gimpboogie

Thanks Peter (you've been a part of my progression=thank you for the canopy contro seminar). yes i do think it is the 1st licence of any sort in Canada given to a paralyzed person (as in never having done a single skydive prior to paralysis-I know Lonnie has a licence [at least an A and most likely much more then that] prior to his paralysis) Perhaps more then just in Canada. IF it is, that Lonnie, Peter, Dale, and Russell all had done a skydive(s) prior to paralysis-and IF it is that these individuals are the only ones [we know of] who are paralyzed skydivers in the world-then it may be that I'm the only one who has a licence of some sort having never skydived prior to paralysis. DOES IT MATTER-personally to me? NO The whole REASON for ANY of this has allready been proven-because Dale saw my youtube video's he made HIS dream of skydiving again a reality. I firmly believe that the day will come, when Dale will be able to show the world stage that 'WE CAN' reach hights many would not believe is possible. Yes getting 'this far' is a personal goal met- and satisfying because now I CAN FLY, but I must admit regardless of how "un popular" this statement is: -having a B.A.S.E.# before I die for the memory of someone whom I love so deeply, who-with me-as a child believed we will grow up and be able to fly together would be more meaningful to me. Having said that -back to the 'logistics'... As i look at the "skills grid" and requirements for the A licence, I have almost all of the requirements at this point. Out of the 5 RW required, 2 are done (& legally-with PFF instructors, one with two points and the other with three points in FF), more then 40 min. of freefall, out of the 10 self guided accuracy jumps 6 are done, What I need is the emergency procedures review A, the written test, 4 more accuracy jumps, 3 more 2 ways, and that back loop, front loop & barrel roll in one jump (which is the one that I am not sure I can do in one jump because these manouvers would require more altitude then I have to work with even from 13,00f. I believe that the "typical" tracking orientation/'attitude' is not optimal for me with my legs locked in an angle, but the angle in atmonauti is potentially do-able'. The barrel roll is definitely fine- (I've done it once -accidentally), the front loop should be ok also but the back loop will most likely be what will eat up most altitude. Which is why I am not sure if this combination in one jump will be possible (not to dismiss the fact that my fall rate is intense-my belly orientation fall rate is around 138mph-this year both my instructors needed to wear weights to be able to keep up with me and one of them certainly is a tall muscular man (thus heavier then the Angus). Infact, I can feel the speed intensify when I punh my arch 'hard'-levels is what I hope to work on in the future providing this winter will be gentler on my body then last. Yes perhaps if my life expectancy was 'typical' I may be able to accomplish all of those goals and acquire the same A licence as everyone else has-but I feel it in my body the last few months-my time to go fly with my best buddy, soul mate whom I have not seen since we were only young children-will come faster then I had believed it would two years ago. I am 'ok' with that-I am building memories into my memory bank, to take with me into that eternal freefall-and I am ok if I do not acquire the A licence for myself=but I really yearn to do so=for the others, like Dale who will want to fly one day. In order for the skydiving world to accept the possibility of having others like me-paralyzed but had never done a skydive prior to paralysis-to believe/accept that this is possible-someone has to do it. Since I am 'so close' -yet not close enough -(seriously I am not sure how much longer I can keep fighting with this body-every daily 'living' thing I do, is a mountain so high, elevations helicopters are unstable to fly) I want to try my best to get to the finish line-that A licence-so it paves the path for others to follow to the skies where we have moments of freedom never achievable on the ground. In agreement with Dale (and one of my more recent PFF instructors), there really doesnt seem to be any other reason for backloops except to prove that one can regain stability. Having to do the backloop, front loop and barrel roll in one jump does not seem to provide any other useful purpose except get the person introduced to the style set for B licence requirement (which again perhaps is merely important for those who wish to compete in style and accuracy-but I am not an expert at this and may be totally off track on my belief on the necesity of doing those all in one jump. At this point, having been battling this infection (which now is resistant to everything except for cipro-and I've been on it continually for 4 months and it is not getting better-merely keeping it at a tolerable level so I can function-on good days) for longer then i thought i would have energy for, I am getting tired, worn out and starting to get ready to finish the most important goals left in my life-and then allow myself to rest and fly free. It may sound 'wierd', but I am not afraid of death, certainly I do not want to die, & I'm hating my deal, but reality is, we all will go regardless of what we'd like to think and sometimes it isnt so terrible to know its coming sooner then later-it gives the opportunity to make meaningful decisions and try reaching goals which otherwise may be put off till later for a more 'convenient time' in life. Too many times I have heard people say, 'i wish i had...". Fortunate am I, for having been able to do the things I have done, been where I been, met who I've met.... 10 yrs ago I was not blessed with clarity of vision, and was too busy in the daily races of going nowhere. To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

well it seems that despite the days we've had that were not allowed to jump because the ceiling for deployment is too low-or the winds were too high, or.. or.. somehow along the way i got a licence. did the jumps, did the test. got the paperwork signed off, and now need to send it along with $ to CSPA. (thankfully the judging licence doesnt require extra fees!-or I'd have to start making choices). lately been doing a lot of hop n pops from the 206, and learned that the difference of having the door on the other side as our super grand caravan did- IS an issue. so I do the 'tumble exit', taking about 8 secs to find stability-still giving plenty of altitude to deploy stable. Been spotting myself-usually because no one else is left in the plane-they all get out # lower altitudes-but then again ive been told were crazy just for jumping in Canadian winters-but it seems to me, if you cant jump in cold winters-then why bother ever flying..... IF i was ever to fly again-i'd want my rig with me, AND the seat ebsdie the door-i dont care what the homeland security thinks of those choices-they are there to try to save my life-not to please the propaganda machine. yup, the blackjack is an amazing canopy., works great for hop n pops with less then 4 sec delay but works great with a 2 sec static line off a 300+foot antenna. I've read somewhere that PD makes consolidated rigging canopies-wether its true or not-i plan to fire off an email thanking them for a great B.A.S.E. canopy. mind you, packing is a big part. I LOVE the snake river's B/A/S/E/ nacking video-its flat packing (funny i had a rigger tell me its impossible to flat pack B/A/S/E/ until we went and.... yes, skydiving is a GREAT TRAINING TOOL for some jumping that skydiving can never match. as for skydiving-its a GREAT PLACE to learn...... awesome environment for a whole lot of things-including toughening up your skin.... I have no videos, or photos worth sharing-this yr me skydiving is 'old news' and the only photos or video i got i shared allready for the whole yr of skydiving... as for the B/A/S/E/ videos-got none-I'm NOWHERE near beng able to wear a camera helmet-and they've all been in the dark (funny thing is-i got one photo of the pilot chute opening-whch was taken from 300+f below while the rest of the photos are blur... static line B/A/S/E/ is my newest interest. or 'how low can you go'... on another note, my room mate just went to a USA DZ and within a week of showing up there (and buying 50 jump ticket booklet) the FAA seems to have gotten an interest in that DZ sn now he cant jump-til the FAA is done. I DO feel that in certain circumstances the tickets should be refundable0like in this situation. a guy travels from one end of the continent to jump at this olace, to spend 2 months there-and this happens-yah give the guy a refund-its not like he lives 2 hr dirve down the road and can come back when the FAA is finished with them. As for me-i got no $, spent way too much on gear, and repairs (like reserve repacks and AAD ) to be able to skydive much-thankfully my other canopy flight interests are free. Had another interesting jump. reallly wanted to see how longt stability takes time to acquire so a wagon wheel out the door seeemed to be a good way to try it out,... learned that instead of the 4 to 5 sec it takes typically, it tok 1500f to get stable from the fliping and to finally deploy. now i know..... as well as learned to get a bit better at spotting,,,,'spotting in a grand caravan is easy-wait for the green light and point to the DZ LOL, now the real fun starts-kus when its -40 below it isnt great to land off DZ when you cant walk.. To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

