BikerBabe

0:10:2 uhh....I traveled to Eloy...hubby went to CO for a race, so that explains the first #. 6 of the jumps were the SSL meet. I went, had no one to jump with, threw together 3 other unsuspecting innocent souls, and we competed in the A class. Against ourselves, but we did pretty good for having 3 people on the team who'd never competed in 4-way before! Since we technically won the gold medal, and it was my first one...beer for that. Of course, the prize was a case of beer, so it sort of canceled out...LOL! the last jump on Sat. was a 31-way and my first formation load, so one case for that. other 3 jumps were fun 8-ways...thanks Don! it was a fun weekend.

Um...too tough to call! I'll be rooting for Airspeed, because I know them, but as to who will win, I think it's truly a toss-up between those three. I can't wait to see it!

Well, it's not as *cloyingly* sweet, and it has a hint of berry taste. Also, it doesn't leave that sweet aftertaste that red bull does. yummy.

I would say the best thing to do is either convince your DZO to become a dealer, or just send the folks at Go Fast an email and ask the question. Seriously, though, if your DZ starts selling it, Red Bull will become a thing of the past, since everyone I've talked to that tries Go Fast loves it. And it tastes good with Vodka, too.

Red Bull is OK. Go Fast is much much MUCH better! It tastes better, and it works better, too...the up and down isn't nearly as rapid as red bull...more a gradual increase in energy and then it lets you back down slowly. And it doesn't taste like cough medicine. Plus, you'd be supporting Kurt, the skydiver who invented it (and started the Go Fast company), and Adam, who designed just about all the Go Fast graphics, as well as just about every other skydiving logo or graphic you could think of... Yes, I'm biased, because I jump with Adam, but seriously, it is so much better: try this: http://www.gofastsports.com edited to say: what lawndart said!!!

Oh, this makes me so mad. Any idea whose rigs they were out of? I can't believe it was another skydiver...I mean, it's Arizona Airspeed, for goodness sakes! Everyone in the sport practically knows who they are. Anyway, the pic is close...the yellow is a little more neon...they're really nice-looking canopies. I hate idiots. I had all the cash stolen out of my wallet this weekend (out of my car). They left everything else (husband's palm pilot, credit cards, car radio...) just took the cash. Obviously these people have never had anything of value stolen from them.

Yes, and how many great white sharks are found in San Francisco Bay? Just off Fort Point, no less...

I had 2 canopies out on my 9th jump ever. The ripcord had a notch in it, and I had a hard pull. Immediately went to reserve (good training!), and the opening shock of the reserve knocked the main ripcord out, and the main opened. It essentially opened into a downplane, so it was obvious I had to cut it away. Even on student gear, downplanes are quick.

Fat Tire. Pete's Wicked Ale. FAT TIRE!

Well, to put it bluntly, everything is faster! When you compare 5000 feet to sea level, it's a helluva lot faster! Basically, because the air is a lot less dense, you have less drag on your canopy, and it flies faster. This is especially noticeable on a high-performance canopy. For example, at Eloy(1,500 ft), my favorite thing is landing my Stiletto on a no-wind day. In Albuquerque (5,500 ft), it scares me a bit. I'm going faster, there's no grass to slide on, and a heck of a lot of crap out in the desert to trip over. The best comparison I've heard is that the higher you get, the smaller and smaller your canopy performs (like you downsized). It's pretty much true. I've never jumped a Stiletto 107 or 97, but I can imagine landing it at sea level would feel a bit like landing my 120 in NM on a no-wind day. However, because you've learned at high-altitude DZs, you'll have a distinct advantage in that regard over people who have only jumped at sea level. If you get visitors to your DZ, remind them of the speed.

Well, I can't guarantee that Cass won't kill you...but seriously, what could you hit...that house on the runway???

prepheckt, you jump at Calhan? if so...nah, there's nothing out there for it to hit anyway! hmmm....this sounds like a fun little thing for this weekend! woohoo!

eeeek! Funniest. movie. EVER. I'd have to say that in a given week I only do about 15 minutes of real, actual work...

I was skydiving before I met my husband, a whuffo, but he races motorcycles, so he understands the adrenaline thing. Like Snowbird, we do a ton of outdoor stuff together, hiking, camping, biking, etc. He really has no problem with me spending time and money skydiving, (he does the same with his racing) as long as we take a weekend a month and spend it together. I think the difference is that I was skydiving before I met him, and he knew that skydiving and I came as a package deal. You want me, you have to take the life-consuming hobby that comes with me. Plus, I finally got him to do a tandem!

