CanuckInUSA

We've heard it before. People who aren't jumping cross-braced canopies don't want to compete against people who are on the cross-braced versions. Now we know that the competent experienced canopy pilot will do better under the cross-braced wing, but we also know that consistently hitting the entry gates no matter what canopy you're jumping is the key to doing well in a swoop comp. So why is it that some people who jump traditional HP canopies are leary towards competiting against those under the more rigid and yes more efficient wing? Well I'm beginning to wonder if it's because of the money. People naturally want to do well in their respective comps (unless you're the only one in the comp, someone is going to win it and someone is going to finish last). But is it really because these people feel they are throwing their money away? Unless you're on the PST, swoop comps shouldn't be about winning money. They should be about having fun while safely pushing yourself and your friends to get better. So should we be charging big bucks to enter amateur swoop comps and should this money be going to the winner, most likely the guy or gal who first has the skill and experience but who is also under that cross-braced wing? Thoughts and opinions? PS: I can't wait for my JVX to arrive ... because it should pay for itself after a few comps ... just kidding of course. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

If I'm not mistaken, Johnny Utah lives in the Chicago area and we know he offers excellent instruction for the right students (or at least he used to offer excellent instruction). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Speaking of politics and greed, don't forget that gasoline is cheaper in Ontario than it is in Alberta where this huge source of Oil exists. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Now if you're trying to max out a Crossfire2 that's a different story, but don't ever let people tell you that you need to load up Crossfire2 canopies to jump them. They're still very sporty and fun to jump at any wing loading. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I'm not so worried about someone steeling my Jeep. I'm more worried about some crack head breaking the windows to steal whatever. So you're trying to tell me that my insurance will be invalidated if someone opens an already open door? What kind of logic is that? How are the police to say that the they obtained access by opening an already open door or if they access it by using a shimmy stick. Your logic doesn't make much sense. Are you trying to tell me to follow the rules of others when it's clear that the insurance companies are going to fuck me up the ass no matter what? Getting back on track, I'm sorry to originator of this thread for their loss. That sucks. Good luck trying to find the thiefs, except that the thiefs don't play by the rules that everyone else is supposed to play by. I'm afraid your stuff is likely gone never to be seen again. But you never know ... Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I'm new to BC myself. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Dang dude ... count yourself extremely lucky. I just moved to Vancouver BC and it's been kind of disturbing to hear of all the car break in's which occur here. So rest assured I will NOT be leaving anything of significant value in my Jeep and I'm tempted to leave the Jeep unlocked to prevent some crack head from breaking my windows. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

What no talk of the 3.5 billion dollars the US owes Canada for the Softwood Lumber dispute that the WTO recently sided on? You better hope that you start making friends in the Middle East and that you don't lose your source of oil because Canada is thinking of sending it's oil rich and natural gas resources to other markets (like China) since the US has decided to shit on it's largest trading partner only because it's trying to suck up to the failed US lumber industry. Oh I forgot you wanted to talk about guns and couldn't care about how you guys shit on the rest of the world whenever you don't get you way. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Easy there big fella. I wasn't aware that Mark and the other guys were willing to work with people on their basic swooping skills. I thought they were working on more advanced stuff like running gates. Plus I have no issues with people wanting to become swoopers. It's just that certain progressions should be followed. Good luck with your goals ... just be smart and know that unless you're winning PST events, there will always be someone out there better than you (a comment which applies to everyone). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Camps like this should be for people wanting to learn how to swoop gates not learning how to swoop. One needs to build proper basic canopy control skills before they learn to swoop. Then they need to learn how to swoop before the they attempt to run gates. Then they need lots of time in the lower stress time of practice running gates before they ever think of running gates in the (I've got to make it) higher stress times of competition. There are no short cuts to competitive swooping. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Letdown? Letdown for what? Death and carnage? I'd much rather Jeb (or someone else) not attempt this and still be alive than to have him try it and die. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Go to www.canopypiloting.com and look for Jim (OpeningShock). He's the one holding these camps and he'll set you straight. By the way Ground Launching rocks!!! But it's not safe. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

You and Yoder are hurting my brain with all your back and forth talk (but I am experimenting more with that harness turn technique you told me about just before I left CO and I like it). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

