skybytch

That's not a bad idea at all. But I'd also suggest checking with some of the major gear dealers out there (Square One, SkyCat, Sunshine Factory, etc). They usually have some used equipment in stock and they want to stay in business in this very small world so they aren't likely to jack you around.

That whooshing sound? That's the noise things make when they go right over your head. Yeah, I know, it's not nice to make fun of the brain injured... I never said I was nice.

Cuz I don't want my mother to find out how much time I spend here. She got kinda pissed off when she found all those threads I printed out; something about all those F words.

I like these better... Harry Vagina and the Sorceror's Stone Harry Vagina and the Chamber of Secrets Harry Vagina and the Prisoner of Azkaban etc...

Oh that's easy. Don't get out of the lane on the far right other than to exit. What's hard is pulling into and out of gas stations. That's what you should worry about. I'm a big help, aren't I?

Whoa... you organized a boogie once and that wasn't enough stress for you so you're gonna do it again? You, sir, are nuts. Back to the topic. The last week of July through the first two weeks of August are bad times to have a boogie, as is (in the US anyway) the weekend before, the weekend of and the weekend after Labor Day (weekend before and after are bad cuz people are either waiting for or recovering from Labor Day). June is a good month for a boogie. The last two weekends in September are good (if you'll still have good weather then). The second weekend in July is a good one too. But I really like your idea of random cute guys at the local bar's b-days.

Get thee to the dropzone. Bring your stuff. But don't plan on jumping. Hang out, talk to people, watch loads land, maybe go for an observer ride. If you decide while you're there that you're ready to jump, then go jump. If you don't, no worries, you've still had a good day hanging out with good people. Repeat the above until you either a) jump or b) decide that you're not going to jump ever again.

Good stuff! The only things I would add - If the system is not freefly friendly, what will be the cost of making it so (if that is possible)? If it is not possible, do I understand and accept the limitations of this equipment and intend to skydive within those limitations?

It's gonna be playing on the big screen in the hangar at Davis this weekend too. And I don't need cable to watch it there. Great movie.

No. There'd be no question about it if I were attacking you. You'd know.

Normally mild mannered and happy people become nasty tempered and abusive assholes in there. What's not to understand?

You forgot Jack in the Box and In N Out Burgers. They're both my favorites. Love Jack's fries and shakes. In N Out makes the best burgers ever, anywhere (I'll have a double double animal style please).

I'd suggest spending a weekend at all of the dz's in the Bay Area and decide for yourself which you like best. Each has it's own vibe; each is worth at least an occasional visit even after you've chosen one as your new "home." I love the people and the PAC at Davis; that's why I call it "home." YMMV. Perris is a 6-8 hour drive, depending of course on how fast you drive, when you are driving and where in the Bay Area you're leaving from.

Not always. It only takes 3 years in the sport and 500 jumps to become a drogue thrower. The tandem instructors often have to keep doing tandems when the winds come up to keep their and the dz's cash flows in the black - lots of times they'd choose not to jump their own rig in the same winds. From my experience, it's usually the most experienced jumpers on a DZ who are sitting down when the winds are high. Why? Cuz they've been there, done that; they don't need to make a skydive that bad.

Taurus. Earth trumps everything else.

I had that problem until someone explained it to me a bit differently. You are looking for the spot that doesn't move but to find it you first have to look at a couple spots that are moving. Try this next time you're hanging out in your holding area. Pick a spot on the ground in front of you (any old spot will do). Watch what the spot seems to be doing as you fly along at full flight. Does it appear to be rising as you fly along? If so, then if you change nothing about your inputs (ie continue in full flight) you will land short of it. Does it appear to be sinking as you fly along? If so, then if you change nothing about your inputs you will land beyond it. If it appears to be neither rising nor sinking, if you change nothing about your inputs you'll land very close to it. Once you've seen it from up high a few times (which, btw, is a very handy trick to use when trying to figure out if you'll make it back from a long spot), it becomes a lot easier to use when you're flying your landing pattern. Does that make any sense??

15:2:0 Fifteen word problems in my math homework. A 3 way RW jump with two of the newer jumpers and a 2 way freefly with my favorite jumpin' buddy. It's been awhile since I've done two jumps in a day. Hopefully soon I'll be able to afford to do that more often.

Noice! I'm still waiting for financial aid to tell me how much I'm getting in Pell Grants for this semester, much less actually send me any money. Fuckers need to hurry up cuz I need that $$ to buy books and I've got tests coming up in two classes in a little more than a week.

The best way to figure out what canopy is right for her is for her to jump a number of different canopies and decide for herself. I'd suggest putting off buying a main for her until after she has done so.

Race the kids down the big slide thing. If they're getting close to passing you, put an arm out and push them back.

I'm a smartass. I have big tits. I like to drink expensive alcohol. I can walk on a slackline. I know more about first generation Camaros and skydiving equipment than you do. I don't like hurricanes. I'm safe. I can walk 5 miles with a 40+ lb. pack on my back without whining. I like road trips. I have a 4.0 GPA. And I can solve linear inequalities. Edit to add - and I'm modest.

I'm not paying anything. The college is paying the $26/unit for me cuz I've been poor for so long. I knew working in the skydiving industry would pay off eventually.

Sure you are. You don't have to be "good" to jump with newbies, you just have to be safe.

You could safely put a 170 in a container sized for a 210. But realistically, by the time you're ready for a 170 you'll probably be ready for a new, smaller container. Nice thing about buying a rig that size is that they are pretty hard to find on the used market. When it's time for you to get something smaller you should have no problem selling it quickly.

And I'm much less likely to hurt myself that way.