dterrick

Yes, it did. Really. I still piss myself laughing at that episode ... and the one with Johnny taking the 'imapired reaction time test' ...well and most of the rest of them, too. -Chyy Chyy Rod-ri-gweez indeed! Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

I've done both. The house thing was only a 9 foot drop (summer) off the porch roof but in the winter I was able to pile about 4-5 feet of snow up as a cushion. For some strange reason the snow got harder and harder.... Ski jumping was something else I enjoyed in my high school days - that was WORSE than a PLF because, on the prairies, the hills were roughly like NHL ice on a slope and if you wiped out you wiped out at swoop speeds and had gear entanglements with no helmet. In my earliest ski seasons the bindings still had "safety straps" and that invariably meant a ski up the wazoo . In fact, our Junior Jazz band nearly didn't make the Optimist Festival that year because we had an alto sax player in a leg cast, a trumpet player with a broken wrist, and me with a sprained thumb. We didn't play our best ... -Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

...that and Rock Lobster...(dowwwnnnn,dowwwwnnn, dowwwnnn). who could forget the limbo-like gyrations 'we' went into ... It's scary how much Hair Metal and fluff pop I have on vinyl that's now old enough to vote in Canada - and I bought most of it new! This bleak and frigid winter saw me revive my shiny silver Sony turntable and the album sides rip nicely to MP3 - ticks and pops and all. Speaking of the 80's, remember how long it used to take to make a really good Mix tape and how posessive we were about them? Dave PS: my 'hate' was pretty much anything Michael Jackson did ... and as today, anything that was overplayed for more than about 2 months. I'd swear that payola is alive and well in the radio industry... so it's college and alternative stations for me Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

Wat irony, Mark... that was 'the' heritage building I was thinking of. I'm trying to remember the name of the brew pub in the converted warehouse - something makes me think it's "Bushwackers". Big empty? Look at a map and realize that Saskatchewan is the same Great Plains as the Dakotas, a big chunk of Montana, and Nebraska. Heyhangonaminnute, that's not making it any more appealing from a geographical standpoint, is it??? A salient bonus is latitude effect. Come summertime, the jump day in 'stoon won't end till eleven pm or so (in Winnipeg/Gimli - just 150 miles north of the border - we often land at 10:30 in mid-summer). the prairie sunsets are prettier than damn near anywhere in the world but yes, you can see your dog run away for days. Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

http://www.prairieskymasters.com/ is the local club. There a few members that are also dropzone.commers. I'm fairly well hooked up with the OTHER beer drinking crowd, the Car Guys. There may be an ice race (yes, race prepped automobiles on the lake) going on - if you've never seen this spectacle you owe it to yourself - it's how I got involved in motorsport lo those many years ago. Saskatoon (locals abbreviate and pronounce it "stoon") is known as the City of Bridges - at night all the bridges are beautifully lit and sightseeing is worth it. That said, there's no huge attraction except for a few historic buildings and a couple brewpubs. Check in with the local skydivers as they may even do winter jumps this late in the season! Driving from Washington if you want the REALLY scenic route, aim North via Hwy 2 towards Cranbrook and Kimberley. Drive through Banff and Calgary. From Calgary to S'toon there's not much, although Medicine Hat (Hwy #1) has the World's Largest Teepee. If you wish to add a day's drive (either way), continue North from Banff to Jasper and through Edmonton. The rocky Mountains are among the most picturesque in the world! East of Edmonton is Vegreville, home of the World's largest Ukranian Easter Egg . Otherwise, Alberta is pretty much Montana with a B grade interstate. Saskatchewan, almost 8 hours wide, is known to us as "the gap" .. as in ... that big void between Manitoba and the mountains. ...and remember, the speed signs are posted in Kilometres per hour - you are NOT supposed to do 110 MPH. There are enough hills to hide the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their radar guns - this is frustrating. If you want to make time it's best to hang back from a highway bus or semi doing 75-80 mph. -Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

[sarcasm]...and why do they call them 'buildings' when they' already built? Mmmmmmmn? [/sarcasm] -Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

Heya Mel, I had a VW GTi before the Civic. Veedub parts may as well be Porsche parts for what the dealer wants for them. What happened to you IS typical if the belt skips/breaks but for eighteen hun I'd expect a brand new head and your old one back. Do you know anyone who races/autocrosses/is involved in sports cars? THESE are the type of people that weill be able to do as I describe. Gotta run right now, PM me is cool Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

My DZO (recently turned 40) had a kidney transplant (Jan 1 2002). He did a very few subterminal jumps about 8 months after the transplant (!!) wearing a gridle and experienced some short term discomfort. This past season he did a few more and now says he can do about 6 jumps in a week if they;re spread out with no real trouble. I will guess that after 8 years your new kidney is in better condition to jump but I'd take it very easy at first. Dave T Winnipeg, Canada Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

