Reginald

I don't think it's fair to make this statement. I do. I can name a few. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

I earned my license over the winter. No I don't live up north but I jumped on a number of days when the ground temperature was below freezing. You just buy appropriate clothing. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

The deep dark secret at my DZ revolves around kinky sex with rodents. All the “cool” skydivers do it. I personally think it is a safety issue and I’m opposed to it. Just the suffocated rodents lying in the landing areas and around the hanger are bad enough, I mean what if a kid picked one up and got a disease from it? And the fact that on the sunrise load many of the people are siting funny on the ride to altitude, can these people really keep their minds clear and focused? The final offense was when the graphic below was posted in the restrooms. Sick man. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Hey my Houston friend, Dumping in a full track has seriously F***ed some people up. It is a good way to get hurt. There is a high potential for a dangerously hard opening. There are a number of factors in the equation including how fast you can track canopy type, etc. Talk to your instructors but it is probity a bad habit to get into to. Honestly, at 61 jumps your track is probably not particularly well developed yet (as a good track takes a lot of practice, I'm just begining to really get it myself) and this kept your speed down. If you were in a full blown high speed track and dumped a Sabre 1 you could have a bad situation. Personally, I fought the battle of coming out of my track while not backsliding (and losing some of the separation I gained during the track) and pitching. It is an art to get right, not pitch in a track, not backslide and pitch quickly. So how are your 4 way skills coming? Ron "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

LOL! Now those are some stories I wanna hear! "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

LOL, yes DZO's do it for the love of it but most are also trying to make money....at something they love "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

LOL! That's a good point!

If anyone from this team is around could you please PM me? Blue Ones, Ron "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

QuotePlus, the way that weed affects a person isn't as drastic as the way heavy drugs affect a person. Quote Hmm. I have visions of a stoned college student standing in the bathroom with a gallon of milk in his hand wondering WTF he is doing there. This is NOT the condition I want the people I am jumping with to be in. And this is not the condition I want to be in if I have a high-speed mal. Listen I’m not a prude and I’ve been to almost a dozen DZ’s around the nation including several of the biggest and most prestigious, I know what goes on in the skydiving community and in the world at large on the topic. However, I am dead serious that I expect everyone on the plane with to be stone cold sober and that goes for pot too (which many people want to think of as an exception, however I don’t). I'll leave this thread now before I say something inappropriate. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Silly, question - you seem to be singling out "hard drugs” which I assume excludes pot. Are you making an exception for it? Which leads me to believe that you think it is okay, which would indicate that you might light up from time to time. If so is this position a bit hypocritical? If not why? Or please feel free to tell me I’m totally off base here. My personal opinion…I don’t want to jump with or see people jumping while impaired in any way. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

True, the tunnel can be as dangerous as freefall in some ways. It is critical to listen to the instructors. I've seen too many people that think just because they have X number of jumps that they can just hop in and do whatever they want. My personal experience however is a bit different. The only injury I’ve had is a sharp pain in my wallet! Picture attached! "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

You jumped, you lived! It's a good start! Trust me on this, at 1,000 jumps you won't have "perfect" jumps. There is always something to improve on in this sport. Take it in stride and enjoy yourself. Most importantly SMILE in freefall. It really does help!

LOL.

Is this the problem? "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Why? Was it good natured r serious? I tell the FFer's, who tend to run the traking dives at my DZ, that they should get booties too! It's never been an issue. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

I know a number of people that have been in the sport 10, 15, 20 and 25 years with thousands of jumps. SOME of them fly small Hp canopies. Many of them fly at a WL of 1.1ish. I asked a couple of them why they don’t fly a HP canopy and the most common responses were, "It's how you become an experienced skydiver" or “Because I don’t like titanium”. It made me think that I am in no hurry to downsize. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

John, Congratulations! Why it feels like just yesterday I was riding up to altitude with you and Ernie who was strapped to your chest (for a traning dive) You have made a great addition tot he staff and every single one of the tandems you’ve brought down raved about their experience and your professionalism. Keep it up! "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

What altitude were they at? "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Yet another reason in my mind to never do CRW. That and the 10 hook knives you need to wear. Just my opinion... "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

What did the clowns find you under your old name?

Still smiling about hiting the peas on a night jump are ya?!? "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Okay, I'm in the blue and black. Yes, I'm on of those, as I match too well. In fact my alti even matches! "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Then you'll be fine in a tunnel. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

I’m a big believer in the tunnel but it is only a means to an end, which is to skydiver better. The tunnel is the best place to learn center point turns and how to fall slow, IMHO. The absolute points of reference are invaluable for these things. I was amazed at how much my fall rate slowed (even when I thought I was in my best slow fall) by adjusting the position of my head a few inches. I would have never noticed this in true free fall. Center points, ha, the tunnel is the place to learn. In fact I think I’ll go book myself a block of 15 minutes right now! (After getting off the phone with a melted credit card in hand....) Jumping is first but if you have the time and money the tunnel is great. Also if you have some particular problem you are trying to work on the tunnel can be great for that too. Do what you can afford. If blowing 500 or 600 euros is no big deal to you then go do it. If it is the tunnel or eating then don’t do it. What can you afford? Ron Q: What does it take to become a great skydiver. A: First earn $100,000 a year… (it's a joke people) "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Talk to your instructors about changing your hard deck for your 3,500 hop n pop. Have a plan and follow it.... You'll be fine. You will be suprised how fast you are under a good canopy on a hop n pop. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP