wildfan75

My new Wings order was placed the end of November. I timed it so that it would be just about ready to ship about the same time I get my tax refund. I sent my taxes to my accountant on Friday and he said he'd have to wait until February some time to file because he's waiting for the "beta version" of the tax software. I told him my predicament about my refund and he promised that mine would be the first he'd do. I can't wait to be bring the slider down and have it actually behind my head and not three inches above my head, and I can't wait to have the option of wearing a chest mount altimeter when jumping with students on without fear that I'm going to break my jaw on opening! But damn...I'm going to miss that ol' Vector 2!

I think its like any other way people find love...stop looking for it. It will happen when you least expect it. Todd (L.O.) did not get me because he was a skygod, although he'll have you believe otherwise. I wasn't looking to hook up with anyone at the dz. I was (and still am) there to skydive. I ended up going to the dz every weekend and often times we were the only two that would stay at the clubhouse. It left quite a bit of time for conversation and we became best friends. The thought of being involved romatically with him never really entered my mind. At Couch '06 he made a move and I just sort of played it off as a drunk moment. And "his move" was in the form of a hug that was more than just a "friendly hug" along with the quote "This feels good. You feel good." The entire next week it was like 50 light bulbs went off in my head and I couldn't wait to get to the dz to see him again. Todd makes me laugh and not take myself too seriously. He's always there to tell me that I f'd up royally on a skydive but that's its okay because I'll get it next time (or five times from then). He'll pack for me when I'm in a time crunch. But he does this for everyone. His generocity isn't reserved for just me. Its his character. And we still have great conversation. I could talk to him for hours when I first meet him and I can still talk with him for hours (and if anyone knows Todd, you know that him talking for hours isn't the challenge, its listening to him for hours that can be). I would say if you are looking to hook up with a girl at the dz, you're more likely to hook up with a girl that's just there to hook up and will eventually end up back in WhuffoWorld. But be there to skydive and if it happens, it happens. Stop looking for it.

You're going to have to get in line. I'm still jumping a 150 and I've already mentioned to Nick Grillet to get them working on a 120!

Good deal. Sounds like they are right on schedule. My estimate ship date when I ordered was 2/28/08. Excellent! Thanks!

When did you order it? I ordered a new Wings the end of November and just wondering what kind of turn around they are having. If there's a good, warm weekend (i.e. not this weekend), feel free to drive to the Twin Cities and ride with me to Skydive Wissota. We're open all year 'round.

Very cute! Attached is a not very good picture of a cake that someone at work did for me and Jamie for our 53rd b-day last year. No matter how many pictures I show them, they just don't understand that I don't jump a round canopy, but it was yummy!

If your profile is right, you're jumping a Talon2. Have you tried to contact Riggin Innovations yet? I see their website has a price list for replacement parts. Bad news is that it looks like they don't have a 29" but they do have a 30".

Not at my dz. Clicky

What are the rules about body position? Is this a belly flying thing or is head down/sit allowed?

"If you fall out of your harness or have a double mal, aim for Bob's vet!" "Someone needs to tell Amy to keep her FOOT and knees together when she lands" (Amy is an amputee). "If Lee's on the dive, you don't track away from the center of the skydive. You track away from Lee."

Although they will not let you on the ship with a couple of 12 packs of pop, they will let you bring some pop on board. I got a 1 liter bottle of 7-up and put vodka in it. I also had a 1 liter bottle of "Coke". Worked just fine and then you don't have to worry about having your cabin boy seeing a bottle of liquor while cleaning. There ya go! And I still spent $180 on liquor for a 4 day/3 night cruise!

I have a Vector 2 DOM 1995. I've jumped it for about 320 jumps now (it has about 800 total and I'm like the 5th person at my dz to call it "my first rig"). Like other have said, unless its had the mods, stay on your belly. But you should have no problems with being on your belly. I always check my pin before exiting as an added precaution (something everyone should do but I'm a little anal about it) and it has never been out of place. My rigger has commented the last two repack jobs how great a launch he gets on the reserve because its older (and broke in). There's someone on dz.com that has the sig line that's somewhere along the lines of "just because its not freefly friendly doesn't make it unsafe or crap". I've done fun jumps, 4 way competitions, launched cats out of a 182, etc with my Vector and have never (knock on wood) had a problem (all on belly with "moderate tumbling at times). But only 46 more days until my new Wings is scheduled to ship!!! I do not have the cookie cutter skydiver body type and I am very much looking forward to something that fits me right. Otherwise its quite possible that I would be jumping this container for another 320 jumps. Have fun! Be Safe!

