StearmanR985

Hmm, the way you guys keep talking up Taft makes me want to come visit. After all, I will be visiting me pappy very soon in Bakersfield which is apparently only 45 minutes away. Is Taft "Recent Graduate" friendly or should I gain more experience before visiting? Advice anyone?

Well, with that being said, wonder who I will be calling in few weeks for a coach jump, or two or three.....ED! Will you be prepared to be pestered yet again by this student?

As soon as the weather is at least half way decent on a weekend. Oh, and after I get approved for a small loan to purchase the beer and ice!!

My wife was making fun of me the other day. "You're still limping from last week, you have a cut on your right hand, a bruise on your left arm and now both your thighs are brusied. All this and you only have eight jumps?!" My reply, "So, what's your point hun?" Of all this, I have learned two valuable lessons: 1. Never ask if you owe. 2. Never say "FIRST". And that one doesn't count.

Well hell, I had too many firsts this weekend!! Screw the ice chest, guess I better load the back of my truck with ice and brew next time I head out. Now for that USPA membership....Can't wait to meet some of you DZ.commers at YOUR home DZ's.

Yep, I have to agree. I need some practice on the exits.... Followed by an introduction or two to RW by a coach. I am quite the unstable one for the first 3 or 4 seconds. Really it is quite funny to me to be flailing about, I can only imagine what I must look like. I have to be honest, this is the most exciting part of the dive, going from belly to my back to my side and back again before finally nailing a good arch. I guess so far I really haven't been in a big hurry to get stable, it is so much damn fun just tumbling. I will start practicing for good STABLE exits though. ARCH, ARCH, ARCH.... Jeff

...For my first hard open? It was on my grad dive, and we have it on video. I have bruises on both inner thighs, anyone wanna to see? Jeff

I know quade, I was trying to make a funny. Guess it didn't work.

I know what you mean. My wife and I used to poke fun at "dumbasses" that pulled out in front of others (happened to me once in the past). Now we can't say a word, my wife was the quilty party here. She feels absolutely awfull Be safe Dropout, Jeff

So, my wife meets me out at the DZ yesterday afternoon to finally watch me do a jump. Unfortunately she had missed all of my AF's and my first solo, she was both excited and nervous about finally getting to watch me. Anyhow, the jump ends up being picture perfect and she got to see me, Ed, and Pablo while we were in freefall too. As usual though, she was in a hurry and left before I did. Two minutes later I get "THE CALL", she was just in an accident ONE MILE DOWN THE ROAD. To make it short, nobody is hurt

And more than a hobby it shall become...... Thanks to all of you for the congrats and welcoming me into the skydiving family with open arms!!! The people here on DZ.com and at the Lodi DZ have been truly awesome!!! I had to pour wine on Sunday and wouldn't you know it, we finally have a beautiful sunshiny day!!!! Soooo, As soon as the pouring was over I lit out of there at 100 mph heading to the DZ arriving just in time to catch a sunset load and do a fun two way with JM Ed. We do a "Horny Gorilla" (hope that is right) which was an absolute blast. By the time we got to altitude the sun had dropped below the horizon and we had a full moon out. I decided to pull at 5.8K for a bit of an extra ride under canopy. It was an awe inspiring site. SWEET!!! Again, thanks to all of you, and a special thanks to Ed. He is a great coach, always made me feel safe and kept it fun too. Jeffrey

I am selling my motorcycle in order to pay for my skydiving. I don't compare the statistics but I feel the street bike is much more dangerous for me than skydiving. Though skydiving has its own risks, I feel that I have much more control over my fate when jumping. With my bike, it is the other drivers of which you have no control over that you have to worry about. I just stopped enjoy riding because of my worries. Some of my whuffo friends think I am looney trading my motorcycle for skydiving. Maybe I am. Oh yeah, in the last seven months there have been 4 motorcycle fatalities within a 20 mile radius of where I live....

Not a cop.....But mmmmmmm, donuts and GOOD coffee.......

