jose

Is that a 5 point harness??

Now that would be interesting to see.

Oh my god, Jt, that bike is one step above a scooter!!! ROFL. Please tell me that you dont have that thing anymore. Ps. You look like Richard Marx on that thing!!1

Why you? Cause your a sucker! Looks like coyote bait to me. Edit to add: I wonder if they have the same fall rate as a skyball.......

Just over 1 year now, is how long I have been a jumper. I want to share with you all where I am at right now and how it is that I got here. I apologize for how long this will be, but my hearts a talkin. I moved from California in 1997 to Washington for a construction job just after getting married. California sucked as the seasons were; earthquakes, floods, fires and riots. Leaving your friends behind is hard when your 25 years old. They are your support group. I enveloped myself in my remodel of a house I had bought with my new wife, and boy howdy, did it take my life in a different direction. No longer was the late night fuckoffs that me and my friends did. 4 wheeling in the hills and drinking beer by a bonfire in the canyon somewhere. Just being silly and having a good time with my buddies and girlfriend, now wife. Those were the days of carefree and irresponsibility. Wow......I sure wish I had realized how special those days were when I was living them. So anyways, back to the house. 6 years later, I am finally coming to a close with this damn thing I call the neverending lifesucker. I now have a full time position as a firefighter, and a year and a half old boy named James Patrick. Geeze....how did I get here? It hasnt seemed like that long, but it has been an eternity in the same. Once I was young and carefree, now I am rooted, carreered, and a father. I have made a couple friends along the way here in Wa, but none like the ones I had back home. Sure, I get out once in a while and cut loose with some guys. Maybe go for a dirtbike ride or something, but somehow it seems all to pacifistic. What is missing. I don't feel like the guy I once was. I dont think I look like the guy I once was. How can it be that I am losing my godamn hair at age 30. What the fuck did I do to deserve that? Its not like I'm friggin bald, buy you know guys, its just not that thick there anymore,ya know? One early spring, my brother came out to visit me from Co. He had started jumping earlier in the year, and had about 60 jumps or so. He was always talking about it. We start drinking and get real stupid ya know. Just seeing how much we can annoy the wife and mom. Hehe. He brought out some video tapes of skydiving stuff. One was Good Stuff and Swoop and some other one. We watched them and during one of the videos, there was a scene of a base jumper going off the cliffs in Norway. It was a parallel jump with the cameraman off to the right. My hair stood on the back of my neck and I had this wave of emotion come over me. In my mind, I knew that I had to do this thing called skydiving. It wasnt merely a desire or a want, but a fact, a necessity, a destiny awating me. The next day, I was in Pitt Meadows BC. going thru my PFF. It was a shitty day, so I only got 1 IAD in. But while I was there waiting for the weather to change, I sat on the couch and watched these guys and gals just fiddlefuck around in the hanger. It was obvious that they all knew each other, and it was neat and depressing at the same time to see them enjoy themselves and each other so much. It reminded me of when I was still in Cali. with my buds and how young and stupid we were. Course we knew we were stupid and immature, but we didnt give a fuck. We were happy with who we were. Well, this is what was before me right there in that hanger, and I thought to myself, "I will never have as free of a friendship with others as these people have with each other. They must have known each other for a lifetime." I continued with my PFF and got my solo certificate. I bought a rig at jump 16. Took my A test at jump 25 and passed. I continued jumping at the same DZ all summer, but with all my other responsibilities, I did not get to jump as much as planned. I made some small acquaintances in that time, but nothing significant. I was still a low time jumper that people were afraid of, and rightly so. I proceeded to jump my ass off over the winter in the lower US with my brother and his and now my friends. We fostered some good relationships, but long distance ya know. I learned alot over the winter about the sport and my skills improved. Freeflying was definitely for me. As this new season has dawned upon us I have been to my local DZ quite regularly and have attended the Kamloops May Meet in BC. It was magical. I have never flown so good before, and was getting in 2-8 way sit flies and hanging in with the best of them. Toe docks, grabs, and all kinds of cool shit that I only dreamed of. Even did a tube jump. All of a sudden I felt an amazing relationship growing between myself and others that I jump with. Some I have known for the whole year and some I have just met. I was starting to feel like I was a part of their group, their being, their silly and stupidness that I have so much missed, but not really know it all these years. I can't express in words how these people make me feel. Over the last few weeks, I have been at the DZ numerous times with some of these people. Flying free and having a hoot. We often go out after jumping and have dinner. All the time acting people 10-15 years younger. It's amazing. We plan events outside jumping to hang with each other, celebrate birthdays, just go piss off and stuff. How is it that there are really people like this? People who hardly know you, but are willing to let you inside their vulnerable undersides with unstaving friendship? Just tonight I realized that I am now one of those guys who are fiddlefucking around in the hanger and not the guy on the couch. I feel like I am a part of something. Acceptance? Belonging? I don't exactly know, but I it feels like a long hard hug from someone you love, but havent seen in a long time. I don't want it to end. Maybe this is a kind of payoff for all the hard work I have put into my personal life in the last 6 years. I feel that I have neglected the younger person in me for long enough and I can not even begin to tell all you how much it means to have your friendship and comradiery. Jumpers are an amazing kind of being, and to be one, not only physically, but spiritually, is one of the greatest gifts one can have.

