steve1

The wife and I have managed to accumulate some assets over the years. We have two kids and if anything happens to both of us, we want to make sure they get our stuff. I had a lot of fears that the wrong people would end up with things, and I sure didn't want the government or lawyers to get anything. So, finally we made an appointment with a lawyer to find out the truth on this one. We were told that (in Montana anyhow) all your assets would automatically go to the next of kin. Our lawyer also told us that we could also write out our wishes on a piece of paper, (in our own hand writing), have it witnessed and notarized and this would be binding in court. I hate giving money to lawyers, so at present I don't have an official will drawn up. I should at least draw one up myself. I also don't want my kids fighting over things, so maybe I should get things in writing, but I'm still not clear why I need to have a lawyer draw one up. Did this other lawyer give us the wrong info.? Don't your dependants automatically get your stuff in other states? I suppose it depends on a person's situation also. Please enlighten me because I'm an old duffer, and I could go at any time......Steve1

The name Sebazz has now reached legendary status here in Montana. Whenever groups of skydivers meet to talk there will be the inevitable mention of names like Jerry Bird, Dan B.C., and others, and then someone will mention the name Sebazz and things get real quiet as people listen with respect. Some people say that he was dressed all in white that day he stepped off the plane at Lost Prairie. But I tell them no, that wasn't the case. He had on a dz.com T-shirt and it wasn't white, I tell them. And then some young feller will ask what does he look like, Uncle Steve. Some folks say he stood six foot six, kinda wide at the shoulder and narrow at the hip, and everyone knew you didn't give no lip to big Sebazz. But I tell them he was good looking young feller, with steely eyes that looked right through you. And then someone will ask the question, "What is this Sebazz so famous for, Uncle Steve?" So I tell them about the time he came to Montana. There was this group of wannabe Skydivers. The best they could do was a few pts. before things turned to crap out of the Otter. Sebazz took this rag tag group and whipped them into shape in short order. Whenever anyone would wine that "we just can't do that Sebazz!"........The reply would be "Just do it". I think that's where the Nike saying came from. Well, let me tell you, that group went up and they were spinning pieces, and turning pts. like you wouldn't believe. I mean it was a magical moment in skydiving. And they all lived happily ever after.......Steve1......(Does anyone think, I'm full of it?)

We still admire you here in Montana. We need some more private coaching from you on how to turn pts. out of the Otter, and you really do need to come to Lost Prairie again. You may have trouble recongizing me now though......Yes, I started my workout program, and I no longer look like a fat old man. My wife says I look kind of buff now, and I'm thinking of going in for a complete make over. The first thing I'm going to have done is have the gloss coat removed from the top of my head and have a matte finish applied. Yes, I am even more follickly challenged now than I was last year. I've heard that it is caused from being too verile. I'm thinking about getting one of those fake hair pieces also, so I can look more like Elvis. Oh, I meant to ask you, do you think my jumpsuit makes my ass look big? I could have sworn someone called me fat ass on my way to the plane a while back. I'm very concerned about my appearance these days. At any rate, we're looking forward to jumping with you again.......Steve1

I agree, sometimes this is the case. I think we all want to know what really is going on over there. Sometimes the press has a one sided stance on some issues. But on the other side of the coin I remember many times, during the Vietnam years, when people were getting fed false reports of success, given by the military, that were totally false. It was very common for them to state that we had a major victory in a battle with hugely inflated enemy body counts, and tales of victory that were down right lies. The soldiers fighting the war knew better. Fortunately we have investigative reporters and freedom of press which help to route out the truth in these cases......Steve1

I haven't jumped in almost a month now. The airport board shut down the jump operation at the place I usually jump. Also cold weather is coming soon to Montana. So I'm hoping to at least jump at Perris or Eloy some time this winter. It's the shit's waiting. I need to move......Steve1

