Cashmanimal

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Everything posted by Cashmanimal

  1. Yeah, I had a pretty long talk with Adam about it. (As a side note-- i recently moved from NM out to Hollister, CA, but I still talk to him on pretty much a daily basis) The conclusion we came to would be to just set the helmet up for top mount video AND still, interchangeable. Which in theory should be pretty easy with that top mount... but I just wasn't sure how sturdy that thing will be. I didn't want to compromise the structural integrity of it by adding additional holes, if needed, for both cameras to be able to attach. Unfortunately, he hasn't used the universal top mount, since he is always flying his FTP all crazy customed-out, in typical Adam style. Thanks for the input.. another thing to consider doing out here. It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  2. Hey everybody, sorry for another, "I need your opinion on stuff I already bought" thread, but, here it is. I Had many talks with videographer/photographers that new me, and they think I have the abilities to start flying a camera, I wanted to be sure of that. SO, after flying a friends' a couple of times, I ordered my own stuff, so I can start flying a camera from time to time, since I can tell I am going to love it. After reading (very limited) reviews on the Bonehead Zeus, I decided to go with that. I didn't think it would be secure with just the chin strap, but once i saw a picture of how it sits on the head, it looks like it will be fine for the cameras I will have. Does anybody have any NEW opinions on the Zeus (Other than it is ugly? Which is your opinion, of course)? I realize there is a dedicated thread for that, so, sorry.... BUT, I also wanted to know how well these components work: The universal mounting plate, from bonehead, as well as the "L-bracket." Being as how all the cameramen at my DZ all fly FTP's and FTN's, I haven't had too many chances to see these in action, and when I did, I didn't really pay attention. LASTLY, any tips for mounting this stuff? Unfortunately, I am a poor college student, so my only tools will be an electric drill, a handfull of bits, and an assortment of washers I bought from Lowe's, assuming those would make sense in the assembly. Any additional parts you would suggest before all this stuff arrives, so I am ready for it? (I have no car... I can only bum a ride so often!) Thanks a lot for your help, everybody. I appreciate your patience/suggestions on a thread that has probably been posted thousands of times before. (Especially since I just took three previously existing threads and consolidated them solely for the purpose of my inability to find the other three every time i want them.) It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  3. This video is from my "birthday party," but it was also my 50th jump. here in new mexico, the land of Enchantment, ballooning is a given... it was the obvious choice for a celebration! Plus, my family own two balloons... I quit flying when i took up skydiving... Anyway, sorry for the obvious captions... this video was quickly put together for my wuffo friends... http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4740481195163346835&q=alex+cashman&hl=en It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  4. Unfortunately, I cannot relate to Cliff as well as most of those who have posted in this thread. However, I feel a twisted connection to him that makes me feel as if i have lost somebody very close to me. In Eloy, i was putting the pin through my closing loop when I heard the canopies collide; I was packing on a tarp in between the main building and the bathrooms. As a new skydiver, the entire situation is burned into my mind, as I saw it occur from begining to end. Once I realized there was nothing i could do after having many experienced friends talk with me briefly, I returned to my rig and put it on as the group I was with (Skydive New Mexico) was on the DC-3 load that was the first plane to leave the ground after the accident. As I landed in the main area, the ambulance was just pulling away. It was later after talking to a friend that I was informed of where Cliff was from. It really hit me hard finding out that Cliff had spent plenty of time jumping at Hollister. In August, I moved from New Mexico to attend college in San Jose, and I now jump at Hollister. Seeing so many photos of Cliff hanging around at Hollister, videos of his jumps, and recolelctions of the impact he has had on so many people has made me feel as if i have lost an old friend... despite the fact that i only saw Cliff for a few seconds, which proved to be his last. Although I did not know you, your death has had an obvious impact on me, Cliff. I can assure you that you will never be forgotten... neither by those who knew you, or those who did not. It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  5. Actually, I think I have found the only way I can make this work. As far as flying at night, it can't be done. Balloons can take off in the dark with strobes if the pilot is qualified, but they have to land after sunrise-- anybody who has been to the famed Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta will recognize the "dawn patrol." So, this means I could ideally be in the balloon before the sun comes up, and the second I hit that miracle sunrise start jumping. Fortunately, we have a couple of ballooning friends qualified for the dawn patrol. Like i said, I flew balloons myself for three years, and understand the not-so-well-known danger the pilot