steve1

Quade, You could always do what I did, like telling someone of this god awful dream of their death, even though you didn't really dream it, and then sit back and see what kind of reaction they had. I mean it's not always easy to keep yourself entertained. Some times it takes imagination. Steve1

..................................................................... The only way I've ever been able to lose weight, was to count calories each day, along with working out. I was just wondering what kind of vitamins would be smart to take while dieting. If I remember right, I used to take a B-complex, a multi-vitamin, some extra vitamin-C and some desicated liver tablets each day, but this was a long time ago. There are probably better supplements on the market today. Steve1

I know some people who are dieting and they have lost a great deal of weight by including a cheat day each week. In other words they can pig out one day each week. Have you tried this type of diet? I was just wondering how well it worked for you. I've got to cut about 25 lbs. and am planning to start a diet after Christmas. I love to eat and I'm not looking forward to dieting again. I could stay on my diet in the old days by visualizing what I would look like on stage, if I was fat. But after the contest I'd gain it all back plus a little more. Now that I'm old and fat, I need a new plan. I'm definitely not a hard-core body builder anymore. Lazy might be a better term. Steve1

I ended up with shin splints, in Basic Training, in the Army from running on pavement in Combat boots. I had to continue running on them so I wrapped them with a ace bandage before PT each morning. I've seen some people wrap a band of athletic tape just below their knee for this, but I've never tried it. They finally went away, but they hurt like hell. Probably the quickest way for them to heal would be to quit running. I wonder if there is some other way you could still get in an aerobic workout without running. Steve1

Narcimund, Sheridan Oregon brings back memories. I jumped there some back in the 70's. I remember they had a nice twin Beech. The pilot of it looked like he was 15 or 16. His nick name was Elevator. I can't remember the name of the guy who owned the D.Z., but they shut him down 6 or 7 years ago because so many people were going in. I think he even had a stolen aircraft. He seemed like a nice guy, but maybe a little too wild and crazy. Does anyone remember this guy? I'm terrible with names. Steve1

I entered a few bodybuilding contests about 15 years ago. I didn't have the genetics to go far though. Narrow shoulders, small bones, not enough muscle cells, etc. But I did get a couple nice trophies out of the deal It was exciting and a lot of work preparing for each contest. It was kind of like making your first jump. I mean it took a lot of guts, the first time you got up on stage in front of hundreds of people in skimpy underwear. Especially if you were as scrawny as I was. Steve1

Sometimes it's hard to figure who's training who. I've seen kids who had their parents very well conditioned to do exactly what they wanted. Steve1

JumpNFly, I was just wondering if you compete in bodybuilding? I know it's a very competitive thing now days and genetics are everything at that level. Steve1

Everyone may be somewhat different in their choices to keep fit. For me I have to have a gym to get motivated. I spent years trying to work out in a dreary old basement. I've got lots of equipment, but little motivation to use it. A lot of times when I go to the gym I'm not motivated either, but with others there it's a whole lot easier to get in a good workout with more intensity. I've let my diet slide for the past five years or so. I hope to turn over a new leaf after Christmas. I've never liked running much. My wife runs about five miles everyday outside here in Eastern Montana. If the chill factor is way below zero she usually doesn't go. If you dress warmly enough you can stay very warm though, even with tennis shoes. A lot of days in the winter my wife returns with her eye lashes and hair covered with frost. You do need to cover your neck and face, wear warm gloves, and be visible at night (so you don't get run over). It helps a lot to have friends also to run with. I'd rather go to the gym and lift weights and use a tread mill for running. Steve1

I only ever reached the wrong way once and stopped myself before getting to the handle. ........................................................................ When I first started jumping modern gear, after a twenty five year lay off, I had trouble remembering where the pud was to pull. It was a habit to come in just below my right shoulder to pull an imaginary rip-cord that wasn't there, and then I'd remember modern rigs aren't set up that way. Actually I only did this a couple times, but it's funny how muscle memory sticks with you, even after that many years. Steve1

I've alway's liked royal blue and black. My center cell, and end cells are black, and the rest is royal blue. I like it, but you know no one ever tells me the same, so maybe it isn't as sharp as I think. I also like solid red. I played with the computer color schemes until I figured out something I liked. It sounds like you need to get away from the military for a few days and make some jumps. Steve1

I've got two. One is older and has a big F-111 canopy in it. I'm saving it for a demo rig, but use it if I'm in a hurry to get on another load. I have a cocking type pilot chute on one and a bungie collapsible on the other. My main rig has a cypress. The other doesn't Steve1

Mr. Booth, You should write a book of your life. We are truly enjoying your stories. I'll bet a para-plane does look prettier with all the little stars floating around. I never thought of it that way. That kind of reminds me of my boxing days when I finally came to the conclusion my head wasn't hard enough for that sport. Best of luck. Steve1

