lkolkin

ROCK the skies, my friend. I can't wait to jump with you. Rad article, as always!!!

Yo Jarret! You ROCK and your words are something all of us on this forum can relate to. Keep up the blogs, I for one, enjoy reading them. Though I still don't know what your beef is with American Idol, lol! Lucia

That was exactly why I started this thread... you are definitely right, there are things far worse (debatable to some people, I'm sure) than dying. I've concluded from this long thread that I may just be in the minority with how safe I feel in the sport. Its hard for me to really understand that if people think the sport is SO dangerous and that we're playing russian roulette with our lives (or risk becoming parapalegic) every time we jump out of the plane, why most of us still jump. Are the 60 seconds really worth it if its just the luck of the draw? I know some people will say yes, but for all of us parents, devoted husbands and wives, etc and others who have people depending on them I have to believe that it is relatively safe. Let me reiterate that I understand the risks and truly believe they are viable and real risks on EVERY JUMP. If I didn't, I wouldn't do multiple gear checks, stay current on my safety reviews, etc, etc. I don't feel complacent and I am constantly aware (and reminded) of the risks involved in this sport. I do think that with all the proper checks and balances and education (etc, etc) that I can count on walking away after a jump. I thank all of you for your thoughts and input.

See this forumn http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=614804;search_string=whuffo;#614804

Point well taken. I don't think I push my friends into the sport (any more), however when they want to do it I want to be right there beside them and I certainly feed off their energy.

I certainly didn't mean to get everyone so riled (sp?)up. Its interesting to hear everyone's opinion and it seems that I must be in the minority with mine.

Yes, it was me who commented first on his site(Mama Lucia). As far as being lucky at the DZs I've been to, that could be. However, I used to call Perris my home DZ and even there, where there are maybe a thousand of skydives made per week, I never knew anyone who died (nor did they have any deaths there when I was jumping there). I did take a few years off from the sport when I got pregnant with my son, and there was at least one VERY loved person who died in our community, however it wasn't from a skydiving accident. All that being said, I have seen some gnarly things. Heck, I was jumping with Dead Mike the jump that made him famous for being Dead Mike (if you're not familiar with who he is, he has a website deadmike.com if you're interested). I was right there, I saw it all first hand from maybe 100 feet above him. As far as having alcholic friends, maybe I do (I did start partying at a young age), but I have buried at least 3 people in drinking and driving (or driving under the influence of narcotics). So anyway, I'm not trying to say that the sport is 100% safe, don't get me wrong. I do want my friend to be aware that there are risks and with those risks one must accept that the possbility of death is out there, but I also think that Skydivers Die comment was written in a morbid fashion and that burying 12 friends in 9 years is not necessarily the norm. Peace

I completely agree with you hands down. I wrote a lengthy comment on his comment basically putting more words behind what you wrote. I am not trying to give my friend the false impression that it is safe and he can jump without caution, or that even if he jumps with all the caution in the world that he will be safe. I am not that naive, but I do have to believe (particularly as a single mother) that my risks are rather minimal if I educate myself on equipment, the particulars of the DZ, malfunctions (etc), do regular gear checks on and off the plane, jump with weight, skill, and discipline appropriate gear, jump on skydives I am skilled enough to jump on, consiously work on my air awareness skills, and fly my canopy conservatively, that my risk in minimal.

Well, that's why I said relative safety. I never said it was fool proof but I don't think its an unsafe sport either.

I recently posted a link on here to a friend of mine who writes a blog in a magazine. He started skydiving only weeks ago and like most of us, he is hooked. Someone commented on his blog (for everyone to see) with the user name SKYDIVERS DIE about their personal experience with burying 12 skydivers in 9 years. His comment "I quit skydiving after 820 jumps, 9 years and 12 funerals. The one thing they lie to you about is how safe it is. I got sick of burying my friends. Got sick of hearing "blue skies black death" because it was true." My friend is naturally concerned about the gentleman's response, as he described to me "I am having a mini heart attack". I responded to this guy's comment, but if anyone else wants to help out, please, please, please!!!! Here is the link (I appologize in advance cause I have no idea how to make it actually a link): http://www.maisonneuve.org/blog/index.php?itemid=349 Many thanks!

