Airdivr

The punishment for what you did is simple.......buy your beer!!!!! Elaine

The Good Lord must need angels. It's the only explanation for this tragedy. Our tears are flowing and our hearts are broken. To all of Paul's family, our thoughts and prayers are with you now as they have been throughout this horrible ordeal. Our skydiving community has lost another great one. Elaine, Dammit & Lauren

Chuck, Thanks for the update. I stopped by the hospital yesterday to give you guys some encouragement and found you all had taken a break for a few hours, but our thoughts and prayers are with you. I'm an old Herd member (or a Herd member that's old, not sure about which) and I remember Raff from Maytown, United and Cross Keys. I've been in the sport 27 years and I agree, this is the worst I've ever seen too. Lauren, Dammit & I are sending thoughts, prayers and healing vibes Raff's way. As for you guys, just hang tough and know that people all over the world are pulling for you. Elaine D-7863

Additionally, both Cross Keys and Raeford have offered to accept credit card donations until a paypal account for the family is finalized. E-mail and phone numbers can be found on both dz's websites. Elaine Demme

I would suggest that postings on this subject go on hold until the family decides to release current information. Thoughts and prayers would be in order, however. Elaine D-7863

Weren't they 8-way women's team out of Deland --- some had previously been on Slots are for Tots.... names - Sheila Witten, Martha Scott, Kathy Embry, ... memory is going but I'll come up with the others in good time. Elaine D-7863

Michael --- please stop this crap.... Arizona doesn't even have big trees!!!! I know you'll be up and at em in no time, you're too stuborn to stay down any longer. But best wishes for a speedy recovery anyway! Love, Elaine, Dammit & Lauren

Missy knows them! Posted by Missy Nelson earlier in this thread... Here's part...ahem (as i clear my throat to sing a tune i heard as a young girl...) "hey freak brother, as soon as you arrive, let's get in touch with the manifest brother... cause we're gonna skydive, yea!" i do remember the whole song... brings back many memories... missy " Hope this helps Chris. Elaine NNFS#3

Holy Shit! I remember Chris when he was jumping on the east coast and had just gotten into photography. This is amazing!!! Elaine D-7863

WTG's to the entire team! 357 is a huge accomplishment! Thanks to Kate, Bill and Val for their reporting. It made the rest of us really feel part of the effort and now we are all cheering for you as well. Elaine (Going to get a glass of champagne to raise!)

We already jumped subzero temperatures this year!! We were in Eloy for the Dropzone.com Boogie.....never knew the desert could get that cold!!!! So, the quick answer is NOOOOOOOOOO! But I'll be there! As to jumping with you.....quit rubbing it in!!!? Love u, E

Do you get points for getting a car impounded? I thought you had to turn it upside down to get any points! Has somebody changed the rules here? Hey Selwyn.....does this count? Elaine

So I'm guessing the jump into United didn't land on target?

Elaine Demme from the Herd.... I remember both you and your brother Jimmy... you both worked at Paraflite if I remember correctly... Where are you these days? We still keep in touch with a bunch of the old Ripcord jumpers.

YUP Who are you?

And that explains why we're going to Eloy for Xmas!!! Miss you Carbounce, maybe we'll catch up with you guys one of these days before Lauren has more jumps that you do! Love, Elaine & Dammit

I had mine done last September and was jumping (albeit very carefully at xmas in Florida). I still am very careful -- don't jump in squirrelly winds and slide it in whenever I can. The good news is you never have to pack since kneeling takes a good couple of years! Bust butt at therapy and don't stop after the 6-10 weeks they tell you. Keep at it for up to 1 year, it'll make all the difference. Elaine D-7863

Word had it that he did make an appearance this summer at X-Keys....check it out with the guys. Apparently he passed through at some point this year. Not sure from where or to where. Elaine

QuoteI visited The Blue Sky Ranch in New York in 1991. On my first skydive there, we took off on an otter load, and at about 500 feet or so, someone yelled "SHAWANGA!" The rest of the plane responded by yelling "FLY BABY, FLY!" Shawanga came from the dropzone Stormville, NY, just a few miles from where the Ranch is now located. It originated (if my feeble mind is working correctly) with a team called the "Spaced Rangers" but may have been used prior to them. The Ranch has now adopted the slogan for its own. Elaine

Yeah, which is a fucking miracle! That boy's gonna get a talkin' to when we see him again! "I can't" and "No, I don't want sex at least 4 times a week" What the fuck is up with that man? - Jim Really --- if I were Ethan, I'd come to the dz fully prepared to take a whole lotta sounding on! A skydiver who can't hold on longer than whuffos!!!! Jeez.........even I could've held Caroline longer!! Elaine

For those of you who don't already know, burying the toggles on a modified round does not induce a flare - it results in an immediate SINK.*** Winsor -- A group of Herd jumpers about 15 years ago put on 7-tu's with belly mount reserves and went out to build a five way just for the heck of it. It was more fun than you can imagine! Tracking away, however, was a different story. Some things are easily forgotten -- like spotting for a round canopy! Anyway, as an aside to your plan, it might be nice to have 7-cell F-111 canopies available for jumpers to try since there are many jumpers who have jumped only zero-p or elliptical canopies and every reserve ride I've witnessed recently has resulted in a major hammer job since folks expect their reserves to flair like their mains. I've been hyping having students jump reserves as mains for quite a while and you are just the guy to take this on! Love, Elaine

tell Elaine D. I said hi ! He'd better say hi! And you should get your butt out east too, since you never bothered to introduce yourself to me in Chicago! At least John made sure to see me there! LOL Anyway, John, we've made the trip a number of times and you're probably right, it's about 12 hours, but not a bad drive. When are you getting in? Elaine NNFS#3 D-7863

You will be fine.... please call me or e-mail me anytime with questions. The surgery is easy...the next day or so is rough (as I told you), but you have me as your role model! LOL Remember, 3 days after surgery I ran the Jump for the Cause event at Cross Keys and you didn't even notice me looking miserable!!! Also, ditch the crutches as soon as you can. Anyway, good luck with the surgery, stock up on lots of ice packs....you can never use too much ice after surgery... and get to physical therapy within 3-7 days and make sure they are sports medicine related. Call the DZ and ask for Lauren if you need my cell number. I'm more than willing to do anything I can to help you, but the best advice I can give is to bust butt in PT after surgery. It's been 9 months for me now and I'm not even wearing a brace to jump. The only weirdness (besides pain during pressure changes) is that kneeling is out and shaving your knees requires extreme caution because one side is totally numb. That took some getting used to, but other than that life is pretty good. I jumped after 3 months (using extreme caution and waiting for 8-15 steady winds so I didn't have to run anything out). I still slide in on no wind days, but outside of that, you'll be up and at em in no time. Love, Elaine

And where the heck would you two be? And when are you coming to the east coast???????? Huh??? Love, Elaine NNFS #3