steve1 5 #1 August 30, 2005 I was away from a computer all summer. This may have been discussed already. But I'm just wondering if anyone has a theory why there were so few jumpers this year at Lost Prairie. It seemed like the numbers were about half of usual. Maybe the national TV coverage scared them off...Naw, it couldn't have been that. Price of gas...maybe. Maybe many jumpers have become "Born Again" and figured this place is way to crude, and might cause them to go to hell!......maybe, there were a lot of sinners there. I give up....it's way too abstract for my old brain to figure out....Steve1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gemini 0 #2 August 30, 2005 Sounds like the WFFC. Definitely a smaller crowd this year. Blue skies, Jim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #3 August 30, 2005 From the LP web site: QuoteJUMPMEET 2005 was a huge success. 362 skydivers registered making 5150 jumps from Skydive Arizona's variety of aircraft. I don't know how that compares with previous years since this was my inaugural visit to LP... I seem to recall hearing numbers in the 450-500 range for previous years. In the bajillions of threads about why WFFC was so much smaller this year, common reasons seem to be: lots more boogies to go to, making the "big" ones less desirable, the sport is "down" overall this year in terms of number of participants, gas prices/economy, etc. I, for one, had a great time at the Prairie and it's on my permanent list of things to do. I mean, the beer was warm, the skydives were sucky, the weather was bad and there were too many damn Canadians."There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Feeblemind 1 #4 August 30, 2005 Hmmm have you looked at the price of fuel lately? I would think that is a rather large obstacle to traveling. Fire Safety Tip: Don't fry bacon while naked Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #5 August 30, 2005 I was there and I Sinned greatly.. and often... I think the cost of getting there with the price of fuel was intimidating. I brought the motorhome and it was not exactly cheap filling that sucker up from Seattle and back. I think we were just tickled pink to find gas in Cour de Alene for $2.24 a gallon and when the fuel tank is over 100 gallons... it gets a tad spendy. We did get some new faces there from the local DZ's and some came from farther away. Even some old jumpers from Kapow who had not been to the Prairie in years came up.. that was a good surprise. I think the only one who might get skeered off by the TV coverage would be DB....otherwise it was little more than a distraction. The Water jumps went off sorta ok.. but a LOT more pre planning needs to happen with those next year. It was way too much work to organize that stuff. More people need to step up and bring some gear that can get wet instead of having my 4 old rigs and shuttleing them back and forth. I will bring them next year but they will be handed to people the day before and they can get the rigger of thier choice to pack them. More people need to get thier own flotation gear to keep it legal. We have the boat thing pretty much taken care of for next year.. but if you want to do a water jump.. get some flotation so Fred and the powers that be stay happy. But like always. next year.. the water will be cold.. the weather will be sucky.. the beer.. and Goldschlager and Sambuca will be warm.. and as always there will be way to dayum many Canadians. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #6 August 30, 2005 My boyfriend and I should have been there... but there was a family emergency. I think that maybe part of the reason for the decline in jumpers attending the jump-meet are the local kids attempting to ruin the two biggest party nights. From what I hear this last year was horrible and underage local kids were even allowed in the bar. Those kids just get drunk and try to start fights and can get scary-agressive with the skydiving women. I wish they could take more drastic measures to keep the underage-local-kids out of the boogie scene. (And hire security guards with a BMI < 50) Whatever happens though.. I will still keep being loyal to the LP boogie. Besides, we have our own special tradition on Saturday night.. away from the crowds. -Karen "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigSky 2 #7 August 30, 2005 It was my first year and I agree they need to keep the kids out a bit more. The problem is its a county road so they cant block it off to do ID checks. I had a kick ass time though and cant wait for next year. I am just now healing from Amazon's bear hug,“Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and their hopes and dreams. If I didn’t drink this beer, th Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