:4:1 No comment ... Four skydives made at the very scenic drop zone called Pacific Skydivers in Pitt Meadows BC (plus I met NWFlyer at Pitt yesterday). But no jumping today as Mother Nature decided to rain on our parade. But that's okay, jumping unfortunately is not cheap up here and I'm happy with my four jumps yesterday. Beer owed but not paid for jumping at Pitt as well as in Canada for the first time. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

If I was female I might ("might" being a loaded word here) be attracted to another female. But I'm not. The thought of being with another guy is just too #########. Hopefully you'll understand. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Instead of putting me in the "Maybe" category, me thinks (like my english?) that you should create a "Likely" category with myself in that list of peeps. I've made the last three Holiday Boogies and I sure hope to make this one as well. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Let's assume that for the moment Eloy will be my home for the 4th year in a row during this Holiday Boogie. Things may change what with me being currently unemployed (I do have savings) and who knows if I was to find work and if they would want me to work during the holidays. But I sure would like to be there for the boogie. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I would think that off-heading opening are influenced way more through "bad body position" than through your theory of a bad pack job. How many times have you seen someone dip a shoulder (resulting in the off-heading opening) than some sort of bad pack job? We see poor body position a fair amount in this sport for many different reasons. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Social Security does need to be reformed and I agree that the Dems aren't helping if they only criticize instead of offering alternate solutions. I just think creating private retirement accounts where the assumption of the only way to make money is in the stock markets is extremely dangerous for the uneducated masses. We already know that the Wall Street professionals are sharks willing to eat their own Mothers if it means making a buck. What's the solution? I'm not sure. I guess I'm not all that smart either. But it would be nice to see contributions limits increased. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Two things: 1) My Cypres incident occured in the thin air of Colorado back in 2003 where everything occurs faster than what may happen jumping at sea level. Oh and I was jumping a Sabre2 170 loaded at about 1.3:1 at the time. 2) The Cypres will fire a lot higher than the advertised 750 feet AGL if the right conditions exist (I think mine fired somewhere around 1100-1200 feet AGL) and I would say that you're playing with fire if you think you can pull at 1600 feet AGL. But you're an adult and it's your rear end on the line. There are plenty of threads here on DZ.COM which have talked about how the Cypres works. Personally I think 2000 feet AGL is a decent hard deck for most of us. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

It would definitely be nice to increase the contribution limits that currently exist. But the Feds don't want to decrease the amount of tax we give them. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

The adventure!!! I'm no expert, nor am I a seasoned BASE jumper. But one thing I have learned is that BASE means different things to different people. Objects that interest me may not interest others (and vice-a-versa). But don't ever let someone else influence you into doing a jump that is outside of your comfort levels. BASE is serious business and I personally think people need to plan the entire jump (not just the freefall portion). This means knowing all there is to know about the object. How to access it (make sure we communicate with the locals before we access their site), what gear configuration is needed, what sort of freefall can be done, what sort of canopy flight is needed and how to exit the site without detection (if it is at a questionable location). Finally IMHO, the best BASE jumpers are the ones who don't brag about their jumps and don't advertise to everyone what they've done (of course this mainly applies to the illegal type of sites). Then again what do I know about BASE. Not much compared to the people who've been at it longer than I have and who are more passionate about the sport than I am. I'm just hoping to have some fun and to stay healthy in my unknown BASE jumping future. Good luck ... be smart ... be safe ... know your gear ... know your limits ... don't ever be afraid to walk away from an object when everything is not right ... know how to fly your canopy ... and don't ever let your ego get the better of you (this should apply to all of us not just you). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

You know the Otter modifcation Mile-Hi really needs to do to their new (most bodacious Otter) is to add a sound system like Eloy has. Time will tell, but I hope to be back next summer jumping the Otter, King Air and yes even the Cessna while I swoop the pond. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

There is nothing scientific about "Intelligent Design". Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I didn't want to emphasis lost altitude awareness too much in the original post as I know some AFF instructors have it in their minds that they will pursue their students much lower than another type of jumper might. But lost altitude awareness is a root of many problems we may encounter. I am a member of the Cypres club from a couple of years ago. I lost altitude awareness (even though I was watching the planet all the time), came off of a head down jump at 3k, had to wait a few seconds to slow down and pulled my main at approximately 1900 feet and the Cypres fired at the very tail end of the main's snivel. I got lucky and I sure hope the next time I find myself at or below 2k with nothing over my head that I go for my reserve handle. But time will tell. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over