ChrisL

Passed away Thursday, July 22, 2021 from cancer. He was 85 years old

46,355 jumps

Gonna a long time before someone beats that total

I know the B-17 Flying Fortress nine-o-nine occasionally tours and can take passengers.

I got to ride in and jump from the bomb bay doors about 6 years ago when it came to Donnegal Springs PA

I don't know what their touring schedule is, but I know it's one of only a few B-17s that are still airworthy

Maybe look up nine-o-nine and see what's what

billvon

They were ancient - published in 1964

I was born in 1964

Signed,

Ancient Chris

ryoder

You got a bike before you learned to ride it???
You are supposed to take the MSF Basic Rider Course, so you can dump their bikes while you are learning.
Then you get your own.

https://www.msf-usa.org/BRC.aspx

I got my first Fat Boy before I knew how to ride. Learned on it. Never dropped it.

Howdy all,

I haven't posted on here in almost 6 years. Took a long break from skydiving for a number of reasons.

Mostly lost my taste for living following some deaths in my family starting with both my parents about 5 years ago, and more recently my son Chris, who passed about 16 months ago from an overdose of fentanyl at the age of 24.

I got old in my mind, got fat in my body, and pretty much lost any interest life
while watching my sons struggle with the same demon (addiction) that nearly took me out 23 years ago.

My other son Jake continues to struggle with the same addiction and it all just got to be too much. All I could do was get through each day and not lose all hope.

Ironically, my sons death 16 months ago was kind of the impetus to rejoin the world of the living. About 6 months following his death it was anyone guess if I was going to get through it, but I decided at that time that it was not going to end me and I began a slow but steady trek back to the world of the living. I have gotten myself back in shape physically, found some new passions, and re-kindled some old ones.

Since it had been a number of years, and I'm not any younger than I was before, I traded up my Pilot 168 for a ZPX Pilot 188, got my CYPRES services, reserve repacked, renewed my license and membership, and got my sorry ass back into the sky for the first time two weeks ago and DAMN it was good to be back.

Funny though, I'm kind of regretting the upsize. While I was considerably heavier when I decided I wanted to get back int he air, I'm actually lighter now than i was when i was still jumping the 168 and kind of wishing I hadnt been so cautious.
Well, i suppose my knees will thank me some day ;)

Anyway, I see some new names, and a lot of familiar ones too.

Going to the boogie tomorrow and Sunday at Cross Keys and hope to make a ton of jumps.

Good to be back among the living and back in the sky :)

In retrospect, perhaps I should have posted this in the bonfire...

jbelanger86

Im so excited! This past Friday I was able to jump for AFF 1. Ive never felt more alive... More in control.... More free.

I had a french instructor that told me I had a near perfect jump and I wanted to make sure he wasnt lying to me, i pushed a bit and he said something along the lines of "Im french, we dont coddle people like americans" Funniest thing I have heard in a long time, and also very refreshing.

So I know i forgot to wave off, but can yall take a look and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I am finding that most people could care less, if they have never jumped. Im feeling quite alone in my acomplishment. My husband cant jump, my parents wont and my oldest daughter jumped once on a tandem, and she did get the "life changing" feeling, which is fine. It just sucks not to have people to talk to about it without being the annoying one.

Thank you for everything yall have done to help me get to this point. :)

I would also LOVE to hear about your first jump course!!! <3

DZ: Skydive Carolina, Chester, SC.
https://youtu.be/npRUxn75_es

You'll feel even more free when you start flying without instructors holding you,
although from that video didnt look like they had to use much effort.

Ive seen some AFF video's where I'm sure the student must have gotten the bowling talk afterwards :)

I cant really judge anyone's AFF since I used a static line (IAD) progression quite some time in the past, but from where I'm sitting you did great. Very stable looking, on heading, even on deployment.

Theres an option missing from this poll, and its the option I would have picked, so I cant play.

yoink

Chris,

that guitar looks amazing! What a tribute. I can't imagine the heartache that must have gone into building it.



