Flying_Penguin

By far the most fear/stress is before the jump - once your in the air

Try a local college - or an authentic Greek resturant, store etc. - or even hotel resevationist via email, butter'em up like your taking a trip, and ask them to translate for you as a favor, good luck

On to the right track, as is Aggie with yoga, Pilates also for the core. As a National Champion Weightlifter in my youth - I can say weights do nothing really for flying your body or making love or hunting Al Qaeda - pretty usless excepts for looking good or lifiting hundreds of kilos over your head(which is fun) *Gyrotonic(R) Is the next step if you have money and balls (most skydivers do have both) Gyrotonic is a mixture of yoga, tai chi, ballet, gynastics and swimming if your in london then your in luck, you can take Gyrotonic at http://www.gyrotonic.co.uk/ Blue ones Joe If you get a chance surfing is a great sport, as is rock climbing - anything whole and natural - dance-like movement is the best

Ray Losli is Hero of the Human Spirit. Brave, Kind and Wise, I have never met a better jumper or BASE instructor. Dwain Weston and Psyilly Nic are sexy gods. Ray is better because he is still here. Ray hand makes gorgeous Base rigs called SoftCock. He self-taught, researched and worked passionately until he created these beautiful containers. The S&TA Jim said ‘your going in’ as did most, when they heard the words ‘homemade gear’ Yet like Dr. Salk, who first injected himself with his polio vaccine, Ray jumped his rigs, and the won the praise and affection of the Australian himself. Thucydides, remarks “Restraint impresses men most” True addiction IS moderation If you want to drink everyday, a bottle of wine a day will give you more total buzzed hours than a lifestyle of shots of jack and hangovers Socrates speaks truth in his immortal words “the unexamined life is not worth living” Ray is Noble to ask these questions. He is a teacher and a Philosopher. • When I finish this Odyssey, I’m coming home to Portland and I look forward studying with you. Semper Fi, Joe SoftCock MossTosser School of Base 2001

http://www.kinespherestudio.com

Only a Doctor can give advice. But I will pass on my observations, not as advice. Yes the shoulder is a very delicate, and it is a very painful injury. But with time and consistent stretching and gentle strengthening you should be OK. Be Patient. To take the Marine Corps Marital Arts Instructor Course, you must not have had a shoulder injury in two years. This is consistent with what I have experienced, a full recovery is about two years But you will be back in action much sooner, just take it easy, but keep movement going. I am a Certified teacher of Gyrotonic® I find it very helpful for the shoulders, far better and safer than yoga. I’m In Manhattan New York, But I used to Live in Portland, Or. Near you are the following places : The Pilates Center Address: 1680 Willamette St., Eugene, OR 97401 USA Phone: 541-465-1680 Fax: Owner: Elise Moore e-mail: moorefit@pacwest.net Kinesphere @ Carpe Diem Address: 436 Charnelton, Eugene, OR 97401 USA Phone: 541-684-0577 Fax: Owner: Charmaine Gaffrey e-mail: kinesphere@hotmail.com Web site: http://www.kinespherestudio.com Miles Dasher, a famous Base Jumper had his BOC moved from right-hand to left-hand side-open, when he hurt his shoulder. Of course talk to your DZO, ST&A and get their approval first. have a rigger do the work, but it may be an option. Good Luck and Cheers

After My first AFF freefall , David Bowie's "Ground Control To Major Tom" came on right at as I got a good canopy over me "You've really made the grade...floating in the most peculair way" Cheers Joe

That is Beautiful, the side-by-side, the changes and constants. I have new hope now of giving my love a tandem one day! You guys are Forever young. Really Sweet! Blue Skies Joe

Agree with Nick, its all personal, I don't even sell gear secondhand except to people I know and even then reluctantly - for me the liability in our brave new world is too great. sad but it this day and age the family of some guy that goes in can take you for everything your work'd your whole life for. However my best Base memories was a homemade rig with a cruiselight, the way she crack'd open, sweet almost as nice as a MOJO

Naw an Afrcan Spur thigh, like Dusty probably wieghts 30-40 lbs, and might grow to over 150, we need a big 'ol Seven cell

Semper FI, Are you a Prior looking to pick up an Air contract ? PM me cheers Joe

Please read http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=142088 The Forum Rules: 1. No personal attacks. Specific Forum Policies Posts that contain material that we deem to be blatantly or unnecessarily racist, sexist, homophobic, bigoted, pornographic, or otherwise offensive, may be removed. While discussion of certain social and political issues may require the use of sensitive or potentially offensive terms, outside of those limited contexts the use of such terms is not allowed on this board and may be removed. Please remove the above quoted, blatantly and unnecessarily homophobic and bigoted post. Blue ones to all

I don't have video to help, sorry. But my live-with girlfriend is a school teacher and when I pick her up on my motorcycle, sunny day the kids love that - but not as much as they love hearing about skydiving. What you are doing is cool, I wish you the best of luck, just be sure that they know not to try to base their garage roof with a pillow case. Who knows maybe 10, 15 years down the line a kid will take up the sport because of you! how cool is that! good luck edit: just thought of the skydive movie Crosswind, there is a great slow motion shot of a canopy opening out at Eloy, the image is great, but the kids might ask about the 'dust' - the ZP coating out in AZ flys off every opening - it kinda looks like he packed his chute with baby powder. but that is just a detail, \ blue ones