faces... your story is quite scary! having been in the sport, I was able to make a few connections, and my step-father has his commercial license, and would be able to provide his flying as well as any connections he has. My thought process is, being in the ballooning capitol of the world, there would be no more appropriate record, or at least attempt! Of course, weather is a huge issue. I may pick a day where it is great at dawn, and windy by 10 am. And of course, it would have to be on the coldest day possible (BOO!) so there would be as much flying time possible for the balloons! We usually do our balloon jumps on a wide open mesa, where grid-like roads make navigation on the ground a little easier. My plan would be to gather 6, 7, maybe 8 balloons, and create a caravan. I would take off in the first, and keep the caravan underneath us. Just before I jump, I could radio to the chase crew and tell them to start laying out the next balloon. By the time i jump, land, and grab a new rig, the next ballon should be close to inflated. Meanwhile,balloons that i already jumped from could land, and quite possibly be in a position where i could land right next to it and use it again. If not, they could do a simple pack-up and keep following until they run out of fuel. This time of year, the average ballon could probably do just 2 "hops," or jumps for me, before needing to refuel, would also be a complication. I am thinking refueling could occur during the hottest part of the day when the winds tend to pick up. I personally think it sounds plausible. I know it would be a lot of work. It may even need to be attempted multiple times, due to weather issues. Thanks for your input! I think it wold be pretty fun to be a "distraction" myself, haha! Genious! Those bi-annual flights and check-rides are tedious and annoying! It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  6. whoah! some progress, haha! thanks for your input... i'll start looking into that... It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  7. okay, well, don't everybody all respond at once. Does anybody have what they would consider to be a respectable amount of balloon jumps that the would like to post? A fun story about balloon jumps? Pretty much anything involving the two hobbies of ballooning and skydiving that would keep this thread from becoming a complete and total failure? It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  8. Hey everybody... I have tried loking this info up but have found a lot of confilcting information... not that I won't get any conflicting info from a forum, haha! Anyway, I was curious what the current record is for most ballon jumps in one day. Also, I would like to know who holds the current highest number of total balloon jumps. As a former member of the balloon pilot community (flew jumpers one day-- haven't flown since
  9. I bought myself an altitrack on jump 8 of AFF (personal connections). I think that would be an awesome present. I absolutely love mine, I don't really understand why you would go with any other expensive altimeter. I can't use the Neptune. While it may be good for some, I don't like having to look at numbers and comprehend them. With the old fashioned needle method, I don't really have to interpret the number, I just recognize and know. Maybe the Neptune is better for some... a ton of people use them at my DZ. It just stresses me out. So basically, I like the alti-track idea. Or an alti-2 with a Solo, or Optimaa?.... It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  10. The times where i get in the most jumps are small competitions. I entered a small speed start somp. and ended up doing 6 jumps in one day, from 15,000 ft and I got to have a ton of fun doing it. All you have to do is pac, and the entries get top priority on the manifest. Although there won't be sped stars everyday... but it would make a nice little surge in the process. Also, this may sound stupid to somepeople who have always been spoiled... but be sure to hit a DZ that is open 7 days a weeks and will put up loads that aren't completely full. My home DZ was only open on the weekends and was very, very reluctant about putting up cessna loads that weren't full (all we have are two C-182's). If we had three people, often the three would be willing to split the jump ticket. Otherwise, no way. Since moving out to California, my new DZ has spoiled me. Open 7 days a week, King Air loads, and they don't always want a full load to send it up. Although it is a popular place, so there is often enough people to put up the king air. It's been great. It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  11. The general consensus is that i am flipping off the camera... I don't remember doing it, but that's cool, I'm over it, haha! It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  12. Okay, an extremely recent experience--- Immediately after the whole, no gels no anything fiasco, I was traveling from San Jose, California to Albuquerque, NM, changing planes in Phoenix, Arizona. I figured they were at a new height in airport security, and would be cracking down pretty hard for a while, before they got over it, which they usually do a few months later. As a college student, I need very little to live on... I packed a small bag with my skydiving accesories (Alti, helmet, jumpsuit..) and checked that. I chose to carry on my rig, as I have no gear bag and no suitcase to put it in. Also, the plane ticket was expensive enough, I wasn't going to ship it. I called ahead and S&TA said that I could bring my rig on the plane if