skycat

Phree I'm not going to argue with you, you have your opinion and that is fine. But there is a HUGE difference between 600 and 1000 feet no matter how you look at an altimeter. Until you say you have atleast 20 jumps on a crossfire I will not agree with you on this point. Kelli

actually it looks like thier next training weekend is easter weekend March 30th and 31st. After that I can't remember, but I think they don't get a weekend in April due to other things.

yeah, I always pack trash, just clear the stablizers and stearing lines then give the nose a curtesy tuck pull the tail around and stick it in the bag.....I do everything I can to make her open faster. I'll avoid the soup can trick though, since there is always that one opening that I'll be glad she is a snively beast.

I think we should make this trip on the next 16 way training weekend.....Since we weren't invited to go play with them, we might as well ditch them

Ummm.....have you actually jumped a crossfire??? I always have 700-1000 ft openings. Do I grab the handles, sometimes, not as much anymore since I'm used to it. How do I know, both my altimeter and my protrack agree, Yes I have watched my altimeter from when I throw out to when I'm under an open canopy more often than not it took about 800 ft. I'm still falling fast enough in my snivle that my protrack still picks it up as being in free fall. It opens so soft I barely feel myself falling into my leg straps the stand-up part is so slow. I've jumped 2 crossfires one at 1.1:1 and one at 1.3:1, the 1.1:1 was averaging 1000 ft, ask anyone on a load with me who saw me snivle past them since I have a very flat track I always opened higher than them. Heck ask TequilaGirl, she thought I was going to chop, actually almost did it was to damn slow. I've had lots of people on the ground wonder when I'm going to chop doing hop-n-pops, it really is that slow. The new one is a little faster at about 800 ft. Of course maybe you are looking at different points when you say 600 ft, I'm looking at from throw out to under a good canopy. I don't know how many times my boyfriend would say damn that thing snivles I didn't think it would open. Yes I always dump by 3K cause of it, that way I'm in the saddle by 2, I've changed emergency altitudes cause of it, I've changed which canopy I will dump at what altitude during an aircraft emergency. I have jumped a cobalt and it opened much faster about 600 ft. I've jumped sabres one with a pocket slider, nice 700 ft openings, and one without about 400 ft openings, although that one did give me a 150 ft one once (no I didn't walk away un-injured). Kelli

Oh yeah.....I think we know where the party will be in Florida.

Hmmm.....well if we head out there I'll be sure to bring the zip-ties

It's probably cause unlike him, the rest of us have manners.

Ok, TequilaGirl and myself usually make 1 or 2 chick trips a year. Last year we hit all the DZs in Texas and Perris Valley. Well it's that time again, we are ready to load up the car or smuggle our gear on a plane whichever, ditch the men for a weekend of skydiving somewhere we haven't been before. Since last year we did the west coast, I think it's time to corrupt...oops I mean grace the East coast. So where are the big planes and big parties??? Kelli

ok how about one where Mem isn't pissy and they are in my bed.... Mem and Fox

It's a persian....that pretty much means pet me or I'm going to get really mad. Well that and I mad him sit next to the dog.

Here is a pic of Foxy and Mem.

I know Derek had taken a grasshopper to the chest in his Swoop last summer in Dallas. I kept looking for the bug guts smudge on his jump suit.

I'm with you 100%, sitting out a few loads isn't going to hurt my weekend, and can only help me. I've jumped at DZs in different parts of the country and they all do things different. Local jumpers are great for finding out a lot of info, but personally I like to see where everyone really tends to hold over or how the pattern is really flown not just how someone thinks it should be done. Also for DZs without high performance areas, I want to know where to avoid so I don't get hit by someone swooping the "beer line". Another place is the Pea pit(s), are there people shooting accuracy? If so I'll avoid that area to, cause those people tend to hold in brakes and do s-turns on final. After watching all of this plus what the winds are doing, I pick where I want to land and mentally figure some flight plan accordingly. Kelli

OK I have an odd cat, his catch of the day is usually french links with that tab of webbing that icarus sends thier canopies out with......I guess if you look at it with your eyes squished up and maybe threw a glass of water it could be a mouse in his mouth when he caries it around by the webbing.