There was one kid at the mom'n'pops NW DZ I learned at. He dropped out of college and made about 1000 in a year, doing 200plus of those at Eloy in a month right of AFF. I had to leave the sport for five years, because I made the decision to send myself to college.- got a few fixed objects inbetween My graduation is on May 18 though I finished last semester. When I was young, first jumping before my pause - I was always in a rush to be the first to, this lead to base jumping before I had my UPSA A. Now I recognize we all have all the time in the world to explore this beautiful sport. No need to rush, just need Ground Rush. Jump when you can, dream when you can't, always be happy for any beauty blue ones Penguin

The US Governmet teaches Marine Corps Riggers that anything older than Seven years should be tossed - no matter what. In Sport Jumping I have see many jumpers be successful with rigs that must have been older than that. My student gear, I remember like any first-true-love and that rig was older than me. It is your life, have a rigger or Two inspect and sign off on anything you trust you life with. If you are every unsure, error on the side of caution. Blue Ones Penguin

Thanks all, great comments – I appreciate the feedback, I’ve been BASE’n and away from the fossil fuel burning, big-buck world of skydiving. Its great to be able learn form you all. Kim, living up to your nick name Thread Killer, I hope others are not intimidated to answer my Original Question, ‘Which ones are made in the USA?’ Please note, I never questioned the quality of a Honduras made canopy. – Please don’t feel the need to be defensive and assure me that PD is top-notch, I know this and love them as the “Harley-Davidson” of American Skydiving. My favorite wings are a Spectre and a Velocity. So if I order a new custom color Spectre for wingsuit, where will it be made? What about a custom color PDR? Thanks and Blue Skyz, soft openings and don’t cross the beer line All the Best Penguin

Hi, and Blue Skies to all, without getting into talking about global politics, I was just wondering which parachutes are made in the USA. I always though PD was out of Deland, but I see Made in Honduras on the main label. I've been absent form the sky for a spell :( - hence my need to update my knowledge. Thanks and blue ones cheers Joe

a Full 1/3 of All Cranes in the Whole-world! are in the single city Shanghai but I'd wait for an invite before hopin round them parts.. cheers Penguin

Hey ZigZag, no hard feelings bro, I think Rw is really cool, I need to do more of it, the grace and control is great. and yeah Aussie Chicks ROCK, unless you get into a low-pull contest with them thanks guys

True, but his leg isn't connected directly to the plane, just fabric...the pelvis is pretty strong (not that I want to try this) and the plane is moving forward more slowly then a body in free-fall is, of course in free-fall you are not attached to anything so the energy can flow. Not disagreeing, this is all speculation anyhow... Good remarks, keep 'em coming cheers penguin

LOL, going for help! With 'zigzag' in your name and 'Kbar' in your post I can't guess if your a stoner or a Marine. Maybe both thanks for the thoughts cheers Penguin

Thanks Guys, Great to hear feedback even though its all theory, I remember them saying on the show the jumper had an AAD - was it turned on (I know I am, oh baby..) - who knows? spining, yes he moved around some, troy Hartman moved around loads more when he reproduced the event as a stunt - because he was hanging from a harness with ~3 meters (?) of webbing connected to a cutwayhandle/ 3-ring deal made by Todd Of Apex Base(BR). In base sometimes we deploy on our backs, ether cause our arial SUCKED, or if your from Portland, you call it the 'higgly-wiggly' - and you did it on purpose for kicks point being the relative wind will make your chute end up over your head even if you open on your back ***do not try any of this ever!*** so maybe if he was facing whatever direction his chute would pull him in the direction of the relative wind? ie Backwards of course as you note, who knows what would happen with the 'chute-plane interaction thanks for your thoughts all the best Penguin

Can't read French but I get the idea from the picture thanks for posting it Parachute is a fench word, no? Champange and Parachutes - I owe my two favoret things to you guys - Cheers Joe

I sure it has and can work, I took the phrase 'james bond' from one of the many experts on the show who felt that this solution might work better on the blue screen ... I am curoius about deploying though, any thoughs - also if there is a thread I don't mean to re-post, I know do a search FIRST, but I not sure how to search for this thanks for your thoughts Orange cheers Penguin

Hi Guys and Gals. I saw this show ‘Survival Secrets’ or something close to that – Hosted by Troy Hartman, the So. Cal. Skysurfer. In this show they review what you might do to stay alive in an extreme situation. The video, I have seen before – they did a show on this poor guy who got his RW suit bootie caught on the step of the 182, he dangled upside down for 40 minutes and eventually – the plane landed slow as she could in the grass and thank goodness, the kid was alright! In the show Troy, explores 3 possible actions 1. Parabolic flight, producing negative G-s, so as to float the jumper back into the plane. (to0 violent, jumper would smack the plane) 2. Pilot leans way-out and flies the plane with one finger, while cutting jumper free with super long ‘jack-the-ripper hook knife’ (unrealistic, non skydiving pilot, no hook knife on board) Though Try likes this ‘james bond’ solution 3. land with him ( what worked) ** My question is, what do you guys (anyone know the angle of how he was caught?) Think about the Jumper Just deploying his cute? wouldn’t that rip him lose? I guess it depends on how his bootie was snagged? It could make the plane go wild, but then after disconnecting the RSL, just chop it right? the opening shock could be hardcore? but the airspeed was less than 100 knots fwd, less than if he deployed at terminal belly to earth. when they did land with him, they came down really! slow so as not to pop his AAD, so I assume the idea of a parachute out crossed their minds I am not second guessing anything or anyone, they all have my respect, I just was curious what other, especially those familiar with the incident, think about deploying in that situation Other than that I guess it is a good lesson on why we should all have hook-knifes (could he have cutaway his jump suit at the thigh? – the winds made it impossible to reach up) Thank you all Blue Skies and forget the black death part, cheers Penguin