interesting thread. My son was "officially" dx'd with ADHD, and Aspergers syndrome (we all got that- LOL not just him-the whole family is autistic--another topic-did I Say I didnt have ADHD?).... He was 'perfect' on his 'practice' math tests as long as he was allowed to move (in his case0 cartwheels around a round table produced 100% test scores ) while ';forced' to sit down his school tests came back with F's. Somehow, us being a 'different' type of family, homeschooling was a good answer to that, and my kids both shared a lot of experiences that never 'pin pointed' them as having "problems" with one thing or another-bottom line we learned to work around the way each kid learned, not trying to force them to learn the way a teacher chose to teach (yes I know in a classroom setting you cant teach everyone individually). Now to skydiving. He did his 1st dive (q tandem) last summer and after it said "holy f*ck! 60 seconds feels like 4!" Interestingly, another tandem on the same load said his 60 seconds felt like an hour..... My son (to this day) doesnt tie his shoe laces- knots seem to work fine (he said he cant concentrate on packing past the 1st step-because he also started to focus on the details of the container) BUT he played video game 'mario world' at 24 months, and finished the whole game in 3 weeks while standing on his head (the only way he ever 'sat still' -try to make him sit and he fled-he ONLY stayed still while in a headstand-yes I have photos of him standing on his head at 18 months)... wether this is meaningful or NOT, I'm tossing it out there... perception seems to be 'altered' for my son. He literally couldn't concentrate unless he was allowed to be upside down (vestibular stimulation) -thus the backflips during tests. He swung on gymnasts rings in the hallway to spell, as well as to dictate essays. He tried to put the wooden toddler puzzles together by placing all the pieces upside down in their correct slots.... while skydiving during his tandem0he remembers MOST the seconds during his exit-when he was flipped upside down (how does his brain translate he is upside down IF he has never been in FF before and doesnt have a reference point to relate to yet-I can comprehend if he had been diving for a while, and could easily 'recognize' hes upside down... it only came to light when he was watching the video and started to dictate his thoughts as he was in the backloops, but once he was falling stable he doesnt remember what happened-and ffelt that perhaps nothing happened except 'time went on' without him noticing it). why did I bring it up? MAYBE some of it HAS some importance for skydivers diagnoised with ADHD. Perhaps there IS some vestibular stimulation issues others experience as well (the occupational therapist called my son's 'style' "sensory seeking" while my daugther was exactly the opposite-sensory avoidant-she will sit still for hours until her body parts fall asleep, wake up and try to wake her up). Sensory seeking.... skydiving seems to be sensory stimulating, and perhaps POTENTIALLY-just the environment such a person could focus deeply in?? like someone said, they felt overfussed while skydiving. The details my son would relate about his backflip moents of the dive take up more time to explain then the rest of his 60 sec. FF took (he literally said "i dont remember what happened after that except my shirt collar was hurting my chin"...hhmm... debrief that dive!) So I gues my point is, yes ADHD CAN BE disabling (needing to do backflips to finish math tests might pose an 'accessibility issue' in school)... while as he himself said, ADHD can be a gift. He fees he has the ability to hyperfocus on things his friends do not notice (perhaps because they are too focussed on my son performing backflips while dictating code for his newest hack?) AND as such, each person MUST DEVELOP their own coping methods. Skydiving isn't going to change for the person, the person needs to develop the skills to dive. As for all of us, the same method may not work but the suggestions of task lists are not a bad idea for anyone ADHD or not- especially in earlier stages of skydiving. I needed to do that-and still use these lists as a back up measure -when entering a new stage in diving. I literally wrote out each task from packing, to gear checks, to dirt diving tasks and laminated them. Each card is seperately accessible, and I flip through them still (with well over 2 yrs of skydiving and BASE I am perhaps allowing my [diagnosed] OCD get a hold but I don't think it is harming my jumping-only helping. In the end=we as people need to learn to use whata we got to its benefits. If there is processing, stimulation, or accessibility issues within sections of our braIns, fine-lets see what we can use to compensate-or what tools we can develop to deal with it. My task lists are not anything I am ashamed of, and if I use them all my life-I am possibly safer then if I was to omit them. Relying on a 'comforting' presence? perhaps-(that of the task lists) but is that a bad thing? does all that info HAVE to reside solely in my brain, or is it OK that I trust it is in there, while recheck it against my task lists? Yes I do dive without pulling out these laminated sheets for each dive. No I do not start a diving day without looking at my task lists. Even still, I can relate two situations where I forgot two things that could have meant a possible 'oops' moment. 1) while on a static line I forgot to check if my static line was secured to the plane one time-and the JM actually asked me if I had noticed that he had forgotten to secure my static line until it was my turn to go to the door (when he noticed it).. no I Had not noticed-but after that each time I made a point of pulling on it before the plane left the ground... NO it's not techincally 'my problem' while in static line-but ultimately it IS my problem- ALL my gear is my problem to check-and that static line was a part of my gear at that time. the 2nd time was not taking my seat belt off at 1000f. I noticed that at 5,000f when I was getting ready to go to the door. Not terrible-but had there been an emergency on board and pilot tells us all to get out, my body would of been a hinderance to others as well as myself in getting out the door (I was almost always situated closest to the door in the Caravan because of the 'mobility issues' in getting to the door-even when I get out top floor I sit closer to the door then others-'the gimp seat' :) ) Neither of those situations caused a problem, but either could of been one under the right circumstances. Neither were a result of ADHD (I'm not dx'd with it, and dont think I have it-I feel very much the opposite)... but both situations which I could relate as possible for my son-forgetting the 'little things' while focussing on something in the future (the jump). Yah, I'm verbose-sorry... hope it made sense to another brain asides from my own To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