Boy, Lisa, I know exactly how you feel. Do you have plans to go to the tunnel? If so, just wait. I didn't jump much in 2001 at all (er...20 jumps!), and I think it was because I didn't have any clear goals in mind. Since the state of skydiving in New Mexico at that time was non-existant, I decided that the only way for me to get any quality jumps was to travel, so I started by getting some freefly coaching down at Eloy. That was fun, but while I was doing it, I couldn't help but be in awe watching Airspeed Vertical train. Anyway, I went to the Skills Camp in February, then again in April (4 days only, but I'm now an addict), and I just returned from the tunnel 2 weeks ago. I know exactly the feeling you're talking about, because when I compare video of me from Feb. to video of me in the tunnel, I start to wonder if I was taken by body snatchers. It's not the same girl! My body position is changed, my awareness in the air is better, and I'm having more fun. Plus, after going to these camps and hanging around so many driven people, the thing that's changed most is my goals for my skydiving...which has translated to more time and energy spent on improving my flying. I love that feeling!

Window? BWAHAHAHAHA! I work 500 yards under a mountain in a former nuclear weapons storage facility. I have cubicles...yeah, that's my scenery... Not only do we not have windows, when you turn the lights out, we glow. j/k, it's actually pretty cool, with a lot of history. I go to work each morning and it's like stepping into a time machine back into the 1950's. But still no windows. Hell, I don't even know when it's raining outside.

weid, I'm interested to know how Channel 13 is spinning it...I was down at the tunnel when all this happened, and they came out to interview Craig Girard about BASE jumping. From all indications it was going to be somewhat positive, at least from the standpoint of wanting to inform the public about what BASE is, but it sounds like this is negative press all around. They even invited the press to come to see Craig and Neal do a "legal" BASE jump off the Skycoaster. I don't know if they did, the jump was supposed to happen Monday night.

HI all. I'm going to start trying this now... I'm looking for a pick-up team to do the SSL meet at Eloy on June 22nd. I have no team this year, and I just want to compete! If anyone is looking for a 4th (or even a 3rd or 2nd) for that meet, or is interested, please shoot me an email at [email protected] I live in New Mexico, but was planning to travel to Eloy that weekend, anyway. I have limited competition experience, but I'm determined to kick and scratch my way to as many meets as possible this year. Thanks. Andi

Though I can't see what you're doing, it's a good bet that you aren't keeping your body symmetrical when you're turning. It's really just the physics of the turn. If you are only using the upper half of your body to turn, it's a lot harder to keep your center point in one place. If you think about dropin one elbow and the opposite knee, it will work, and you'll be more symmetrical. As for drills, I would do some 2-way drills, and don't even start with 360's. Go with someone who can fall straight down and knows what a sidebody setup should look like. Set up a no copntact 2-way star, and just do 90's into a no contact sidebody. That way, you can make sure you aren't actually moving out on the first 90 of your 360 turns. Then move to 180's, setting up a good cat picture, and just work on the head switch. Or, get to the tunnel! LOL!

No flaming here, Justin...go see Lord of the Rings, instead. I have a feeling it's MUCH MUCH better!

Let's see. Probably the High Plains Boogie at Calhan, CO on June 21-23, The Skydive New Mexico Water Boogie in Mid September (if there's a lake here with enough water in it), and Nationals. Possibly Lost Prairie.

eeek, hobbes, there might not be a lot of people there the last weekend of June...it's the 2nd CSL meet at Longmont...just letting you know.

I only got 2 this weekend, due to winds. It's been windy just about every day here since March (I mean, 20-30 mph!) they were both 3-ways out of our 182. One was a superpositioning drill (open accordians with the end person flying around to the other end), which in and of itself is no biggie, except that I jumped with Jimmy Olander, the guitarist from the group Diamond Rio (they're a pretty popular country group). He was really cool...has about 600 jumps, and he tries to do radio promos at local DZ's wherever they tour. Basically, he has the local country station hold a contest, and buys the winner and the DJ a tandem. Then he goes and jumps with the winner. It's really great exposure for local DZ's and the sport! Too bad the tandems were winded out. The second one was just some 3-way randoms, and it went really well. 11 points or so (from 10000 ft), which is great considering one of the folks was a low-timer. He was really psyched when we landed. No jumping for me next weekend...I'm going to New York City...

Airspeed. They're going to step up to the challenge. But I'm biased...of course I'll root for the ones I know! :)

Brush (Denver Skydivers) is also somewhat close...it's north of Denver. A bunch of really fun, really nice folks up there! try here: http://www.denverskydivers.com They have a map.