Stacy

At about 200 jumps I tried out a Crossfire (big) and a cobalt (not so big). Definitely a bad idea. I was no where near ready for those canopies at that time, but unfortunately the demo reps at the DZ were convincing *everyone* they were OK for the canopies, it seemed. Yep, I landed, landed alive, and without incident, but that's just not enough comfort level for me to buy a canopy. I waited another 200 jumps of so (on my spectre 150) before going elliptical. __

I'm saying it was 3 times as tall as you, silly! __

Here's a pic of the bonfire to compete with. for a size comparison, that's The111 in front of it. __

I won't be back at the hills for a while... and unfortunately my eyes aren't good enough to see that far. Maybe Heather can look? __

I thought I saw an ad in the bathroom last weekend for a converted bus for sale. not positive though... __

take it all to good will or salvation army. a tax write off for your junk is better than nothing...

errr, for the car it's just easier to find the airport's web page and rent through one of those agencies. Book through expedia or orbitz or something and it will save you a little $$ Off the flat rates. As for backpackin accomodations... Miami isn't exactly backpacking town. There may be a hostel or something, but I wouldn't count on it in the city. I know there is a hostel out closer to homestead, but that's a little haul from miami and there's nothing around out there... __

(866) 307-3483 is the phone number to Force-E dive shop in Boca Raton. Give them a call and let them know you're an out of towner with an OW card (I imagine needing to rent full equipment?) and ask them for a recommendation. I still recommend diving with parrot Island, and Force E books to those boats very readily. the Boca shop isn't far from the marina anyway. Force E has been fabulous with me getting recurrent, buying equipment and finding buddies. Let them know you are alone and willneed paired up, or a DM in water, as not all boats out of the inlet have in water DMs unless requested. Force E will set you up with equipment, etc, etc. If you run into a tall older guy (instructor) named Jeff, tell him Stacy said hi, he did some 1:1 with me getting me back into diving this summer. from SoBe to the dive shop.... I"d give an hour and 15 mins or so, depending on traffic, etc. If you're going to deland frm there, you're right off of 95 at the dive place anyway and can hop right on and drive north.

and when was the last time a scuba diver died fm impact with that big thing called earth, or a big scary airplane in freefall? Both sports are dangerous. scuba is more common and recreational to the *common* person. 99% of hte people I've talked to on dive boats are petrified to skydive. Most skydivers I know think scuba is a pansy sport in comparison. Whatever, doing both I just consider myself in better training to be a james bond stunt double. __

And birds don't put on shoes to go to Denny's either. You still skydive. __

You took my words! Scrambles take the pressure off of finding 3-4 other relaiable people to committ, doesn't necessarily involve training, and allows teams to be evenly matched up. pretty sweet! __

Key west is supposed to be OK, but Key Largo is supposedly the real treasure spot. KW is very commercialized and from what I hear stirred up due to the tourism, newbies with no bouyancy skills stirring things up... Everyone I talk to says make the shorter drive to key largo. I can't wait to get down on the Spiegal Grove.... __

http://www.e-divers.org it's an email based forum based in south FL, but lots of equipment advertised and sold through it. scubaboard, I can't remember if they have classifieds or not... __

if you don't wander far, yo wn't see any of hte south FL reefs... the places I go are at least 4 hours south of deland. What you shold do is spend your last days at SoBe then hit the *good* diving off hte southeast coast. It seriously is not to be missed. Anyhoo, if you venture this way, I give major props to http://www.parrotislandscuba.com awesome staff, wonderful boats, and no cattle ships loaded with tourists. It's a local place with good people, two boats and they've catered to my new-ness to diving plenty of times. Like Aviatrr said, not much ocean/reef diving up in deland area. That's the south FL forte. There are springs up there too which I hear are nice but I'm not getting pulled out of the gulf stream for a spring. Send a PM to Bean. He lives in the deland area and learned to dive up there. Although he most frequently comes down here. __

also in the deland area, you may want to PM Bean. He lives up there and I think learned to dive up there, probably has some connections. I know there are some nice springs up there. __

I'd recommend without reservation the southeast coast diving. Diving off of riviera beach, jupiter, and pompano have amazed me more than the reefs of cozumel and jamaica. It's a haul from deland area, but if yo are interested I can send you names of some people to contact, a few boats i like and have dove from. Most of them do two tanker trips with a wreck and a reef, there's some shore diving off of riviera bridge (huge spot for octopi). Water temps down in S Fl are in the 70s still, Someone last weekend I heard from dove to 150' and it was in teh upper 60s. I'm using my 3:2 right now and only feel a slight chill. __

OMG that was you yesterday that Scotty SCR-ed by the pond. You poor thing! I cringed when he got out the whipped cream, you were shivering to death out there! What a good sport! Stacy

I'm afraid of heights and climbing ladders, etc etc. If I'm climbing something and can see how high I am, forget it. I've found that with jumping, the height is so surreal looking that it doesn't bother me. I still won't climb ladders or staircases that I can see through the slats of the steps without feeling like I'll pas out though. __

yeah, well, I'm blond and polish. give me a break. __

A lot of places it depends *where* on the DZ you land. At ZHills the main landing area involves no trekking over anything except the homes of fire ants. Land in the alternate area further out, you could be crossing runway/taxiway. My memory is a little vague, but I think at SD atlanta I had to cross the taxi way. Lake wales also (again depending on which area you opt to land in). __

Our team surely would have kicked booty. I was back in WP by 4 PM. They've widened rte 60 to 2 lanes each way now so the drive is a bit faster. Turnpike rates have hiked 25% though!!

i got up a tthe plumbers butt crack of dawn this morning for 4way scrambles at the hills. fog, clouds, rain. in that order. booooooooo. That puts the *Boo* in Boobies! Sucks, Bob Healy was on my team!!!!! __

get tot he DZ and hang out there. or book a trip to SoBe for this weekend or to the MUff Brothers Boogie the following weekend. Get the hell outta there so taht freak can't do this again, it's absurd. ANd *I* got mad today because turnpike fees went up. teehee. __

oh yes stacy was mad! a call 30 mins before the alarm goes off is not fun. ESP when you've gotten a call at 2:30 AM. I don't think Galen was particularly amused either. From now on I'll have to remember to turn off my phone when I go to bed. I think Bo knows when I need to get up early. That's the only time he calls. or when it's not my birthday. __

sure would, billvon! It's still fun to fly around, kinda drops outta the sky, but it still has the *jedei* characteristics, diving turns, etc etc. Just no fun to land since it doesn't have much uumphf anymore. I just posted it in the classifieds with my info. __