The two jumps above were seperate ones-the one with the clouds, and the 'low altitude' deployment jump. As for the one with the clouds- some things to add-perhaps relevant (or not?). The cloud base was around 6,000f in an earlier PFF that day,and it was assumed the base might be lower at this final jump... once climbing to altitude we would determine if this jump was going to be conducted or not-based on the cloud base as well as the 'depth' of it. My deployment altitude was to be pulled lower on this jump as determined previously- to come closer to what I would be 'typically' deploying at in the future. It had been set at wave off at 5,500f and deploy by 4,500f in prior dives, while the goal was to bring it down to wave off at 4,500f and open by 3,500f (which happens to be the deployment altitude for our typical students while our BSR's indicate that student's must deploy by2,800f minimum and solo students 2,500f minimum). This jump was the 1st one in which my deployment altitude was lower then prior. It also was noticed on climb to altitude that the cloud base had fallen to 4,500f -which happened to coincide with my predetermined deployment altitude. As for the comment about, what if the cloud base was lower (i.e. 2,000f), if it had been low enough for me to recognize from the ground that it was clearly too low (as 2,000f is) then boarding the plane would not have happened. If for some reason I had manifested, with the idea that the environmental conditions were sufficient for a dive, and this was not the case once I was climbing to altitude-I would have come down with the plane-like I have done twice this year for similar reasons. Also had I not recognized any problems with going ahead with the jump if there were some-my PFF coaches would have called off the jump-if I didn't. As we climbed-and noticed that the cloud base matched my deployment altitude-it was decided to go forward. As for deploying in clouds, I've been told to not deploy inside clouds due to visibility concerns -I did not have this airspace dedicated to me-the load was full @ 20 skydivers- 16 of whom were going to 'top floor'-getting out after me. (Although clearly if for some reason I would have been in FF and the cloud base had fallen-I would have had to deploy at the correct altitude regardless of the clouds.... if during climb to altitude the cloud base was determined to be too low, it would have been the primary reason why I wouldn't have gotten out of the plane. This was not the case-so the jump went ahead. That 7th PFF was 'uneventful' (as seen on the video), a little potato chipping at one point and deployment was stable on belly to earth orientation. The unstable deployment was during that 'low altitude' (it wasn't a 'dirty low pull' type but rather a typical 'hop and pop' but instead of from 3,500f, or even 4,500f we climbed to 5,500f. I am aware of the fact that I had rushed to deploy on it, essentially creating my own instability-I need to eliminate the typical 'static line attitude' of arch, reach and throw. It worked fine on static line, where my parachute was deploying while my body was definitely stable. All my previous free fall dives were from 'top floor' and there was always lots of time to find stability. I am trying to shed the static line ideology from my head on these lower altitude jumps and drill it into my head that I HAVE time to gain stability from a 5,500f exit before my deployment altitude. The primary lesson I learned from that particular dive is that I MUST not rush into deployment from such an altitude, as well as the fact that (under normal circumstances) I need to exit the plane no lower then 5,500f in order to give myself the time to gain stability prior to deployment. Which is where my biggest mistake on that dive was-to hurry to deploy-while being too focused on having the static line student and his JM exiting before me... It is true that I ended up sacrificing stability when it was not necessary-there was 1,000f to find it-instead of pulling immediately upon exit. During the 'cloud' jump -7th PFF, nothing was sacrificed-stability nor pull altitude-it was an convenient coincidence that the cloud base worked out to be appropriate for me. Had it not been, I would have had to come down with the plane. I am not comfortable with 16 other skydivers in FF while I am needing to deploy in poor visibility-it is not a situation I would put myself in-knowingly. The unstable deployment jump is where I am needing to retrain my brain for the new circumstances for such exits-(until then I had never exited at this altitude unless being on a static line)- to eliminate the training that's grilled into my brain (over 50 jumps of it) of 'arch thousand, reach thousand, throw thousand, check thousand" -to 'arch till stable and then pull" (as long as I don't blow past my hard deck). Seems to me that I need several of these lower deployment jumps to shed those old instructions, and incorporate the PFF scenario to them. I hope that clarified the circumstances. What I need to DO is to remind myself of the fact that I have time till my correct altitude-so use this time to get stable instead of rushing to pull. My subsequent debriefing with my coach focused on this=that I DO HAVE TIME to find stability on those jumps and to utilize this time exactly for stability and shedding the thoughts of having to deploy immediately upon exit as all my previous jumps from that level had been-[as they were static line]. To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

thought of this too late for my 1st post about this jump, but here it is the final PFF/AFF level 7 skydive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUk54JMfgk8 To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

Sure this is the skydiving forum, but I realize that what I have in common with my skydiving roots, and other things I enjoy with canopies is two most important things. 1) I need a canopy over me to land safely. 2) the atitude is always bringing me closer to the ground-the worst mistake will have the same outcome. This year new gear is in my reportoir. All the gear are from Consolidated Rigging. A Perigee II container, and Black Jack, with 42", and 38" pilot chutes along with mesh slider and some other goodies. I am not promoting any activity, sport or desire but wanting to share with others.,. the 'possibilities' that exist -skydiving is ALWAYS number one-as to what needs to me done to maintain currency and consistency to develop new skills. If jumping without planes, or activities using canopies is attractive to someone I wil not condem or condone. Yes I hope to try out my new Black Jack sometime in Oct. and yes I plan to either do one as a PFF (if that ends up working out), or a static line ...yes, many cringe at the thought of B.A.S.E static line... as many also cringe at the mere thought of jumping out of planes. Perhaps it is more a matter of what drives a person, as long as they have explored what motivates them, reconsidered how their living, and open up their mind their given. (a skydiver taught me that) To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

