ladyskydiver 0 #1 January 8, 2003 Here it is...January 2nd 4:15pm in Wisconsin. It's cold, windy, and snowy. But....there is good in the world as ZeroG and Firecat's adventures are about to begin. We enter the Milwaukee airport excited yet nervous. Not sure what will happen as we are flying Delta and are checking our rigs. We get through the security checks and board the plane - no problems with our rigs. First stop - Atlanta layover. Second - Orlando, FL. Happy Dance! We're in Orlando. Now, how in the heck to we get our rental car and to our hotel? It's 12:45am, and we finally check in at the hotel after somehow stumbling on it. Bed....sleep....aahhhh Friday morning starts out with breakfast and a trip for FireCat to SkyVenture - my first wind tunnel experience. Arlo was an absolute sweetheart in helping get the time arranged. I ended up with Ed as my coach. Checked in and found out I got a TShirt and a video of my jump. Now, I'm not sure what I expected but the wind tunnel looked like nothing I ever imagined. Ed spends some time with each of us that are going into the tunnel asking us what our goal was, how many jumps we have, our experience level, etc. and helps us decide what to work on. With only having had 50 jumps at the time, my response was "everything to do with RW." LOL Poor guy had no clue what he was in for. He spent some time with me before going into the tunnel to explain a different way of turning - using your knees instead of arms/shoulders. I ended up having 5 - 2 minute blocks of time. It was great to sit and watch the others in the tunnel - 2 whuffo's (1 who did really good) and 2 other skydivers (one with 100+ jumps, another with 500+ jumps). My first 2 minutes in with Ed was learning how to be in the tunnel - those walls are close - and for Ed to see how I flew. Each successive time was learning something about how I flew - how to do turns with the knees, how to dock on a person without losing position, etc. I ended up becoming really good friends with the door on one of my knee turns. Nice beautiful blue, black and purple bruise to remind me to turn better. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat (and will when finances permit). I definitely enjoyed the way Ed worked with me. He explained everything about what I was doing, how my body should be, etc. His debrief was great - pointed out good things and things to be worked on. I'd definitely spend more time with him in the tunnel. After I spent time in the wind tunnel, ZeroG and I drive to Deland. We're as nervous as we were when we did our first AFF jump. Yikes! What do we expect? It's a different DZ, in a different state, with different people....our first away from home DZ visit. We realize when we pull up that it's kind of windy, but heck...we'll wait for awhile and see what happens. Go into Check In and get all the paperwork signed. Was given a very nice tour of the place by Paxton. ZeroG and I ate at the bar/restaurant there and had great food. And, didn't get to jump. Manifest grounded us due to winds - "200 jump minimum" for the winds. Now, we're disappointed. True, I wouldn't have jumped in those winds, but....to have manifest tell me I wouldn't was to dash the last rays of hope. Reality sunk in. We had spoken with a few jumpers (and we're both bad - we're much better at faces than names otherwise I'd thank them by name for the nice time they showed us) and said we'd be back. Saturday was bright and beautiful - we knew we'd be jumping. ZeroG and I headed down to ZHills. Again, we're as nervous as an AFF level 1 jump... We arrive at ZHills and wander into the office, get signed up, buy 3 tickets and walk over to the rigger's to get our rigs checked out. We manifest and we're off to start our jumping day. As we load the plane, we're nervous...we know no-one. Will we remember the arial map (we only looked at it about 6 times)? Will the spot be good? Willl........so many questions, fears, concerns going through our head. Uh-oh, the door is open, we're going to be jumping soon. It's our time...ummm...exit? Oh, yea...let's just hold hands and bomb out...what the heck? It's a funny exit, but.... Aaaahhhhh...now I remember why we did this. It's so beautiful and warm! We recognize the airport. We pull high so that we can get a better feel for the lay of the land. It's so tropical and green and warm! We did it!!!! YEAH!! After our 2nd jump together, we found out some friends of ours from our home DZ were there. Somehow, this calmed our nerves. We knew someone at ZHills. Oren (a load organzier) introduced us to Greg (another load organizer) who offered to jump with us. Umm...ok....well...hopefully, we'll do good. We launch our dive, make 2 points and float on the third (a donut). As ZeroG and I try to get back to Greg, we realize the altitude, track away, and deploy. A successful day! 3 great jumps...tons of fun....now off to the all-you-can-eat