Pack40, They used to make a Russian Para-commander that many people jumped back in the old days. I think it was very similar to the Mark 1 para-commander. To tell you the truth, I'd love to jump one again. A friend has one, still in the old B-12 container that he'll sell me for a $100. The next step would be rigging up a good reserve. My last malfunction was on a 24ft. round that was barely modified and oscillated like crazy. In fact I sprained both ankles in a rock pile. I was thinking of picking up a 26 ft. conical. I'd like to put this in an old chest mount military container, if it will fit. Your friends jump shouldn't be too painful. You can usually stand one up if you do things right. I used to flair mine by doing a chin-up on the back risers, just before landing. Steve1

Bill, Great jump story! The thirty foot retainer lines bring back memories. The only two malfunctions that I had on my para-commander were both caused by having too short of a retainer line. Just as you mentioned, my sleeve and pilot chute tangled up in the modifications. It took me a while to figure out what was wrong, but I put a longer line on it and didn't have any trouble after that. The power line story reminds me of Fred Sands (Owner of Lost Prairie). Back in about 74 he had a malfunction on his para-commander. He cut away and opened his round reserve. I can't recall the size, but I think it was modified. At any rate he ended up going through the power lines. He touched one line but fortunately missed the other. On the older power lines two wires were close together and one was a little further apart. He went through the wider space. If he had touched both, he would have been fried. He really lucked out that day. Steve1

When I was just starting jumping in the early 70's, Jerry Bird's All Stars came to one of our jump meets. They were probably the hottest RW team of that day, so it was cool just to see them jump. A few years later a couple of these guys came back to our DZ and I was able to jump with them on a couple loads, they organized. I can't even remember their names. B.J. Worth was there also, but this was when he had only about 500 jumps. Anyway we went up and built a State Record Star for Montana. It had a whopping 15 people in it. After a long lay off I started jumping again. (25 years) I ended up at Skydive Oregon (in Mallala) where a Free-Fly Meet was going on. I couldn't find anyone there to do Relative Work with so I met a guy (Pat Works) who was teaching folks how to do head down, and sit fly etc. I figured what the heck, I'd give it a try. I made several jumps with Pat and I'm sure he was amazed at how crappy I was. The closest thing I could do to a sit, was to lay on my back and imitate a helicopter blade. Pat later wrote a story about his experiences at Mallala in Skydiving Magazine. He said all his students did great, except for this one "Village Idiot". I sure hope that wasn't me. Steve1

The Thunderbow was the only other one that I really fell in love with. I wish the younger jumpers could understand how beautiful these canopies were .......................................................................... A girl in our club used to have a Thunderbow canopy. It looked cool and usually opened very reliably. I don't know if this is true, but some of the old guys in our club talked about the time when she had a line-over malfunction. Supposedly another guy landed on top of her canopy with his para-commander and walked off the edge of her chute with the line in hand, thus fixing her malfunction. Supposedly this really happened. It does make a great jump story. Steve1

The first square canopy that I remember seeing was a para-plane back in the mid 70's. We were all in awe watching a club member swooping in and doing a standup with it. I even jumped it a couple times, but it was kind of scary, because it would malfunction about every ten jumps or so. Maybe we weren't packing it right. I also didn't have a clue how to land it properly. But at any rate, I was just wondering if anyone remembers this canopy? I'm sure it was really primitive by today's standards. Steve1

After seeing plenty of people land backing up and smacking their butts or their heads,,, and not wishing that fate foranyone, including me

Wingnut, Be careful when you re-up. They may promise you things that may not happen. I jump with an airforce EOD skydiver at Minot, N.D. They told him that if he would re-up they'd give him HALO and jump school. After he re-upped they changed their mind. It was an empty promise. I hated many things in the military, but if I had it to do over again, I think I'd have stayed in. I think the key is getting the right job. If you can get the right job, it would be worth it. There's also a lot of bullshit to put up with in a lot of civilian jobs. I have major issues with authority figures who try to jerk you around. It may be easier to quit a civilian job, but not always. Sometimes you can get locked into a crap job on the outside also. One thing about the Air Force, is you're treated more humanely than most people in the Army. I'm sure you already know all this by now. Steve1

"Life's a bitch and then you die." (Can you tell I was raised in a dysfunctional family?) For me it's family and jumping. In that order. Steve1

Hello Bob, this is Steve..............????

I wish I knew for sure. Best I can tell I'm mostly Irish, Danish, and about 1/8 Native American. My Indian name is Stevie Stud Horse. Steve1

I knew a few guys, in the old days, who had one shot cape-wells. You pulled the covers down and in one motion they would release. I imagine they got rid of these because of the danger factor. I remember one hard opening where my arm somehow snagged my shot and a half capewell cover, pulling it open. I was glad I didn't have one shots because it probably would have cut away that side. Isn't this new gear wonderful! Steve1

I was trained as a Special Forces weapons specialist during the early 70's. Went to basic and infantry training at FT. Polk, Jump School at Benning, and Three phases of Special forces training at Bragg. But I was also in the National Guard which, back in those days, was kind of a joke. I should have stayed in the regular army. We did get to jump every couple months after returning from active duty though. So at least that part was fun. Steve1