CanuckInUSA

I've made some long drives in the last six years. But I believe my single day best is driving from Boulder Colorado up Sweetgrass Montana (the Alberta/Montana border) and then back down to Billings Montana where I stayed a few hours in a cheap motel before completing the trip back to Boulder. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Some day in the future (when I get my hands on a eval or pirated copy), I will look into using Premiere or Final Cut. But for the time being, I am using VideoStudio version 7.x from ULead and it does virtually everything I need to do to make a movie without the learning curve (mainly because I paid the price to learn the tool making my first flic). It's hard work. But fun stuff and well worth the effort. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Back when I was fresh off of AFF status, I didn't know if I'd ever get video of myself. My how times have changed. I still have way more footage of others (that's what I get for attaching that thing to my helmet), but I did recently pick up some good footage of myself (something that's nice to study as well as include in music videos). I always felt that video of my tandem jump (which didn't happen, the video) was only useful if I made only that one jump. But something inside me said, this wasn't a one time thing (plus the $80 made me think twice). But AFF Level I is a tough call. It's a boring jump, but it's also your/our first jump (I didn't get video of this jump either). But if you stay in this sport long enough, you will start jumping with people who video the jumps. So bring along a spare tape to the DZ. You never know when you'll need to have a firewire party. One more reason to be a freeflier. As far as this thread is concerned, I selectively choose what I want to show my whuffo friends and colleagues. If you flood them with video footage (especially average jumps), they get bored. And when that bad ass jump comes along, they are less likely to be interested. On a side note, I have just become motivated to start the first song of my second not-for-profit skydiving movie using the footage I got from the Eloy Holiday boogie. This video is going to rock (I learned many good techniques along the way) and the only thing I am Jones for right now is about 10 seconds of wingsuit flights from the boogie (3-4 clips ranging from 2-5 seconds each preferrably from DZ.COM wingsuit people at the boogie). I've already sent out a few emails, but if someone reading this and can help me, I'd appreciate an email with some attached AVI clips (2-5 seconds is all I need). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

When I first contemplated getting into this sport, I thought that I'd be contempt jumping just once a month (to stay current). Boy was I wrong. Not only did I jump into the deep end, I decided to jump in with a full charge of adrenaline. This sport has so many paths to take and it's hard not to find your niche. If you can be safe and only occasionally jump, then power to you. I often feel obsessed and I start to Jones about jumping in the middle of the week before the weekend even arrives. I only hope Mother Nature will let me do at least one jump this weekend (WX forecast isn't looking too good). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

You're going to have to change your screen name if you move to FL. Of course so would I if I moved back to Canada. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

This brings back bad memories of a good friend of ours out in AZ last year. Get your slider collapsing procedures resolved. We don't need to be losing any more friends due to this sort of issue. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

As one of these newbies, it's hard to know what the more experienced people think of us. For sure there has been a number of people I know who have been taking their FJCs before me, and most of these people have less skydives than what I have. I wasn't in a rush to get into BASE, but recently I was inspired by someone and I decided that the time has come (and I will be getting into BASE for myself, not for anyone else). But I didn't start skydiving to get into BASE. I started skydiving because skydiving was fun. But for some of these other people, they got into skydiving because they knew it was the route to BASE. So should these people be restricted because they've gotten into BASE before they've refined their experiences through skydiving? For most people I would say the answer is yes, but there are some gifted people out there who may be ready before others. For myself, BASE is a complex discipline. 1) Knowing your gear inside out is a must (lesser experienced skydivers are at a disadvantage here, but not always). 2) Knowing how to pack is a must (once again, lesser experienced skydivers are at a disadvantage, but not always). 3) Knowing when to jump and when to stay put is a good skill (a lesser experienced skydiver may have more of a gung ho attitude here). 4) Knowing good body positions on your exits is a must (this probably has nothing to do with skydiving). 5) Having a good stable body position come pull time is a must (more experienced skydivers would likely have an advantage here). 6) Knowing how to handle malfunctions could save your life (a more experienced skydiver should be able to handle these scenarios better). 7) Knowing how to fly your canopy allows you to make that next jump (once again, experience in skydiving can only help here. But some people are better than other people when it comes to flying their canopies regardless of shear jump numbers). So unless a low-time skydiver is serious about BASE and takes the appropriate BASE specific training (theory as well as get some canopy time under a large 7-cell), one would think that they should be discouraged from jumping into BASE before they build up the necessary skills in the skydiving domain. BASE is not skydiving ... but what do I know about BASE? Not much compared to many of you out there. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

First off, it sounds like you'll be backpacking, not hiking. But that's just semantics right? Start off by doing day hikes (don't forget to carry a backpack with some weight). Then start doing one and two day backpacks where you haul in all your supplies, sleep overnight in your tent (or bivey sack) and figure out all of the bugs. How to pack your pack (heavier things at the top), what to bring, what to leave at home, what sort of food can you haul and how much H20 do you need? Be prepared mentally as well as physically for this trip. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