...sounds like full retail to me. Another option is a complete used engine out of a wreck. Sure there are some potential unknowns but if you can live with a bit of down-time and have ANY mechanically inclined friends I see some savings. PLUS, you then have a "spare" that you can sell as is. At 75k mi, a veedub is just wearing in. Dave PS: The 18 hun seems ot have been counted twice. Everything else looks about right. For a comparison, I blew a belt on my honda Civic Si and I did the whole job myself. Parts and machining - 600 bucks. Other associated stuff (beer, shop shpplies) another couple hun. Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

SA-WEEEEET! D'ya still get Voice of America on a CCCP kit or were the frequncies banned??? -Dave my shortwaves are all just 'normal' 30's home radio sets. I swear I heard a live signal from 'Good Morning Viet-Nam' one day... Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

Good on ya, Bill. Does your mini-power station generae enough money to cover the fuel that the hybrid still eats? I'm guesing you;re somewhere near the 0 sum point on the whole equation. Interesting that I found this thread today - in today's Winnipeg Free Press there was an extensive report on the new Prius in our (sub?) arctic climate (it's actually above 0 here today and the roads are a right mess! Oh well, better than being as cold as when F and C meet [brrrrr icon]). The oft-suspected fears of "battery powered cars in the cold" proved to be unfounded. HOWEVER, in order to keep the cabin warm enough to survive it seems that the wee gas motor has to run an awful lot. The difference in reported fuel mileage vs. my "classic" 89 Civic Si (driven nicely, of course) is pretty marginal (worst case as reported was just under 8l/100 km and in similar conditions I average about 9.5 (175,000 miles on the clock!!) As much as I love the idea of hybrids, diesel power in cold climates makes much more sense if economy (and not emissions) is the major goal. I now work about five miles from home and find that an enjoyable bike ride in warm weather - that's even better than a hybrid. ....and then I go skydive and burn up all that 100 low lead -Dave PS: I once had a 1978 Ford Fiesta (university days)with a full race motor (maybe 120 bhp in a 1600 lb car) that would burn the tires into third and bury the 8 grand tach. The U of M Society of Automtive Engineers (I was their marketing Veep) had a brand new $20k exhaust gas analyzer to use and we tested my car. The off-idle numbers were so clean they thought the machine was faulty! Damn I miss that car... Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

Heya Jarcie, Good question. Now here's the un-typical (but still "guy") aproach to the problem of judging altitude. Got a detatched garage by chance? If you do (and if your neighbors won;t think badly of you), get up on the roof. I think you'll find that the peak of most garage roofs is about 12 ft high. convenient, yes? Now, look down one of the slope sides as you stand on the peak. Do some imagining and I bet you'll find the picture looks similar. THAT is the "10-12 ft above the ground" picture that I suspect your instructors were after. Really, your eyes are at about 15 ft up - much like looking out a second story window. The garage roof is more fun, though, and you can imagine the slope of the roof is your "glide path". No "go practise accuracy landings in your neighbor's backyard

Dave: This coming from a Winterpegger (yup, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Great White North) - get some neoprene gloves (leather palms preferred) as used by whitewater / waterski types - another alternative would be Cross Country Ski gloves. Neoprene is windproof - great for freefall but your hands have a tendency to sweat a bit so an ultra light cotton lining not only adds warmth but also wicks moisture. X country ski gloves are designed for aerobic workouts in cold (but not windy) conditions. They are thicker and warmer (better for canopy time) but do not offer wind-proofedness (I love inventing words, ok!??!) for freefall. Here in our seasonal DZ (with cold months at either end... talking 0-10f at 9k) we're about evenly split on this issue. I wear neoprene with a liner in the cold and batting gloves at all other times. I've not not worn gloves since about jump #3, though I started with my bare-knuckle driving gloves. Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

The difference on a one shot loan as you describe will be minimal if present at all. The keys to any equation are interest rate first, then the loan term, then the compounding style. Presuming you are going to take a $250 payment as a given interest rate becomes #1 priority. I think that lately (at least in Canada) the Credit card companies are trying to buy back market share from people who consolidated their debts at the bank but still have decent credit. The advantage of the card "loan" over the conventional loan is that the card stays active can can be used for other purposes once your done with this payment. Another option you might consider (if aplicable to you ) is a credit line secured against your home equity. I'm not sure if you'll do much better than 3.9% but it's worth a look. Dave T Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