the main was detached from the container. I tried to clarify if that meant it had to be carried seperately, or if all I had to do was release the 3-ring assembly, and I could leave the bag in the container. After about 5 minutes of ping-ponging that conversation back and forth, I learned nothing, and at that point didn't care. When I got to the airport, I just made sure to have my license with me, as well as the little card from the Cypress 2 manual. (The one with the x-ray of what the rig looks like, and the paragraph saying they hold no authority against allowing the rig- they have to let me on.). Security was suspicious of it, but let me go through. Same in Phoenix, same in Albuquerque. So overall, the only problems I ran accross were people asking me if i really was scared of traveling to the point where I needed to bring a parachute on with me.... after them clarifying that it was what I was carrying. Funny thing is, after all my paranoia, I realized when I got back to my dorm that I had tied my handles down with the chest strap... which had my hook knife on it the whole time, there and back. I never once got asked about the hook knife, and never had to show the Cypress card, which I always had out ready with my license, ID and boarding pass. So basically, aside from specific airports mentioned above, I can verify that San Jose, Phoenix, and Albuquerque could all really care less aobut it. Just protect your gear, guard your handle, and I kept a general rule of never letting out of my sight... I put it in the overhead compartment across the aisle, so when people went into the compartment I could always see what they were doing, making sure they didn't get curious and pull the shiny silver handle. It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  13. I saw them in Vegas, and I gladly would have payed twice what I did for tickets. It's a great show because they involve the entire audience, not just those in the front rows, or even on the floor. I originally though it would be solely based on the music, which I was really excited about. However, it turned out to be absoloutely hilarious. The comedy skits were great, and the mind-blowingness was ridiculous. Some of the things they did to screw with my head baffle me to this day. I was in the 5th row back of the balcony in the Venetian, in Vegas. I ended up being part of the show, which was great. One of the blue men ran up to the balcony and stole a Toblerone from the guy in front of me (a plant, i am sure), and then proceeded to open it, break off a few pieces, and then run away. After a few steps he turned around and came back to me, and gave me the chocolate. Then he ran down the the balcony railing and motioned me to throw the chocolates into his mouth! The echoed a skit from the begining of the show where he caught about 10 marshmallows in his mouth at once from about 20 feet away. Luckily, I made 4 great throws, and he caught them all! He then ran back up to me, held my hand in the air to be embarassed in front of everybody even more, and then spit out all the chocolates into my hand! It was great. Also, they do things at the begining of the show with those red, scrolling message, electronic signs that are great. They say things like, which famous people are in the crowd, or somebody's birthday, haha!One of the messages was, "All of the paper in this show is recycled." I didn't get it until the show started, and ended. At the begining, they pass out rolls of streamers for the audience to get "creative," and dress themselves up. At the end, they just roll thousands of feet of paper everywhere, so it showers all over the theater. It was a once in a lifetime experience, and wouldn't trade it for anything, I absolutely loved it. Also, I noticed when I got back to my room (at the Luxor) that I had Blue man paint on me! I photographed it so i would have evidence. Also, despite the usher trying to take it from me when he brought me a wet-nap after the chocolate episode, I kept the chocolates he spit in my hand, wrapped in the streamers from the begining of the show. To this day, they sit on my shelf in a box labeled "Vegas." Once again, a once in a lifetime experience. The trip was a present to my girlfriend and I for graduating high school. It was a great idea! On a more current note, my parents recently saw BMG in Rio Rancho, New mexico, as part of the tour you guys are talking about. I basically forced them to go, since all i did was talk about the shows for weeks after i returned from Vegas. My step-dad had seen the show before and said while it was still an amazing show, they just couldn't so the things they do in their Venetian theater, because all the mind-blowing things are just to bug to travel with. Also, the Venetian was easily the most beautiful hotel, in my opinion, which added to my experience. Still an enjoyable show he said, worth the money. Attached are some photos... It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  14. I'm not sure if it is even a real word... i think it is. Also, I don't know how to spell it.... "Nomenclature" Example: Friend- "Look at that... green, jumpy-thing." Response: "I believe tat 'Frog,' would be the preferred nomenclature." I sound so smart when I say it. It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  15. Although I have only been in the sport for about 6 months, I have racked up almost 90 jumps... while speazing in my freshmen semester at college. I have found that being at a big DZ (bigger than the one I learned) helped me progress very quickly. I have been jumping with groups of amazing