tigra

Pop, I once got chewed out by friends I met at the dz who started jumping about the same time I did. The reason?? I was jumping TOO MUCH, and getting on more advanced loads without them! You can't make everyone happy, but as someone else pointed out, a good friend would be happy FOR you if you have found something that makes you happy. My true "whuffo" friends understand and joke about the fact that they only see me in the winter time! maura

If there is a college campus nearby, then the tube is probably decorating a dorm room. OR some loser's basement apartment! The guy may not even know what he has. But, it seems like people who live near a dz have some idea about the value of misc. gear that comes floating down from the sky! I know we had one "Farmer McNasty" near our dz who held on to a friends cutaway main for a YEAR. The day of the cutaway, he smiled and let my friends onto his property to look for it (and it was probably ALREADY tucked away in his barn!) I don't know if he was feeling guilty or what, but he showed up at the dz a year later and tried to ransom it back. Luckily for my friend, he had chopped a bag lock and the canopy was still good, since it had spent all that time in a barn, still packed!

Yeah, I heard you could suffocate like that. Honest, I saw it on tv so I know its true!

Yes, very true. Take time out to jump with anyone less experienced. There are lots of jumpers in the middle range, not quite ready to move on to the "experienced group" but wanting to do something more challenging than the "newbie" group has to offer. If you are one of those "15 years in the sport, 5000 jumps, likes to do really hot 10-20 ways", have you noticed that your group is getting smaller and the skydives aren't quite as hot as they used to be??? Maybe you could use some new blood! Don't ignore or dismiss potential new "recruits", and don't forget where you came from.

By any chance were you wearing a sit suit?? If you are wearing any type of suit with wings, you really need to be more careful on deployment. The wing can catch air and cause the twist.

That did happen to me once, while I was at work. I literally keeled over at my desk while I was reaching down for a file. I had been working mega hours, super stressed, over tired and not eating regularly or properly. The next day, I sent in my resignation letter. Look into what is causing the stress and see what you can do about it. No job is worth your health and overall well being. maura

Arlo, This time of year, I usually pack extra clothes for the weekends (I have a trailer there), because it tends to be cooler in the evenings and early morning, but warms up during the day. Fleece may be a bit extreme. I would recommend a light jacket, jeans, maybe 1 sweatshirt and a couple of a long sleeved tees for the evenings- you'll probably get by with shorts and tees during the day. (If you really want to pack light, there are laundry facilities on the dz as well.) If you are tenting it, bring more warm stuff, just in case. The forecast is looking good so far, though! That said, I remember being in Dallas in February one year, beautiful temps- 65-70ish, and folks on the plane were wearing neoprine gloves and fleece neck warmers. I guess everyone has their own definition of COLD!!!! maura

When I got my first rig, I was sooo afraid of getting it dirty (it was so pretty!) that I did a bunch of face plants! Really, I'd walk in from the landing area, rig still clean, and the front of my jumpsuit covered in dirt!! That was a Javelin made with cordura in 1997, and it still looks good. (Its had more than its share of rough landings, too!) About 2 years ago, I had my rigger give it a bath and it came out looking brand spanking new! Now, I also have a Wings container made with the parapack, (its a sweet looking rig, even prettier than my javelin) and the parapack looks even easier to maintain than the cordura. Plus you have more color and pattern options with the parapack. If you are custom ordering a new rig, get what you want. Go crazy! Have fun with it! And if you are really worried about getting it dirty, you can always scotchguard it before you rigger puts it all together for you! Just my .02.............. maura

I was at Nationals in Sebastian. I remember they seemed to waste a lot of blue skies early on. I think by the end of the meet they might have gotten pretty desperate! Didn't they finish all the FS events on the last day???

I can't promise anything- I don't have a weather mojo! Based on personal experience, my guess is that the early loads may be legitimately "hazy", like morning mist. But I really think the weather will be nice during Nationals- nice temp, blue skies,not rainy or humid. That's what we get in September, honest! Also, I don't think they will be dropping competition loads into "industrial haze" anyway! USPA is running the meet; I don't think that will happen for a number of reasons.

