NoWorriesNIkky

Ok...I have to jump in this one....because I had a cutaway on my very FIRST SOLO JUMP ever due to the main parachute catching around both of my legs when it came out. The DZO asked me (after I was picked up in a ditch by staff and brought back a little banged up), if I HAD ANY OF HIS HANDLES! I wanted to say....I'm a student, this was my first solo.......What do you fucking think! Instead I politely said no. So here's my take. I don't care what the parachute cost....I don't care what the bag cost and I don't care what the handles cost. Whether I paid for or have to pay for them or not. My life.........priceless! Just my two cents. (edited for spelling) No Worries, You're Good!

Ok I apparantely jump at one of the cheapest priced DZ's there must be. Lodi, CA - Bill Dause's Parachute Center. Tandem is $100 DVD is $50 or DVD + Stills for $75. Total is $150-175 for everything weekday or weekend. This could be why I had 7 tandems in two months this summer. I have since done three solo static line jumps and one free fall jump from a Cessna. But....the main parachute caught around my ankles on my FIRST SOLO FREEFALL and I had to chop it and ride the reserve into an "alternate" landing area. But, hey one jump, two chutes...LOL Anyway, have fun and ask your Tandem Master if he will do flips with you. My first Tandem jump was three back flips out of the plane, then front flips, and finally after about 4 tandems (and my flip master not being there) and I did a straight out jump. I have to tell you....I WANT TO ALWAYS DO FLIPS!!!! Have fun you will love it and start saving your money, because more than likely one or both of you are going to want to go back and back and back and back. No Worries, You're Good!

Hiya Ed, I didn't realize you had posted your inquiry. I have not been back to finish the course as it has taken my leg this long to heal. At first the bruises were minor and swelling were minor, but oh my did the bruises expand from knee to ankle and my foot swelled up with fluid / blood if I was on my feet too long. You know the ole everything travels down hill. The swelling in my knee went down into my foot. The bruise on my knee soon became a bruise that spanned from knee to ankle. No Worries....I didn't need any medical treatment. Just had one hell of a bruise is all. All good as new and will be contacting the Parachute Center to reschedule the completion of the course. Hope to see everyone really soon. Worries all gone, been mentalling practicing jumping in my mind for over 4 weeks now :) Take Care All, Nichole Edited for spelling No Worries, You're Good!

Thank you! But I'm pretty sure I win in the glad I'm ok department . Well I damn near came close to a moving tractor. My first thought was scan for obstacles....then what the hell....MOVING obstacles....Oh shit! I veared away from said tractor and was thankful I did stop in the ditch, as a few more feet, I would have been on a brand spanking new asphalt road! Yes strong work indeed for my first free fall, but hands down, you win...I will take dirt over the van. Again thanks! No Worries, You're Good!

Hey all, sorry I didn't mean to start up a new conversation. Remember I am new and don't have much experience. I more than likely did not explain the situation in whole and / or correctly. This is my last update to this thread. I did get three static line jumps and my first free fall jump in yesterday. The S/L's were fine, however my 1st free fall was a scare I will remember forever. In short I had a "brain fart" pulled out of control and the "riser" I think, wrapped around both my ankles and I spun. Boy did I spin. I couln't free my legs and had a hard time cutting away the main. But as you can see, I must have cause I'm here. I grabbed those toggles on the reserve, released the brakes and found my alti at 1500ft. I could see I was not going to make my markers and looked for where to land. Which, unfortunately for me, was a field of DIRT. After being completely scared out of my frinken mind and afraid of missing the dirt and hitting the road, I got toggles to shoulders at 10 ft. and at about 3ft I let go of the right toggled to block my face from impact. My feet hit the ground and momentum turned me into superwoman belly down in the dirt. The bruises and scabs are minor. The swelling in my leg and knee has mostly gone. We did stay and bbq for those that stayed around after closing. I must have known I would need to drink because I had three cases of corona in the car. Needless to say, I drank my fricken ass off and my husband and I stayed in a hotel in Galt. TO EVERYONE! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. You will see me again as soon as the aches and pains subside A little bit of worries Nikky No Worries, You're Good!

