steve1

I killed a Rocky Mountain Goat, with a recurve bow, that was close to the World Record back in the 70's. It was a state record for about 20 years and is still #2 in Montana. The horns measured 49 4/8 after the 60 day drying period. The green score was close to the World Record then of 50 pts. I had the story published in BowHunter Magazine. That was back when I was rough and tough and not an old fart who hardly even hunts anymore. I'm still waiting on my next 14 minutes of fame........Steve1

Great idea! I'll have to work that into my routine....Steve1

Ease into this one. Otherwise you'll be way too sore the next day. I usually don't lift during the summer and every fall end up way to sore when I start back. It's good to work a muscle group twice a week. I like to have a heavy day and a light day. An important fact to remember in weight training is that it is very easy to over train. Most people start out with a program that they are making gains on and keep adding to it until they are doing too much or lifting too often. Remember your rest time and nutrition are critical if you want to make progress. I used to read a lot of muscle magazines. The routines that the pros use may be way too much for the average Joe. It's better to under train than over train, if you are after greater strength or muscle size. If your goal is just over all fitness you might not worry about overtraining so much, but working a muscle group four or more times a week may not be productive. But then again your calves and abs may be a little different. Some folks train them every day. I'd recommend doing a lift that works several muscle groups at once. These are the lifts that really build strength. Lifts like bench press, squats, dead lift, military press, chin ups, etc. Learn good form or you can get hurt doing these. Use a lifting belt when needed. Don't go to heavy. If you can't do five reps you are probably going too heavy and risk getting hurt. Warm up by doing lighter reps before going heavy. This will keep you from getting hurt. If you have a bad back or knees you may not be able to do some exercises. Doing some lifts are isolation exercises that only work one muscle group at a time. You might make more gains doing exercises that work several major muscle groups at once. I've seen some people do twenty-five sets of arm curls. This is probablly way too much to make gains on. I've got to run. I hope this makes sense, I don't have time to edit this one.......Steve1

QuoteJust last week, a great lady, 30 years old ,with 2 kids killed herself. reply] A lot of people have trouble understanding this, unless they have been there in their own life. Many people who take this route actually feel the world would be a better place without them. Many of these are great people who truly have a lot going for them. Too bad they couldn't have gotten help before it was too late. Sometimes all it would have taken is one person who is willing to listen. Spouting advice to someone who is suicidal is the wrong thing to do during this critical time. Telling them that we all go through tough times probably isn't going to help them. It may actually cause them to feel even more suicidal because they know you are not listening and don't understand. Many of us have no idea how deeply these people are suffering on a daily basis. Probably the best help one can give is to be a good listener and let them know you truly care. And above all help them find a good therapist. (There's a lot of poor ones out there as well as good.) I'm just a school counselor and I refer anyone who is suicidal to someone else with more training in this area. I try to be as supportive as I can until they find that help. It's too bad we aren't all better at spotting signs of depression in people. Some are very good at hiding it and it isn't always that apparent, but the thing is there are usually plenty of signs before someone does commit suicide. Whocares, I'm sorry you have lost so many people who you were probably close to.......Steve1

Harry, I liked your old picture better. I didn't recongize you. Thanks again for the private coaching at SkyDive Oregon. When I return to Oregon I hope to make a better showing of myself and to have better eye contact. It must have been all the scratch's on my helmet lense that caused me to perform so crappily last time......Steve1

When I first got my Z-1 I had a little trouble remembering to click it shut prior to exit. A couple times I found myself in freefall with an open visor, but it was no real hassle. Just reach up and close it. I really like the visor and jump it summer and winter. You need to breath through your mouth when you exhale in cold weather to avoid fogging up. I only have about 200 jumps on this helmet and have never jumped the other models, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I really like my Z-1. I almost hate to put on my open faced camera helmet.....Steve1

I learned to psycho-pack using the same web sight that you have given. Your bridal extension attaches on the top of you canopy and then to the loop or ring on the very end of your bridal inside your bag. Some people don't use this extension. Maybe your rigger can make one for you and help you attach it. Don't be surprised if most folks don't have a clue what psycho packing is. A lot of jumpers have never heard of it. I'm the only one who packs this way at my D.Z. Many people think it's totally unsafe, because it's different and has this crazy name. I've got about 200 jumps with a psycho pack so far, and it works great, in my opinion. There's very little effort involved to getting the air out and it slips right into the bag. I've had nice openings with it. There's been a lot of posts both pro and con for packing this way. You might want to do a search for these...Steve1