yup... it happened. I, tossed directly out the door-like static line jumps. All my exits from planes have been unstable for about 4 seconds upon which I find stability in FF(of all the ones I am alone, without being linked to a coach, or using a static line), after which I fall like a rock finding stability where chaos existed for a few seconds. It's comfortable and not a concern at all when getting out at 13,500f, and having tons of seconds to work things out but getting out low as a hop and pop... that's a different situation all together. So there I was, getting out after two others on this low pass, although i had about 15 seconds to FF IF I WANTED TO, my 'MINDSET' was on two things -instinctual thought that out i go, arch reach and pull, like the static line progression was... AND having a slow student canopy open under me (he was on static line), my thoughts were on getting out, and tossing. That I did. unstable exit-tossed on my back. felt in anterising continous freefall without the usual opening I expected. looking over my right shoulder I see the pilot chute floating behind me like a helium balloon with a kid on a windy day, while I see blue sky. Immediately my mind was on placing my left hand on the reserve handle ('if this is a pilot chute in tow high speed mal i need reserve asap' was going through my head), as I looked over my right shoulder to see the pilot chute merrily dancing several feet above me. Twisting my torso, while grabbing for the bridle (I told myself I will give the area two sweeps with my hand and if that pilot chute does not bring out a D bag my left hand will pull that reserve handle)... As I twisted my container gave me a slight 'tug' to the right as the bridle released, pilot chute did her thing and my main opened up beautifully. I WAS SO FORTUNATE because, -recently a friend pitched on his back, and his legs got 'rope burn' from the lines against his calve and his opening was intense. Neither happend to me-but had the pilot chute wrapped itself around my legs I would not be able to kick it off, as my lower limb mobility is compromised. -my main coming out, did not get caught in my gear or body parts at all=despite the fact that i was on my back upon the final deployment. yup, another day I can say "wow it's a beautiful thing to have a canopy over my head"... from now on, I WILL give myself those few seconds to find stability instead of rushing off for the pilot chute upon exit. A VERY important lesson. To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

It's been a bizarre journey since the last time I offered some details from the gimps in free fall project. Wanting Angus to be there, along with my most recent PFF instructor Gareth we decided to a modifed jump. Sure the unstable exit was there, and the typical necessities, but tracking to dock with both instructors along with turning 180's between the instructors (having both there for the 1st time in so long-and doing something with them other then the typical AFF tasks-was different) I finished my final-7th PFF the other day, with an unstable exit (sort of a back lay over barrel roll combo- on exit-held heading till Gareth showed up ahead of me (later Angus tells me he had tugged at my foot to try to get my attention-later realizing i wasnt feeling any of it

excellent. it is good to know that someone is willing to take on the journey, and bring this 'eye opening', 'paradigm shifting' jump to a DZ in as many countries as possible. some may think it is a lofty goal, but perhaps there is $ from sponsors (I used to think of such things= i.e. asking Visa for sponsorship -they can have the canopy with their logo if they want to donate enough ... and the 'national' airline of your country-for surely they are the ones who sponsor the paralympic and olympic games transporting the athletes... and perhaps the DZ's may be helpful in accommodations with instructors, discount jump tickets, help to spread the word around that Dale will come to jump, and hopefully do some type of comic relief yet 'motivational' speech along with a dinner and beer would be nice... and Dale could show the world how this is possible, and hopefully others will give a try at fulfilling dreams which otherwise may remain unsaid, and hidden. I hope I don't sound too much like a mushy romantic type=because I don't have that sappy sh*t on my ipod... but i think this is something worth sharing with the world... it would be nice if some day there could be a skydivers equivalent of the "Freedom Wings" program we have in Ontario Canada-which modified 2 gliders for paralyzed individuals to fly... it takes $, and getting it perhaps can only be done by one of the people who can show how its done.. a I think Dale has the personality=out going, comfortable with media and communication with crowds... To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

aspiration pneumonia early Aug. kept me home recovering instead of judging at the Nationals. sucks -yah, but also was a good time to recover, get my 2nd wind, what ever... because I need to progress this Free Fall progression with Angus, yah I don't have trouble pulling, and the biggest issue this time around is the potato chipping but if it's a problem 'able bodied' skydivers also have-then I know I can figure out ways to work with this. infact read about it in the forums one day-'melt like choccolate or butter on a hot day' into the wind-let it cradle me. Unfortunately the rain hasn't stopped-well enough to get Angus (he is so busy with tandem). In the meantime I have rigging to do-my Astra battery was soaked in that ditch landing... have one canopy that needs work with, another one on the way and should be here before Oct. so I will have a chance to give it a try before I want to use it in Oct. Have the provincials coming up in a couple of weeks, where I will be judging-and it WILL be a busy one-judging 'room' will be set up in my house, and between the fundraising efforts and organizing other aspects-it's a job I look forward to. It's bizarre how fast the summer has gone. Did tons of jumps in May to July, but Aug. has been slow-between being ill and now the weather or the intensity of customers coming through the DZ. It is totally amazing how many folks are drawn here by that fast Caravan-I mean it's honestly the case. I've spoken with many tandem's who show up and they actually say they have 'heard' that PST has the fastest Caravan tossing folks out the door..... off I go to start another work week at the DZ now that I've recovered from the pnumonia To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

excellent! Continent after continent .... -do you think you'd make it to USA, and Canada some day? You could jump with Lonnie in Canada, Russell in the USA (if I'm still alive then, we could jump here at my DZ), that would make a fine trip for jumping. Would be a certain accomplishment to be able to jump in each continent-to experience the culture, and their views of individuals with disabilities... -the Paralympic jump thought surely continues on as an important endeavor to strive for- while a visit to various places-to jump and educate Dale- your comic sense is hilarious- -the comedy may be a way to bring out some educational material, along with a paradigm shift for many who look on -if you would be able to travel the world. How was the cold for your body? ( I'm having a terrible time with body temp regulation...) I notice it here- and now even in the summer time -got 'issues' with temp regulation. Your video is great Dale, I was thinking just a few months ago I had been dreaming (not seriously), of jumping in Australia with your coach- I was 'in limbo', stuck in static line soup, and yearned for the chance to try the FF with the knee braces. Then, it was only last month that my original coach and mentor Angus came on board and said he was ready to try this again- While thinking of it -I was envisioning your comic self, and the manner in which you can use skydiving to hopefully motivate many. What are your goals in skydiving? It was easy enough, when you began on this journey (it was last yr. this time-that's TONS you've done in this sport in that time! ), to delineate that, but I don't recall what your hopes and plans are.... (mine is still the same-the completion of that FF program) Do you have any new ideas, plans for modfication of gear, or are you happy with what is, and how its working? I would like to modify my pants, mainly to make them more durable-two seasons out of a pair of Gimp FF pants seems too short. Seems the motorcross pants are not durable enough for sliding on. To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