The logical choice is Eloy. But you can always (for the same # of hours driving) drive up to jump in Colorado. However, Eloy has Otters, Colorado currently doesn't have any. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Post whore ... Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Thanks, you gave me just what the doctor ordered. The postal code I had was correct, but the spelling of the street name was slightly wrong. But I'm good to go now. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I watch tons of video both from commercial releases, friends as well as my own movie. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Is there a website where one can extract or verify the postal code of a given London address? I have an errand to run for a friend and she gave me her address which must be used. But I'm not sure I got the postal code right. Plus, is the postal code in the UK six digits? Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

It's better to be on the ground wishing you were up in the air than to be up in the air wishing you were on the ground. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Dang ... you still on that shower thing from the WFFC? (or was it Couch Freaks) Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Always ... nuf said? It's like wearing a helmet while biking (or motorcycling, skiing, etc, etc). Most of the time it's not needed. But when it is, things usually happen so fast that we can't even react. I can't recall where a seat belt has ever saved my bacon, but I know of at least two instances (one on a mountain bike, one on a motorcycle) where a helmet has saved me from certain death (or one hell of a headache). And seat belts are no different. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I do find 270s easier than 180s. But ... 270s have a tendacy to mess with the minds of the other people in the sky (they may not recognize what you are about to do when you're setting up) and this is not the case with 180s. As some of the others have said, progress slowly with your new canopy (congrats by the way, I love my XF2), and add 270s in first only when doing hop n' pops and afterwards only do them when you have clear airspace. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Say what you want concerning jumping under the influence of marijuana (there's nothing I can say to justify jumping while stoned). But please don't compare drinking and smoking. They effect the body and mind in completely different ways. As a former ski patroller, I have seen what happens to people who come out of the bar after a few at lunch. But I can't recall if I ever treated an injury due to someone being stoned (of course being stoned is easier to conceal than being drunk). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I didn't mean to slam the low-timers. There were really only two people (out of many more) who were joking about the chaotic nature of our tracking dives. So having myself generalizing all of the low-timers wasn't far. Gordo had a good point is saying to be patient with newer skydivers and I still consider myself to be very much a newer skydiver compared to many of you out there. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

That's what I did. Besides the WX was starting to get crappy (and of course it started to snow here anyway). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I purposely left that option out as I knew it would generate the most votes. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Hi Mary ... without a doubt I am dissappointed in those jumps and part of it has to do with the attitudes some of the low-timers brought to those jumps. Maybe I'm slowly turing into a safety-nazi (I hope not), but when certain people are joking about the previous zoo dive and how much they are looking forward to the next zoo dive (you known many of these people I speak of, but I will not name names), it serves as a warning to myself to wonder what am I doing on these jumps. But there was no one else to jump with yesterday (plus the WX sucked) and I do enjoy participating in good tracking dives (which these jumps did not resemble). I don't know, maybe I'm just in a squirrely mood. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

How many of you out there have watched Kenyon Salo's base jumping movie "Continuum"? I have known about this movie for a while now (seeing parts of it at the DZ as he works as a tandem videographer at my home DZ during the warm WX months). But it wasn't until yesterday that I sat down and watched it from beginning to end and I have to say, I am impressed (for the first time I watched it with and open mind and thoroughly enjoyed it). I think he's tendancy to show the jumpers names in the bottom right corner is a little distracting (I tried to shut it out after my first viewing), but that is a minor point. The rest of the movie is well made (IMHO) and inspiring for the new jumper like myself. Of course by watching it four times yesterday, I wasn't spending the time needed learning to pack on a borrowed base rig (which is only in my current possession for packing and not jumping). But I will try to concentrate on packing tonight (and only watch Continuum once ... again). So what do you guys think of the flic? And how many lives do you think Kenyon's already used up with his nine alloted lives? I counted at least two lives, maybe more ... Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I had a great day of skydiving on Saturday making six jumps including one bad ass freefly with two other very good freefliers (freeflying is so much easier and more fun when you jump with people who know what they are doing). But my Sunday wasn't even remotely as good (two totally chaotic tracking dives with mostly low timers and lead by someone who's never lead a tracking dive before ... not me ... but I can't talk as I've never lead a real tracking dive either) and now I sit here pondering the bad jumps instead of the good ones. Is this just me, or do others think about the bad jumps. I'm sure if I did the bad jumps on Saturday and the good ones on Sunday, I'd be thinking about the good ones, but the jumps are reversed and I can't help but think about the crappy jumps yesterday instead of those good ones I did on Saturday. Of course I am happy with my swoop (in moderately windy conditions) on my 2nd jump yesterday, so I do have some good memories from Sunday's jumps. I don't know, maybe I'm just in squirrely mood this morning. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Nope I'm the only one. I may have a younger brother who may try it if/when he visits me in the Spring. But other than that, I am the only one. Everyone else in the family is obsessed with pumping out the kids and they wonder why I have't bought into the same program. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over