So, what are you trying to say?

I guess I would need a strap-on, too, for that matter! Schweeeetttt......... I did not realize that you were of the female pursuasion.

Yo, McGyver here to solve your problems. Your needed supplies are as follows. 1.large ice cooler- sacraficial that is. 2.1 or 1 1/2 inch soft copper tubing, about 20 feet. 3.Foam insulation to cover short section of copper pipe. 1 section will do. 4.12 volt blower. A inflatable mattress blower will do. 5. Adjustable 12-voltage regulator. 6. Enough dry ice to fill chest. 7. 10 feet of auto heater hose whos inside diameter will match the outside diameter of the copper pipe you are using. Assembly is as follows: 1. Drill 2 holes in ice chest the same diameter as your pipe. 1 at the bottom on the right side and the other near the top on the left side. 2. Take soft copper pipe and snake it back and forth inside the cooler leaving about 4 inches out the intake side and exhaust side. Remember to leave enough room betweeen the sides of the cooler and the copper coil. Also, leave about 1 inch or so of spacing between each corresponding coil as it rises. 3. Connect the blower to the pipe with some 6 inches of heater hose. Wire the leads from the blower to the adjustable voltage regulator and then to your 12 volt battery. 4. Connect the radiator hose to exhaust end and leave enough to snake into your tent. Cover heater hose with the black pipe insulation. 5. Fill cooler with dry ice. 6. Place end of exhaust pipe in tent. 7. Turn on blower and adjust the speed with the voltage regulator. Close all windows and zippers. 8. Go get drunk, pick up a chick, and return to your airconditioned tent and knock the bottom out of her. Of course, I want to hear my name from her in the throws of passion for having such a killer concept to allow you to get laid without feeling like you need a shower afterwards, (at least from the heat.) Is this what you were looking for?

Note to self......... Don't jerk off into the wind........

Damn bible thumpers. I get so sick and tired of religious zealots thanking god for EVERYTHING! Its like they think that they have no control of thier own! Dont you believe, on the premise that you belive in God, that he gives us free will to make decisions of our own? When we are succesful it probably because of our hard work, and conversely, if you fuck up its more than likey that your an idiot and trying to prove Darwins theory of natural selection. I have a mother-in-law who thinks everything is due to Gods hand, and it cheapens the concept. Gimme a break.