granny-We started jumping together-sort of, me here n you there. well the adventures take me where the winds seem to blow - for now-settled as a perennial for a while here at the DZ what the heck- I just moved house-literally packed up and moved to share a house with a skydiver on the DZ-there's a few who are 'locals' here at the DZ-living here-some work here some elsewhere.... it all seems to become a community of sorts- - - - certainly a different life-sitting around on 'off days' when we don't fly-with some kind of work always to do.... today seems to complete the digging of our new swoop pond which also ends up sort of doubling our landong area-because the alternate landing area-which used to be cut off from the rest of us by that 'ditch' on the side of the runway- - - ... but now they've got a culvert in there-and it's getting filled in, giving us one huge landing area and a swoop pond instead of two small areas and a long ditch... if it's not a DZ project -it may be a dz project.... the folks living around me are in the midts of building something-like when I got here for a while it was building the ramp to my house. jumping every chance I get, and to do a bit of judging, since I took the course in Feb. it's time start giving back to this sport.... heck there's so many folks dedicating tons of time to coach, teach, JM, help skydivers all over to learn new skills, and enjoy this sport- my thoughts started to evolve around what I could do to support the sport-and it seems that when my health fails enough that I can't jump in any manner-I know I will want to be around skydivers-and watch them flying, and their videos from FF... It will be a time when life will be so different from anything I can imagine-when my mind won't get any satisfaction from the existence of the body which functions so minimally. If life still breathes within -then- judging will be the only thing i can do-in this sport for all of the rest who will be left behind to continue.... so this summer -i will go beging that journey -eerily it feels like 'retirement planning', and perhaps it may be-but to me it's practical thinking for the future. This body will leave me and without it my existence as well. Then I jump where I wish, when I can, with whom I can, until that all begins to unveil itself more then this... now, I certainly have slowed down on what I can do -breathing has been affected the most I think- occasionally need O2, and in many small ways ALS is showing her strength this year-but I realize there is nothing to do but embrace life and try to get as many adrenalin filled moments as there is imagination for. so this week's life at the DZ will bring reserve repack for me-hopefully in time to catch the next Caravan load to top floor, and watch Canada's largest collection of vintage parachutes flying our skies this week, with the skydivers reunion around the horizon now, next week judging at the Nationals. -which will unfortunately mean a week of no skydiving, but I think I will survive that -by virtue of watching others express their skills and surely it will be enjoyable. To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

tonight's FF jump with Angus, was exceptionally 'educational'. Well the story really begins last Thurs night-was supposed to be the 'next jump'-but I havent seen a sunny day enough to put up a tent and waterproof it, since last monday-and Thursday we sat around for 6 hrs to get on that sunset load to get one load up-this is like summer in some areas of Europe (for those who did-I chose not to-I could jump with Angus and work on FF, or jump alone and work on canopy issues-which I've developed some 'bad habits' -of which another post-when I'm not so tired from a day of work in the hot sun at the DZ-....). Sat. we got a jump in-which was great-today the winds were hovering at the edge of=will I make it home or not-'student wind hold' levels-shifting between them. Had a chance to get out there.... still oscillating in FF, 3rd attempt at what were doing-and its progressing-well I suppose really 1st attempt at this dive-never made it this far in FF with Angus yet! yah! Angus is more confident this yr with my skill in focussing my mind.... He is correct. The strap which I was sure I would require-has not been an issue-although we have not had video on these jumps at all-no $ for it! since moving to the I've become a real altitude whore-and all I spend $ on is calculated in jump tickets.... maybe the video is a good idea in a bit-if this issue doesnt sort itself out. I start oscillativing-potato chipping, around 8,000f out of a 13,500f exit and by 5,500f i'm timing my pull to match the oscillation-with the hopes of pitching which im head up instead of head down.... today was slight head down orientation-was a simple slide to get that pilot chute out,.... the dep;oyment wans good-solid-sound and not hard in any manner-despite the slight head down orientation... the canopy flight....was interesting... Since the last jump turned into a case of beer for landing on the horse farm-the 1st off DZ landing since starting this sport... this time I flew backwards with the DZ behind my back, just to make it back. The landing-well lets sayy it cost me a repack on reserve. We've had SO much rain-for a week-that the 'little ditch' at the edge of the runway was a 'river' running by about -hhmm...-chest level.... there I saat, trying to keep my canopy from landing directly in it-no luck in she goes. then trying to get UP OUT of the muddy ditch with water up to my nipples-well-it took till the DZO dragged me out-too slippery. yup cost a reserve repack-main is hanging a few feet behind me in the East wing-where I type to you all- and the container -well hopefully the fan will take care of it by morning-luckily I got a rigger hanging at my house-livin in the motorhome in the parkinglot-and he's going to repack so I hopefully wont miss a load. livin the dream.....

