steve1

KmcGuffee, When I went through SF training in the 70's you needed a secret security clearance. If you had an arrest record for using pot, you were out. So it was a good thing I never got into it. I did about everything else though. Ended up in the hoosegow for drinking, more than once, (while a teenager). They didn't even mind that I was rather fond of sheep and from Montana. So if anyone has any good secrets, you can trust me. Steve

Clay, I'm sorry. I thought you were talking about Fred Sands. He owns Lost Prairie. I do kinda remember a Fred's bar in Missoula. My memory is about shot though. Steve

Clay, I used to jump with Fred all the time. I looked him up last summer at Lost Prairie. First of all his wife about threw me out of the manifest building, because I had a beer in my hand. I was on the wrong side of the road (for beer). And then when I did find Fred I hardly recongized him. We're both pretty bald now. And yeigh that does make since. The women were kinda ugly back then, but that's okay. I'm pretty ugly too. I would never call a sheep a dirty slut though. I always thought sheep were kinda cute little critters. Steve

N2skdvn, It was about skydiving in the 70's. It was different time then. It was about a time when men were men and the sheep were scared in Montana. Steve

>If that's true then we will create our own demise. I'd like to think we're a lot smarter than that. We can be if we choose to be. Bill, I would like to think this also, but there are so many countries out there whose governments are run by people who are corrupt, greedy, hateful, and who don't have much for smarts. Even some of our own leaders fall into this category at times. I really think it is idealistic thinking to believe that war will someday become a thing of the past. There are so many primitive thinking people in the world today. Some of them even have nuclear weapons now. I would like to be optimistic about our future, but in my mind it looks quite scary. I just don't see our world heading in a positive direction. If there was a way to end war I'd be all for it, but I just don't see how that is possible. With a world filled with increasing population and decreasing natural resources I see a future filled with a lot more conflict not less........Steve (The Doom Sayer)

I was always your basic red neck kind of a guy so I never got into drugs. I would get squirrely enough just drinking beer. But I started jumping at a Liberal College during the 70's. At most jump parties in Missoula there was a lot of Pot and only a little beer. I used to jump with B.J. Worth during this time and he can vouch for what it was like. I remember a time when Jerry Bird's All Stars came to Missoula to jump. At the jump party that night their team showed movies of many of their jumps. Of course their was this heavy haze of whacky tobaccy smoke you had to squint to see through. Some of the jumpers were saying "Wow" over and over again. They were crazy times. It's funny though most people accepted me even though I was a red neck and didn't smoke the stuff.

Clay, Sorry about your friend. Currency is important. A friend of mine was a Marine fighter pilot in Vietnam flying Phantom jets. They were refueling over Vietnam (in flight). They were all in formation behind a C-130 tanker waiting to move up into position, for their turn to refuel. About that time, a new Navy pilot who hadn't been in country very long, came screaming in out of the clouds. He slammed his jet into the side of the C-130. This created a huge fireball throwing metal everywhere. My friend's wing-man had to bail out over the Gulf. Everyone in the C-130 and the Navy jet died. Scary huh? Steve

Don't tell anybody, but it's Verne. And I don't look anything like the Verne on TV. I may think like him though. Steve

Skydive Monkey, In the olden days everyone had sleeves like those. I would rather take a handfull of jump suit rather than a wrist grip. I think it's harder to loose your grip that way. (especially if the other guy has big wrists. As long as you dirt dive ahead of time so the other guys know what they are dealing with it would probably be fine. While doing relative work with multiple points being turned, grippers on your upper arms and legs would be needed though. Steve

Skydive Monkey, That guy has bigger cahonnies than I do. Steve

Jason, Thanks for the toggle information. I let mine out a little last night using your previous information. I might get my first jump on it this weekend. The weathers been crappy nearly all spring. Steve

Clay, I know back in the 70's that was a real problem. Too many people were spaced out on weed. It was even hard to walk through an airport with your uniform on. People would put you down for who you were and what you represented. It's kind of refreshing to have a knew wave of patriotism in this country. Steve

