steve1

I first heard of them in the mid 70's. It's funny how everyone was kind of scared of them back then because they were new. If I remember right, a para-plane was packed into a POD back then....Steve1

............................................... In the olden days, (about 1970), when static line jumping rounds, we were trained to drop our equipment (on a lowering line),at about tree top level. I guess the thinking behind that was to avoid oscillating under a round canopy. And as I mentioned on two night jumps it was so black out, that I crashed in before I even saw the ground, (without dropping anything). So, I'm just curious...can you drop your equipment higher when jumping a square?...Steve1

............................................................................. I love to ski! The faster the better. And I agree that skiing can be dangerous, but skydiving is much more so, (at least in my mind). I think as the years pass, and the longer you skydive, you'll agree with this. I've never seen anyone die in the sport, but I have lost five friends so far. Veterans in the sport have lost a lot more than that....Steve1

*** Remember what? You know...Those years when gear was cheap. When a ride to altitude was three or four bucks. A reserve repack was five. Back when skydivers made up most of their own rules, and there wasn't many to start with. Back when you could party most of the night away, and still get up for a formation load at sun up. And maybe that's why I can't remember much...It was all that damn boose they made me drink way back when!....Steve1

Quote I learned to Skydive at the Green Beret Sport Parachute Club at Ft Bragg. reply] Is this club still in operation? I remember drinking a beer or two in that bar on Smoke Bomb hill. I recall looking at all the pictures on the walls and thinking someday I'm going to do this. I almost bought a para-commander from an S.F. Sargent there, who was going to Nam. And oh yes, I do remember equipment jumps at night. On two I never saw the ground. Just crashed in with all my equipment. One night an entire stick went into the trees. Lot's of injuries. Sometimes high winds. Never went to Halo school. Gees, I wish I could have done that. I was really "Gun Ho" back then....Steve1

I can't remember any. Maybe I could make one up....Steve1

Oh hell, I have perfect memory....It took three of us several hours, to remember how to pack one up summer before last....Or was that five years ago, right after aunt Martha died....No, I think it was six years ago, right after I escaped from the "Home"! Now, what were we talking about?.....Steve1

Old School is my middle name. I'd love to jump your papillion. Doing that sort of thing makes me feel young again. Maybe bring it to Lost Prairie this year. I've got my boat ready to go for water jumps....Steve1

*** Yes..some 'old timers' still "TURN & BURN"! (cough cough) I still try to turn a good series once in a while. Never was too good at it though. RW seems a lot more fun. Anyone up for a baton pass? Gee whiz, I am dating myself here aren't I...Steve1

In the old days, some jumpers specialized in style and accuracy. Ask a new jumper today if they have ever turned a style series, they'd most likely wouldn't have a clue what you are talking about. Is this still done in competition? Haven't heard of anyone doing this in a while....Steve1

Ever jump with a World Champion? Go to this drop zone and ask for Hod (Gary Sanders). Hod has also been on the last several World Record Formations organized by B.J. Worth including the last 400 way. Hod has over thirty-five years of jump experience and he and his wife Tina run a great drop zone. I have to say the climb to altitude has to be the most scenic view I've ever seen. You'll fly over the snowy Mission Mtns. and see into the Bob Marshall on the other side. What a view! Hod may be a former World Champion, but you'd never know it to talk to him. He's down to earth and friendly and that goes for his wife Tina. Really great people! Their club house is modern and well kept. If you're looking for a drop zone with a down home atmosphere this is the place to go....Steve

i would gladly do this, but if i spent that much time hunting and fishing i don't think my wife would tolerate it. . ................................................................ The best plan is to turn your wife on to hunting and fishing, and take her with you. My best hunting and fishing pardner is my wife. My daughters are a close second. Most women really enjoy the sport if they are introduced to it properly. And women are tougher than most people give them credit for. My wife had a Mountain Goat tag several years back. Every morning we'd crawl out of our pup tent to a snowy below zero world. Then we'd hike around in cliffs where one slip, you could fall hundreds of feet. After about four days of this, I was beat, and ready to hike out. Sense she hadn't yet killed a goat, I had a hard time getting her to leave. She was determined to get one. On other hunts we've packed out meat, in the dark, until the wee hours of the morning. When the going gets rough women can be just as tough as men. So, In my eyes, women make great hunting pardners....Steve1

There's nothing wrong with static line. Make a couple more, then you'll probably be cleared for a hop and pop. Everyone trained that way before AFF came along. It's a proven system and it seems a cheaper way to get started jumping....Steve1

Thanks Fred! That clears up any questions I had. You should write a book. I'd enjoy reading it....Steve1

