GaVak

Cabinet Out of Coffee. Brain offline. Must. Find. Starbucks. Life doesn't need reasons, just participants. D.S.#21

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqXi8WmQ_WM&NR=1 Life doesn't need reasons, just participants. D.S.#21

Bwahahahaha. How about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxMcYsSkMXg and: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc8tPTVBRSc ~Gav Life doesn't need reasons, just participants. D.S.#21

Set the IP address manually using the USB to access the console on the device. Once set, connect it to the network and try to ping that IP address from a machine on the same network. ~Gav Life doesn't need reasons, just participants. D.S.#21

Pretty much all the entries that start with 'Reverse ...' ~Gav Life doesn't need reasons, just participants. D.S.#21

It's just another revenue guaranteeing tactic like the cameras at busy intersections. Most municipalities don’t want people to stop running stop lights, speeding, or getting DWI’s. They pull a good chunk of their operating capital from the fines for these infractions. The blood tests aren't there to prevent DWI’s; they guarantee income. ~Gav Life doesn't need reasons, just participants. D.S.#21

The strange/bizarre news reported on fark.com about it? The rest is negative: It's hot, there are lots of bugs, it's full of retired northerners who can't drive, and it seems to be a magnet for the batshit crazy. ~Gav

Actually, you can skydive without being a parachutist...once. ~Gav Life doesn't need reasons, just participants. D.S.#21

Gratz! (and that was a very eloquent letter). ~d Life doesn't need reasons, just participants. D.S.#21

I've been looking around for pictures of the different colors for the M1 from Cookie Composits and I can't can't seem to find any. Anyone have pics of the non-gray version of the helmet to share? The local gear shop only has a gray one. ~d Life doesn't need reasons, just participants. D.S.#21

I have had a wonderful experience with ASC as my dropzone. I had limited experience in the skydiving world with a few static lines and free falls over the early 2000's (RBC - Walterboro). It had been 5 years since my last jump, and I didn't get much more than canopy ride experience. (They didn't teach setting up your own landing pattern, and talked me down every jump.) I decided it was time to become serious with the sport, and now that I live in Atlanta, I chose ASC to take the AFF course. I'm very pleased I did so. My journey started off with a very comprehensive ground class with 'Fast' Eddie. Once the class was over, I had to wait for my turn to go up. (It was a pretty busy Saturday.) I was studying the mock up picture of the DZ and asked the closest person how a person determines a landing pattern (we had covered the basics in the class). To tell the truth, I was a little nervous about that part as in my experiences at Walterboro they talked me to the ground (even telling me when to flare every time). Turns out the person I asked was the man in charge of the coaching service at ASC (Lance). He launched into an impromptu lesson in landing patters, wind drag, etc. He showed me where playgrounds would be at the different points at the airport depending on landing target and the wind speed. I felt immensely more confident after that little class, and it did much to quell the one voice of resignation in my head on the whole jump process. Next thing I knew, it was my turn to go up. I was assigned to two jumpmasters (Thad and JJ) who went over the flow of the skydive with me a few times before getting me suited up for the jump. Up we went, out the door, and the sensory overload kicked in. It was the same feeling of being black-out drunk: I can only recall flashes of about 10 seconds of the free fall, my arch was crap, and I wasn’t able to touch the pilot chute! Thad ended up pulling for me at just above six grand. Then came the canopy ride, which based on my previous experience was breeze (pun intended). I followed Lance’s guidelines for setting up my landing pattern; to my surprise I didn’t get any more over the radio than "doing great". I flared a little low, had a rough PLF, and it was over. Ready to give it another go, I went back to manifest and was set up to go after about two hours. (This time I was with Frank and JJ.) Since I had to do more this jump, my brain was overloaded before I even made it out of the door. I had the same effect of sensory overload, and if anything my arch was worse this time. Frank gave me the 'straighten your legs' sign twice, and even though I thought I was doing so they still flapped uselessly behind me. Again, I was aware of only about 10 seconds of the jump, and was so unstable near the end Thad pulled for me again (at 6500). I soloed my landing again, this time flaring high (over compensated), and had another PLF landing; thankfully less rough that the first one. On the review of the jump we went over my complete lack of awareness and disorientation during the jump. Frank was very honest with me about the jump, and told me that I couldn't pass to AFF3 until I was able to get my awareness and Arch under control. I was very disheartened at my progress; it's frustrating to know what you need to do but your brain shuts down on you. I skipped coming back the next weekend so my brain could process the experience and I could work on being aware of what occurred during the skydive.. In part, to also convince myself I could do this sport. I came back on a Saturday, with a monkey of performance anxiety on my back. Woody and Frank were my jump masters for this route. Woody picked up on my nerves, and spent most of the prep and time on the plane telling me to breathe and to relax. It helped! This time out the plane I was simply amazed at how aware I was. It was like someone flipped a switch and I was AWARE. I once was blind and now could see indeed. I took care of my leg problems, and did my turns properly. I even pulled my pilot chute first try after wave-off! Landing went great. Thrilled by the success, I got on the very next load, this time with Thad. It was a perfect free fall. I was amazed at how my body seemed to automatically correct my heading to focus on Thad (who wasn’t docked the whole jump due to a fast exit). Most of my down time was spent asking questions of the jump/tandem masters and the packing staff. They are ALL very helpful and giving with information on the sport… and patient too, I ask a lot of questions. =-) I spent the night at the drop zone over the weekend; they have great facilities (bunks, showers) for jumpers bunking over (at no charge!). Weekend life at a DZ is interesting indeed; they should make a reality show for it. The rest of my AFF's went much the same. Weather prevented me from getting my AFF7 on Sunday, so I came back the next Tuesday. The wind was too gusty for students, so I hung out with the staff and decided to sign up for a packing class with Sarah. She took her time to show the how to properly prepare and pack a rig; though I’m not quite yet brave enough to pack one to jump, I feel I can do so and have it open properly (hopefully not too rough). I camped out in the bunk house again and got on the first load of the day. It was my AFF7 (Graduation Jump) with Frank. I was a little nervous; what if I had forgotten that awareness I had found over the weekend? Frank was very good at calming my nerves: This was my skydive; he was just there to watch. I also felt I had more to prove in this jump; he had seen my utter failure of a jump on AFF2. I did a forward flip out of the plane and got stable quickly. I did a left 360, then a right 360, ending it focused on Frank. I did a back flip, and focused on him again. He made the sign to arch a little harder (so we were at the same level), then waved me towards him. I can’t tell you exactly how I did it, as it seems like the body figures out how to move even if the brain isn’t actively thinking about it, but I glided up and stopped right in front of him. We docked arms, and then he did the coolest thing that had happened to me in the air yet. I saw both his feet go straight down, and the next thing I knew he flipped me right over the back of his head!!! It was awesome. I got stable and oriented on him again. He signed for me to track away and pull; I did so, and had my second stand up landing at the dropzone. It was a PERFECT skydive for me, and one hell of a graduation from the AFF program. On the ground, Frank gave me accolades for my Skydive, and said my tracking was excellent for the first time I had ever done it. In total, I’ve had a wonderful experience with ASC and would recommend it to any new or experienced jumper. Thanks to Frank, Jimmy, Thad, JJ, Fast Eddie, Woody, Kate, Sarah, Katie, Nick, Aaron, Ashton, Tyler, Kenny, Lance, Katie, JR, V, Ted, PJ, Alisha, and everyone else at ASC. Dennis