>I am, so frickin stoked I can't think of anything else! I hear you man! I just did Level II (finally got that guy off my back All my whuffo friends are bitchin that I can't talk about anything else. My problem is that coworkers and friends know I'm doing this and can't seem to help themselves repeatedly asking "How did it go?" So of course, I answer them, in great detail, in painstaking and minute, millisecond-by-millisecond detail. I usually stop when their eyes glaze over or they punch me in the mouth but WHY DO THEY ASK? >I need to remediate that shit and get more skydivin friends to bullshit with! When I did my 1st Tandem I went with a buddy who had jumped just once. It turned out I got to fly but we ran out of day so he was grounded. It sucked being him but at least he had the experience to understand why I didn't shut my mouth ONCE for the 2-hour ride home. If he hadn't jumped before I'm sure he would have killed me before the first hour was up. You just cannot describe this to anyone who hasn't done it. >This shit is like cocaine! (to all dea/fbi agents, don't do it any more, havent in years!). When your not doing it, all you can think of is doing it. I can't stop staring at the damn sky! How are you doing at estimating cloud and plane altitudes. I'm constantly guessing and have no idea if I'm even close. >Then, when your doing it, your going, shit this is cool, shit this is cool! WOWEE! I really need to get through AFF courses so I can finally just jump and fall. Tandem II and AFF II were cool but they make you DO THINGS! I want to just experience the fall without the little dance-script playing out in my head. I know... I know... We HAVE to learn this stuff. But I want to FLY - not work! >Then, when your done, and your driving home trying not to wreck, lookin at the damn sky! All you can think is "DAMN, My Next Jump is GONNA ROCK!" Funny. I did almost wreck last night driving home from the DZ. I just couldn't concentrate and the road was winding, etc... >Hover control was awesome, felt so good, practically wet myself. My jump went well. JM1 said "text book exit - don't change a thing.". I got no hand signals at all and was done with my "tasks" by 8,500 and got a 2,500ft ride. (Not enough! Noth enough!). I did alright under canopy but I forgot to clear my ears and could barely hear the radio. Plus ground control changed my landing zone because my father (who was at the DZ to do Tandem I) wanted to photograph me landing. I flared out perfectly and was going to do a walk-in landing on my first try RIGHT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE when the ground control guy yelled "PLF! PLF!". So I tucked and rolled with no idea why I was being asked to. Turns out I was flying right next to a ditch and he didn't want me breaking an ankle or anything. Damn! It was going to be so cool to stand up on my first try. Oh well. (Not nearly so bad as my Dad pulling at 12,500 on Tandem I - he got confused when the JM tapped him to arch and pulled instead. Nice 13-minute canopy ride though ) >I have five years left to get my last two kids through school. After that, all bets are off, I'm selling my shit, moving close to the damn dz (where my heart is and my wallet) and becoming an instructor. My goal right now is to finish AFF through the fall and get my "A" in time to do video over the weekends in the Spring. I think they have the coolest job at the DZ. >This is the shit. This is, soo sooo good! Oh and by the way, for all the nervous people freakin out on the plane ride. THAT'S ME! I'm still turnin up the butterflies, askin myself why and shit. But when I hit that door and blast into the sky, it all goes bye bye. I consider myself lucky to have lived and chosen to do this. So frickin cool. I agree one-hundred percent... I saw a bumper sticker at the DZ: "I don't take risks to escape life. I take risks to keep life from escaping." Cool! >One more thing. Quantum Leap kicks serious ass. All the jm's are incredible and it's a wonderful place to be. I guess Quantum Leap is your DZ. I 2nd that for Skydive Virginia! I hope to become a regular in here and have enjoyed reading your posts. I'll contribute as often as possible. Experience this intense and pleasurable simple HAS to be shared. Later, BallisticCosmo I don't take risks to escape life. I take risks to keep life from escaping.