I'd love to exchange emails with you some time, talk luthiery and bounce some ideas off you. I'm currently building my 3rd - a baritone riff on a Gibson 335 with a custom wound set of humbuckers from a UK company called House of Tone.

Absolutely. Love to talk. PM me your email and I'll drop you a line :)

Ive heard good things about of House of Tone. No direct experience myself though...

Just finished building and finishing this guitar. This guitar is a tribute to my son Chris.

Chris died February 17th of this year at the age of 24 from an accidental overdose of fentanyl.

The inlays on the back are modeled on tattoo's that Chris had on his chest and shoulder. Both visible in the photo of Chris.

Note: the brand name on the headstock (Addict) is my own brand, and not a specific reference to my son or the manner of his passing. It relates to my own ancient history.

The model is an original design I call "24 Magnum". For those interested in guitars, here are the specs:

Neck-through-body construction
3-piece laminate neck (all mahogany)
carbon fiber neck reinforcement
25.5" scale length
24 stainless steel frets
12" fretboard radius
Genuine South American mahogany ( Swietenia macrophylla ) body and neck
Bookmatched, flamed maple top
Ebony headstock overlay
Natural “faux” binding
Macassar Ebony Fretboard
Original Floyd Rose Tremolo
White mother-of-pearl phoenix 12th fret and Aries headstock inlays
Planet Waves 3×3 locking tuning machines
Seymour Duncan pickups – Distortion (TB-6) bridge, and Pearly Gates neck (SH-PG1n)
5-way Oak Grigsby super switch (n, n-split, n/br, br-split, br)
CTS pots, orange drop caps
"tattoo" inlays (Phoenix and Aries) on back are white mother-of-pearl and abalone shell
Nitrocellulose Lacquer

Eagle7222

After 15 years of not jumping I have decided to get back into the sport. Looks like I should be ok taking a level 1 Aff. Maybe 1 day class and a jump with instructor? Anyone else ever come back after years? Left with 170 jumps back in like 2003 or so.

Ive been out for 5 years, but I'm coming back. Just put a new main in my rig.

I was out for 7 years once previously

This applies to dz.com as well as skydiving ;)

coverage for myself and my son WAS $600 per month.

In 2018 it will go up to $700 per month

JohnnyMarko

Used to be a home brewer and we made quite a few batches! Tasty stuff when it turns out right.

But, Johnny liked his booze too much, so no more home brewing for me. Spent 30 days in rehab this spring, and sold all my equipment after I got home. Just celebrated 90 days of sobriety this weekend!

Good job, brother :)

With 21 years clean and sober I can tell you with absolute certainty that life can be awesome. No alcohol needed.

Calvin19

***I build custom, hand made guitars as a side thing. Since I dont need to do it to earn my living I have quite a lot of fun doing it.

This is my current build I'm in the process of shooting a nitrocellulose finish on it...

Wow... that's a beauty! So much detail and precision work there. I'm impressed.

My dad would be proud. He collects guitars and is a life-long musician and once played with his hero and reason for moving to Colorado; John Denver. One of two times I have seen my dad cry was when JD nosed the VariEZ into the pacific.

He has 2 of JDs old guitars and is playing for the Aspen 20th anniversary this summer.

Thanks!

Thats very cool about your dad. I dont currently build acoustic guitars, but I plan to add that capability to my shop in the next year. Its really a matter of some tools and jigs that are particular to acoustic guitars that I dont currently have.

Good luck to your Dad at gig :)

I build custom, hand made guitars as a side thing. Since I dont need to do it to earn my living I have quite a lot of fun doing it.

This is my current build I'm in the process of shooting a nitrocellulose finish on it...

Found a couple other threads which said pricing a used canopy a base formula would be to subtract 20% from the price of a brand new one, and then an additional $1 per jump.

A new ZP Pilot 168 goes for $2285

So That formula puts this around $1800

Does that sound about right?