Another FF jump with Angus, turns this time. two things stood out -(asides from my 1st off DZ landing-yES the beer is here allready-waiting for the 'green light' on it). 1) mental state/mind set-importance of it. and 2) the ability to quickly change plans-decipher what is the most important parts of the dive to keep=and what to discard -if that's how its going to be. a trip to 'top floor' @ 13,500f turned into a trip 'as high as we can go'-which we will never know until the pilot turns on the door lights-leaving the 'planning' a 'as you go' process-it seemed at first. the 'fog' up top became evident as patches-and begam to form fairly sobstantially at 9,000f, so 10,000f was the best we'd hope for. not enough FF time for all what we had planned for the dive-and the 'new plan' obviously had to be thinking that at the top of the dive-exit-arch-altitude check on downward= to the very end of the FF were both the 'most important' parts (end being the deployment-on time). everything else in between will be 'altered'/eliminated as the time goes on-and this mindset is what helped me to turn a 'I'm nervous' situation to being on top of the game again. planning on the spot-for sudden changes, was the skill that I realized I had acquired during these yrs of skydiving.... nothing that I wasn't 'taught' about in the beginning-but somehow it had finally stuck in my brain sufficiently that I could utilize it-turning into a potential 'unplanned' mindset into one where I felt the comfort of being on top of the game and knowing what I was doing- -no-- not my 1st time 'being there', but certainly something that is diffirent from this time in FF, to the last time i was there. on point number 1) mental state of mind, interestingly last yr at the time i was working with Angus, my life was filled with some serious consequential issues which were 'unstable', 'evolving', and i had a great deal of responsibility in making things happen-in this 'private world' of mine. -tons on the plate-as some might say. not always a good state of mind to be learning something like skydiving, IF your an intense person like myself. those issues in life-despite them not being in the forefront of my mind, weighed it down sufficiently enough that when i 'thought' i was concentrating on it-i was 'burdening' myself with these other issues-in between jumps-or generally throughout the day-Angus understands this-and i trust him on it-and see that it can be a deciding factor on what subconsciously overwhelms-and spills into the conscious world. At the time I didn't think of it that way, only noticed that in another high risk sport in my life-i had an accident in august last yr-while i had tons on my plate so to say.... now-despite there being as many 'issues' in my life-i have learned a skill-critical-we think.... a skill that allows me to accept those issues i cannot influence in any manner, at this point-and thinking of them-and how they will or will not turn out-even throughout the day i dive on-have no place in this world=and yes-some say it's a selfish existence=to hyper focus so much on something-well-in this sport-and any that i truly love-this intensity of focus on that sport alone-and dismissal of other issues in life-is critical-essential-to make it 'work'. yes-the leg braces have been instrumental in making it possible to remain in FF, and without them, I am not sure what type of individuals, would be able to skydive with lower limb disabilities=or substancial weakness beyond the ability to walk. yes=the 'special pants', with the crotch panel, are also essential-in that such any skydiver with the above detailed differences in their lower limb control-a-bility within the FF environment is hindered, or changed from the typical skydiving expectations of lower limb input, would benefit substantially-if not them being essential. Such things as having the arms as much as possible streamlined-spandex type 'tight fitting' arms-to give most efficient control but also to help eliminate the slight bit of oscillation ('potato chipping') that happens-if the arms and all upper torso is covered in substancially 'floppy' and unstable material. This-we believe also affects this 'potato chipping' I experience-although very minimal at this stage-but to try to eliminate the rest of it-we consider the upper body becoming more streamlined-easier to control, influence the outcome through less input, and being important to consider. Next dive-hopefully tomorrow-coached with Angus-wii focus on stability in FF, working on the differences with arm positioning, and trying to see if the oscillation will be easier to control with tight fitting arms, (clothing modification-and consieration thus that it was substantially important enough-to make it a 'necessary' part of my skydiving gear=to have my upper body clothing material tight fitting-[I think i will use Canoe/Kayak Canada's world championship racing top-those are streamlined and tight fitting-and sort of send out a message-personally]. Other then that-all is the same, trying to get more jumps in certainly has worked-despite the fact that I didn't think I was jumping as much as i wanted to be-it turns out that I seem to average 10 jumps a month more then i was not living here-and this is during times I'm trying to also focus on finishing off my move here-set up medical services-dealing with a severely infected tooth-getting ready to go judge at the Nationals-and it being my 1st time-I'm watching older videos from Nationals for reference on practicing-thus trying to get much done-while working around the DZ to help my DZ jumping be affordable -that's something I truly appreciate Adam for-he understands people-cares about what is important-which is not a fat bank account-but rather having people reach dreams, achieve goals.... if it wasnt for my ability to help around the DZ, I'd be jumping 10%of what I do now. that's it-really nothing else.... worked on the risers-switched them over-sewed an old set of riser material cut into appropriate size=to create a pocket for stiff 'wire {cut away handle cord}, to go on my toggles. Got it done-sewing with proper threat strength, one needle left after breaking the rest-with equally sized, positioned and tensioned stiching, was the biggest challenge. but now I have easy grab toggles-that actually work and are easy enough to pack it doesnt change the process, or the end result-I'm happy with the toggles. They were easier to use-for sure then regular toggles. NO DO NOT MODIFY YOUR GEAR in any manner-without the consultation with a rigger-and the DZO where you jump=i just needed to say that-because even simple things such as toggles=if i mess it up i can't use them-and without something else to put in there-i'm grounded-so important-DO NOT MODIFY GEAR on your own-this project with the toggles was consulted on to two riggers-and DZO gave 'permission' to use them-as they were done-once only then. that's it-nothing else new. To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

Fez, Sure, to the wingding with Dan we go-dismantling the chair is simple :) staying in it-not so. I just been rigging -supervised by a rigger-project-swwitching risers-again-and sewing toggles to become more stiff and easier to grab-easy grab toggles out of my skydiving gear-so I can fly with confidence. Been tired, n ill [email]-and not gotten much work done-today was supposed to have another coach jump-rained all day-nice sunset though-don't count out Friday :) Come on down Fez To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

Hey, well the Caravan got its new engine in Texas-which is where it MAY go back to (unless it goes to it's 'REAL' home ). sO it wasn't really any other reason I would of ended up in Texas in Nov. That is just a plan, because if I did go with the Caravan, I'd have to come back to Canada after Bridge Day *(I'm in jumper group 20 = jump between 9:30AM-9:40AM). My preference is to live by the edge of my pants as of Bridge Day onward-until then I'll stick to being an altitude whore, (the invitation to Florida idea seems more and more appealing besides-i have no more break cord ...). Now back to skydiving-since were in the skydiving forum I did that 13,500 jump with Angus today, had a bit of an interesting day all day long before that j"interesting"jump. The interesting part came when it became apparent on opening that the left rear riser was routed backwards through the slider-but now I know the trick on how to frix that-just keep letting her fly in that spinner-its a large canopy, take off your show-untile the laces till there is only enough to keep the lace on the show and throw the show over the riser-to drag it down-learn something new everyday! (maybe that was the best advice I got today :) ) The day Started off with switching my Raven modified for BASE canopy into my container with the Vertigo reversed risers & WLO toggles... (I will try to post a photo of that jump-nothing spectacular to see-just a nice 'scenery-beautiful clouds today all day). I have UPT risers but I wanted to leave them in and jump with those WLO toggles. BAD MOVE to leave the Vertigo reverse risers in because I forgot about the rsl connection -oops-got none-after that jump the rig is grounded until i change the UPT risers in-should do it on Tuesday, I'm tired, need to give some energy to cleaning the DZ on Sunday, Monday rest, and back to some rigging Tuesday -(heck I need a few days just to think of what stupidity I can think of for the windy and sh*tty days-maybe some paintball duels off the property, go get drunk and rob corner stores-gosh did I JUST SAY THAT! LOL ok I guess I better not do that now... :P Was hoping to use the WLO toggles on the UPT risers-no go. one set is velcro (vertigo) and the other is a pin release for the toggles (UPT) -no match. SO, decision time came. DO I jump with the student gear I had so much trouble with, OR do I wait it out, rig up my gear to the UPT risers and accept the WLO toggles cant be used. Went with the student gear. I just knew I could do it. Angus said it was my call-I went for it. last load of the day-no tandems just friends and folks I knew well enough to be feeling real good with their energy in the plane. Jason's "LITTLE GIRL" (that freaken 900hp engine is now the little girl on steroids-no time to visualize your dive you hop n pop.) got us to '13,500f' or so faster then Ive ever gone. the dive was with the leg braces-which certainly helped hugely. Angus said my legs stayed in proper position-no more heels smacking my butt and backsliding was gone totally. Once I had finished excersizes-I've been a low altitude jumper for so long that I had a few sec's of reminding myself NOT to try to turn towards the DZ till deployment time. So I just waited from 7 grand to 5.5 and deployed. During that time Angus did debrief me on the fact that there was slight potato chipping-because all the axis are controlled by my arms so I was trying slight movements between arms farther back, or further forward. further forward-i started a slight head down orientation, arms further back-fixed it. Deployment was a totally different beast this time then ever before. deployment sent my chest strap grab my chin, shove my head as far back as it would go and to the right within a few secs. after clearing my head (mentally-let the stars disappear-heck there's plenty of time to do it-from such a high deployment) I realized my chest strap help my head so far back and looking up that in order to see where i was going, -or the altimeter even-i needed to push my head backwards just a bit more so i can see from under the chest strap. Around 3 grand I had to take my goggles off-because the chest strap had sort of 'distorted' my glasses with the pressure it was putting on my head... (strangely this student container was set with the main lift web within 1/2 inch as tight as it will go-as well as the leg straps-so the thinking is -for now-initially-that perhaps the position in which i fly -sort of like sitting in a recliner-may have something to do with this happened-because clearly it was not a problem with Angus checking my gear-I trust him with this all) Regardless, the jump was great, neck is sort of whiplashed but the adrenalin of just having those leg braces keep my legs in place so i wasn't going for freefall moves while Angus chases me across the skies seemed to have been enough that I don't give a darn what the neck feels like-im here ready to jump once i fix up the rigging. over n out, -gimp To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