I am looking to get a new wide angle lens. I currently have a 0.45x Kenko, which is cheap at around 50 bucks. I have been told that the optics are poor with this lens, softening the image and not giving accurate color replication. There is also alot of barrel effect with this lens. I am interested in a lens of the same angle or slightly less, maybe the 0.42x, that is of quality contruction. Of course, cost is an issue, so if there is a lens out there that comes just shy of a 300 dollar lens, but only costs 150, I'll take it. But if there is no relpacement for a quality lens, let me know. Thanks for your replies Brad

Yeah, by looking at the way the helmet is made, I assumed that would be a problem. I plan on using the Kenko 0.45x that I have as it sticks out more, thus keeping the side of the helmet out of the picture. Yeah, its not as nice of a lens as the Diamond, but it will work. brad

A couple ideas here. Start with your case fans. I use the low Db ones too, but I have found that the Stealth ones are the best. They use ball bearings and are smooth as hell. Second, get a really nice CPU fan with a monster of a heat sink on it. I have the Volcano 9 on my AMD 2600. The great thing about the fan is that it only runs at the speed necessary to keep the CPU at rated temp. The harder you make the computer work, the faster it spins. So if you dont do any hardcore stuff, it will spin much slower than the one you have now, but when you are downloading and rendering all that porn, she will be hummin! CPU fan http://www.thermaltake.com/products/heatsink/v9.htm Stealth fan http://www.1coolpc.com/stealth.htm Good luck Edit: damn, I'm clicky retarded

Hey, who out there has the FFX from 2k Composites? I am looking at abandoning my Hawkeye and D-box for this unit. The Hawkeye is VERY comfortable, and I am not willing to sacrafice much in that department. The D-box on the other hand, is an annoyance and hazard. If you have, or know how one works, I have a couple questions. 1. How is camera secured in helmet? 2. Is lens hole big enough for Kenko .45? 3. Will you see the side of the helmet with the Diamond .3 lens? 4. Do they have a cutaway system? 5. Am I annoying you with so many questions?

I jumped with a guy who had a helmet that was manufactured, with the specific model that you have, camera bumpout on the side. You would actually mount the camera from the inside of the helmet. Absolutely NO snag opportunities. I am really interested in this setup, but have had no luck finding it on the net. The owner told me that he thought it was a UK company. Any ideas?

Geek.

A HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE JIGAWATTS!!! WHAT WAS I THINKING?????

And to think, I let this guy pack my reserve.

Thanks Kris, that clears some things up. I will more than likely get the 20's, but I will just measure my current ones to compare. I still do not find any risers on the net, even at rigging innovations. Any ideas?

Ok, camera flyer risers? I must have been given bad info. I was told by a Icarus rep that I should get the 17inch risers. Is this length not common? How do differnent lengths play into thier purpose? David, I have lifted my Gag Order as Peter has dropped the restraining order. I hear you are the newest member of the bunch. P.S. Next time you see John, ask him if I need to bring a donut to LP for him. He'll get it.

Ok, I am about to receive my Safire2 in the mail, and I still dont have any risers for it. I have looked at all the online stores, but I have not had alot of luck finding any listings for risers. I am looking for 17 inch mini-risers. I have NO idea what manufac. to go with. All I know is that I do not want velcro and would like a style that works well with dropping the slider, and one that works well with the use of dive loops. What I mean is with the toggle style the dive loops is easy to get in and out of. I plan on using s-links as well. Some direction here would kick ass.

The mod to half-life, Counterstrike. That fucking game had me by the short curlies. I seriously had to delete all files off the harddrive and break the installation CD that I paid 50 bucks for. Otherwise, I would come crawling back after a couple of weeks, days, hours, or minutes. Online shootem up, role playing games are EVIL But damn, after those 3 years I could kick some serious ass. Whatever that counts for.

This must be a "clever" way of telling us that you did something stupid eh? So how many snapped and which ones? P.S. Do you believe everyone else now?

Its the 16th to the 19th of this month. Wooohoooo!!!!!!! Bring yer tequila hombre.

Isn't that an oxymoron? Well see how long that lasts....