ltdiver

Was leaving the dz on Sunday night, after a wonderful day of team training, when we looked up in the night sky and saw an awesome sight! A beautiful Snowy Owl in full flight just above! Silent in it's flight, it winged it's way over the hanger and disappeared. A deep sigh escaped us both and we longed to be up there with him. Have any of you experienced flying with something so majestic? Either in freefall -or- under canopy? It's an awesome feeling indeed (and humbling,too). I've been under canopy with a Red-Tailed hawk playing along side. I think he was teasing me :^). Here's one of my most favorite stories from skydiver and story writer, Kevin O'Connell. One of his experiences? :^0. See: http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&selm=7et63h$tgh$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Hey Teammate! Loved the weekend with you and the guys... About your 1:12:0? Didn't I see you with a 'beer' on Sunday night? Or was that someone else I was "drinkin' " with? ;^) LOL, Upward Center __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

0:12:1 Fantastic! Now let us all know when you reach #10 so we can all go out with our cameras and let you geek! :^) Just kidding. Congrats on your success! FANTASTIC weekend with warm (no...HOT) sumer-like weather in S. CA! Wish all you guys could come to our dz.com record next weekend! :^) ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Actually, Ukrainian ;^). Sent to me from abroad and posted here for just a little fun today.... ;^) ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

As the clock ticks over from 8:01PM on Wednesday, February 20th, 2002, time will (for sixty seconds only) read in perfect symmetry. To be more precise: 20:02, 20/02, 2002. It is an event which has only ever happened once before, and is something which will never be repeated. The last occasion that time read in such a symmetrical pattern was long before the days of the digital watch (or the 24-hour clock): 10:01AM, on January 10, 1001. And because the clock only goes up to 23.59, it is something that will never happen again. __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Dave :^) Yeah...I'm a light weight (have to wear 16 # of lead when I video my 4-way team). As for the "who can go the slowest" challenge that clocked me at 101 see: http://www.futurecam.com/skydive/010217/index.htm grins, ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Ah...memories indeed. Looks exactly like the rig I was trained on! SOS and all. The only difference was that my canopy was a Goliath 378 ! Now...calculating wing loading with that (never thought to figure this out before) would bring me to .46:1 ! No wonder I learned to just land in one spot and not have to walk it out on landings ;^). LMAO right now. Thanks for the memories! ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Yikes! I don't even think I could reach that speed going head-down! :^) How about how -slow- can you go? I got clocked by a Pro-track doing 101 last year! :^) ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

So sorry, Lisa, for your family's present challenge. I work with diabetics all the time in my profession and the angst they and their families go through pulls at my heart everytime. In CA, at least last time I renewed my D/L, they had a little pink sticker that you put on the front of your card and a place to sign on the back for organ donor permission. I've carried this with me since I was 16. If there is other paperwork to be submitted please let me know. ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

I echo what you're saying. If someone pads their log book and then goes and tries to get a rating, shouldn't it show in their skill level? Then the Evaluators and Examinor -should- be able to ferret them out and expose! How embarressing! If they don't have the time, then they -are- scarey in the sky! (shutter), ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Glad to be of service, Dove! Good questions, too. Let's see... I tell my patients to write down their questions -before- talking to the doc. That way they get all their questions answered and don't suffer through 'delayed intellegence' like everybody does (when they leave the doc and then remember the most important questions -after- the fact). So, get a pen and paper out. The docs are -very- busy but most like to keep their victims (ah..patients) informed. As for 'walking' after surgery...you most likely will be NWB (non-weight bearing) for quite some time. Injuries near joints (like the knee) can be some of the most difficult to rehab from. Mid-shaft fractures are -so- much 'easier'. Sorry. Get out the weights are start exercising those triceps! They'll need it! Crutches will be your friend for awhile ;^). As for drugs (the legal kind)...TAKE THEM! Why be in pain when you don't have to be. It is only temporary but they help ALOT! I agree with Ann, though. Don't get back up in the air too soon. I'll PM you a story about someone who did and it wasn't pretty. Anyway...good luck with the sx and keep us posted on your rx. Blues, ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Good luck with the surgery and recovery, Dove! Just one word of caution (and those of you who've had ortho procedures before can back me up)...careful of the physical therapists! You think that skydivers have a wierd sense of humor...just wait until the P.T. makes you move your leg and get up and walk the day after surgery! ;^) No...really...we have a few rules of our own (yeah, I'm a P.T. :^) 1) Never tell us that it hurts...we'll push you more! We LIKE pain! 2) Never tell us it's easy...we'll push you more...add weights...or make you walk farther! 3) Never tell us that you don't know what rep you're on, we'll make you start over at #1 ! 4) And the rest you'll have to find out on your own ;^). No....really...we're very nice people who LOVE our work and want you to get better. You'll want to scratch our eyes out sometime, but hey...what the heck...we -know- you're motivated and want you back in the air asap too! Grins friend, ltdiver PS PM me if you have any questions. We're all pulling for you! __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Images of 'Fandango' come to mind....;^) ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Yeah...Hmmmm....what browser are you using? Can you see the other pic of the "Woman's Day" jump I posted a few seconds ago? ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

How'd you like to spend "Woman's Day" skydiving like this? :^) ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

ok...here's Natasha. Ain't she a cutie! ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Perhaps you're right...I'm not much of a historian, but we celebrated it just the same. Kind of nice to be the center of wonderful attention at least once a year :^) ( the men get it the other 364 days of the year ;^) Grins, ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Again, thanks Emma! This is a pic of my good friend Alia Veselova (woman on the right). She was the captain of the Russian woman's 4-way team for 5 years. She's now retired and has a beautiful baby daughter just one year old now. Her husband, Andrey Veselov, is the photographer here as well. He's won many photo competitions in Russia for his skydiving work. Great people! Grins, ltdiver PS I'll post a pic of their daughter if I can find it around here somewhere. __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Emmie! Thanks for the pics! This one is from Russia's traditional "Woman's Day" celebration. Kind of like our Valentine's Day. Women are treated to roses and chocolates and, in the skydiving community it is very common to have a fun jump together. See the roses for this woman in the picture? I've had the pleasure of being involved in this holiday and they really do it up right :^) ! Missing my friends from over there, ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Fire Fly Suits rock! They come with pants separate and 2 tops (one with wings and one without). Works great! Contact Steve (alias SBS on this NG) at Square One and he'll give you all the stats. He has this combo as well and it looks sweet! He also posted on this forum back on Jan 25 about this same issue, if you want to take a look. Topic: Wing Sizes. Hope this helps, ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Congrats Paul! Chosen out of millions and millions?! Wow! Love the pic! :^) ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Uhummmmm.......God??? Never got -that- far....;^) ! __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

One of our own has a birthday today! Stop by and wish a happy one to quade! ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

First weekend in March works for us, too. GREAT! And if quade can't be there, I call 2nd High Camera! K?!!! :^) (damn work that keeps me away from computers let him get 1st High Camera bid! Man...does that guy -ever- step away from the 'puter? Super Geek! :^) ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver

Damn!! That's a team training weekend for me and 2 other DZ.commers. How 'bout the weekend before or after, Lisa? ltdiver __________________________________________ http://www.discover.net/~ltdiver