I'm probably the Silhouette's biggest fan. I have about 20 jumps on a 190, almost 300 on a 170, and I currently have about 25 on my 150. I think its the must underestimated canopy for newbies. You'll get a good flare, its responsive (but not too responsive, nothing radical), the glide ratio is excellent, openings are great and to top it all off, its easy to pack (due to the hybrid of fabrics). I have probably about 10 jumps on a Spectre 170 and I did not like it very much, mostly due to the glide ratio (more ground hungry than any other canopy I've jumped). I also have jumps on a Sabre2 and a ZP EXE. The ZP EXE is very docile (which is what we have in our student transition rigs so we didn't want anything too aggressive). I don't have enough jumps on the Sabre2 to give you an accurate assessment. Before I get my next canopy, I'll definitely be demo'ing a Pilot and a Safire. I've heard great things about both canopies and you really have to dig to find negative feedback. I'll also probably aim to get a few more jumps on the Sabre2 to see what all the hype is about. I'd love to go to the last step on the Silhouette but I discussed it with up-jumpers and it would probably be a good thing to start to look at full zp canopies next time I downsize. But I honestly think that you would not regret getting a Silhouette.

Fake nails are a waste of money. I'd rather use the money to skydive. Also, I would probably have flesh wounds all over the place if I had big nails. I'd like to wear nail polish more often but it dries out the tips of my fingers for some reason so I never wear it. I do keep my toes painted during summer sandle season.

Wow...you look so different than your avatar. You're avatar picture must have been taken in the summer when you had a tan.

Although not on the west coast, think about going to Couch Freaks in Fort Dodge, IA during Labor day weekend. Des Moines Skydivers do a great job with it. Very well run and a major blast to boot. Not sure what airfare runs from where you're at to there, but (w/boogie fee) there's free camping, hot showers, free beer 24/7, and you'll be guarenteed to walk away with tons of great memories (just stay away from the low altitude high speed skyvan jumps). Editted as to not piss off some very hard working and wonderful individuals.

Have Fun! I did the Polar Bear Plunge on New Year's Day this year into Lake Wissota in Chippewa Falls, WI to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern WI. The real feel temp on the ground was -7F that day. I would suggest that you for go the under armour, mask etc and recommend that you jump with as little as possible on. Less is best. I'm being serious! Its actually "warmer" when you get out to have skin exposed than it is to have wet clothing on your skin. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I don't know if I'd do it again in -7F but maybe if it was 20 or 30F I'd definitely do it again!

I love that song. That is a great album and brings back many memories of my summer in Mexico in 1998. And yes, very vulgar and offensive and you're not the only guera that's rode around windows down and that song cranked up!

Yeah, I guess you can compare KISS to Michael Jackson Different levels of intelligence. Gene knew not to fuck with his nose. Jacko didn't know when to stop.

I have to agree with everyone on Gene Simmons. I am a huge KISS fan, but that's not why I'm saying that. If anyone knows anything about KISS, their background and the making of KISS, you'll know why. For them it was all about marketing. They went at it from the point of view of "let's put on a show that we wished a band would have put on for us, the kind of show we would want to go to." Paul and Gene did amazing things to make KISS where they got. Whether you loved them or hated them, everyone, kids and parents alike, knew who KISS was.

...took my first poop of 2008! Yes, that's right, it took me 2 days, 16 hours and 42 minutes after the dropping of the ball to do droppings. How long did it take you? I hate the flu!

Mounting instructions

Central Wisconsin has been quite fridged. After throwing up and pissin' out my asshole (sorry for the image) on New Year's Eve night for what I thought was drinking too much even though I hadn't drank that much, I woke up on New Year's day and did the Polar Plunge (where they cut out a hole in the ice on top of a lake and you jump in). The temp on the ground was approx. 5F with a real feel temp of -7F. Came back home, showered, felt great and then got hit with more flu symptoms. I watched everyone skydive while I was dying on the couch with a fever and severe body aches. I hate the flu!!!

Then I guess you're done breakin' ankles. Looks like the farmer north of the LZ is going to continue with soybeans instead of corn. No, she flew. She doesn't do too many jumps in the winter. Doesn't have enough meat on her bones or something. Make sure you get that Silhouette of yours some air time every once in awhile. It likes to fly

Oh gees...Get well soon???? Please don't tell me she broke another ankle! Get in the air over the homeland yet? Weather's been crappy here. I only have 3 jumps for December (2nd most next to Bob). Should make for an intersting New Year's weekend. Happy Birthday Eelaine!!