murphyka

This year was my first year to compete in 4-way. I had an idea of what to look forward to, but got tons more out of it than I thought. All of the advice given here is completely true and should be given alot of thought even if you are going to the rookie division. Make sure that you set common goals for the team and try to stick with them. Our main goal was to learn as much as we could while still maintaining a fun relaxed atmosphere. As we progressed, we all started expecting more out of ourselves and the team as a whole. We naturally became more competitive which made us want to train more often than our initial commitment. This is where making the financial commitment is so important. You will tend to spend more money than you thought if you are not strict with your goals. Let's face it, not all of us have extra money to throw around. It is very easy to put yourself in a bind if you don't stick to your goals. As far as finding people that fall at the same rate, I would say that it isn't that important. After jumping together for a while, fall rate issues will become almost second nature. Good Luck and have tons of fun!!! Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

So I see that Avalanche has decided to train for the upcoming meet!

Two weeks ago I had a terminal reserve opening on a PD143 after my hackey was nowhere to be found. To my surprise the opening was great. It was a bit swift, but nothing to complain about. Too bad the freebag decided not to follow me back to the DZ to land. The reserve flew just like a main and the landing was a soft stand-up. I'd recommend PD to anyone. Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

Come to Spaceland. There are always bellyjumpers putting together good dives for people with all sorts of jump numbers. There are also plenty of coaches who will give you tons of good info to help you out. Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

Way to hold on to that Barbie, girlie!!! WOOOHOOO!!! Mel, it was great to finally jump with you. I've been thinking of trying to freefly here pretty soon so maybe we'll jump again. AggieDave, you rock! Morgan did so great on the Pink Patch ~ you would have never known that she was a low timer! Skyfest was a blast! Too bad it's monday! Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

You will probably make it to Spaceland before me, I have to wait until 5 to escape the office. Can't wait!!! It'll be nice to have some other Aggies around the DZ this weekend! WHOOP!!! Conway's going to love it! We called around last night about Yoshi but haven't heard much about his condition. Some people that we talked to said that he was banged up but nothing major. Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

I can think of tons of ways that I don't want to die. Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

Spaceland is my home DZ and would recommend it to anyone!!! It is an extremely friendly atmosphere and there are tons of quality jumpers to learn from there. The instruction is definitely top notch. I haven't jumped at SDH so I can't really offer an opinion. Come out to Spaceland and try it out....Don't forget the beer!!!!! Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

I was also at Skydive Dallas this weekend for TSL. I agree. The DZ is a very comfortable place to jump and all of the people there were very friendly. We had a great time while we were there even though we had long weather holds. We are looking forward to the next meet there. Kim Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

{{{{{{{{{{{{VIBES}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} So sorry to hear about her loss. Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

Welcome to your new addiction!!! Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

:10:1 - Wouldn't you like to know : 9 - RW jumps 1 - Attempt to sit fly! Hmmm, not that pretty, but really comical I'm sure! : Pied for 100 jumps, which happened quite a while ago, and I was caught off guard!! Cory, you are going to get it!!!! Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

The number one thing is that you have to have the desire to learn and be coached. You are well on your way. I am a newbie and all my jumps have been RW jumps. My suggestion is to watch people training on the ground. Get to know the people who do RW for fun and for competition. Let them know that you are interested in learning. I have found that if you express that interest to the people around your DZ, the experienced jumpers will be glad to take you on some jumps. I would suggest starting with some 2 and 3-ways to work on turns, eye contact and stopping. Then gradually work into bigger groups when you are getting more comfortable with those skills. Watch lots of videos!!! Airspeed, Golden Knightss..even videos of people at your DZ. Pick out a person in the video and watch how they fly their body. You will pick up so much just from observation. Good Luck to you. RW is so much fun! I know that you are going to love it!

Thank you for pointing that out to us, Conway. Our team appreciated you helping us out. With our experience level at competing, we probably would have never known. I'm sure that catching our own mistakes will come with time. Had it not been our team that you helped, I still think that you made the right decision. In any competition, I would never want to win knowing that my team had an edge over the other before they even made the jump. It just wouldn't make the win as rewarding. Congrats on your win! I really enjoyed the competition. And Sunday was fun too! The jump with D-1 rocked!!! Kim Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

Skydiving saved me from my relationship. It was going no where pretty fast after a year and a half. When he got mad that I was spending too much time at the DZ and was not making him my priority, I had to look back and ask myself why that was. I realized that I had found true happiness and it wasn't with him. The relationships that I have found out at the DZ have far outweighed the failing relationship at home. The breakup is done and I am moving on. What Bliss!!! Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