Rattlesnakes are very fast. I read of a guy who ran over one with a four wheeler, and didn't realize he had been bitten until the next day when his leg started getting huge and he went to the doctor. I don't know about a bicycle maybe that would be different. When we were kids we used to grab the tail of a watersnake and snap them like a whip, thus killing the snake. One day there was a big bull snake crossing the road. So, I had the bright idea of grabbing the snake by the tail and giving it a good snap. I had barely touched it's tail when the snake let out a loud hiss and almost had my hand in a tenth of a second flat. I'd hate to try that on a rattler. I could go on and on of stupid things I've tried at least once....Steve1

Rozo was one of the most colorful characters that I can remember from back in the 70's. He and B.J. Worth were pretty close back then. I recall more than one party at B.J.'s house with Rozo. Talk about wild and crazy years. It's too bad he got out of jumping. He was a hard core Relative Worker. I could have sworn that was the Mission Mtn. Wood band that were killed. I know another group with that name still plays today. I always thought it Ironic that they crashed very close to the Mission Mtns. But then again, maybe it was another band. I listened to the radio broadcast and read it in the paper, but I've just forgot a lot of stuff over the years.....Steve1

........................................................................ We had a neighbor who stepped on a rattlesnake as he went out to empty the garbage. He had low shoes and was bitten. Next they rushed him to the hospital and pumped him full of anti-venom, which he was alergic to, and he almost died. I just love snake stories, but this one scared the hell out of me. My family and I were out camping and I was bow hunting. My little daughters found a wet area and were catching small toads. My youngest daughter almost stepped on rattler that was all coiled up. The older daughter grabbed her just before she stepped on it. I hate to think what could have happened. A bite from a timber or prairie rattler may not usually be fatal, but for a small child the story might be different. We were miles from the nearest hospital. Speaking of big snakes...We were out in the desert once north of San Antonio. Being young and dumb, we decided to kill a couple of big Diamond Backs with rocks. I'd never seen big snakes like that before. Both were over five feet long and as big around as your arm. We got the job done with the rocks, but not without ALMOST stepping on a couple other snakes that were also there in the sage brush. They were striking at the rocks and even seemed to be biting themselves. We should have left them alone. Should have used the meat too. All we saved was the skins. I've done a lot of stupid things in my day....Steve1

I keep hearing bits and pieces of what happened to the Mission Mtn. Wood Band. They were an up an coming band that bought the farm when a twin beech went down in Western Montana. Someone said the beech belonged to Roso from Idaho. I think the crash happened around 1980, near Polson. I was done jumping during those years. I think a low pass was involved. Anyone remember the facts? And that reminds me of another plane crash I keep hearing about at Chico Hot Springs. I think this might have been at a boogie in the 90's. I heard it may have been wind related on take off. I was still on Wuffo status then too. Anyone know?....Steve1

I think the risk is overstated. Common sense will prevent occurences with bears. They are not interested in confrontation. It is much riskier walking around in a big city than walking in bear country. Cheers, Richards Not all bears follow these rules though. Some bears are interested in confronting you and common sense may not be enough to save you. I tend to agree with you that the danger of being attacked by a bear probably is exaggerated. I've spent a lot of time in Grizzly country with nothing bigger than a 22. It's probably not smart though. Do that long enough, you may live to regret it. Timothy Treadwell did just fine living among Brown Bear for years. But then one night things went wrong and a big bear ate both he and his girlfriend. I don't know if allowing guns in a National Park is the right call or not either. It might be kind of crazy to issue your average tourist a 44 magnum to pack, just in case a bear showed up. That may be one reason people aren't allowed off the main trails or even out of their boat in many National Parks. It probably keeps them out of trouble. If you go into bear country knowing what to do you probably will be just fine. At the minimum I'd pack some bear spray though. Probably more than one canister of it, and make sure it was up to date. To tell you the truth I've never used the stuff. I've talked to people who've had a permit to hike back into Denali Park in Alaska. Most were pretty knowlegeable concerning bears. When in the brush they made plenty of noise, so not to surprise a bear. ( None of them were allowed to pack a weapon.) Everyone I talked to though, had the shit scared out of them by Grizzlies. If a Grizzly decided to eat them, there was little they could do. None of them were attacked, but you would be playing the odds if you did that often. Do that long enough, and a bear will probably get you. Coming back from Alaska, a few years back, we stopped along the Alaska Highway and hiked back in about a mile to some natural hot springs. There were several other tourists their enjoying the hot water. About a year later, a black bear showed up right next to the hot springs and attacked a tourist. This bear was starving and he picked out a big fat tourist for dinner. Other people saw what was going on and they tried to chase it away with sticks and rocks. But this bear didn't follow the rules and jumped on another tourist and killed him too. He not only killed themm, but started eating these unfortunate soles. I don't recall all the details, but I think three people were killed that day by a normally timid black bear. Someone finally had since enough to run all the way back to his vehicle, grab a rifle, and run back. He quickly dispatched the bear and probably saved a life or two. So anyhow, stuff can happen back in Bear country. Use common sense, and hope for the best, and you'll probably be just fine.....Steve1

