Whiskeychick

Hey Monk, why don't you swing by Coolidge in a few weeks? A few of us are going there the second to last weekend of april. -WC

Sure, I'll see you next sunday. Look for me in the packing trailer, I should be there all day.

Yes, Eloy is in AZ but we've been sort of hurting for aircraft until we get our own otter next month. So in the meantime we're leasing other dz planes in addition to our caravan. Viking, I can't make it this weekend and will have to catch you next sunday, sorry. :(

Well, as Shark already said, Bunny, T1, and I jump there. I'll be on the lookout for a big redheaded guy... or you could give us a heads up on when you are coming out and we'll meet you there. After all, it's not too difficult to convince us to go down to the dz! Shark, I'll get my lazy butt up to Elsinore if you come down to Otay. I still have 2 'snore jump tickets that have been burning a hole in my wallet for a few months now. -WC

Just for the record, I don't think your mid 30's is anywhere close to being old. Thanks for a beautiful and inspiring story! -WC

Well Dutchboy, if you do have time to sneak in a jump Thursday, I'll see you then. I'll most likely be in the packing trailer. Remember, we're not at Brown Field anymore. 805 S to Telegraph Canyon Rd E. -WC

Dutchboy, too bad you're going to San Diego tomorrow, instead of thursday. I'm at Otay every thursday, and would have jumped with you! At any rate, I think you should definately follow Shark's advice. Elsinore and Perris are so close to each other, why not do them both! -WC

I'm not a total die hard practitioner, but I do it a couple times a week. It's great for relaxation, flexibility, balance, and awareness of body position. I don't really buy into the philisophical mumbo jumbo, I just do it to round out my normal workout routine. -WC

The regulations say that if you aren't packing your own parachute, you have to be a rigger or be supervised by one. But hardly anyone follows that regulation. At our dz, tandem packers get free training, and are supervised on unpaid pack jobs until the rigger is satisfied that they are doing it correctly. Then they get signed off, and are allowed to pack unsupervised. And at $10 a tandem, $5 a sport/student rig, you'll have your aff saved up for before you know it. I'm not sure how it works at your dz, but it definately wouldn't hurt to ask. Hell, you should just go hang out for a weekend even if you won't be jumping. It'll keep you from going bonkers like you are now! -WC

Dirtsucks, if you need funds, maybe you could see if they need packers at your dz. Then you can be near the skydiving scene, which is therapeutic in its own way, in addition to banking some cash for aff. Plus you can learn a lot from others just by hanging out, and be even more ahead of the game when you do start your training. Packing is a great way to pay for your jumps, and is the only reason I am not flat on my ass broke due to skydiving expenses. -WC

Wow, someone else that likes glam rock. That's something I secretly like, but hardly ever fess up to. Reminds me of my teenage years. -WC

Southern California. I might see you at Perris or Elsinore, but probably not too often since I'm still madly in love with my home dz down by the border. You're going to love the SoCal weather! -WC

I find it rather interesting on just how many people believe that chicks can't land. When new male jumpers get their license and are looking to buy their first rig, most people will tell them to get a canopy that is loaded about 1:1. I weigh 105 (exit weight of 125), and even though I had been landing great under my gear rental at the time (sabre 170), a lot of people told me that I might really hurt myself under the sabre 135 that I was looking at buying, that I should get a 150 instead. These people would then tell the 170 lb male jumper with the same number of jumps and landing ability as me, to go ahead and buy a 170 sq ft canopy. These people really psyched me out and made me think I was making a bad decision. Luckily, my rigger and jumpmasters, who knew me the best, advised me to go ahead and get the 135. And I've been really happy with it, no wind, crosswind, downwind. At any rate, I realize that if you don't know someone personally, you are forced to make generalizations based on sex, jump numbers, age, etc. But that still doesn't mean that I can't find it a bit annoying at times. -WC

Hey Diver123 and Zelda... you guys from Skydive Oregon? Looks like you're getting back your pilot, Pete. He spent a few months down here in San Diego, and flew your caravan back this morning. -WC

I've been pretty lucky with my tax returns. Last year I spent my return on a cypres. This year I spent it on a safire. -WC

I'm going to have to agree with Carrie on this one. It seems to me that there is a high correlation between skydiving and drugs. I don't like it, but it's just something I've come to accept. -WC

No, I don't fear getting hit by a plane, but if I pull higher than normal, I get vivid mental pictures of drifting skydivers in the next group smacking into my canopy while they are still in freefall, due to not enough separation time. Does that count? -WC

The place that does balloon jumps near Perris requires at least 100 jumps and a B license. I'm doing my first one in a couple weeks and have been bouncing off the walls in anticipation! Hopefully all this nasty SoCal rain will go away by then... it's really been pissing me off. -WC

I consider anything below 2000 as low, anything above 3500 as high. But that's just me... my dz is surrounded by mountains, and seeing earth in my horizon around 2000 would probably freak me out. -WC