CanuckInUSA

That's nothing that a reciprocating saw can't handle. Sorry folks ... that was a joke. Now that I'm back up in the frozen tundra, I feel very distanced from swooping at this time since all the DZs within a 1000 miles of me are all closed for the season and I find myself thinking about my winter home renovation projects instead of swooping. But Phree you do bring up some excellent points about handling a possible injury if and when it does happen. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Cool ... I hope the yellow, red and black beast is keeping you happy. I'm obviously kind of weathered out at the moment and not all that current (it's a good thing I own a Spectre, Samurai and Velocity). But I am happy with Shimells old JVX.

I thought this was a joke thread when I first saw it. Why all the drama? If I ever decide to leave DZ.COM, it'll be one of those "whatever happened to that guy" months or years after I stop posting things. But I hope to stick around a bit longer. It is good to take a break every once in a while though. In fact I'm out of here ... at least for the next few hours. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

It's actually a very good system and no the rings aren't all that big. The only thing remotely bad about it is that it's one of the more expensive systems on the market. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I don't have a digital camera and since I'm just starting some major home reno projects, buying a new digital camera is low on my list of things I need to buy in the next few months. Anyway ... Nick B sent me an email message before I picked up my RDS and I thought this email message contained pics of the system. But after looking at the email all it contains is video of his openings. So send me a PM with your email addy and then I can forward you Nick B's email address (and the message that he sent me of the openings on the RDS). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I am very happy with my RDS from the Paraconcepts peeps out of Chicago that I use with my JVX. It's not the cheapest one on the market, but it is very well made. I don't have any contact info for them at this time, but you can always talk to Nick B if you want to go down that road. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

"I've been to parties, sometimes until four. It's hard to leave when you can't find the door". - Joe Walsh from the song "Life's Been Good". Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I believe that science does a much better job making the universe easier to understand than organized man-made religions ever will. That doesn't mean that science has all of the answers (at least not yet). It's just that science does a much better job explaining the universe than these mythical "you better believe our version otherwise you will be damned into eternal hell if you don't" man-made religions. Remember organized man-made religions were conceived long before humans even comprehended our own solar system let alone the universe. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I am a little confused here since you the pilot are the one who is in total control of the turn rate. I guess if you really wanted to get scientific you could do some tests to see how the different wings turn (ie: using the exact same control inputs in the exact same weather conditions on the different wings to see how the canopies differ). But as I said, from a laymens point of view, the canopy pilot is the one who controls the rate of the turn. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

If you believe in Satan, then can I tell you a few stories about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny? There may or may not be a God, but if he/she/it exists it's not in the form that human religions have made him/her/it out to be. Maybe you should pay more attention to science (things like physics, mathematics and astronomy) and less time in bible camp. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

True. A competitor would definitely fair well if they got three 400 hundred footers ... even in Colorado. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I remember when 400 feet was considered a long swoop. It wasn't all that long ago. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Dude you are 100% correct in saying that there are plenty of talented swoopers out there who do not compete and there's nothing saying that they need to start competing if they don't want to. But at the same time what are some people debating here? They are debating a technique used in a specific competitive swooping discipline. If someone doesn't want to pop it up on a distance run, then don't (it's not like popping it up doesn't have it's risks). But as long as the current rules permit it, don't criticize those who use the technique. Sounds pretty simple to me. I've got work to do now. I'm off of DZ.COM for a while. Slam me, call me names, call me an idiot because I defend a technique which is perfectly allowed under the current set of rules. I don't care. Paying attention to my job for the next 8+ hours is more important than posting here. Later ... Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