EvilGenius

Dude looking to downsize from a ZPX 188

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndhandforsale/permalink/1338216936294453/?sale_post_id=1338216936294453

That's a 168 he's got there, not a 188

But thanks for trying :-)

DougH

Just my opinion, but the ZPX canopies don't seem to wear as well or flare as well over the life of the canopy. I am an Aerodyne fan, but I am not a ZPX fan.

I actually downsized from a ZPX 188 to a the regular 168 I have now.
I liked the ZPX a lot. Put a couple hundred jumps on it with no issues whatsoever.

I really don't want to have to buy a whole new rig and if I upsize to a regular 188 that's exactly what I'll have to do because my container would be too tight for it.

Howdy. I've been out of the sport for about 4 years and I'm wanting to come back.

I'm a little older, a little heavier, and a little less interested in running out landings so I'm thinking of upsizing my main before hitting the sky again.

I currently have a Pilot 168 which only has 37 jumps total on it. Virtually brand new. Still crisp and a PITA to pack :)

I'm wanting to replace it with a Pilot 188 ZPX so I can keep my same container.

I'm wondering what price I should ask for the 168.

Ideally I'd trade even up with a similar condition ZPX 188, but dont know how likely I am to find one...

Advice or suggestions are always welcome

Great story and very well written :)

I am also a recovering alcoholic. I just celebrated 20 years clean and sober a couple weeks ago and one thing that my time has shown me is that quite simply, my life sober is FAR more rewarding than it ever was when I drank.

Skydiving is definitely one of the things that has elevated my life to the "beyond my wildest dreams" category.

Incidentally, nobody ever batted an eye that I don't get involved in all the beer crap. I crossed the beer line once at CK and I bought root beer. Nobody complained ;)

Keep coming back :)

I got some of the wings from that site maybe 20 years ago and they were about that same size....

Great story and very well written :)

I am also a recovering alcoholic. I just celebrated 20 years clean and sober a couple weeks ago and one thing that my time has shown me is that quite simply, my life sober is FAR more rewarding than it ever was when I drank.

Skydiving is definitely one of the things that has elevated my life to the "beyond my wildest dreams" category.

Incidentally, nobody ever batted an eye that I don't get involved in all the beer crap. I crossed the beer line once at CK and I bought root beer. Nobody complained ;)

Keep coming back :)

megamalfunction

I've been skydiving for ten years now, having made my first jump (a tandem) when I was 18. Two years later I made my first solo jump, and last year made my first wingsuit jumps. I've always planned to be a "lifer", but a few weeks ago I became a father and last week my wife had a stroke. She is currently incapacitated. I don't think I'll be able to take care of my wife and child while still keeping up my skydiving habit. Obviously, I'm having a hard time with my wife's serious medical condition. But I'm also having a hard time with giving up skydiving. It has become apart of my identity. Has anyone else ever gone through something like this before?

I took 14 years off and returned to the sport.

I'm just returning again from nearly 4 years off

BillyVance

***If you see a little bit of his left hand in the picture you should contact the band immediately.

He lost his left arm in a car crash over thirty years ago.

Wasn't it a motorcycle crash? Eh, can't remember

It was a car crash. He was ejected from the car and his arm was severed...

muff528

I don't think so. Not unless you spent a lot of time at Zhills or Lk Wales throughout the 90s and 00s. You've listed your website in your DZdot com profile.

Not a lot of time, although I did make a bunch of jumps at Z-Hills in Feb 2005 :)

I just bought an RV and plan to jump there again this coming Feb. Seems to me that February is the BEST month to come to Z-Hills since the weather is usually pure crap up here in PA that time of year :)

ChrisL

***

Spent a few minutes browsing your website. I know you said “Other peoples opinions are merely hurdles constructed out of inanity”, ...but beautiful work!!

LOL. Youve confused me. Thats my e-mail sig, but I dont recall having put it on my website.

Do I know you IRL?

NM. I just realized I post to the blog on the website sometimes from my e-mail :)

Thanks for the compliment, BTW :)