seafood buffet. Sunday, we come back to ZHills to spend time with our friends (Janet and Mark) and jump with them. We can't believe how beautiful it is out. We get to ZHills, meet up with Janet and Mark, and they get us on an organized jump with Oren. We ended up with a 7-way and it was one of the guy's (Quinn) 100th jump. We launch the formation. ZeroG gets to the formation, and I'm coming close. I'm there but backslide - damn legs!! Get to the formation again, reach out to take grips and wham! Take out Quinn on his 100th dive. Oh, my God! I can't believe I just did that. I'm so embarrassed!!!! Well, time to deploy and work my way to the ground. Find Quinn and apologize. Luckily, he's laughing and not ready to kill me. Whew! As I walk back to the packing shed, I can only think "No way will they want to jump with me again. Their skill sets are so much better than mine. Taking someone out on their 100th....great. Nice impression." Thankfully, these people are wonderful and willing to work with me to improve my skills. We do 4 more organized jumps with Oren (it's become a 6 way). The people in the last 4 dives (excluding Oren) all had under 150 jumps. (Janet and Mark went on to big ways but were pulling for us.) ZeroG is launching from inside of the Otter - not hanging on. I'm launching rear float - not hanging on. We keep trying. Oren has every faith in us that we can do it and can make the formation. ZeroG makes it, and I'm trying but floating above the group. On the last dive we did together, I made it to the formation!!! I was so happy I could have done a Happy Dance right then and there. All of the work that Oren did and all of the suggestions helped. I feel like I accomplished something. I'm done with jumps for the day but ZeroG does one more with 2 of the guys from our 6 way and has a successful jump. We had fun on the organized dives and learned a lot. I loved the bulls-eye target to shoot for at ZHills! LOL It was so cool to see from the air. Loved the packing shed people. Since we were on vacation, ZeroG and I utilized the packers. Had excellent pack jobs and very friendly people to take care of our rigs. It's Monday. Damn! The weekend went toooo fast. Let's see...it's 8:00am...can we do it? Can we make it to Deland and do 1 jump before our flight leaves? Sure...what the heck? We'll try and see if we can get a jump in. We do not want to leave Florida without having jumped at both ZHills and Deland. We quickly pack our things, check out of the hotel, stop at McDonalds for breakfast and fly to Deland. Please, oh please....let there be enough people to get a load up. We show up and yeah!!! People are jumping the Porter. Oh, good! I loved the Porter when I jumped it before. ZeroG has never jumped a Porter before. LOL And...to top it all off...it's her 100th dive. We get checked in and get our 1 ticket (all we have time for). ZeroG gets video. Marianne is her videographer. Well....here we go. I suggest to ZeroG that we sit on the plane, feet on the step and "fall out" of the plane. ROFLMAO! You should have seen her face when I suggested that - excited but scared. Marianne is taking stills as well as video. ZeroG and I agreed - we'll launch together...geek the camera for a few seconds, and then I split to allow ZeroG her geek time as it's her 100th dive. Quinn and 2 others from ZHills were sweethearts and drove up to Deland to see ZeroG do her 100th. They, unfortunately, did not make it to get on the load with her, but they were there. We walk to the plane...get on the plane, and ZeroG realizes how small a Porter is. We have one guy sitting on the floor of the Porter with his leg up next to Marianne. Poor guy - that must have been uncomfortable. Ok...it's now our turn. I sit down by the strut, ZeroG next to me, Marianne hanging on...and off we go. YEAH!!! Whoo Hoooo!!! We get stable and Marianne flys on over. I geek the camera for a bit, shake ZeroG's hands and off I go. I float up to allow myself space to watch ZeroG and Marianne. As ZeroG geeks the camera, Marianne is flying circles around her and does a sit-fly! Wow! That looks so cool! It was established beforehand that ZeroG would deploy at 4K to allow Marianne to fall on her back and video ZeroG's canopy opening. Well...I see ZeroG's wave off and am far enough away and no-one's around me so I can deploy in place. We get to the ground and HAPPY DANCE!!! 