skybytch

LMAO! Yeah, it's hard, but don't let it beat you! It took a week of spending an hour or so a day trying before I could hit "two thousand." Hot tips - Don't set the line up very high or make it very long at first. No more than waist level (as long as that's high enough that you won't bottom out when all of your weight is in the middle of the line) and keep the length under 30 feet. Lower lines are less freaky to learn on and the bails are "safer." Work on standing on one foot first, whichever one is dominant. Sounds wierd but it's way easier to balance on one foot than on two, especially at first. If you don't have another person around to "spot" you, get a long piece of wood to use as a crutch. After spending a bit of time standing on the line with the crutch, your body will learn the balance... and then it's time to drop the crutch. The crutch is also helpful for getting on the line at first. Try it both barefoot and wearing shoes. Personally I prefer barefoot cuz I can "feel" the line better but others swear by shoes. Don't look down at the line! Instead, focus on something out in front of you (I stare at the 'biners we use for tensioning or the knot where the line joins the anchors on the other end; others use the tree/pole that the line is attached to). You can make the line stop "swinging" underneath you by bouncing up and down. Keep your knee(s) slightly bent and your arms way out. While you're on one foot, use the other in conjunction with your arms to help you balance. Don't get discouraged when you have a "breakthru" (ie hit a new move) and then flail miserably for days after. One thing I've noticed is that the line totally reflects whats going on in your head. Stressed out? Pissed off? You're probably going to flail... Now go slack off!

Negative. During the jumps between completing the AFF jumps and getting an A license, you will have to do two "coach" jumps (which should cost far less than $160). Those are the only jumps where you will be required to have someone else with you (how much it will cost to have the other person with you depends on the dz and the coach - could range from nothing - ie coach pays his/her own slot - on up). The other jumps can all be solos, in which case you will be paying for your slot on the airplane and gear rental (if you haven't purchased your own by then). You do not need new equipment. With some effort, you can pick up a perfectly airworthy used rig (container, main, reserve and AAD) for $2500 or less. Used altimeters range from $50-$100; a new Protec helmet is less than $50, used jumpsuits can be found for $100 or so. Getting into the sport is easier and you'll get good at it faster if you have plenty of disposable income, but having plenty of disposable income is not a requirement.

I resent that remark. You've met me. You should know I'm far from "normal."

Good question.

First time we met, I had 600 jumps and was working full time as a rigger and instructor (S/L and tandem). He had 75-ish jumps. When we met again and got together 8 years later, I had 1000 jumps, no current ratings and was part owner of a gear store. He had 3500+ jumps and worked full time as a rigger and instructor (AFF). Today, I have 1100 jumps and haven't worked in skydiving in almost a year. He has 4000+ jumps and still works full time in the industry. In other words, when we first met I was a goddess and he was a turkey. Today, he's the god and I'm the turkey. I prefer to be the turkey.

Drinking is involved, but you won't be invited until your screenname goes to back to the color it used to be.

Check out Sunpath's website for all the details (click on the Odyssey link on the left side). It's worth the extra money if and only if you think it is.

Erk's a greenie! Aaccckkk!! Good choices, HH. But you already knew that. Welcome to the former greenie club, Remi. I'll let you know when and where the next 12 step meeting is.

BSBD, Bear.

I've seen the goat thing from neighbors before. That bothered me far less than the white tweaker neighbors kids hanging out the window yelling and screaming at 3 am did...

:2:0 Lurked an AFF Cat B and an AFF Cat C. Both students did great skydives.

Removing the Cypres is pretty straightforward. Disassembling a reserve is not difficult, but there are a few things that, done wrong, will create extra work for the rigger who installs/packs it into your new rig. For that reason alone it's a good idea to leave it attached to the container and let your rigger disassemble it when s/he is ready to assemble it into the other container. But if you really want to do it, here are a few tips. Vacuum/sweep the floor you'll be working on and put the pets in another room. Remember that the links go with the canopy, not with the container. As you remove each link, attach it to a piece of cardboard and mark which riser group it is on the cardboard (this will keep the lines straighter and make your riggers job a bit easier). Don't cut the steering lines to remove the toggles; instead, depending on how they are attached, either untie the knot or slip the toggle back through the loop (toggles go with the container). Tie the steering lines either onto the cardboard or through the rear riser group links. Daisy chain the lines (partly to save room, partly to keep the lines straighter).

I know nothing about essays for college entrance, but I gotta say that's one of the best explanations of skydiving that I've ever read. Good job.

Ha! Good luck on that one!

I sold skydiving equipment.

I've lived around quite a few recent arrivals from Mexico. I've had more issues with "white" neighbors than I've ever had with Mexicans.

I would. But I'd wait until 4 in the morning and do it just outside their bedroom window.

??? Every time I've called the cops on noisy assholes, the noisy asshole has been on private property and the cops have showed up. Even if the noisy assholes are gone by the time the cops arrive, you can always send them to knock on the door of the noisy assholes friend's apartment. I'd think seeing a nice police officer or two at their door would encourage them to tell their noisy asshole friends to knock it the fuck off... edit to add - Another option would be to learn how to say "tell your friends to knock off the fucking horn shit" in Spanish.

Which is why smart women date men, not boys.

If someone hurled on my gear I'd expect them to pay for a wash and repack. Expecting them to buy you new gear is way outta line, imho.

Hope you're having a great day, Phil. edit to add - btw, don't send off for your POPS membership. We want to do that for you. Ya old fart.

Judging by how I feel right now, I expect my weekend will be spent blowing my nose, whining about having to blow my nose, taking whatever I can find to make my head and throat stop hurting, whining about my head and throat hurting, laying in bed (alone), whining about having to lay in bed (alone), studying history, sociology and anthropology, whining about having to study history, sociology and anthropology, watching other people jump out of airplanes and whining about having to watch other people jump out of airplanes instead of jumping out of them myself. So basically, I'll be spending the weekend whining.

I posted a "rack" pic here a few years ago. It showed up someplace else. I was not happy. Without even bringing into my decision process the exponential growth of the userbase here since then, there's no way in hell I'd post another. I learned my lesson.

Crap! I knew I was forgetting a poll option.

If someone hands you an unlit match, what do you do?