TheCapt

Great minds think alike; I have a Spectre 230 and a PD 218R and am considering downsizing, most likley to a smaller Spectre. So what don't you like about your nice Spectre?

If you've read one book, you've read 'em all.

You remember that girl who went to trial in Duluth, Minnesota - the first case out of 26,000 to go to trial, and the jury awarded the labels $225,000? That was my client. I tried the case. Presently, the judge is considering our motion to reduce the award down to $150 (24 downloads times 70 cents times nine) , but I'm not too optimistic. The labels have this machine in place with a mind of its own that continuously harvests more and more defendents who cannot afford to defend. Unfortunately this is a problem that only Congress can fix. Statutory damages have a miniumum of $750 per infringement. I was pretty bummed out, but last month I got my B license and jumped out of a balloon, so I feel better.

Careful with your comments; some of us actually have goats.

One morning last year I showed up at a DZ for the first time, and six hours later did my first AFF dive. One year later, this year, I got my A License. Last month was my 60th birthday. Now I got more miles on me than a Michelin retread, so if I can do it so can you.

I might be in Hawaii in January but only on the Big Island. Is there a DZ there or at least a plane with only one door?

I read "Infidel" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali and was so moved I bought six copies and sent them to friends.

So Lena gets tattooed . . . on each cheek of her ass there's a picture of Elvis, so when Ole comes home she truns around, drops her pants and Ole says he doesn't recognize the two portaits on the side but thinks the one in the middle is Willie Nelson.

I'm in Manhattan (working) the first week in July (Next week!) with the 4th and 5th off. I'm bringing my gear. I've narrowed this down to the Ranch by bus or Skydive Long Island by train. All comments would be appreciated.

It took eleven months and 28 jumps, but all the anxiety when driving to the DZ, in the rides up, the jump-your-own-pack-job, not to mention the cost, were all worth it in spades! It so true that the biggest risk of all is not taking one, and that you get into our sport for the thrill and stay in it for the people. A special thanks to the following: Mark Baur Miles Hubbard Kerry McCauley Tammy Hart Dorice Grove John Bucsko Karl Eakins Joe Johnson Scott Miller Nikki Eliason Earl David, Jr.

So this homely nurse checks in on her patient and runs back to the nursing station exclaiming that the patient has the word "Swan" tatooed on his you-know-what, so the good lookin' nurse checks it out and after a while reports, "It's not 'Swan,' it's 'Saskatchewan!"

Last weekend, first time to DeLand, I got rained-out day one, so dropped by Mirage to see where my new rig was born. It was nice meeting in person the folks who helped me with my G-4 order. I mentioned to Bob Beck that my harness felt a little on the tight side. He had me don it and suggested a lengthening of the stabilizers. Next thing you know Bob the production manager started the Necessary surgery, and later that day I picked it up with a fresh reserve pack job by Ward Hessig -and no charge! It felt good before, but now it felt great. I also got a tour of the facility and was impressed with how many quality control checks there are for each component. I was left with the feeling that these beautiful, hand-made rigs are built by people who really care about what they doing. This is not a factory- it's more like an artists studio. Thanks again Bob, Bob, Ward and Connie.

On a rained-out day at DeLand I stopped by Mirage Systems' shop. Bob Beck gave me a tour that was very impressive. You immediately get the impression that these rigs are handmade by people who are really good at what they do and love doing it. I was especially impressed by the number of inspections each component undergoes before it reaches final form. I thought my new (self-measured) rig was a little tight, so Bob had me don it. There was a consensus that the stabilizers could be lengthed just a little. Bob the production manager stopped what he was doing, performed the Necesssary surgery, and later that day I came back to a rig that felt even better. Plus, Ward Hessig repacked my reserve, and this was all on the house! Now I know why I see so many Mirage rigs at my DZ and on this website.