well seems we will try FF again. having done a ton of static lines,\ tossed TTO's etc. now the idea is that I WILL WEAR LEG BRACES. last attempts last yr. we had no stiff leg braces-those were soft braces typically used for sprains etc.. with a bit of pool noodle type pipe insulation to keep some stiffness going. this time-we will dig out those stiff locking knee braces-and use them to give my legs stability. next plan is to change the pants, to use the leg straps in an enclosed system,\a BOC type pocket on pants to put straps in for FF, stability issues might be a little different this time-who knows.\the leg braces seem like a good move forward.\ my coach still feels i do not need a system to keep my legs up at the back-so they don't hang down at the hips-like we seen happen with para's and quads. my friend, who broke both his ankles on landing also almost broke his nose during the opening because his legs launched forward with such momentum they hit him in the face. i personally disagree-on the leg straps for the back..\ that is Dale's idea/invention-the leg straps at the back. yes, it's said i have 'MORE hip flexors' but that is an assessment based on last year. this year the hip flexors are not near as functional, but i listen to my coach-to the point that i trust him enough if he thinks its ok without the leg braces like last yr-i will go with just that-no braces-as i did last yr.\ this yr. i feel pretty certain i need the strap at the back of my pants i feel my legs will send me quite an amount of momentum forward during deployment-f not affecting my FF... but we will see. so hard/stiff braces this time is the addition. i hope we don't stop the AFF before we try the back leg straps but will just have to see how it goes. been ill-too ill to do my chores at the DZ or to fly for the last two weeks-that's the longest i've gone without a dive since moving to the DZ. I hope to have my leg strap holder/pockets i will be aable to sew up this week-before the weekend so i can try them out from down low-and see how long, how different it is to fasten the leg straps from having them hidden inside these 'pockets' on my thighs. i've been reluctant to try to FF without the leg straps being fully contained-better then they are with duct tape-as they have been now.\ As well as the leg braces-it's just not worth it-to try it without the stiff/hard leg braces, and would be nice to put the strap on the back of the pants-but who am i to argue what is to go on the ppants-so i will go with these modifications for now. the stiff leg braces certainly is great news for me- now i do not feel like most of my concentration isn't 3/43 focussed on trying to keep my legs 'still' ... AND registered for bridge day, got my new base container in the mail this week- it all seems to feel good despite the illness and infections i have again...\ on a bright side-more so- i got a BED to sleep on now|! yah, a friend whom i fly gliders with stopped by here and took me for a drive for the weekend-we went to the glider club and stopped at a store so I CAN GET A BED- woohoo! sleeping on the floor or in my wheelchair since April is over! now to focus on camping gear for Bridge day and then perhaps a trip to FL (OR come back, and fly with the Caravan pilot to Texas or to Pennsylvania-depending on which he is flying to-on Nov 1st)-then from there the base trips will go on for a few months-hopefully. that's the new developments in skydiving for this gimp, FF with stiff leg braces, is the key-if he tosses me out there without anything but a reserve i would be happy enough with it-that i wont worry much about the leg strap i think i need- my idea had been to incorporate a RSL attachment at the butt area for that last leg strap (to keep my legs from falling downward- taking away my arch-which they do now on their own-the hip flexor muscles certainly have demninished a lot-but heck-if all goes sh*t for sideways i got new base gear-so life will always be well To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

I'm glad to learn that the UK association is welcoming the idea of discussing such a jump. it would be so important historically, and for general awareness in society-not to mention inspiring people. To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

Hey Dale, just wondering, what exactly are the requirements for an A in your end of the planet? Here you can't get an A in 13 jumps -regardless of 'abilities' etc. i.e. just to get the solo student status (self supervised-and not needing an instructor) you need to do back loop, front loop barrel roll, the 'ride the slide' (unstable exit-we cant be held on out the door the exit must be unstable itself and then regain stability).... I noticed that your instructor held on, and then let you go for you to go do the unstable manouver and then regain stability... good work on that for sure, but I'm left wondering what exactly are the requirements there... since here there is no way anyone can get A licence in 13 jumps.... Did you do barrel rolls ?(and if so how did that work out with the legs in the angle-since that is something that I can't imaigne how my legs could accomplish such a roll). How about the backloops and front loops? Interesting, IF we have different requirements that way, because what would happen if you were to come here to jump with me for example-or to the USA.. or UK. Reason I wonder these things is still thinking of the 'demo' jump one day to Paralympic ceremonies-depending on which country they would be... i.e. in UK I doudt either of us could ever be allowed to do it....\ BUT should it be then timed to do it 'down under' where it seems to be possible to get an A with a seriously different standards then in Canada for exa\mple... that all poses something to think about in relation to travel, but as iomportantlu to the idea I still mull around in my head about an accuracy jump into paralym[pic ceremonies. Hoping you can have a look at that stuff...\ because if your interested in such a jump in the future=it would be a serious consideration. I have a friend here who is from Germanyh, been skydiving for 20 odd yrs total, and has international licence but yet the Canadian 'system' doesn't recognixze his licence and he is not infact licenced to do anything other then static line-as in a foirst jump course- very discouraging for a great crewdog whose been jumping for decades-, coaching etc. to find himself in a situation where his international licence is not recognizsed. that sure was a nice video though.\ and i see you have the hip flexor issue resolved,\ was it threough physio and personal stretching, or|??? equiptment? (it's these types of 'requirements' in a country like mine that sends a gimp looking for the dark side and tossing pilot chutes with base gear-seems like it's the only way to jump around here 'freely'... IF only had the $$$ to move to your end of the world I might reconsider and try to go further with the skydiving-but as it stands now-my newest bsse gear is in the mail and should be here next week... To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