100 jumps for the lovely ZeroG. As we get picked up and ride back to the main area (we landed in the student landing area), you can just see the happiness radiating from ZeroG's face. ZeroG and I drop our rigs off to get packed, close out our accounts, and find Marianne. She was so wonderful - she had already edited the tape and put it to music so ZeroG and I got to watch the video prior to coming home. The video looks great - a wonderful job by Marianne! We get our rigs, say goodbye to our newly acquired friends, and take the long trip to the airport. As we leave Orlando on our way back to Wisconsin, we're sad. We had so much fun...it ended way too quickly. We wanted more jumps at Deland but didn't have time. So....we'll have to do it again. Another trip to Florida...now, we'll just see when our finances agree that we can come back. We met some wonderful people...too many to name. And we're better at faces than names. We loved our time in the warm and balmy Florida weather and the time at the DZ's and the tunnel. Thank you to everyone at SkyVenture, Deland, and ZHills for making our time there so wonderful and great. We look forward to doing it again and welcome you to SkyKnights (should you ever brave Wisconsin weather). LOL Until next trip....Blue skiesLife is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #2 January 8, 2003 Glad you had a good time down here. Next time, tell me when you're coming into town! I can't believe you liked the porter. Wildblue and I did a jump out of that, and we refused to get back on it!She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #3 January 8, 2003 The porter in Deland, Andrea? You didn't like it? What a princess! Actually, the green porter, I thought, was REALLY NICE and less packed in there than I feel in the twin-otter. But I love the twin-otter and Sky-van. I don't even mind cesna's but don't prefer them either. I like to see out the window. Can't do that in the van. I admit I've been spoiled rotten in Deland, but haven't really been on any plane I didn't like, yet.Lady, you MUST tell us when you'll be back! Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sunshine 2 #4 January 8, 2003 Glad you had a good time in FL. I'm so jealous you got to do the tunnel. Maybe one of these days i'll do it too. Once the season starts up, we must jump together. ___________________________________________ meow I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #5 January 8, 2003 No, I hate the Porter. It's so slow and very claustrophobic. And I don't like exiting out of it either. Hmmm...what else can I complain about it? It was funny, Seth and I would ask for the Skyvan at manifest, and Steve kept insisting he didn't have enough people there to fly the Van and the Otter, just the Porter and the Otter. So, Seth went up to manifest us one time with a group of guys for the Otter, and Steve told him that the 3 guys could go on the Otter, but he was going to manifest me for the Porter, and I'd have to fly over to them. She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kevin922 0 #6 January 8, 2003 Quote The porter in Deland, Andrea? You didn't like it? What a princess! Actually, the green porter, I thought, was REALLY NICE and less packed in there than I feel in the twin-otter. But I love the twin-otter and Sky-van. I don't even mind cesna's but don't prefer them either. I like to see out the window. Can't do that in the van. I admit I've been spoiled rotten in Deland, but haven't really been on any plane I didn't like, yet.Lady, you MUST tell us when you'll be back! I second andrea. The plane sucks when they cram people in it - the plane itself is a nice plane, has that "new" feel to it.. but as far as room and speed it bites. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #7 January 8, 2003 I didn't think it was slow, and I guess we didn't have as many people in it, cause' it wasn't crammed, either. I sat on the bench, thingie on the far side and was reclined back nicely. I don't mind exiting it either..., but then again, I did AFF from a porter so it was my first plane and will always have good memories with me. I've also had to learn to be pretty aggressive w/ people sometimes, being small and having WAY TOO MANY people, bascially try to sit in my lap and smoosh the hell out of me. Now, I have no quams to shove them forward and claim my space! Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vallerina 2 #8 January 8, 2003 Quote Wildblue and I did a jump out of that, and we refused to get back on it! That's why you gotta get on 12-ways that can't fit into the Porter Sounds like you had a good time, lady! I should've picked up a t-shirt at the tunnel....oh well. Next time!There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #9 January 8, 2003 Quote What a princess! Bwaaahaaa! Can't wait to see where this goes. "...paging Kettle, we have a call from Pot" "Ummm... yes Mistress... I'll be quiet now" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #10 January 8, 2003 Quote [Laugh] "...paging Kettle, we have a call from Pot" [Laugh] ha ha ha! Actually, though, Andrea is MUCH more of a princess! I don't consider myself one. Yes, I'm more girly than most female athletes but I dont' mind getting on a porter, or getting dirty, or whatever else. It comes w/ the jobA princess typically doesn't rewire circuit breakers, install her own tile, fix her own plumbing or make her own furniture. BUT, I still like to wear my cute jeans and stilletoo healed boots!Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #11 January 8, 2003 Oren puts together a lot of fun stuff. Normally I jump with him, but last Sunday was TKs birthday so I was doing stuff with him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #12 January 8, 2003 Quote Andrea is MUCH more of a princess! I'm not a princess at all. Everything that's done for me is done under everyone's free will. All I do is smile. She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #13 January 8, 2003 Quote Quote Andrea is MUCH more of a princess! I'm not a princess at all. Everything that's done for me is done under everyone's free will. All I do is smile. Slam and dunkkkk! It saves me so much time when people prove my point for me. > Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #14 January 8, 2003 Quote All I do is smile. [Angelic] He he he...and don't forget the "Thank you"...we smile and say thank youPaint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildblue 7 #15 January 8, 2003 Quote Quote Andrea is MUCH more of a princess! I'm not a princess at all. Everything that's done for me is done under everyone's free will. All I do is smile. Haha! Yes, the passive influence you have on people is evident. Except when the guy at manifest says something to the effect of "I'm sorry, I can put the skyvan up just because you want me to" - maybe you should have smiled bigger!it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #16 January 8, 2003 Quote ha ha ha! Actually, though, Andrea is MUCH more of a princess! I don't consider myself one. As long as BZ does, you're good to go. My current strategy must not be working. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #17 January 8, 2003 Quote Except when the guy at manifest says something to the effect of "I'm sorry, I can put the skyvan up just because you want me to" Haha, I know, can you believe that? He didn't want to put that big, expensive plane in the air just so I wouldn't be squished! He must be gay. She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #18 January 8, 2003 Court-whipping boy? I always thought you were playing short-stop, catching everything the other boys can't hitHe he he....yes, when BZ holds my hand when walking down stairs so I don't trip wearing my stilletto heals...I think he thinks of me as a princess...HA HA HA...BUT, when I'm kicking his ass when we're wrestling or learning a new sky-trick really quickly, I think he thinks of me as FANTASTIC! Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stacy 0 #19 January 8, 2003 Quote Oren puts together a lot of fun stuff. Normally I jump with him, but last Sunday was TKs birthday so I was doing stuff with him. you only jump with oren because i do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vallerina 2 #20 January 8, 2003 Quote Quote Oren puts together a lot of fun stuff. Normally I jump with him, but last Sunday was TKs birthday so I was doing stuff with him. you only jump with oren because i do. That man is officially cool since I kept calling him by the wrong name (Warren), and he didn't say anything mean to me! And his jumps were fun!There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyskydiver 0 #21 January 8, 2003 Definitely will do. I'm hoping to get down there again before the year's up. The Porter was so funny - it was the "Wonder Bread" Porter. LOLLife is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyskydiver 0 #22 January 8, 2003 Sounds good to me. Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyskydiver 0 #23 January 8, 2003 Did TK ever get the 42(?) way built that he was hoping for? I kept hearing "TK's xxx-way load," but never heard if he made it.Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #24 January 8, 2003 Quote Quote Oren puts together a lot of fun stuff. Normally I jump with him, but last Sunday was TKs birthday so I was doing stuff with him. you only jump with oren because i do. Never said I didn't have a hidden agenda. Ya gotta have priorities. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rdutch 0 #25 January 8, 2003 No, I hate the Porter. It's so slow and very claustrophobic. And I don't like exiting out of it either. Hmmm...what else can I complain about it? *** Soon you will be begging for the Porter. skydive Deland's new porter will be arriving shortly, and from what I hear it will be the Fastest single engine jumpship in the country. And I believe the only porter in the USA with a -34 engine in it. It took a little longer to arrive because they had to get a special STC for the new engine modification. Now its in the process of getting a new paint job and exit handles ect. But I hear sub 10 minute climb times. We will see. I for one cant wait. Ray Small and fast what every girl dreams of! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