Y'all are getting some press... [url]http://www.maisonneuve.org/blog/index.php?itemid=349

For all of you who liked his last blog, here is a nice description of his recent experience at Cross Keys... [http://www.maisonneuve.org/blog/index.php?itemid=349]

My friend Jarret writes daily blogs in this magazine called Maisonneuve. I think he is a very talented writer and encourage y'all to check it out. But that is not why I am writing this. Last week I took him to make his first tandem. He enjoyed it so much he made tandem number two on the same trip. I enjoyed reading this piece on his experience and I thought it might be interesting to y'all. I think on so many levels we can all identify with his feelings!!! http://www.maisonneuve.org/blog/index.php?itemid=311 Hope y'all have a beautiful day! Lucia

N/A

Not a bad plan, with Meesh having her baby girl and all. Let's talk

Nobody Bon Bon, I just have a friend who is beginning in the sport and I am trying to get him up to speed on terminology so when people talk about things, he doesn't feel like an idiot : )

Perfect, thank you both so much!

Does anyone know of a website or anything where the names and pictures of, or descriptions of, common freeflying skills are listed?

I was in the same boat. At first I tried to round together a bunch of tandems cause like someone else suggested, if you bring 15 tandems or so, you can usually work something out where one of your jumps gets comped. Since that only worked one time, I started an official skydiving club at my school. Our fliers headline was "Wanna get High??" It definitely caught attention. At the first meeting I had our DZ put together a nice little skydiving compilation video and showed it. I had my entire AFF paid for by bringing out new students. And it only took a handful of hours to design the fliers and pass them out. Its amazing how many people want to jump out there (well, not really amazing I suppose).

I should've asked it differently. Not why did people start skydiving, why did people make that first jump? I don't do it for the risk now. If anything, I try to avoid the risk. But the initial attraction for me to make that first jump was the excitement of the risk. Symnatics I guess.

So Timmy, if you enjoy the feeling of having your heart pump heavily from your chest, doesn't that come from the risk of the sport? Isn't that what causes that feeling? Isn't that what is so damn enjoyable about it? Sure, flying is what has made us continue, but why did we make that first jump?

DAMN, I didn't realize that I was such a freak for enjoying the risk so much. So when you're standing on the edge (of whatever), or you are up in the plane for your first jump and your heart is beating out of your chest, that isn't what gets you pumped about the sport? Isn't the rush the unknown aspect of the whole thing (i.e., the risk)? I have a hard time understanding that a whuffo would see skydiving as a means to learning how to fly. Of course I see it that way now, and that is what keeps all of us going I think, but the original draw to the sport isn't the rush? Hmm, I have to ponder this one.

Thank you Timmy!

Question: Why did you start skydiving or BASE jumping?? My s.o. and I were talking last night about why we started skydiving (and in his case BASE jumping) and our answers were so very different. So now we're wondering who is more of the freak. His reason: he started skydiving b/c he had always dreamed of flying since he was a little boy. He started BASE jumping b/c he loved the feeling of picking up speed - that initial step off the edge. My reason for STARTING to skydive (and what appeals to me about BASE jumping): the risk. Now I did my research and was convinced I wasn't paying Russian Roulette, but I enjoyed the risk aspect of the sport. I mean - how absurd (i.e., how cool) to jump out of an airplane. For me, the adrenaline (when I started) came from the risk. I want to BASE jump for the visual aspect of it, but definitely for the risk as well. The risk is what will get me high. He feels that he has always done both despite the risk, not because of it. So who is more of a freak??

Congrats Peter and Steph! I'm glad I got to see pics of Kira! I swear I was just sitting in the car 2 weeks ago talking to Steph about becoming a parent. What a beautiful girl! Congrats again and I hope to see her out at the DZ soon. What about the Byron Boogie? Any chance she'll show?? Blue Skies, Lucia