Hi, Send me the address. My daughter and I would be happy to send off some notes. Jeff

Sushi, YUK!! I will be having cottage cheese and a red pear for lunch. Oh yum. What does that make me? Boring?

Acme, you're right on. Foldgers IS crap. Fliegendewolf: Hope you are having some fine red wine with that bleu cheese and crackers....

I have a nine year old. She and I would be gald to put something together. Please send me the address.

In the snow and walking barefoot too?

So here I sit at my desk in 'the valley' of Kalifornia (Arnie style) sipping my coffee and I am thinking, "Damn, this coffee is BITTER." I purchased a different brand and style over the weekend (on sale), bad idea. I am going back to MY brand!! Now, if only the rest of life's proplems were this petty... Does bad coffee make anyone else angry and bitter in the morning?

Nightingale, I greatly enjoyed your tale. Your story is an inspiration to me as I am hoping to do my first solo within two weeks. Thanks for sharing, and CONGRATS!!!

8 miles away from DZ.

2:2:0 One in the evening, one in the morning. 2 jumps, TAF lvl 4 & 5. 1st jump bad landing, pulled muscle damn it. 2nd jump my first stand up landing. My next jump is my grad jump!!!!!! 0 beers owed. Thought I owed beer but was informed by JM "Not until you graduate."

Did my 2nd and 3rd AF yesterday, 23 days after my first one. Weather was mediocre but I was ready to jump. Ed gives a refresher on some procedures then we go over the jump sequence. For this one it was a poised exit (Beech 99 today), stable, PPCT's (2), then 90 and 180 degree turns and pull at about 5,500. So, we climb to ~10K (weather issues) and out we go, little bit of rain in face, kind of liked it. Stable, check with Ed get the OK to do some turns, monitor alt., another turn, check alt., one more turn, geek the camera (couldn't resist) and time to pull. Controllability is good, kick back and relax, sort of fly the pattern, coming in for the landing and WHAM! OUCH!! That is going to hurt for at least a week (lower leg). I now know why you are SUPPOSED to PLF if there is any question on your landing!!! I grumble and limp back to hangar. Put the landing aside, Ed gives me thumbs up, great job lets do it again! Time for jump number 2 of the day. This time, no assisted exit and do a back flip. Climb to ~10K again (still weather issues) and it is "out, in and away" look down, flail legs, brain kicks into to gear, "Stop flailing moron and ARCH". COA, get the OK from Ed for a back flip, done! Sweet. Pull at 5,500 and enjoy the ride. Wait....snivel-snivel-snivel, one line twist which undoes itself before I have to grab the risers and do it and down comes the slider. OK, now controllability check and enjoy the ride. Now, what did Ed tell me about flying a better pattern AND sticking a landing. Oh yeah, "Quit flying with half brakes all the time." Now I hit the my landing pattern on the money and now for that damn landing...NO brakes, wait for it....wait for it....Flare!!! My first stand up landing. SWEET!! As I am dropping off my equipment Ed comes around the corner and says, "Awesome job 'Running Man'." Wonder what the hell he is talking about. So, we check out the video and when I was flailing it looked like I was trying to run in mid air, . Anyway, I only did it for about a second and a half then arched and got stable so it is all good. Lessons: 1. Always be ready to, PLF just in case!! 2. When leaving the plane, watch the airplane as you exit, it will help prevent the running man syndrome.. 3. Speaking of which, just call me Running Man. 4. I owe lots of BEER!!! My first AF (a few weeks ago), my fisrt injury followed by my first stand up landing. And, if all goes well, I GRADUATE after my next jump which I intend to follow up with my first solo. SO, I will be bringing a FULL ice chest upon my next visit to the DZ. Ed, a personal thank you. You're a great JM and I am very happy with my training so far.

Not sure if it is the same plane Air, I didn't attend the show. J

Mmmmmmmm, Radial Engines.....I like 'em a lot. P & W Wasp Jr. is my fav. OK, I do love the sound of a twin turbo prop climbing to altitude as well. The Twin Otter and Beech 99 can always be heard around town...(weather permitting)