Well the ground school was long and informative and I was soooooo ready to jump. However, the wind had its own plan. The winds woudn't let up so we had to call it a day at 3:00 without doing a single jump. We will be back tomorrow and hopefully the winds will have died down. On the other side of things, as we were getting ready to leave we decided to watch the landings of the load that just went up. We watched one malfunction, cut away and pull the reserve and then noticed another a second chute dropping in the air. After all were to the ground we quickly found out that one person had opened their shoot and another person was above him and impacted on top of the chute. The person on top immediately pulled his chute safely and the person below noticing a big HOLE in his chute cut away and pulled his reserve. Thankfully, everyone made it down safely and the person who was above had a camera on. We watched the video in dismay, shocked so see what it looks like when someone below has opened their chute as you look down in freefall and impact it, but regarded it as simply as extra learning in our course. A big major extra learning, but nonetheless, knowledge we saw first hand and will remember!!!! Well I rambled...cause I'm tired. So all packed for tomorrow and off for a good night's rest. Dear wind gods....chill out for tomorrow please! Nichole No Worries, You're Good!

Good Morning Everyone! Today is the day. I am packing up to leave for the DZ and the 1st day of my course . A Huge Thank You to everyone who posted, emailed and sent messages! If I am not to exhausted when I get home tonight I will post a follow up of how it went! Again thanks! Nichole {Edited for spelling} No Worries, You're Good!

Hey Pfloyd: Welcome. Yea everyone thinks I'm nuts too. I was hooked on my first Tandem as well. Obviously cause I did 7 more tandems! It seems that everyone new says the same thing...I'ts all I think about and talk about. I don't know why, but it's true! Tomorrow morning I start a two day static line progression into free fall course! Welcome and good luck on Saturday! Blue skies to you too. Nichole Edited to add: I noticed you are from Roseville also. I am jumping at the Parachute Center in Lodi though. Let me know how skydance is. We will probably cross paths soon. Do I know you? LOL No Worries, You're Good!

I'm trying to think..... I'm not sure if there's anyone who's trained more civilian skydivers using the S/L method than him. *** You are probably right from what I have heard about Mr. Dause. I am glad I will be learning under his guidance. 24 hours to go.....tick..tick Thanks, Nichole No Worries, You're Good!

I'm thinking it will be blast and will be better everytime! In most of my Tandem videos at the end, my exact words were, "It just gets better everytime" Thanks for the input, I appreciate it! Tomorrow's the big day! 24 hours from right now I will be at the DZ!!!!!!!!!!!!! No Worries, You're Good!

I don't which story is funnier. But I'm with mountain dew guy...I dang near spit my drink all over the place. Good Times...Thanks for a good laugh! Nichole No Worries, You're Good!

Hey Shawndiver, Thanks for the welcome! I am sure we will meet up sometime in Lodi since I see that is your home DZ. I will be the small brunette that can't stop smiling after she skydives. LMFAO Or I'll be the small brunette putting back Coronas at the end of the day. Either way, I'll be smiling Again, thanks for the nice welcome. Nichole No Worries, You're Good!

Thanks for the input. I did a lot of checking around, however, just being there you get a good vibe from everyone. There are a lot of cool people working out there. They don't mind answering questions and there nice about it. We are going to BBQ and pop out ice chests of beer for all the workers after we pass our course. Everyone has told me about the "first" beers rule Again thanks, Nichole No Worries, You're Good!

I was having so much fun doing front & back flips and even heads down jumps with the Tandem Masters. Also, because I need to get week days off to do the course, which I start the day after tomorrow. I couldn't wait for the course, so I kept doing the tandems. Now, there will be nodoby on my back Nichole No Worries, You're Good!

Glad to hear you didn't really lose your arm. I will pay close attention to my instructor and I won't hesitate to ask a question if I am not entirely sure of something. Nichole No Worries, You're Good!