I don't think this is the case. The media should be free to show more than one perspective on an issue. I also see many similarities between this war and Vietnam. I would think we would want to learn from our mistakes in the past. I remember well, Johnson's speeches about how we need to escalate the war, how we need to send more men to kill an enemy that was inferior to us, and then watching American morale slide further and further down hill as more and more American's died with no end in sight. And why were we there. I was in the military during the 70's and everyone was saying the reason was to stop Communism. Is that really the reason that over 50,000 of America's best died, not to mention the ones who were wounded and tramatized for life. I wish someone would explain what was accomplished there, because I don't get it. And why are we in Iraq. Are we really stopping terrorism. I don't think so. Where are the weapons of mass destruction. Seems like they're nowhere to be found. Sure they had a tyranical government, but what about all the other countries in the world that have the same thing. Is it our job to invade all these other countries too? So, what's the answer in Iraq? It would have been smart not to invade the place...... I'm not sure if I have that answer. I see a quagmire very similiar to Vietnam. The good news is that the Iraqi guerrilla forces aren't being heavily supported by another country. In Vietnam the Communists were supplying the enemy with high tech weaponry, training, and provisions. So maybe it will be possible to conquer the guerrilla forces in Irag. I support our Armed Services 100%, but I have a hard time believing in some of our leaders. I do see many similarities between President Bush and President Johnson. I know better than to jump into a political thread like this, but this is how I see it. I'm willing to listen to other ideas. I think it's refreshing to find people who respect and show pride in our troops. There wasn't much of that in the Vietnam years. I truly question though whether we are doing the right thing in Iraq. I'm not saying we should just pull out. If this guerrilla force isn't being heavily resupplied it can probably be beaten. It's going to take a lot of time and plenty of American lives. I just hope the price is worth it. Bush's tough talk has scared me, from the beginning.......Steve1

[if you go to buy insurance, make sure there are no "grey areas" in the policy and take a magnifying glass with you to read the fine print on the back of the page at the bottom.reply] This is very important. After breaking a couple bones in separate accidents rodeoing, and not being able to work or pay hospital bills both times, I finally came to the conclusion that this was no fun, and that I would be better prepared next time. So I went down and talked to this slick insurance salesman about insurance. I ended up buying a policy that would pay out big bucks if I was hurt and unable to work. The catch was that it wouldn't pay off for rodeoing or skydiving, or things of that sort. Since I was almost done with both of these sports I figured I'd go for it. "But there's just one more thing," the insurance guy said. "It won't pay off for a month after you're hurt." Well stupid me.....I think.....Well that's okay I can wait a month for my first check???? Faithfully I mailed in my insurance premiums each month. And the finally, I end up breaking my hand in a logging accident, and I figure I'm set to start raking in this big money while living the life of Riley at home. So I call my insurance company to let them know I'm hurt and ready to start getting my money. In short order I find out that I'm not covered the first month I'm hurt. Of course I didn't read the fine print of my policy. Being a dumb logger it was kind of like reading Greek anyway.......I hope I'm at least a little smarter now......Steve1

I rodeoed and skydived both in the 70's without any type of insurance. I didn't own much then and medical fees weren't near what they are today, and I never was too bright. I wouldn't do the same today though. Times are different.....An option might be to move to Canada. I hear they have socialized medicine up there and the scenery is real purty......Steve1

Jeff Frangos had a hearse during those years at Casa Grande. He was an ex-Vietnam helicopter pilot turned renegade skydiver. I'll bet he was one of the guys in the hearse.......Steve1

Legend #1, must be true. I've talked to people who have personally seen the mumified hand. Some jumpers would joke around with this narly looking hand sticking out of their sleeve, when they went to shake hands with someone new.......Steve1

I don't know all the details, but jumping at Laurel, Montana, is now shut down. It's a municipal airport with some dip-stick managers. The owner of the jump operation has been in touch with USPA but to no avail. They too are being told they have to have a million dollar insurance policy. Arrangements were made to land outside the airport on a farmers land and then travel back to our clubhouse. This was thought to be a solution to the problem. The airport managers then decided this would be a breach of airport security. So the club owner is now faced with a legal battle he probably can't afford. It sounds like the airport board hates skydiving for whatever reason. I'm just wondering where the USPA is when you really need them........Steve1

If you can't afford coaching another option might be to jump at a small cessna type DZ. Lot's of times another jumper is needed to fill out a load. A lot of experienced jumpers will jump with you in that case and give you free advice and help. They'll teach new guys coming up, but if there is a big aircraft and lot's of jumpers, it may be some time before you are asked on those loads. Don't get discouraged and hang in there. Someday you'll be the one organizing the big loads.....Steve1

I've got about 200 jumps on the psycho pack. Nothing even close to a malfunction yet. It's much easier to bag. I jump a hornet which has similiar material to a triathalon. It's simple to squeeze the air out of it. Have your rigger make you a bridal extension. I almost enjoy packing now.......Steve1

I think you need to do something for yourself, but at the same time be a responsible parent. If you are spending all your free time at the drop zone or spending all your money on jumping, you are not a responsible parent. Kids need your time and financial support. But at the same time being a parent can be a very draining thing. You need time to recharge and have some fun. There's nothing like skydiving for that. I don't see anything wrong with finding a balance between the two......Steve1

The years when my kids were younger. I wasted a lot of time working, and doing other things instead of spending quality time with them. I think I would be a much better parent now. I'm sure I unknowingly passed a lot of dysfunction down to them. The kind of dysfunction that I learned from my own dysfunctional parents. And there are those other days: First jump. First deer. Winning my first rodeo. The week I spent at Eloy. The early years with my wife. Hunting in Alaska. Because of my alfheimers I forgot most of those other times that would be worth reliving.