Sounds like a plan! Count me in....Steve1

Some people carry bear spray. I have my doubts on how effective it could be in stopping a charge. Maybe it would work, maybe not. I'd rather have a big gun. In most Parks you can't take one though. Personally, when I travel through Canada or Alaska, I have a short barrelled shot gun loaded with slugs. In Montana I sometimes pack a 357 revolver, but I'd sure hate to try stopping a grizzly with one. It just isn't big enough. I read a story once of a bowhunter who killed a grizzly with an arrow by repeatedly stabbing the bear with the arrow as he was being mauled. I've read other stories of hunters trying to fight off a bear with a knife, without success. Maybe a 357 would work better than that. Black bear are usually timid, but not always. They are very protective of cubs. I had a friend who was mauled by a black bear because he was messing with a cub. There's been other cases where black bears have killed and eaten people just because they were near starvation. But as a rule they will run away. Black Bear do kill more people each year than Grizzlies though. Probably due to the fact that people come into contact with a lot more black bear than Grizzly. I've heard that Polar Bear kill and eat about anything that moves out on the ice pack. So they might be more dangerous than all the other bears. The good news is that a bear will often chew you up without killing you. This isn't true with some of the big cats in Africa. Usually the first thing they do is bite you in the head and that's the end of you. But then again bears like to bite people in the head also. It's a good idea to protect your head and neck if you are ever mauled by a bear. Ever seen the picture of the guy who markets bear spray with blood running down his head? In that scenario his head was actually in the bears mouth more than once. Each time the bear clamped down he passed out. They were bow hunting at the time and had no firearms, only bear spray. I'm not saying that a gun is a panacea either though. Many hunters are mauled each year before they can even get a shot off. A charging bear moves very quickly. I don't know about bears liking tooth paste, but women in their menstrual cycle seem to attract bears. One night many years ago two women were killed by grizzlies in different locations in Montana. They were both menstrating, so this very likely was a factor. I've heard bear experts say the same thing. Usually, there is little to fear, when camping, but things can happen. My dad once had his camp raided by a Grizzly in the Bob Marshal, while he was out fishing. They were forced to live on fish for several days after that, because they were out of grub and much of their gear was chewed up. It's important to keep a clean camp or this can happen. Bears can sniff out food a long ways away. I had my camp robbed once by a wolverine. Never had any trouble with bears or Mtn. Lions. Mtn. Lions are becoming problems in some places. There's just so many people now days, that this is bound to happen. They are usually nocturnal, but there's been cases where they will stalk and kill people. I've only seen one in my life. It put a deer down for us, that a friend had wounded. It ran off, and the deer got back up, so we had to finish off the deer. A wierd occurance. I've known a couple hunters who said they were bow hunting and they were forced to kill a lion with their bows, as the cougar stalked up on them. One was in Montana, and the other in Colorado. I've got a lot more stories. All are good reasons to pack a big enough gun while in bear country....Steve1

Some people shoot a pistol so poorly that they don't even realize, it isn't sighted in right. That could be the case with your friend's gun. You might be shooting well, and the gun might need some major sight adjustment. Some people hold the front sight below what they want to hit or others put it right on. Still other shooters put the front sight to high or too low in the back sight notch. All this results in different points of impact on the target (as far as up or down). If it's not your gun, you might suggest to your friend that it's sights are off a tad. Or as other's have mentioned it might shoot okay with another person's vision. Get some sand bags to help steady your aim when you sight it in. I'm not an expert on pistols, but for any fire-arm you need to be really steady to sight it in properly.....Steve1

Where's Chrome Dome? Sounds like a nice place. Maybe I've been there....Steve1

Maybe it was Chromeboy. I could have sworn it was Chromedome. Anyhow, somedays I have trouble remembering my own name. It isn't easy when you have CRSD. I haven't been in the bonfire for a while. It's good to hear that Sebazz is alive and well. Tell him we have a fan club at Lost Prairie hoping to see him again at the Boogie....Steve1

It's interesting how some Drop Zone.Com'ers are on here a lot and then just disappear. Anyone hear from these lost souls? Sebazz1...I heard he quit his job and then rode off into the sunset...he was my hero! Clay...I heard he may be in IraQ. I hope no one cut his head off over there. All his sheep will miss him greatly. ChromeDome...I hope he's doing better. I miss his jokes. These are three that come to mind....Steve1