WOOHOO! that's some amazing progression Dale! I AM inpressed. To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

hey I HAVE TO correct myself here. I MISTOOK this material for parachute systems ZP.EXE canopy-which is what I have-so therefore ALL my comments in this thread actually useless.... sorry for the misunderstanding. and if someone wanted to know about Parachute Systems ZP.EXE canopies-well then that's what is what I'm talking about. -gimp To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

I have this canopy. A 285-being paralyzed- I land on my butt each time and performance is critical for me on landings. Having jumped Nvigator 260 as well as the Solo 270, I definitely can say that this canopy maintains amazingly good lift on landings. Further more, riser turns are incredibly easy and very responsive. The Navigator 260 (which I prefer over the Solo270), was very difficult on riser turns... while the ZP is not a workout. I have not been able to stall this canopy on toggles-thus I would say it's perhaps a great canopy for student gear in the larger sizes. One thing I disagree with their website info -which states that it's easy to pack. its NOT easy to pack-a true work out. The openings are consistent, regardless of how many line twists I induced-she flew straight on heading and untwists herself while I sit around and watch . Being unable to kick my way out of line twists-I always had to untwist the other two canopies myself by the risers-but my ZP knows what to do-and goes on 'autopilot' taking care of her twists. I cant comment on the smaller sizes-we do have a swooper at out DZ who has the parachute systems VortexII container and Decelerator reserve-and as a guy whose fairly experienced-he says he also loves the VortexII container as well as the Decelerator. My gear is completely Parachute Systems-VortexII, and Decelerator 250 reserve. (no reserve rides on it-yet ) The feedback I hear is that the Decelerator opens very quickly letting you know she's ready to go to work-that is exactly what I want-in a situation like that- fast opening to let me know all is well. Interestingly, the Vortex container I have is long and narrow- thus with the 285 packs tighter then the navigator 260 or the solo 270 I've flown. Despite the large size of my canopies-I have a smaller container (and yes a tighter fit-adding to the packing difficulty for me-as a paraplegic I really have to muscle it in there-lately I've been getting our pro packer to pack it-because I flat pack and we just don't have the space to have me flat packing for 40 minimum.... yet on the positive side-the container is easier for me to gear up then anything else I've jumped. I hope some of that was somewhat useful. To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

i think there is much to be said about the head looking higher up comment. in the one you felt most stable-your head was looking farther into the horizon then the other two photos. Also as for the hip flezxors-keep on stretching them daily. get down on the floor-lay flat and then try to just lift your upper body as much as you can-1) it still keeps your legs straight-flat on the floor-and from the chest/niples upwards just try to keep looking up as much as you can-head and shoulders up off the floor. practive it in front of a mirror-head on, and perhaps even ask someone to put a piece of masking tape on the mirror at the place that your shoulders are in the mirror and the top of your head. each time you do it, try to make sure that at least get to the same position on the shoulders and head as the tape-and as time goes on try to get the shoulders and head up higher then the tape and replace the tape to that place.... what I do-is visualizeing (which arching) to 'present'my chest as much as I can-as in pushing my chest out as if to present it.... well i guess you might understand what I mean... i hope... Peter also had lots of issues with the shortened hip flexors-as well as I... now my hip flexors are so loose that i can do this comfortably-it does work but takes some time to get to.... I'm not sure what you mean by the leg straps-in the photos it seems that the leg straps are either attached to you at the hips-or was that just for the presentation-that point of angle at the hips? my leg straps are so loose that the highest amount of arch i can aquire possible-hope that helps somewhat... ? I will try to get you a photo of how my leg straps are now attached-slightly different then previously... and my next goal is to put BOC pockets on the legs-knees upwards and actually 'hide' the straps right inside with a toggle to pull them out of there once under canopy..... when I get that sewn in I will also take photo..,, that may take a while though, working at the DZ n living here-moving into the house is taking a lot of my time... tons of work to do here at the DZ could work To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

thanks granny in the skies, would love to jump with you sometime... wow you really stacking up those jump numbers...holy

HEY Granny in the skies=nice to hear from you HOW is YOUR jumping going (WE STARTED CLOSE TO EACH OTHER a few yrs ago) yes actually, as soon as our 'super grand caravan' we got an engine upgrade=900hp=cruising speed 190 knots=at top floor 13,500f in 10 min! is gone from here (nov 1st) I got plans to go B.A.S.E. in FL with a new friend-who has 'permission' for an antenna I want to go for-and then I guess I will live like a 'hobo' going from one B.A.S.E site as I can-although IF I end up in CA I may try LODI-apparently as long as your breathing, you can jump there- it seems like an interesting enough challenge-multi lane freeway on one side and vineyards on the rest of the sides-i would hate to land in corn but the vineyard construction is way to sketchy-don't want to have to try it.... wierd isnt it? IN Skydiving I do not wish toi take 'ever incvreasing' risks-sucvh as Lodi would be BUT I WILL jump off anything 240f or higher with a BJ IN A PERIGREEII pro, or quite honestly a FLIK even-but NEVER those 'transition gear'=B.A.S.E GEAR WITH A belly mount reserve-thats playing paintball instead of going to war...\it has nothing to do with each other,....a .b.a.s.e. canopy with a reserve? EITHER GO ALL THE WAY,with both feet,or dont bother.... yah i might get a whole lot of flames-but i dont care- i'm SO FED UP with skydiving in general-its a leisurely roimp in the park compared to what makes my heart pump n beat a little noticveably. yah Idoho was one of the plans.... but it also is one of those things, that in my income bracket )-20,000/yr) travelling is done by hitchiking-lets see if thst briger id sn optyion before the homeland securioty tosses me back avross the border... plesase tell me how your doing...? remember your date of starting-sometime sround 2007=lotd tpo dhsre ;0 To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works