Fresh off AFF with a half dozen jumps away from my A license, I expected to be regarded as an embryo, but that was not how I was treated. I very briefly met the owner Bob Hallett, and for the next couple days he always greeted me by my name even though the place was full of (fellow) geezers trying to build a POPS/SOS state-record 100-way. I don't get out much, so I was amazed at how many people were there that I recognized from my "Skydiving Survival Series Video." Besides Bob, I met Mike McGuire and Rob Laidlaw, but I was too shy to introduce myself to Nancy LaRiviere. The first day I was rained out, but Rachael gave me a great tour of Performance Designs operations which is walking distance from the DZ. RIght around the corner, I got my new Mirage G-4 tweaked a little and got a great tour of my rig's birthplace thanks to Bob Beck and Ward Hessig. Thanks also to the good folks a block away at Alti-master who provided me with a few decals and patches. Day two was the most productive day I've ever had in this sport as I took Scott Miller's canopy course which I will now do every year. His credentials, knowledge and treaching abilities made me an exponentially better pilot. I had an excellent recurrency dive thanks to instructor Nikki Eliason. Finally, I spent a lot of time at the Perfect Spot where the food and drink (pancakes and beer)can change your whole life, and the ladies who take care of you are the best in the busines. Thank you Abbie, MaryAnne, Sarah, Sue and Veronica. I'll be back! Oh by the way, did I mention I got ten minutes of tunnel time up the road, which is a cool thing to do when the DZ is rained out.

The kid was cock-eyed.

There was a baby born in Duluth, Minnesota without eyelids, so after a thoughtful diaglogue with the parents, the surgeon circumsized the baby and used the foreskin to create new eyelids. There was, however, one serious complication.

This is my very first skydive ever - AFF Jump No. 1, and here's what my instructor wrote: Good door position, check & count. Stable launch & flyaway with jumpmaster assist. Prompted for altitude check for signals. Mild response to "legs Out." Think of pointed toes then leg extension. Rip cord checks: 3 OK, no assist. Good alti checks, waved and pulled at 5500'. Stay in freefall position; grabbing harness can dislodge red handle. Main parachute departed, RSL deployed reserve. Good choice of off-field landing spot.

I used to work as a deckhand on freighters delivering general cargo to Vietnamese ports during the war. Later Congress authorized a special ribbon for such merchant seaman, similar to the military Vietnam War ribbon, except our ends were blue instead of green. So I just bought my very first rig (arrived from Mirage two weeks ago!) originally with a Spectre the same colors as my ribbon - three red stripes separated by yellow panels with blue stabilizers - but .... I got a little worried about packing brand new ZP, so at the last minute I switched to a used Spectre PD had in stock. Many of you have seen it on some of their videos - three lemon panels in the center, flanked by purple, then blackberry. When I downsize, then I'll get my true colors.

Later this Winter, I'm flying from Minnesota to Dallas where I keep my Harley in a mini-storage place. My plan is to UPS my rig to the DZ. Anyone see any problem with that? First rig; first trip.

Problem solved!! Thanks to all who responded. What a great fraternity this sport has!

I'm a few jumps away from an A license, but am having serious problems learning to pack. Took DZ group lesson, bought and watched "Pack like a Pro" 20 times, but still have trouble. DZO was nice enough to give me a loaner rig to practice at home. Will pay you for a lesson or two at my downtown Minneapolis office any evening.(or your location) Need to do this in October - sooner the better. Please leave private message.

Last Sunday I did the accelerated free fall, five hours of really great training followed by jump number one from 13,000 feet. Out the door and the free fall to 5,500 feet was uneventful - it was great and everything took place like it was supposed to. I pulled my rip cord. I did not expect there to be such a hard shock (actually two of them about a second apart). Then everything was peaceful and quiet. All was well except there were no yellow toggles to steer with. There were two red ones up there, but I knew from my training that I shouldn't be pulling anything red unless there is an emergency. I spent a lot of time poking around trying to find yellow toggles, and as I was running out of altitude, I tested the red toggles by pulling on the lines above them. Sure enough that caused a turn, so I grabbed them both and steered to a safe landing about a half mile from the LZ. After the jump I was advised that my reserve deployed right after my main, probably because I grabbed my harness after the shock of the opening main, thereby pulling a little on the reserve cord, enough to disengage the main (which disengation pulled a cord that deployed the reserve). The reserve rip cord handle was not deployed. (You should see the video!) Last night I did jump number two. It was a lot more fun, and this sport is really going to take hold!