freeflyers with thousands of jumps for a few months now, but i find I love jumping with the fresh guys and girls. I find that I have a lot to offer them as somebody who was in there position not too long ago, but has gained a lot of experience. I have also found a good excersise is when somebody asks what I want to do, I say, "Just jump, and let me try to stay with you." Whether it is an extremely experienced person or somebody fresh into their A, it's a new experience for me. The flying styles will obviously be much different, forcing me to maximize my flying skills each time. PLus, it's pretty fun to watch other people flaunt what they do (or don't) have, haha! It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  16. I jump a Sabre 190... notorious for "hard openings." I figured out how to pack it nice, but every once in a while, i get what I consider to be a "hard opening." Basically, it fells okay until it starts to stand me up, at which point I get snapped so hard I can lick my sternum, or possibly even my belly-button. And if it was especially hard, I sometimes feel as though I have 1 less vertibrae because my spine has been compressed to the point where one just... exploded It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  17. haha... okay, yeah, I already bought it. But this isn't a, "I can't decide between..." thing, it's an, "I already bought it, any advice from those who already have it?" thread. Perhaps an example is in order: I am not asking: Should I buy the Chevy Camaro, or the Ford Mustang? I am asking: I bought a Chevy Camaro... any advice on how to make the seats more comfortable? Does it feel faster if I add.... does it handle better if i do.... Aside from the super-long initial post, I thought it made sense, haha. Maybe not, i don't know. (I would have bought the Camaro, by the way) It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  18. I have what will probably be the hardest final ever on Saturday. Good thing I am going jumping all day tomorrow, wouldn't want to do anything productive, like studying. It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  19. Just looking for any advice, pointers, secrets or complaints anybody has on any of the particular components that may apply to me. I know everything will be different for anybody, but looking for things to onsider when I do start jumping this rig. Things such as, "My spectre has a much deeper stall point than my Sabre," or anything that may apply in that respect. It doesn't have to be THAT similar, haha. Mainly things people who use these components have found, such as tips and tricks, or things they dislike, love....... It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye
  20. First of all, I would like to say hello to everybody, as I have finally decided to start posting on the forums, and actually register with the site. I have been reading the forums for a few months now, just never had the need to post... Now down to business. I have been in the sport since about April, and have progressed relatively quickly, due to amazing instruction and lots of help. My first rig was a Vector II with a Sabre 190, PD 176R. It was converted to BOC, and had the velcro replaced. The rig worked perfectly for me for my first 50 or so jumps. Then, I moved out to California to go to college, and left my small but familiar DZ. Going from an altitude of 5500 ft above sea level to sea level was a slight change but nothing too spectacular. However, jumping bigger, faster planes, longer freefall and being surrounded by freeflyers eventually led to the need for a new rig. I have been wanting to get a little more serious about freeflying, but the velcro riser covers and exposed bridle were setting me back... I have been told too many scary stories. I borrowed many rigs to test with varying canopy sizes, all of which were Sabre II's. I recently purchased the rig that seemed best for me. I weigh 190-195 with gear, and am 6'0". I purchased a Voodoo V-4 harness/container, a Spectre 150, and a PD160 reserve, as Rigging Innovations said it would fit best in the container. I was stuck between buying a Sabre II 170, or the Spectre. I eventually went with the Spectre, as i have been jumping 150's in California, but will also be traveling home, where I am told the 150 will be nice to me, a little more docile than a Sabre II 150, but I will be able to push it if i want to. Basically, a compramise, as i would probably replace the 170 sooner than I will be replacing the 150. I hope to have it for quite a while, as downsizing is nothing I am really set out to do in a big hurry. -Sigh- (sorry for the long post). Anyway, I wanted to hear from anybody who had any true complaints or advice on any of these components. I have read the praise and believe most of it, however, there are two sides to (most) every story. I had the pleasure of jumping a voodoo container this weekend, and must say that it was marvelous. It was so comfortable, I felt secure, and I have never been so comfortable under canopy. I was caught in a sticky situation, since obviously most of my jumping was done here at sea level, but i also travel home and jump there, where the canopy characteristics will be much different. I have unfortunately not yet had the (hopefully) pleasure of jumping a 7-cell canopy, but understand all that I can from reading how different it will be. Thanks for tolerating and hopefully reading this ridiculously long post. Promise future posts will be more under control, haha! It's all fun and until someone loses an eye... then it's just a game to find the eye