Good words, JT. Despite growing up at a 182 DZ (...Still there) with 9000 ft jumps, it wasn't until I really concentrated on LOOKing at the plane that I really nailed that upright CReWish hop n pop exit. Like a Rodeo ride, my license lets me 'about' 8 seconds from a 3k hop n pop and I use it often enougn ... It's fun when you can dump so early that you can still see the plane flying away as you 'sit up' into a backfly and admire the sunset an an 'air bed'. Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

mmm, that would be an "upside-down (jessi)cake" would it? Looks like fun... Have you ever thought of getting your teammates to take that exit off WITH you into a Horny Gorilla? ... It'not FAI kosher but it's waaaaay fun! Great picture! Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

Glad all went well and as it should have. Now I'll shae even more of my own experience - my BEER cutaway was on jump #20. P/C in tow. It was my "check-'000" that disloged the p/c from the burble. By then I was still smokin at terminal, below my student 'decision altitude' so I went for both handles (we're taught 1 on 1 in Canada for cutaways). If I recall, It was during my move to the handles that the main (a Cruiselite 220 - big 7 cell, sorta reserve-ish) finally finished it';s little dance and inflated. ...except that I was already pulling handles and the cutaway occured at just that moment!! Again with the body position - I bet I had a similar problem to you but simply finished the procedure. Dave PS: rounds open hard, are eerily quiet with no slider to flap, and disturbingly difficult to ...um.... fly? Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

Heya Jen

I think Pete Townsend screamed it best "...Dr Jimmy and Mr. Gin, when I'm pilled you don't notice him... he only comes out when I drinkl my gi-ii-nnnnnn". I haven't met my 'evil twin' yet either but that's OK as I already have at least 2 personalities (being the archetypical Gemini that I am ). Good luck in Fla ... I presume you'll be jumping somewhere near the Cape? Avoid the big puddle to your East ... it might not be so forgiving as the mountain ... but with a skyboard and an offshore breeze you could get one hell of a swoop.. er I mean surf... er. ah hell I dunno what I mean but it sounds like fun.

Duuude! nice start. [whisper] now here's the secret the restaurants don't want you to know [/whisper] www.foodtv.org Go to the site and search for a favorite "dining out" entree (pick 'this site only' rather than 'the net' option). Now pick one of the recipes that sounds good and look for when it will be prepared on TV. Tape the show. Orrrrr.... watch FoodTV instead of fluffTV (it can become a a habit like any other activity) and then go look for the recipes you saw prepared. Making "Good" food is all about making something you would eat until you explode (.... but it's only a wafer thin mint sir ) whether it's veggie or high end cow. Just know that you can duplicate anything you pay $$$'s for at a fine dining establishment with the right ngredients and some practice. Bon Appetit, Chef-Boy-ar-Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

Heya Jennifer

I LIKE my Carrera ski helmet for skydiving

Heya Skygirl, Notwithstanding how old the reserve actually is, those who say that the rigger's discretion is final are likely going to be "right". When a rigger seals the reserve, they are effectively certifying that "all will be well if this thing actually gets used". I'm sure there's no hidden profit motive in selling your b/f a new reserve, just good intentions. If another DZ's rigger will do the job then it becomes THAT rigger's issue. Maybe one more repack is in order while going on a new reserve shopping spree? And now for my story.... I jump a Raven II, DOM 1991, as a MAIN . Yup, that's all the money I had at the time ( and still do) and in 150 or so jumps I've had line twists on opening precisely twice. The flare SUCKS and the opening s can be slammers - but remember this is a similar canopy loaded at nearly 1:1. When I asked my rigger if it was worth getting a porosity test to verify its condition he just snickered and said "don't waste the money, we KNOW what the answer will be". A lightweight newbie might be a good candidate to use the "uncertifiable" reserve for a main - if someone else has a container - and if you can still find someone who doesn't have Shiny Gear Syndrome. You could also buy your b/f a spare set of risers - effectively treating him to a "spare" canopy. LEt's face it, if he would rely on it as his last chance then why would he not jump it as his first? Good luck Don't write off your rigger or DZ for being overly "protective" but also don;t be afraid to ask for some short term grace if you are working a new reserve deal through them. Communication is everything. -Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

Ooo Oooo ooo, pick me pick me! I have exactly one round ride - and that one was a high speed mal on student gear - and I really enjoyed the "flight" I'd be seriously interested in acquiring some round-type stuff for "fun". I'd go so far as to say the idea of having a round main and a modern reserve - not the other way around - has crossed my mind. It would be very cool to actually throw a WDI BECAUSE YOU NEED IT in the middle of the day, and to acquire a set of para-boots BECAUSE YOU NEED THEM and practice PLF's BECAUSE YOU NEED TO... etc. ...but hey, I enjoy restoring and racing vintage British sports cars too... go figure Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

Oh ya? They've just announced on the radio that the windchill value outside has hit MINUS FIFTY We'va had more snow since the winter that produced the Hundred Year Flood, it's now hit a record cold, colder than cold (it's -35 before the wind), and the days are still short. Go make a snowman or something - it's not that bad where you are... Dave Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)