That SCR rocked! I agree that the look on Diane's face was definitely priceless. Just my two cents about this thread... I don't think that all the blame can be put on the more experienced jumpers backs. At Spaceland, there are constantly jumpers graduating from the student program that get snatched up and taken for some very educational jumps like I did. It wasn't but 2 jumps after graduating that people like Conway, Tom J, and Jim A took me under their wing and have flown with me ever since. Now at over 130 jumps, I am getting invited on big-ways, SCR's, hybrids, etc. On the other hand, there are those low timers who don't get picked up. I've noticed that they are the people who haven't made much of an effort to be social with anyone around the DZ. They come out make some solos then leave and never say a word to anyone. I'm not saying that you need to stay out there and booze it up with everyone after sunset, but at least make the attempt to introduce yourself to the people that you see jumping there all the time. Let those people know that you are interested in jumping with them and learning what they are willing to teach. If you hide in the cracks of the DZ all day, you are probably going to get overlooked. I can guarantee that you won't be turned down if you have the right attitude. AND they might just keep you around! Matt, be ready, your SCR will rock too! Hopefully it will be later in the day after team training so I can hop on it too. I'll be happy to spill a beer on you at Skyfest!! Congrats on graduating!

:10:1 Great jumps including some 8-ways, a bad ass 3-way with Rebecca and Debbie (welcome back Rebecca!), an awesome hybrid, and a big tracking dive. Got my SCS on two jumps (docking 8th on each - BEER!) Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

Two words.....TOILET PAPER!!!! Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

I don't recall this being discussed in the briefing before jumping. Had I recalled this, it probably wouldn't have caught me by surprise. Just to make my point clear, I don't think that it is a bad thing to have trucks picking up stray jumpers if his approach to the jumpers is on the perimeter of the landing area. I just don't feel that it is necessary for them to be cutting through the landing area. Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

I agree with this post exactly. Yes, this was the first DZ other than home that I have visited. Overall, my experience at Perris was great! Very rarely do we run multiple loads at the same back to back so the normal practice is to wait for all the canopies to land before driving through the landing area to pick up people who have long distances to walk. Had I landed off or far away I would have appreciated the ride. I was merely startled to see a moving object headed right toward my spot. At the moment I wasn't comfortable making a flat turn because I had a canopy to my left about 30 feet away and turning right would have put my right in the path of the truck. Not being experienced at the DZ, and not having seen the truck on previous loads, I didn't know what to expect. As for the motorcyclist, yep, he was a dumbass and deserved what he got. It was probably not the best idea to be running him down with people in the back, but what happens, happens. I didn't post this to "blab" on the DZ, just wanted to know if it was normal for someone to be driving through the landing area when canopies are landing? I got my answer, and now I know what to expect next time I visit. I'm sorry that some people took the question so personally. Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

I visited Perris for the first time this weekend making 8 jumps over the course of the weekend. BTW...really enjoyed the DZ! One question...Is is standard practice for pick-up vehicles to be driving through the landing area while canopies are still landing? On our 4th jump of the day on Saturday, I was on my final approach to the landing area. I was at about 200 feet when right in front of me was a small whitel truck headed directly for the spot in which I was headed to land. He was driving just between the student landing area and the grass landing area. Needless to say, I was pissed and scared. To me, this was very dangerous!!! At 200 feet, I didn't have altitude nor the room to make big adjustments, especially for the fact that there was alot of traffic. BTW, this was just before that same truck chased down a motorcyclist with three jumpers in the back of the truck and subsequently hit him with the truck. I would hope that this was an isolated case and that it is not standard practice for vehicles to be driving through the landing area when there are canopies in the air. I was just wondering to get some input from some of the people who might have been there Saturday or regular Perris jumpers. Blue Skies! Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

Take a vacation, go to a DZ with a bigger plan, and get a crap load of people to jump with you. Whatever you do, have lots of fun and get a video!! Congrats on 100!!! BEWARE OF PIES!

I know exactly what you mean, Rebecca. I have that person sitting directly in front of my office as we speak. This girl has the worst attitude that I have ever dealt with in my life. She thinks that the world should adhere to what she thinks and wants. Well, sorry honey, it doesn't work that way. I manage the projects that she works on and she acts as if I don't have a clue. She takes professional criticism very personally and can't stand to be told to do something a different way. It really doesn't help that our boss just lets it get worse to the point to where we finally had it out in the conferece room. I am not a confrontational person either, but I was just pushed way too far. Good news...my last day here is Wednesday so I don't have to deal with her again!! My advice to you is to try to discuss your issues with here in a professional manner. If she doesn't listen to you and try to comprimise her actions, then I would probably take it up with her direct supervisor and work from there. There are going to be those people who are almost impossible to work with and we have to do the best that we can to make things work. Knowing you personally, she must be a real %$#%&, you are simply the easiest person to get along with. Hope to see you at the DZ soon!! Kim Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

Almost all of us here were at one time Tandem Passengers and paid that money too. Some of us have just devoted more to the sport than JUST THAT. My take... if you have a license, your own gear, and a passion for the sport (and stay current) then you can call yourself a skydiver. Blue Skies!!! Kimmy

Beat me to it, damnit! And I see you did your 100th without me, 20way? I'm sorry, I just couldn't wait! It was a 6-way with Tom, Jim, etc. I didn't have much of a choice since I was manifested as they saw me drive up to the parking lot. I wish it would have been a 20-way (and a completed one at that)! Blue Skies!!! Kimmy