flygirl719

It wasn't what we planned, but it was AWESOME just the same!!! (As always...) Thanks guys! P.S. A dunk in the pond shortly followed.

Thanks Bill. I'll let you know my drug of choice when I find it... Back-atcha! Only your end-cell woman See you tomorrow!

Hey, not to get you off the CRW topic, but I never said ANYTHING about it. We've got some kick-ass CRW people at our DZ and when I'm ready to begin exploring another discipline, I'll definitely reach out to them, as they have already offered to take me up. But for now, I'm going to try to turn points more consistently with the awesome RW folks at our DZ while working on some FF positioning with the other bad-ass fliers per my instructor's direction. I'm also heading down to a camp next weekend, which will include canopy control, RW and some FF instruction in the tunnel! Coolio?

Hmm... I always want MORE of the stuff I like whether it's good or bad for me: -Beer/Booze/Wine -Sex/Drugs/Rock-n-Roll -etc... BUT I've never wanted anything more than SKYDIVING! My Dad, who flipped out during my AFF phase and just saw me for the first time this year -looked at me and said, "skydiving agrees with you Kim." So, it must be a good thing and if that's what OCD does for me, then I'm going to keep doing it! Hope the weather permits for your 100th! Congrat's!

Good call... Might as well do somthing I've been practicing, like getting my TRACK ON, so I have a lesser chance of fucking up my special jump. I was referring to FF, but CRW seems pretty freaking scary to me!!! Why mess with a perfectly good canopy!?!? That's pretty intense Nick

It will be exactly three months from the day I started AFF when I make my 100th jump on July 1st! I'm stoked and feel like I'm on track as far as progression is concerned and I think my instructor does too... (I've mainly focusing on RW, but just started to work some FF positioning over the last couple of weeks.) FUN! FUN! FUN! So here's the question... what's up with all this talk about crossing over to the "darkside?" I mean, I've always been one to hang out over there in real life, so isn't it natural for me to desire flying there as well? Also, I nailed hanging from a 3-way hybrid ONCE, but is it over-zealous of me to want to hang from an even bigger one (so I can include as many bad-asses as possible that helped me get here ) for my 100th?

So was I... hmm, have we met yet? I'm a newbie.

They should be your biggest cheerleader... (If my instructor read that line he'd tell me that I'm "such a girl.") But seriously, he may or may not realize it yet, but he's become my mentor and I feel very lucky to have had him as an instrutor and a friend. You shouldn't settle for less.

Awesome Lisa!! I can't wait to hear about it!

It took me 10 years to finally get to do a tandem and I had no idea I'd actually want to get into the sport, so it wasn't a big deal at first. I imediately knew I wanted to become a skydiver. My parents already thought I was a nut case, so they weren't suprised, but they did their best to discourage me. It took me a while to stop being on the defensive and to realize that it is ONLY because they are scared to death. They continued to harp on me until I finally said that they were tainting my experience and if they wanted to be part of my life then they have to accept me skydiving because it has pretty much taken over it...I also asked them to educate themselves before they continued to knock it. I sent them to USPA.org. They are getting better with every conversation, but it's still too new and I can tell they still don't want to talk about it. So, I tread lightly and always tell them that it's "safety first" during any conversation. Needless to say... I don't talk to my parents quite as much these days.

So, what did you think? Pretty freaking awesome over there, huh?

I'm also only 5'2, 125 lbs, so the rental 170's and 190's were way too big on me in the harness, therefore, upon opening the bigger rigs, I would reach for the harness and get all unstable because I felt like I was going to fall out. There was basically room for a human head between my shoulders and the harness once the chute deployed. I had much more stable openings because I felt more comfortable in a harness that fit, so I could relax and arch with the 150.

I saw the horizon and the ground for what felt like the F&*$% time! I did my F&^$% successful tracking dive off the line of flight and four more there after... I love to track! (I still suck, but I'm much better than before. I jumped a 150 for the F&*%^ time, which was REALLY rewarding. It was awesome to actually jump a rig that fit!!! I could steer it so much better than the 170 and 190 and am finally starting to feel comfortable under my canopy!!! Does this mean I can actually stop renting and buy a rig??? I did my F&^*# two-way, which was pretty cool because I got to hear another persons advice on how to do this and that... To top it all off I did my F%^$# 4-way sunset dive. The guys were experienced jumpers and friends who knew my skill level and planned a perfect jump for me. We did a 4 way round and track! It's soooo cool watching someone track on their back beneath you and I love going fast forward! 12 jumps this week and I left the DZ feeling like a skydiver for the F%^&$ time. Thanks to all of you kick ass people who helped make all this happen. You rock!

Northern California. Private instructor who kicks ass... $1,000. Someone from the UK just got certified by him last week. I finnished AFF with him two weeks ago.

Thanks Brian.

Did it yesterday... special occasion for my birthday though! Worked my ass off today for screwing off yesterday. Good times!!!

So are you going to jump this weekend??? The skies are blue and waiting for you chica!!! -Kim

Blue skies are just around the corner girl... Don't over think it, just do it! P.S. Check out the thread on "Door Fear" http://dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2170896;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread Damn, I wish I knew how to cut those freaking URL's in half!!!

I just recently passed AFF, so only from experience, if you're not at the spotting stage, then try to look at the horizon and then at the front of the plane as soon as you step out. If I looked down and not towards the plane then I would have had an unstable exit because my body would have followed where my head was looking and I would have probably failed that level. By the time I was done with AFF I could spot with minimal level of fear... I attribute this to focusing on the task at hand. I think about my progression to the door and what I'm going to do when I get there. If I'm jumping first, I have to make sure nothing is down there to splat into and that I'm over the DZ; and if I'm behind somone, I have to make sure to give them 5 seconds before I bail, look and then bail myself. Lisa, I think I just figured it out... rather than focusing on your fears and nerves, just focus on the tasks at hand, whether it's getting to the DZ, putting on your gear, getting in the plane, going through the plan of what you are going to do in your head during frefall and finally setting up your exit. Shit, if you're concentrating on all that, then how are you going to have time to be nervous? This goes along with the, "don't over think it, just do it!"

P.S. I read the hompage on collapes, but still don't understand how this could happen if you don't do anything crazy and keep your lines tight.

How does this happen?

LOL! I did! And I might have to do it again this week since we got shit for weather today and tomorrow!

Congratulations on passing AFF... IN ONE DAY!!! (Ed just passed me last weekend, but it took quite a few more for me;-) I'm so glad the weather Gods cooperated for you! Yea, I'm not sure if our instructor's in on management, but he's definitely got some sort of super powers. Safe travels!!!

Hmm... are you sure this friend isn't interested in BASE? Is this the friend that witnessed her first jump the day before she did her first skydive and told you that she "wants to jump off bridges" when she grows up? Is this also the person who drove the jumpers to and from the location(s) on more than one occasion? Just curious. Ground crew and spectating seem to be logical things someone who wants to get into the sport would do to be closer to it... rather than jumping into it without evaluating all the concequences. I'll owe you some beers on those "firsts" btw.

Very good point. This must be why I don't get overly nervous up there, but instead... just enough to make sure I touch my handles a few times on the way up and just before I get to the door. Happy jumping this weekend!!! Yipee!