skyshark6

I can't get the ACS mailing list to let me send out the email, but some of the pictures that I took yesterday are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/45847151@N00/ and Mike Wilder has my copy of the video from the jump. If he dubs out, you'll get mine, too. I'm glad I got to see Cliff at Thanksgiving at Bob and Patti's before he left. You have my deepest sympathies, Jen. I can't imagine what you must be going through... I'm sorry that we all lost Cliff.

Sorry I missed Shannon's memorial tracking dive at Hollister. She was good people and I enjoyed jumping with her. It was good to see a bunch of people I haven't seen in a long time in this photo...http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=65236; I hope to be back home in two months, so don't anyone get hurt in the meantime. See you soon. -Rob (aka Major Wooldridge, still stuck in Kuwait) http://robwooldridge.blogspot.com/

I switched to Hollister as my "home DZ" four years ago when Skydive Monterey Bay drove all the upjumpers away with tandem-factory business practices. (don't you just hate it when DZO's lock the place up once the tandems are done and then drive everone off an hour before sunset?) Hollister is the exact opposite. They do a great job with tandems, but are also a very up-jumper friendly with a good crowd of 60+ regular jumpers who like to hang out after sunset to drink beer and BBQ. The vibe there is the best that I have ever encountered at a DZ. I've only been weathered-out at hollister one day in the five years that i have jumped there. The King Air is FAST and always goes to 15,000 ft, the highest in the area. The only issue is that the landing area is a 10-minute van ride away (and at a different elevation). Some people view this as a detractor, but it actually is pretty cool to get a chance to hang out for 10 minutes with your fellow skydivers and get to know them. Even with the van ride, you can still get 9 jumps in a day during the summer months.

Attached are two low-res versions of pictures that I took of the "1st ever Pink Mafia Initiation made in a wingsuit" from last Saturday at the WFFC convention. I was privileged to witness the event. Congrats, ladies. Q: "Do you think it gets boring just flying around or is there more to it?" A: "I've never seen a bird get bored with flight and decide to start walking instead."

sounds very interesting to me, too. what price range? what's a CF card? Q: "Do you think it gets boring just flying around or is there more to it?" A: "I've never seen a bird get bored with flight and decide to start walking instead."

sorry i haven't replied until now, but DAMN THAT WAS SO FREAKIN COOL. jumping out of that plane was worth every stinking penny!!! i would gladly trade 20 jumps out of any normal jump plane for a jump out of that classic piece of history. thanks to everyone else who made it a go!! and that picture that Kath posted of me falling out... I my look like i'm on my side, but i still have the B17 perfectly in frame. who's your daddy??!?!! Q: "Do you think it gets boring just flying around or is there more to it?" A: "I've never seen a bird get bored with flight and decide to start walking instead."

http://dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1054310;

Everyone knows that it's the skydivers who make or break the dropzone. Well, the jumpers at Monroe, Georgia are a great bunch people to jump (and of course party) with. To all the folks at Skydive Monroe, I just wanted to say thanks for giving me a home for the last three months. My long stay in Georgia would have sucked without you guys. I'm stoked to go home to California this week, but I'll miss jumping with all of you and hanging out after sunset load. Thanks to Chuck for introducing the new guy around and making me feel at home from the get-go. I enjoyed flying head down with you even if you forgot your goggles. Thanks to Jen for being such a nice person and putting me and Philippe up at her house during the tandem instructor course. You rock. Special thanks to Joe, Kyle, Big Steve, Gary, and Dave for all the advice and instruction that you gave this newbie tandem-master. I learned a lot about how to be a professional and safe instructor from you guys. I'm glad I took off before you started calling me "turtle," though. Thanks to John King for going through the tandem course with me and even riding on the front for a jump. John, you make a great Athens tour guide, too. Too bad you suck at Rock-Paper-Scissors... Katie, Becca, Rachel, Erin, Mocha, David Batt, Blaine, John David, Mark, Mike, and Lisa... thanks for being so cool. Oh, and the Dublin (roamingdz.com) Boogie was a blast! Thanks, Chris. I hope to see all of you again soon, like at the WFFC this summer in Rantoul. Thanks again and blue skies! (edited to add David's name on there because I suck and accidentally left it off)

A. You are a dork B. That's ok with me. "SIGO!!!! Get over here! the fax machine is broken!" "But sir, they never taught me how to fix fax machines in OBC..." Q: "Do you think it gets boring just flying around or is there more to it?" A: "I've never seen a bird get bored with flight and decide to start walking instead."

1. I'm colorblind, which is why i never got to be a fighter pilot. That's OK, cause paratrooper was just as cool. 2. I had a canopy collison at 1200 feet on my 25th jump, which just happened to be my first pack job on my own recently purchased canopy. The other person in the wrap was an AFF level 4 student (neither of us were looking where we were going) on a Manta who cutaway and I landed with her canopy wrapped around my head and body... I ended up with 10 line burns on my arms and legs when i flew through her suspension lines at about 40 mph. I didn't repair one of the line burns on my rig on purpose as a reminder to myself to watch for canopy traffic every time I jump. Scared me shitless. Q: "Do you think it gets boring just flying around or is there more to it?" A: "I've never seen a bird get bored with flight and decide to start walking instead."

Heysus Marimba! That's not just one, but TWO, count 'em, TWO drogue-less tandems going head down and DOCKING. can you say CRAZY SHIT?!?!?!? whoever that is, they have huge solid iron balls. Q: "Do you think it gets boring just flying around or is there more to it?" A: "I've never seen a bird get bored with flight and decide to start walking instead."

I'm glad it looks like he'll make a full recovery... i'm getting tired of losing old friends from smb. Paully, get better soon! our prayers are with you for a speedy recovery. Peter, thanks for keeping the rest of the hollister and smb peoples in the know. you're a good friend to have. -Rob (and Sarema) Wooldridge

BM rodeos are lots of fun. mostly because others without wingsuits can track alongside you. I've done a few BM rodeos with my wife on my back. side exits (king air) have been problematic and have only suceeded 1 out of 4 times. I believe an exit out of an otter with an inside bar would not be as hard because you can climbout and then exit together. rear exits (casa and skyvan) have been completely successful (8 of 8) and were much easier. dismount is important for the rider. she needs to exit to the rear left or rear right and avoid your wings. once my wife just rolled off to the side and took out my arm wing, putting me on my back and spinning at 4,500 feet. not good, but i recovered. have fun! Q: "Do you think it gets boring just flying around or is there more to it?" A: "I've never seen a bird get bored with flight and decide to start walking instead."

Jen- yes, we did something cool for his 500th (well vinny thought it was cool anyhow). we picked him up and tossed him out of the skyvan. then he led (a very STEEP) tracking dive. I have a video if somebody has a place to host it... it's only 4MB. c'mon, somebody, hook a brother up! Q: "Do you think it gets boring just flying around or is there more to it?" A: "I've never seen a bird get bored with flight and decide to start walking instead."

and we have officially highjacked vinny's thread. good going, mike!