JohnMitchell

We chatted. I'm okay with the 200 yards separation, esp. with a touch of vertical (in case of line twists, etc.) I never saw that we were on a collision course prior to deployment. But there have been serious incidents when a higher jumper has cutaway and fallen into a lower jumper.

As tandem masters, we got pretty used to being last out and all alone in the sky under canopy, only the other tandem canopies for company. Now, with the increased popularity of wing suiting, I'm finding my skies a bit more crowded. Saturday I'm under canopy with Erika after a great jump. We're at about 3500 feet when I tell her to start looking around for wing suiters. One of them opens above and about 200 yards from us. I point him out to my passenger and comment that he has a bunch of line twists. Soon his path is curving to cross over us and I said "Let's steer away from him in case he chops." About 15 seconds later, my student gets to watch a nice wing suit cutaway, with the reserve opening just below our level. I'm glad we got out of the way, right? We also were about the same level on final. I know what it's like to be under a reserve, so made sure I went behind the guy. He had had enough excitement for one day. Anyway, that was my one jump Saturday before the weather closed in. Always something new.

I've had quite a few jam my head into the top of the door. That's why I like a good helmet for my noggin.

I've worked where soft hats are required for students. I've worked where they're unheard of. Don't care either way but I'll keep the hard helmet on my head. If my student asks why, I tell 'em "I HAVE to be awake for the skydive. You don't."

We jumped out of a turbine DC-3 in Thailand, owned by the Royal Thai Air Force. Don't know if that really counts, though.

Not to mention we took a simple cup of coffee and made it a $6 worldwide obsession.

Those Seattle people are crazy.

Squeeze, shake and dance, 220, 221, whatever it takes.

I admire your philosophy and try to treat my passengers as students also. But try as we might, we occasionally end up with a load of "stupid" in freefall. . .

I learned an amazing way of shucking corn after it's been cooked. Don't peel from the top like a banana. Using a knife, cut off the bottom of the cob, where it grew from the stalk. Using a hot pad or towel, grab the husks and silks at the top and shake the corn on the cob out the bottom. Just about every silk will stay in your hand as the corn slides out the bottom.

Hate to say it, but it sounds like Randy's elevator ain't hittin' the top floor. I think the boy needs help. That alien abduction $hit can scar you for life. . .

I didn't listen to the clip, but I saw him twice in concert when I was in high (very high) school. One helluva musician and band leader. Some of his stuff was cacophony, some of it genius. You just had to pick through it.

Another regional difference in speech. I've lived in TX, UT, and WA and have never used an definite article for a highway, unless to "freeway" or "highway" followed it, such as "the I-5 freeway". Some say pop, others say soda, I grew up asking for a Coke.

***off THE I-5 Where are you from? John is correct, that is how we say it up here in the PacNW. Jerry Baumchen I thank THE Jerry for backing me up on this. I thought proper names needed no definite article.

For belly flying, I prefer the old down-up-downandout of the "ready-set-go" count. It telegraphs well, others can pick up the motion for a smoother exit, and it gives the outside floaters the "set and a half" beat to leave a touch early.

Thanks John. I'll check with her I know they are starting at San Fransisco and moving North. We're minutes off I-5 and close to the Olympia train station. Be glad to host any friends of yours.

Agreed! Theatre popcorn is for DZ.com threads about swooping. A pack of M&Ms in one pocket, maybe a mini bottle in the other.

Subways have sandwiches, dummy. How stupid of me.

A good one. At the top of my list would be "able to build coherent, effective, and succinct lesson plans."

Perhaps that's just another difference between "British" and "American". Subways have underground trains; tubes have toothpaste.

We have some spare rooms in Lacey, WA, south of Seattle, if those would help during the trip.

Our old Kapowsin, WA DZ was very family friendly. There were forests and frog ponds and neighbor kids and a giant wood pile to build forts in. The DZOs themselves were raising their children there as well. The new Kapowsin is Shelton, WA is still kid-friendly, but doesn't have the play areas like the old.

Vskydiver and I were stuck on the North Shore of Oahu where we've been jumping all month. We missed the eclipse this time. . . Haha, you're right. We were okay with that. . .

And Scott Fitzgerald wrote 'should of'. Being famous doesn't make you right "And 2 points to Jakee." I'm a single space guy too. And I love a good ellipsis. . .