to sign waivers and shiat and see map of DZ so I doubt I could make an 8am load if there really is one. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I am gonna do my best to show up at 7:30am tomorrow or so... I'd like to be on the 8am load but won't manifest for it until I get there, so I hope there's still a slot if I get there on time and weather is permitting. :) www.WingsuitPhotos.com

How about the 6' (looks it to me) of fringe attached to the bottom of her (ridiculously long) rig draped over her feet. Anyone up for entanglement? www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I had an idea for freefall sniping. Seriously. Get stable, aim at a target on the ground, and shoot. Stop looking at me that way. I'm serious. Scary thing would be looking at the ground through a scope while in freefall. Ground rush? www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Wow, that is priceless (besides of course the fact that the guy was getting hurt). I hope he was ok, but still, hilarious story. I wonder if anyone inside the office saw this happen? It's like straight out of an action movie or something... a flying man crashing through a window and getting sucked right out, all while thinking calmly about something seemingly unrelated. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

At the very least, call corporate. That should take 5 minutes. Be polite and see what happens. Let us know. :) www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Do you know how much $250 is to a good-sized apartment complex? Don't give up until you get what you deserve. There is usually an option to go one step up the corporate ladder, as someone pointed out. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Another thing to do, as a last resort. Threaten to give them bad press. Most local newspapers and TV news stations have consumer complaint departments. I was helped once by Greg Dawson of the Orlando Sentinel. When a car dealership screwed me over, I threatened to get them bad press. My intention was that it would scare them into changing their minds. It didn't. To spite them, I went through with it anyway. I was hoping to really get a bad article written about them, but instead, the reporter actually acted as a intermediate guy between them and me, he called them up, told them he had all the facts and if that was true he was going to write an article about it... did they want to help me? They caved in and agreed to help me. He still wrote the article (he made them aware that he would), he basically told the whole story, including his own involvement, to prove to the readers of his column that he does get results. He also told me to keep the article as a public record, in case they ever went back on their deal in the future or denied saying it, I would have the article quoting the owner of the dealership saying what they would do to help me. This should be a last resort as it can be perceived as a threat, though you should try to make it sound not so threatening... and as with your other complaints, it is probably more effective taken to the corporate level (or building owners), not just to some dumb bitch leasing manager (I've had my share of those). www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Looking to get into WS in a few months. Wondering how many people make the common mods I've read about (cut corners, longer bridle, BASE pouch, anything else?), and how many jump a stock rig. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Compared to the other records, how is 104 in 12 hours even noteworthy? Again, not saying *I* could do it, or it's easy, but *compared to the others*. If anything, since the time interval is halved, the amount of jumps should be slightly *more* than half to be impressive, since you have less endurance issues to worry about than in a longer time. For example: 1) 500 jumps in 24 hours 2) 250 jumps in 12 hours Even though they are the same rate (jumps/hour), #1 is far more impressive because of the endurance required. So for #2 to be more impressive, it would have to be 250+ jumps in 12 hours. So what's so great about 104? Again, not knocking 104, just putting it up against the other "records"... www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Man, that second pic is awesome... any chance of a hi-res version I can use for my wallpaper? You can email it to the address if my profile if it's too big. www.WingsuitPhotos.com

I invited someone at DeLand this weekend to the boogie, they asked me if I had a hotel room yet, I said no, I'm planning on sleeping in my tent, she said to make sure that I reserve a site for my tent... is this really necessary?! DeLand is the only DZ I've ever been to and there's usually a few measly tents and tons of room for more. And I figured other DZ's would be like this. But I guess if I need to reserve something I should figure it out now... www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Yeh, I do see that... I just so distinctly remember reading something different several months ago and was curious if anyone else read the same thing maybe they know where. I know it's not important, I was just curious cause it bugs me... But the manual does have all the answers I need. :) www.WingsuitPhotos.com

Heh. You like my rig. And I like your sig. Although I seriously think he's saying "chewy chewy". Seriously. That's my opinion, take it or leave it... Not that chewy makes much more sense than "whutchy"... www.WingsuitPhotos.com