Windy, Listen to your own instincts on this one. I don't know this guy, maybe he is crying wolf, maybe he isn't a danger. If you feel there is any real chance that he could commit suicide or hurt you or someone else the only thing to do is call the authorities. It might be a messy situation, but hopefully the guy will get the help he needs. Trying to rationalize things out sometimes doesn't work as well as listening to your own gut feelings. Hope some of this might help.....Steve1

I disagree with this. The two groups often do co-incide. The chances are probably in favor of him not committing suicide, but there is still a very real chance that this could happen. I work as a school counselor. Each year I take a few kids into mental health for suicidal thinking. Usually they are released and sent home. Sometimes they are kept for further evaluation. Usually you can tell if one is serious if they have a plan worked out in there head of how they are going to do it. We're told to report every case of when a kid is contemplating this, but if it is just a general notion, that they want to die, without a plan thought through, it may not be too serious. If a person is talking about doing it, don't ever think they aren't serious. Particularly if they have a plan worked out in their head. In Wendy's case, it sounds like this guy is trying anything to keep her as a part of his life, and it sounds like he is trying anything that might work, including threatening suicide. This would be a tough call. One thing to keep in mind also, is the fact that he could be dangerous to Windy if he is this desperate. Many people who are suicidal may not care if they take someone else out with them, even someone they once loved. It might be smart to have him picked up and evaluated by a Doctor both for Windy"s safety and his own. He will probably be really PO'd over this, but it would be the right call in my opinion. He needs to start some kind of therapy, and probably medication. If he won't take this step on his own, he may need to be forced into it......Steve1

I totally agree. I truly believe that if you are in shape you are more likely to walk away from an accident that might have crippled or seriously injured another person who's not in condition. I used to ride broncs. The first rodeo I entered I landed on my neck, broke my arm, and was out for over a half hour before regaining consciousness. I woke up in an ambulance. I think it might have been a lot worse if I hadn't been in condition. Who knows maybe I would have died or been crippled for life. The riding events in Rodeo are really a tough racket to break into. I've gone end over end lot's of times through the dirt and being in condition is what saves you. It decides who goes to the hospital or who comes back to enter the next rodeo. Weight training along with some aerobics really helps a lot. The gear has improved a lot over the years, and maybe it isn't vital to be in top condition now, but still there are times when it pays off. I remember a girl back in the 70's who had more than one total malfunction because she wasn't strong enough to pull her main ripcord. She even had a hard time pulling her reserve ripcord. Opening a belly reserve when you are goin terminal is no fun. Your canopy inflates and then you fall to the end of your lines. This girl did this at least twice. She was no quitter though and continued jumping by starting to lift weights and also getting an easier rig to open. We nicknamed her "Total". I'm far from being in top condition now, and am getting to be an old fart, but I still lift weights......Steve1

I had a friend who got so drunk that he ended up passed out in a sleeping bag. He ended up with a bad case of the runs also. When he woke up the next morning he had Poo Poo all over himself including in his hair on and even on his face. I think he swore off drinking for a while after that.....Steve1

I have a 9-cell (hornet) 170. I psycho pack it into my J-2 and it packs up nice. I think hornets do pack up smaller that Sabres though.......Steve1

A friend of mine had a bag lock malfunction a few weeks ago. It landed in a wheat field after he cut away. They spent days trying to locate it. His canopy was still stuck in the bag on the way down and they weren't sure of the exact location. It ended up in waist high wheat. I'm sure they were within 50 yards of it at times. It finally went through the farmer's combine ruining his canopy. Too bad he didn't have this system......Steve1

I've put off buying one of these for years, but this year I plan to buy one. I plan to get one of the cheaper E-trex models. There's one that sells for $119. that I plan to get. Last Fall we were hunting with my wife and kids. When the sun goes down everything looks the same here in Eastern Montana. It took an extra five hours to find our vehicle that night because I didn't have a GPS or even a compass for that matter. Another time I got turned around in a blizzard. My tracks were filled with snow so backtracking was useless. Finally I found my jeep before it was too late. I should have bought one a long time ago. Where I really want to use a GPS is to find the exact boundaries of public land. The outfitters and some greedy land owners are trying to claim large sections of public land as there own, and you really need a GPS and map to find exactly what's what and to avoid a tresspassing ticket. I've had more than one hollering contest with land owners and outfitters because I wouldn't leave their hunting area. It's the shits hunting that way. I guess that's why I like to sky dive a whole lot more than hunting now. There's just too damn many hunters....Steve1

