sinker

which one is the airbag? -the artist formerly known as sinker

I am so distraught! Ryan and Daley are NAZIS!! It's like a death in the family... -the artist formerly known as sinker

My friend's father was blinded in Vietnam by shrapnel from a land mine. A few years back, he got this wild hair to do a static line. Went to the S&TA and everyone else (in Alabama) and they said no way no how. So he went to Texas where he got permission to do it. Wide open spaces, did the static line (not sure how long the delay was) and had a not so graceful face plant landing under a big fluffy 7-cell. All on video to, very very funny. He's a crazy mo-fo. -the artist formerly known as sinker

you guys who scamper in before a thread is locked crack me UP!!! LOL!! -the artist formerly known as sinker

yeah, slow poke!! just playin... i remember now... seeing him a while back and his eye was looking all nasty. jeez, that was a week or two ago maybe? sheet man, that must hurt like a mutha -the artist formerly known as sinker

Anyone know what's wrong w/ him? I've only been able to watch his show sporadically lately and he keeps having guest hosts, all of whom wish him a speedy recovery... did he undergo more heart surgery or....????? anyone know? -the artist formerly known as sinker

oh the nun thing is just priceless!! I bet my flares next time I jump will be much improved. -the artist formerly known as sinker

I was able to get right on it and watch all 11 minutes or so... sort of wish I hadn't. God rest their souls... -the artist formerly known as sinker

thank God you're ok... good work on the landing. -the artist formerly known as sinker

saw a tandem this weekend after my second jump o'the day, winds had picked up, TM went downwind too long, when he turned to base he noticed he would have landed on a hangar, so he whipped a 180 and landed downwind off of the dz, hard landing and the dude in front totally wrenched his back. felt bad for the chap, we had waited all day for his turn to jump, was so ready for it. On the ride up he was so excited, didn't seem anxious at all. After opening, I could hear him whooping it up. He wasn't so thrilled after landing. Very different attitude. Poor bastard. -the artist formerly known as sinker

Thanks Rhino!! It does indeed feel good, and when I walk I have a constant reminder... hard opening caused a bit of a bruise to my inner thigh ... well worth the pain baby, well worth it. -the artist formerly known as sinker

Unfortunately it wasn't at Archway, it was atTennessee Skydiving Center. I won't be able to jump up there for another couple of months... but can't wait... -the artist formerly known as sinker

you are right dove, I never really left... jumping was a constant theme in my dreams... -the artist formerly known as sinker

Hi everybody, thanks for the good vibes! Whew. What a day and I am exhausted, even though I only got in two jumps. The first was a level IV recurrancy jump and that was AWESOME!!! First, low clouds were looming in Tennessee, so I was getting Well, they lifted but the Caravan was late So, we did the level IV out of the 182. My big old belly makes it hard to get around in that little thing. We jumped at 11,500. Man, it's colder at altitude than I remember. But what a great dive! JM Chris Martin released me to hover soon after exit, we docked, released, did the requisite turns, and redocked. My RW was better on this first jump in 6.6 years than any other in the past! It was amazing... it was just like riding a bike. We fell between some patchy clouds at 6k, waved off at 5k and had a great big Falcon 265 above my head quickly. /channeling austin powers/ Ouchkabibble! A little sore in the thigh! Conservative canopy control and I NAILED a 20 meter stand up landing (5-8 kt wind helped)!!! I was ecstatic!! Second jump, still no Caravan so another out of the 182. This wasn't as good as the first. Attempted 2-way w/ a very healthy and spry 70 year old rigger named Harry. I warned him that my fall rate was, er, rather healthy and he said don't worry so was his. Welll... we exited at 9.5k, not a bad exit but not as stable as the level IV recurrency exit. So I'm stable and looking around for Harry, no sign of him. So I look up, there he is, fighting like mad trying to get down to me, but to no avail. I'm such an anvil. I tried dearching, got a little wobbly so I waved off and played a little. Another good shoot, some spirals under canopy, some practice flares, rear riser turns, and a not-so-good landing at 25-30 meters from target center. I flared about 4 feet to high and sunk in, had to drop to my knees. Ah well... What a great day!!! Beautiful clouds, rekindling old friendships, and tomorrow's my 33rd bday. As a special treat, my wife and kids surprised me by coming out to the DZ to watch my level IV. I was touched and the kids can't wait to turn of age to jump w/ dad (they're only 6 and 4). Wouldn't you know it... the Caravan showed up just as I had to get going back to Nashville! Oh well, there's always NEXT WEEKEND!!! Thanks all for welcoming me back! God I feel GREAT!!! Michael -the artist formerly known as sinker