Those just vary- I don't know if there is a pattern, or if there is I haven't noticed. Like Chris said, typically September has really beautiful weather, and I don't expect this year to be any different. There is also another factor-I call it "Roger's Weather Mojo" which seems to be working pretty well this year. There have been plenty of days when the only blue skies to be found were directly over SDC- freaky but true!

I never got around to it, but I thought about it. The main reason I wanted them was to make sure the doctor took them all out!

No X-rays- I never got to keep any, but somewhere at home is a plastic baggie with 7 screws, a plate and a pin from a Tri-Maeleal (spelling?) Tib-Fib fracture. (broken ankle for us regular folks) Tried to plant a foot on a landing, the foot objected

Well, this is Gear and Rigging, right?? Sounds like the new hardware in his leg might qualify! Seriously, ChileRelleno, get well soon! maura

Kallend and Diverdriver's (John and Chris) 10 way team is TFX. I'm thinking 10 way is going to be interesting this year, and this will be one team to watch! My "other half" (on another team) never gets on this board, so I guess it is safe to post my support here! Go TFX!!!!!

Good thing you cross posted this one in the RW forum, John! Most of the "regulars" in this forum are a) too young for POPS, and/or b) don't fly on their bellies!

That works great unless the EMTs are cutting you out of your gear and airlifting you to the hospital. Not to be morbid or anything, but you should check to make sure there isn't a "dangerous sports" exclusion on your policy.

I know it doesn't SEEM that physical, but you use different muscles. It does get better if you keep going back. One day earlier this summer, I was practicing 10 way lineups and exits- my quads and gluts hurt for days after that!!! maura

I love my Wings. I got a GREAT deal on it and its a sweet looking rig! Very comfy, and this one wasn't even made for me. I got it very slightly used, directly from the Wings folks at a boogie. maura

I guess I am not alone with the Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey!

Steve, Lots of good suggestions already, but can I just say, once you get used to putting the contacts in, you will really love wearing them instead of glasses. And you WILL get used to it if you give it a chance. The truth is, outside of having the surgery (if your prescription is still changing, I don't think you are a good candidate), contacts give you the most natural vision. If you can wear the soft lenses, the disposable ones are thin and comfortable, affordable and very easy to take care of. Go see your eye doctor and see what options are available for you. maura

Well, this is frightening, but I agree with Phree on this. Its all about balance and priorities. A long term relationship involves trust, sharing, and compromise. Skydiving does not kill relationships by itself, but it is true that spending all weekend at at DZ away from your boyfriend/girlfriend, and sharing something so important to you with other people (often of the opposite sex...) can take its toll on a relationship. If the relationship is important to you both, I guess you need to try and work something out. That's where the compromise comes in. Personally, I don't think I would ever give up skydiving for a guy, because its part of who I am, and someone who cared about me wouldn't ask or expect me to give up something I loved, and wouldn't try to force me to change who I am. But, I might give up an occasional weekend to do something he liked to do, and I would try and get him out to the dz to meet my skydiving family and friends, get him a little involved even if he never wanted to jump. That said, I think I only know one woman who has a successful relationship with a whuffo, and she really doesn't jump as much as she used to..... But, it seems like a lot of my male friends are pretty happily married to "whuffos", so it can work. Trust me, though, having a skydiver for a significant other can bring its own set of problems, and I know this from personal experience. My fiancee keeps borrowing my rig so he can have a second rig for "back to back" loads during team practice!! My rig is getting more air time than me! And how's this for taking a toll on a relationship- you are a captain on a world record attempt and are told you have to axe your wife?? This actually happened to friends of mine. I wonder how long it was til he got any after that?? No situation is perfect, and no relationship is without some hurdles!

Ideally, I think its a good idea to make 2 or 3 student jumps on the days you come out to jump. The second jump will always be better than the first and by the third, things are starting to click. You learn more, and feel more comfortable which naturally makes the jumps go better. Staying "current" is also really important-try not to let weeks or months go by in between jumps. When you are new especially, after a layoff, it is just like starting over. As far as the differences between the programs, I don't think that is much of an issue these days. It seems like traditional AFF and static line programs are being phased out in favor of AFP and expanded, modifed AFF or ISP programs at most of the larger drop zones anyway. Good luck with your training, Jesse! maura

I think most of them married whuffos.......