skybytch

Doing a downplane with Jamie. He wouldnt let go. I had enough time to flare so I guess it wasn't too low when he finally did, but yeah. Lesson learned.

Nice! Missed one by a few hours awhile back. Still waiting for one (or a Freefall or a Sky Kings) to pop up semi-local.

Exactly! But I came back home and drove across the country to buy the equivalent of two complete new rigs instead of just ordering one. And made the mistake of playing a few others while I was buying it. Speaking of which, anybody looking for a good used Tacoma, Corolla, and/or Yamaha XT225? Godzilla is calling me...

We have! Our visit there was one of the things that convinced the husband to get our first machine. :)

Absolutely. The videos, animation, artwork and music are awesome for old farts who remember the TV series fondly (Adam West is Batman, there is no other!). The game play is totally different than our other machines, much more laid back than the adrenaline packed fast playing madness of the Black Knight series - different designers. Unfortunately I got to play the seller's other machines... and now I might want a Jurassic Park...

Worth every mile.

A gun helped tremendously with the rabid skunk in our driveway that I had to kill when I was 18. We didn't have cell phones back then either. We have skunks and mountain lions cruising through our property all the time. We've seen them. The dog regularly gets skunked; we're pretty sure a mountain lion got two of the chickens. Never seen a bear, but a gun isn't going to do me much good against a bear anyway. It's not always about the human's life. My son is a cattle rancher. Without a gun, it would be impossible for him to put a severely injured animal out of it's misery when he's way back on the ranch, or to kill the coyotes that are often the cause of those injuries. I accept that you have no need for a gun and that many other people have no need for one. Can you accept that many people like me DO have a need for one? Is there a place in the whole gun debate for someone who owns and needs a gun yet also supports nationwide background checks, registration, training and licensing and even a ban on assault weapons? Or is either ban guns or be a rabid gun nut? I wonder sometimes...

I agree 100%. A federally issued license that requires background checks and training prior to issuance and renewal.

In suburbia, sure. But we don't live in suburbia. We don't have (human) neighbors right next door. Our cell phones don't work when we're in the upper clearing. One person's definition of need can be very different from another's. Risk is increased by having guns in the home. Risk is increased by jumping out of airplanes. We chose to live where we did, we accepted the risks involved in protecting ourselves. We chose to skydive, we accepted the risks involved in enjoying ourselves. Should skydiving be banned because it's risky?

I've dealt with a several serious bouts of depression. Last time I went through it, I asked my husband to change the combination on the safe - and he already had done so. It's more likely that I have to use one of my guns to resolve a situation with a wild animal than with a human. But I'd be stupid to not be prepared for either one. Do I need an AR or an AK with a 30 round magazine to protect myself? Nope. Totally okay with a ban on military style weapons and definitely a fan of nationwide mandatory registration. Do I need a semi-auto non-assault rifle or handgun with 10 rounds in the magazine (or 6 in a double action revolver - technically semi-auto)? When the closest cop is up to 30 minutes away and I'm alone on my property... yes. Yes I do.

There is currently a movement aimed at reducing suicide among veterans. https://overwatchproject.org/just-fucking-ask I'd say it needs to be something that we all do for our families, our friends, our communities. For Billy and his family. For JP and his family. For me. Maybe for you.

Heartbreaking.

It's that close?!? Monday may have a new plan...

Heh. We were there in November. Bought our 2nd machine from a guy just down the road.

LOL! Heading to Oshkosh for the EAA Museum and Kettle Moraine State park for some hiking. And some cheese somewhere.

That's what I what looking at doing. So what's good to go see in the area? I've never been there and I'm going to have a couple days to play tourist. Obviously cheese and a Great Lake, but what else?

Boogies can be hazardous to your financial health. You go thinking it's just going to be a few days of fun, maybe demo a new main or two, drink some cheap beer... and you come back home and order a complete new rig. We went to a pinball festival in October, played a bunch of games and fell in love with one. In November we drove to North Carolina from California and bought one.Crazy? Yeah, but we've played the shit out of that machine already, we have no plans to sell it anytime soon and it's got a great story attached to it now - plus it's already worth about $1000 more than we paid for it.. We went to a pinball festival on Saturday, played a bunch of games and fell in love with one. Either Wednesday or Thursday, I leave to drive to Milwaukee to buy a Batman 66. We could each have a new rig for what this thing is going to cost. Happily, pinball machines are appreciating in value these days, unlike skydiving gear, so it's really an investment. Really it is. So anyway, do I know anyone who lives along I80 between Reno and Wisconsin? Happy to buy you lunch, coffee or a beer in exchange for some conversation and an hour or so break from the road.

Why the snark? Because skydiving will look bad if something goes wrong? Because it isn't you getting paid (I get that, I wish I was good enough to get some of that Red Bull $$)? You mentioned Tom Noonan earlier. Luke is not providing some guy with too much money an "extreme experience". He's a professional stuntman doing an impressive stunt. If he fucks up, no paying customers will be injured or die. Huge difference. I'll be watching.

Dammit. Such a good guy.

Somewhere in a box I think I have one. It's kinda rusty though. How much you payin'?

Introduce people to other skydivers? Actually I am less of a skydiver than I used to be. Happens when you don't jump anymore.

My bad, this one wasn't a reefer, he just left the thing idling. The shitty reefer was at a rest stop in California. The nights, they all run together now. It was a long ass trip.

Judging by the 10 to 20 trucks parked on every on/off ramp along I40, I believe you. They were stacked butts to nuts at one rest area in Texas (which, btw, has some of the nicest rest areas in the US). But it's okay to bother folks in RVs. Gotcha. I get your point completely, but truckers who do this kind of thing make all of you look like jerks as far as I'm concerned. You aren't doing professional drivers like yourself any favors by defending those who lack common courtesy. I was a skydiver but I am also a raging bitch. Doesn't mean all skydivers are raging bitches... but anyone who knows no other skydivers might think so.

A lesson the husband learned veerrrry early in the relationship....