I grew up listening to the stuff and when I was rodeoing it's all we listened to. I guess I'm addicted. And then my kids turn this rap stuff on and it drives me nuts.......I'm just too old to change....Steve1

I bought it from a guy on E-bay. Actually I got a super deal on it, I love the colors and everything about it, except it's a little big. It could fit better, but it's not all that bad, so I think I'll hang on to it........Steve1

Ah.....country music.....It just don't get no better than that! And I still got durn near all my teeth. That reminds me I got to go to a family reunion this weekend. It might be a good place to pick up some women and listen to Merle.......Steve1

I'm a Red Neck and have a Master's Degree. Noone would ever guess that was the case, so I have to keep reminding them how smart I am............Master Steve1

I ordered a c-18. I'm around 5'8" and 170. It's almost too big for me. I tighten the leg straps as tight as they'll go and I have to tighten the chest strap really snug, because I also have narrow shoulders. It works okay, but I should have looked at a sizing chart first. Now I have to live with it......Steve1

I love my Hornet 170. I now have about 250 jumps on it. A couple years ago they were selling really cheap, if you orderred one from South Africa. I bought mine new for about $400. Actually it was $375. and $50. freight to the states. Those days are long gone, I'm afraid.......Steve1

So far I've met Bill Von, Amy, Sebazz, Amazon, Sky Kat, and Harryskydives. I've probably met Barnhouse at Eloy, but don't know for sure. Maybe I'll come to the .com boogie and I"ll meet more of you there. That is, if I can raise the cash to go. Two kids in college keep me close to home working my rear off.....Steve1

I need to thank my Army Airborne training for really drilling a good PLF into my head. I don't use them much now days, but they really did help a lot in the old days, jumping rounds. I know one guy who said a PLF even saved his bacon when he fell off a scaffolding. He automatically did a PLF.......Steve1

I don't party that much any more. I mostly go to skydive. I enjoy the comradery and adventure that every jump brings. I'm usually on the first load in the morning. If it's cold out I might catch the 2nd or 3rd load. Partying is fun, but it can ruin the next day if done to excess.....Steve1

I've got two daughters in college who are struggling to raise the money to stay there. The Government says we are worth too much, so they won't let them borrow much, so we are struggling to make up the difference in personal loans. Actually my wife knows more about this than I do. She handles the money, but in just the past few years we've added about $40,000 to our own personal debt in an effort to help our kids. We don't make all that much, but we have some real estate that I bought in the old days while working as a logger. It has a log house on it that I worked my rear off to build. Cut the logs myself and hauled them behind a pickup, cut the shingles myself.. That's how I got that big hump in my back. At any rate I'm still able to jump, so I should quit complaining. But what really gravels my rear is when I see these rich farmer's kids going to school on almost a free ride. Do I sound a little like Archie Bunker? We live in a rural area. You know the one's who ride around in $50,000 diesel pickups and are too good to talk to you because they have money up the kazoo. Supposedly they are going broke every year (on paper) and the government cuts them a break to let their kids go to college with lots of grants and low interest loans. I don't mean to slam all farmers, and I'm thinking real negative here. But I wish the damn government would give the poor working stiff a break once in a while. It costs a damn fortune to go to school now days. I worked my way through undergraduate and grad school without many loans. It's a heck of a lot harder now. Our jump club is a college club, yet it has almost no college students in it, other than the occaisional tandem. It just costs too much to do both. I like to bitch a lot, but these college costs are getting me down. I just hope it's worth it for my daughters to go. For those of you who are struggling through college, hang in there. I wish you the best.......Steve1

One of the guys on our five-way scramble team (this past weekend) wanted to do this one since we weren't supposed to put anyone in the crotch. I've never seen it done, but it would give everyone on the step more room. What we finally did was to put the 2nd guy out with his right foot on the step and his two hands on the trailing edge of the door. This put him behind the people on the step and this left a lot of room for the three people on the step. The last guy dove out the door. This floater would leave on set and then float up to the formation. It worked great until one guy counted too fast and banged into him on exit. This kind of funnelled the first three people out on that jump.....Steve1