Here we go, 6:48 am, about to head to the DZ for my first jump in over 6 long years. Clear blue sky, should be in the low 60's. Caravan waiting for me (first turbine jump), a little nervous, can't help grinnin from ear to ear. God it's been so long. Hope to get 3 in before I have to come tend to the family. Wish me luck! -the artist formerly known as sinker

I think I love you I think I love you -the artist formerly known as sinker

you're right butt cheek on the second shot looks nice -the artist formerly known as sinker

yizzo are a frizzeak. -the artist formerly known as sinker

pull... out... the... boobies... c'mon, everyone... pull... out... the... boobies -the artist formerly known as sinker

keep your bizzle off my nizzle.... and leave my nizzle outa this... -the artist formerly known as sinker

terrance and phillip would be proud... -the artist formerly known as sinker

will you be nice enough to translate this little diddy for me? I clearly understand what "hizzouse" is, but what does the rest mean? -the artist formerly known as sinker

well, i'm not joking about it, gotta go clean up now after seeing that shi*, just too funny. thanks. -the artist formerly known as sinker

Jump number 14, attempted 6 way (I was part of a two-way base since my RW skills were pretty much absent), only got three others on for a 5 way, waited WAY too long for the sixth guy but he never made it. Never having jumped with 5 other people at once, and having only 14 j's, I was real concerned about tracking into someone or vice versa. Totally lost altitude awareness, chute was over head at 1800. Scared me to death. Landed out and had a nice long walk across the airport back to the DZ to think about my mistake. -the artist formerly known as sinker

Hey y'all... I was in Manhattan this week, not supposed to be back until Friday night in time for Saturday morning jumpin. But, I came back last night, landing in Nashville just 30 minutes after the first attacks on Bhagdad. I was staying at the Westin Time Square and it was just getting a little too freaky for my tastes. At any given time when I looked out my hotel window, what did I see? Blackhawk patrols. Leaving Manhattan for work in the morning across the bridges? Police w/ machine guns. They were checking every rental van/truck, and traffic, normally a pain in the butt, was simply murderous. In one sense it was reassuring to see an extra show of force, but in another sense it was disconcerting, knowing that there may well be a very tangible reason for the extra force, i.e. terrorist attacks. The mood there, in my opinion, was just getting more and more tense. Sorry, but it was time to come home to wife and kids. So, the flight home was uneventful. 8 pm ET came about 30 minutes prior to touchdown and I wondered, has it begun? After I landed, I took a cab home. During the ride, the cabbie, a Kurdish immigrant, gets a call from his wife on his cell phone. The conversation was in his native tongue, but it was obviously a happy conversation. I pictured him saying their equivalent of "hotdam" and whooping it up. He hung up the phone and said in broken English that the war had started. I just got goose bumps. I was fearful but strangely relieved. The cabbie pulled up to my house, got out of the cab and said that the ride was on him. I asked why and he said that he swore that when the US finally took real steps to get rid of Saddam, he would thank us by not charging fares for that day. I was a little dumbfounded. So, for better or worse, here we are. Nashville has a large Kurdish population, and they, my friends, are simply jubilant about what's begun. And I can understand why. -the artist formerly known as sinker