Cyndi said she would donate her lightning 126 to the two out cause. It's a seven cell and probably closer to a reserve than the PD-170. Of course my 97 is still up for being tangled and chopped. Kelli

Hey girl here are some things I did when I used to have trouble eating: 1) Avoid eating alone, company always makes the stomach happier. 2) As long as the other person is eating force yourself to keep eating. You would be surprised how well this works, as long as they are stuffing things in thier mouth, you will be doing it too. 3) Eat often, since I wasn't eating much at meals I made sure to have my favorite snack food such as crackers, pretzels, tortilla chips, whatever always on hand, or in my desk so I could snack all day long. Bascially I have tons of microwave finger food in my freezer, cause I know when I get hungry I have to eat NOW, or I won't be hungry in 15 min. 4) Drink lots of water, dehydration can easily set in if you aren't eating/drinking enough. 5) Relax, sometime putting the stress on yourself to eat will actually make it worse. I always told myself it's ok if I don't want to eat now, just have a few chips or something 6) Exercise, even if it is just taking a walk before dinner, it will definately help the appitite. 7) Talk to your Dr. there may be another problem that needs to be addressed before the surgery. Kelli

Actually maybe a better question is how come your micro-raven 109 hasn't blown up after what 6 jumps on it?

After seeing the over head and talking to manifest, I try to find out the landing area rules and watch at least 2 loads land. The I try to find a regular to ask all the non-landing area related stuff such as, what outs are bad ones to land in, such as the pasture with the bull, farmer McNasty's, will golfers try and hit you if you land on the greens (SDH), will the dirt bikers hit you if you land on the track(Elsinore). Is it hunting season and to avoid the field between the tree lines if you can, Is that really dark green stuff grass or soy beans. If you are in Texas and several other Southern states, always ask which fields are cotton fields, I've found it best to avoid them.

My cousin had a cat that everyone ended up forgeting her name cause she was always having kittens. So we all just called her momma kitty. Good thing my grandparents had a farm so all the kittens always had a good home to go to.

yeah this weekend I was doing a hop and pop and was looking out, well the green light came on, I looked out again and was way down wind, I would have just made it back, but I was doing a hop and pop to work with the canopy, not to try and make it bad to the DZ. So just hung out in the door then when over the DZ hopped out. Luckly I was the only one getting out low or I'm sure someone would have told me to hurry up. Of course I would have let them go first then laughed when they had a LONG walk back.

Wait a minute....how come I find it hard to beleive you actually remember past the first 3 shots

Yep TG is right, since you are a small chick like us you could be anemic. I was last summer, went to the Dr, he gave me some horse pill vitamins and put me on an iron regimin. This is especially important since you are going to have surgery soon.

I have both a dog and a cat, they are both cool....the dog for rough housing, going hiking (she has her own saddle bags), bringing to the DZ to pick up men, you know dog things. The cat is cool cause you can tie a pull up cord to his tail and he will chase that thing for hours. (note to self don't do this again while he is on the coffee table) Plus the dog really loves having the moving toy. Actually my cat is more dog like, he will follow me everywhere, and is my little loverboy, my dog on the other hand give me attitude when tell her to get off the bed. (yes she actually does know this command just doesn't like it) Kelli

Well Lets see the dog gets about 90% of the little creapy crawly things, and home flea spray with the stream option on the nossle will get the ones that she can't. I don't have to touch a thing, cause once they are dead...spray them a few extra times to make sure you pick them up with a piece of paper. Oh the other hand since I have my wonderboy, all I have to do is go baby....I know you like using your gun, well I have this cockroach about the size of my hand that needs to be shot, normal bug sprays won't do it. Kelli btw....I once dated a guy the was more scared of bugs than any girl I know.