BobB

High: Waking up at 6PM, doing some shopping, driving my car with the top down and remembering different times in my past that include my first jump course instructor who always took time to talk with me whenever I showed up at the dropzone. Low: Waking up at 6PM and realizing another day has slipped away. You only wake up so many times. Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

SM1's altimeter, too Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

Here's my shit, first jump. Thanks to SkyMonkeyOne for the photos Wassssuppp!!!! Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

Thanks for the friendship. As for the job, I have to say this a lot, so don't take it personally: "NO SOUP FOR YOU!" Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

Is that an oversized Cypres control-unit hanging out of your pocket or were you just happy to have your picture taken? ------------ In reply to the thread subject, Hi, I'm Bob and I'm not a hottie. (Everyone, in unison, "Hi Bob"). Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

Trust Account Manager for a local law firm Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

I agree. Having gotten the okay from his inside jumpmaster, this horse demonstrates a less than perfect diving exit. (I must admit that I have better things to do at work than turn out crappy edits, I'm just not doing those better things.) (Must credit PhotoVault for a "borrowed" pic.) Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

Hi there!! Thanks for the positive expectations. My guess is I'll be doing more POSING than anything else for awhile. Got to keep on doing those solo jumps (no freefall witnesses ). Come home soon!! Bob Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

Thanks for all the help John!! Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

1*:1:KEG!! 1*: I bought...Wachovia Bank bought my first rig ever!! (Yes, I'm still so mystified that I have it sitting here next to me while I post ) 1 jump on Saturday...1-way, my personalities are still debating how many points were turned. 1 KEG (yes, that's a KEG) owed at Raeford. Somebody (me) told someone else via PM here that I would buy a keg if I got my rig...True to my word I am going to try and do it...perhaps next weekend for the Labor Day Boogie (I hope the CASA is flying for that ). Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

I was not worried about the rig deploying of its own accord (I even thought about the speed thing like you mentioned). I did, however, remember this post on the way home. No, I did not deploy on the way home. Packing on the side of the road would have sucked . Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

Yes, I state FIRST with emphasis...I'm owing some serious beer now and I'm totally owning up to that fact. Now, if I can just figure out the skydiving part, I'll be set!! Note: For those detail-oriented posters who may want to comment on the third pic, I AM aware that I did not have my chest strap fastened for the pic . I really should be going to bed soon, but, I'm so excited I think I'll stay up and drink a few while watching skydiving videos. Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

I hear slotperfect is going to Busch Gardens or something like that next weekend...I'm sure he'd offer his unbiased opinion. I, for one, wouldn't know about roller coasters after skydiving. Since I started skydiving, all I do is skydive. And when I'm not skydiving, I think about skydiving. Even when riding my motorcycle I sometimes take my hands off of the bars and "arch" just for fun...but I'm insane anyway so it's all good. Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

Obviously, I'm not a jump-maestro or anything (23 jumps). But, so far, I have been totally impressed with Paul Rafferty and Chuck Blue. Raff was my AFF jumpmaster on a few dives. Something about him just made me calm when doing AFF jumps. I'm still awed when I think about how much jumping experience he has. As for Chuck, it's kind of hard not to be impressed by him...hell, he's Chuck Blue! More generally though, the entire staff (and jumpers in general) at Raeford Parachute Center are incredibly amazing. The support level out there is unbelievable. Kate and Tony make it really worthwhile to be out there. I'm asked time and time again how things are going with my jumps and if there is anything I need help with. Cheers all. Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

I've seen folks wearing Boneheads and such with chin cups. I have heard this "ratcheting" sound when they tighten it up...is that what the Bonehead option is? Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

And there are really people who jump without eye protection of any kind? On my motorcycle, I've ridden through some bugs at 60+mph that nearly tore my riding glasses off of my face (big, fat rural North Carolina bugs). I can't imagine hitting a bird at twice the speed. I'm all for protecting my peepers...they're just too damn valuable to me (for peeping and peeping-related activities). My dad (retired C-130 pilot) has told me about some guy doing a training ride in a T-37...the plane ran into a goose which came through the windscreen and decapitated the IP . Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

Somebody pulled your reserve handle in freefall? Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

Not a problem at all Pammi. No need to work anything out...your prices are a deal from the start

Geez...that's a lot of stuff getting thrown at you all at once. Sounds like you're handling it pretty well, though. I've never liked huge changes either. I can imagine some of what your going through. Hang in there... Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

Can't say you didn't ask for this one jt. How's that go again...payback is... Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

I quad-boot my Athlon 850 into: XP, 98SE, Slackware and Debian. XP I use day to day. 98SE I use for a good Banshee optimized video driver (XMojoMotion I think it is). I use it to play Need for Speed Porsche Unleashed online (yes, I even have a Momo Force set up). I haven't been racing on there for awhile though. Yes, I know there are third-party banshee drivers for XP, but 98 just seems to have the best frame-rate with the third-party drivers I have found (I think I've tried them ALL in both OSs). I've tried other Linuces, i.e., RedHat (7 & 8) and Mandy9. I'm just a Linux newbie but RedHat (and Mandy) seemed to try to make it too easy. (I'm sure if I knew enough about Linux they would be great). For example, my fstab file seemed to get "reset" all the time on reboot, like RedHat was copying some 'master' file from somewhere. I haven't seen this problem with Slack. I was a little intimidated when I installed Slack9 but I have to say it has been the easiest to use. I did the "everything" install and I was shocked at how easily I could do stuff with it. Slack9 just plain works. Including NTSF support (no, I do not use write support, even though it seems enabled via default "mount" without specifying the -ro option which I have become accustomed to using). I installed Deb (Woody) just for the heck of it (it is popular). I can give Debian awesome credit for "apt-get." That has to be the single most amazing tool I've ever used in Linux

Thanks for the input guys

It was nice to finally meet you. (((VIBES))) for a quick 9 weeks

(posted here per bbarnhouse's advice in Talk Back) I enjoy the canopy ride as much as the freefall. Currently, I jump a Student Jav with a NAV 220. I try and get aggressive with the canopy up high because it's so much fun (and I'm told it's a good learning experience). I love to bury a toggle and spiral down (yes, I hear some people yawning...but it's a blast for me). I also do a lot of flying in brakes, working on flat-turns, etc. I have been pondering aggressiveness tonight and I'm curious if there's certain things that can get me into a "sugar"-load of trouble. Let's assume: 1) Good altitude; 2) Clear of others under canopy; 3) No riser-stuff -- just toggle inputs. I have buried both toggles as far as I can (I'm a lanky genetic freak, so that's pretty far) and the canopy just chugs along without stalling. I'm concerned, for example, about being in a spiral, burying the other toggle for a moment and then letting the initial toggle fly. I want to fly the hell out of that canopy just to see what it will do (again, UP HIGH)...but I've read about things like "induced line twists." I know this is a question which I could easily ask my instructors at the DZ, but I'm home now and I thought I might as well ask...some of my instructors are on here now anyway. Thanks for any thoughts. Just want to know if (again, given altitude and canopy clearance) I can wail-away on the toggles without worrying so much. I'd rather not end up falling into my canopy though (please don't flame hard if that's totally impossible). Bob Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.

Watching that solo portion, and thinking about what I've heard at Raeford, I'm guessing: 1) spread legs to tighten fabric; and, 2) point toes? Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up.