A woman in Toronto, ON Canada leaps to her death with her child over a highway overpass. More can be read about it here. I would love to make a smart alec response alonf the line of "hey it's too low" in reference to BASE jumping. But it's really not all that funny. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I'm jealous as I currently don't have a pond anywhere near me anymore. But be safe and have fun. It looks like in the future we can expect some good talent to come out of this South African DZ. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Remember that distance is only one discipline in a swoop comp. There are many other events which do require the swooper to stay close to the deck (or stay on the water if you're lucky enough to be swooping a pond). One of the things we did last year which I thought was really fun and look forward to doing much more of it in the future was "freestyle - zone accuracy" where the swooper had to do a freestyle trick on the water before landing in a positive scoring zone. All the rules of zone acc applied (meaning you got a donut if you didn't land in a positive scoring zone), but it also proved to be a real crowd pleaser and it was fun for the swoopers as well. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Did they stay within the 10 footers? Maybe by within an inch or two, but I just watched one of John's distance runs where he enters the gates at ground level and then a couple of hundred feet down the course he's already up there at about 10 feet. If that's not popping up I don't know what is. Sure he didn't pop up as much as Molderski or Batch did on their distance runs, but he did pop it up nonetheless. Why are some (not all) people trying to hold back people with their flying techniques in competition? Isn't competition the time when we push the evolution of this sport? Just because one person thinks it's wrong doesn't mean it's wrong. When an Olympic javelin thrower tosses their spear, they toss it up so that it's achieves it's most efficient trajectory and thus maximum distance. They don't toss it horizontally across the ground. So why are some people trying to hold back competition swoopers in a distance event? Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Why don't you join the competive swooping circuit and show people how it's done. When you can out swoop the guys on the PST, then maybe we'll have an idea of why you think popping up is nonesense. From the times I have practiced distance runs, purposely popping it up doesn't always result in the ultra long distance runs. But when the canopy sling shots you up there by itself, watch out. Then again I have yet to go remotely as far as the likes of Moledski and Batch. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

You must be confusing me with someone else. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Don't under estimate what you think we know. Has it ever occured to you that some of us were in the exact same position you are in only a few short years ago? The only difference is that at 370 jumps I was still on a Sabre2 170 (but yes I was swooping at 370 jumps much to the chagrine of some canopy nazis). Plus I know from personal experience that people do progress at different rates in this sport and by dedicating jumps to canopy control and wanting to seek out canopy control coaching you're showing us that you're not totally irresponsible (there are people doing what you do without even dedicating jumps to canopy control). So chase your dreams and don't let the nay-sayers discourage you. But also remember that this shit takes time. There are no short cuts as it doesn't happen over night. The margin for error is small in swooping. It doesn't take much to mess up. Plus assuming you survive a crash (trust me you will crash if you haven't done so already ... just ask Spizzz about some of my crashes in competition) and being hurt after a swoop gone wrong has a way of making you to sit back and re-evaluate what it means to be swooper and to put skydiving into perspective when it comes to life in general. Swooping rocks ... but it demands respect if you want to survive. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Here we have a 19 year old male and a 15 year old male who are both flying canopies way to aggressive for their experience levels. I remember what it was like to be those ages. I also remember how invicible I thought I was. But as we age, we wise up to the errors of our youthful ways. Both you guys have your whole lives ahead of you. Trust me when I say this. I am older than both of you two put together. I know more about life than you do simply because I have been around longer and experienced more. And don't confuse what I am saying right here as "arrogance". If you live to be my age, you will know what I am talking about. Both of you guys have the potential to become world champion skydivers and you have age on your side. Why are you trying to take short cuts? Wake up and don't be in such a rush. There is no harm in you guys wanting to become swoopers. But there are no short cuts. You'll impress us so much more if you were to show up on the scene several years from now (after taking a responsible canopy progression) and kicking our butts on the competition circuit. But you sure as hell aren't impressing anyone but pushing the limits too fast at such a young age. Be smart and don't die. A friend of mine recently passed away thanks to a swoop gone wrong. RIP Josh. I'll see you when I get there. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Simply not enough. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Not everyone progresses at the same rate. But know that there are no short cuts to swooping. To think otherwise is just asking for trouble. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Sure why not. I can have have a little hypocrite in me can't I? Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

It's doable. But if there is any sort of hesitation, you're dead. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over