I've often thought of trying this on snow skiis and a really steep hill. Anyone have any experience with this? I'm just wondering if a regular skydiving canopy would work. I imagine your canopy would probably pull you over backwords before you could take off. Steve

There are really a lot of great ideas being tossed around in this thread. It was mentioned earlier about a world someday where there is no war. I'm just wondering if that is possible. I look at the present evolutionary state of man and I don't really see a whole lot of difference from the people who were once killing each other on battlefields with swords and clubs. Sure we have high tech weapons now, but I wonder if the people behind the weapons are capable of a better society where there is no war. I really think war is a fact of life and is going to be with us until our own demise in the future. There is a lot of people on this thread who are a whole lot smarter than I am. Any Ideas on how it would be possible to achieve an ideal world where war doesn't exist??? I don't mean to be negative, but is that really possible? Steve

I had some narrow leg straps (on an older container)that were down right painful to jump. I cut some long pieces of rigid foam and stuck these under the stap covers. It's now very comfortable. Make sure this foam is very firm and about a 1/2 inch thick. It may not work on some rigs.

I used Ritz (black) die on an old jump suit once. Some of the materials took the die well and others didn't. I wouldn't recommend this die. Steve

Bill, We all really appreciate what you have shared with us so far in this forum. I hope you continue this in the future, but at the same time you need to lookout for yourself. I don't know a lot about the buisness world, but some competitors can be really cut throat. So most of us know you can't share everything with us and that's fine. Thanks again for your help. Steve

ecvcc, Don't give up on your kid. I know he's probably rebellious and out of control. Someone mentioned setting some firm limits and this may be really hard to do if you haven't done this already. Adolecent years are probably the toughest of all to be a parent. I think it's also important to realize that it's not easy growing up in todays society. Sure there's plenty of material things, but at the same time many kids aren't getting what they really need. (Their parent's love, acceptance, and time). A lot of people say that they don't know what's wrong with todays kids. In the olden days things may have been tough, but in many ways it was a lot easier to grow up then. Probably just spending a lot of time with your son, would help him more than anything right now. Do some quality things with him like camping, fishing, hunting, etc. I know he may not want to do this because his friends are really important to him right now. I don't mean to sound like I know all there is to know about parenting, because I made some major mistakes in raising my own kids. The reason being that my wife and I weren't brought up right either. Both of our father's were alcoholics and we both grew up in really dysfunctional homes ourselves. We often times didn't know how to be good parents, when our own kids came along. So I'm still working on becoming a better parent. I just finished my Master's in School Counseling. I now work as a counselor in a Middle School, so I know what you are dealing with. It's a difficult job, but when you are helping someone who really needs you it's also rewarding. Have patience. If you are like me you probably don't have enough of it.

So is it agreed that dark sunglasses will be allowed? Is there anyone else out there that wants on this load?

Jumper Paula, Maybe I could talk to your boyfriend for you and convince him that there is nothing to worry about. Maybe we could all promise not to peek, and to only take grips in an appropriate manner. You can also be the dive master for this load. Are there any minimun requirements that one needs to be on this load? Will it be by invitation only? Steve

FliHi, I think the fall rate will be okay. I usually fall fairly slow once I get all my manly parts flapping in the wind. It creates a lot of drag.

I'm game. I hope nobodies grossed out by rolls of fat and white skin. I am a little worried about a main and penis entanglement though. Steve

Another idea is to keep checking the used classified sections for some of this gear. You can save big dollars and I haven't been screwed yet (but that is always a possibility). It's kind of fun looking for good deals also. One of the altimeters I use on a regular basis is an old ALTI 2. I bought it new, about 30 years ago. It still works fine. Steve

Jumper Paula, Sounds fine to me. I think it would be a great idea. Steve

DenGopher, Tell you what, come to Perris next Christmas and I'll introduce you to her. I told her that I was already taken. (I could tell right off that she had her eye on me). I can't remember much about her face but I'm sure I can remember other parts of her if I see them again.