A girl in our club, back in the 70's had a Thunderbow. I never jumped it, but it had the reputation of opening very reliably. I think the smokejumpers in Missoula were experimenting with a similiar design at one time........Steve1

My guess would be a Super-Pro harness and container on the left, and a Pioneer on the right.......Steve1

I really think some hornets do open hard. Most folks like their openings though, so there must be a difference in canopies. Mine was really spanking me on a regular basis until I started packing it like I mentioned in my earlier post. I even broke a finger when I slamned it into my leg on an opening last summer. I made two trips to the chiropractor for a messed up neck. I decided I had to do something different. Now I like the openings on my hornet. I've never seen a hornet packing manual though. I'm hooked on psycho-packing with a rolled nose and tail. I also say abra-cadabra quietly while holding my mouth tightly, as I quarter the slider just so, and then I say a prayer to the sky gods. All this seems to help. I hate slammer openings!.....Steve1

I've seen a few people stretching before jumping. Maybe I need to start doing this. I'm definitely not as flexible as I once was, and I can see the benefits for preventing injury or even soreness. We used to do lot's of stretching before climbing on a bronc at rodeos. It helped a lot. We used to do lot's of stretching for karate (that I hated), but I've never been that flexible since. I need to learn more about this area of fitness......Steve1

I would have loved being on that load! Maybe someday. Congratulations to all those who were on it....Steve1

When I first got my Hornet I was having some slammer openings. I started psycho packing, and it seemed to help, but I was still getting the occasional hard opening. So in addition to psycho packing I started rolling the nose considerably, making sure the slider is quartered properly, and making sure the slider is pulled out slightly past the two rolls of the nose. Haven't had a hard one since.....(nock on wood)......Steve1

Quote 1 -1 1/2 hours of hand to hand combatives or knife fighting. The knife fighting practice sounds cool. We didn't get any training in this, but we did get some hand to hand in phase 1 at camp McKall. One of the guys we trained with should have had some training in common sense. He tried to outfight a guy with a knife and got carved up really bad. He finally escaped by doing what he should have done to start with, by outrunning this guy. This happened outside a bar near Fayateville. Too bad he wasn't packing a heater with him at the time. We used to call Fayateville, FayateNam. I hope things have changed there now. I'd love to come back there some day to visit.......Steve1

. I always landed mine this way. Just reach up as high as you could on the back risers and do a chinup at flare time. It usually worked well. A lot of guys would flare with toggles though and seemed to land about the same. I guess it's what you get used to.......Steve1

The rusksack marchs bring back memories. I had lot's of great instructors in S.F. But I remember one guy who was a reall idiot. We were at Bragg in phase 3, (at least that is what it was called then), and we had to make a forced march with rucksacks that weighed around 65 lbs. I don't recall the exact weight, but the deal was that if your ruck didn't weigh that amount, a huge sand bag was tied on top. At any rate a several of us had packs that were a little light. So on went these sandbags. Then the forced march began with this big fat Bozo leading the way. Of course he had nothing on his back and was walking as fast as he could go. Well it didn't take long till those of us with the heaviest rucksacks were lagging behind. Several guys stopped and threw the sand bags into the brush. I should have done the same, but a couple of us decided to tough it out and finish the march with the sand bags. Of course we were the last ones in, and then this idiot starts giving us the riot act about how there wasn't room for anyone who can't keep up in S.F. He was going on and on hollering at us like we were some kind of scum. I looked over at the other guy who finished the march with his sandbag. He was a former collegiant wrestler who was tougher than nails, and then I looked back at this piece of shit who was giving us the riot act, and I really felt like smacking him one, but there was only a couple weeks left of training, so I just glared at him. I wanted to finish and not get kicked out. I never did like harassment much, but I guess it was all part of the game......Steve1

Oh, that reminds me I did get my picture in our Sunday newspaper for water skiing down an irrigation ditch behind a pickup. Yes, I was crazy even then.....Steve1