gemini

The Spaceland Otter visits Lexington and Aggieland on a fairly regular basis. Get on their email list for more information. Blue skies, Jim

Trent is in it also. At the Aggie event in an article by Amy. Blue skies, Jim

At last someone else who knows what it REALLY feels like every morning at 55!!! Blue skies, Jim

Mine is vicodin. Pretty week at 500mg. Blue skies, Jim

WANTED--GOOD SKYDIVERS LIKE YOU! Come join us for a great day of competitive 20-way! Teams will include Deguello, and a team from both Waller and Dallas. If you want to progess to larger formations, get great RW coaching and have a lot of fun...this is it! Spaceland is trying to fill two teams. One is almost full so if you hesitate you may be left out. Registration fee is a nominal $10. Other information to be posted soon. If you want to reserve a slot contact jimalkek@yahoo.com. Blues, Gemini Blue skies, Jim

Mississippi is 41 Blue skies, Jim

Are these personal insults? I'm offended that you would ridicule us old folks! Come on greenies lock this thread before it gets out of control. Blue skies, Jim

Thanks for all the kind words. Always good to know all of you are out there. That's what I love about skydiving....we have a common bond that that stands above our age differences. You guys are great! Blues, Jim Blue skies, Jim

Test results show a herniated L4 which has caused pain in both hips, knees, right thigh, and numbness between right knee and ankle. Guess the hard opening was a little harder than I thought!!! They want to try a steroid block which will give immediate relief and let me sleep for the first time in two weeks. A 22 quage needle sounds damn big to me and I'm a little nervous about it. Flash has offered to take me to the Dr and bring me home afterward. Thank God for good friends! Still mad about being at Rantoul and not getting to meet all of you. Glad I got to see Bill, Lisa, Andy, Chris, Renee, and Rob before I went down. Missed the Texas State Record and now will miss Ballunar. Hey, can I get a whiners card please??? Hope to see all at next event. Blues, Jim Blue skies, Jim

Well, good news today was the MRI was negative for a back injury. Now they want to do something called an EMG? Anybody know what this is? They are thinking I may have stretched the femoral nerve with a hard opening. Also many thanks to Steve Boyd who called today and offered me the co-pilot seat and a room in Dallas for the TSR even if I don't jump. Blue skies, Jim

Grounded at Rantoul on my first jump day with a pinched nerve. I thought I just had a sore knee, but on the third jump right leg went numb. Stood up the landing, but couldn't walk off the landing area. Had the MRI yesterday and waiting on results. This really sucks...TSR is this weekend in Dallas, Balloonar the following weekend and AOT right after. Still no feeling below right knee to ankle. Lisa, that's why I wasn't around after dropping by the tent the first Sunday. Couldn't even get to the dz until Thursday and once Anomaly sat me in the golf cart, I was there for the day!!! Good seeing Lisa, Chris, Rob and Renee and a few others I've forgotten. Don't know what was more painful, the injury, watching everyone jump for 4 more days, or selling all my jump tickets back to manifest on the last Sunday! Blue skies, Jim

Altitude and Performance Performance can seriously deteriorate within 15 minutes at 15.000' feet. Night vision can be impaired starting as low as 5,000'. Heavy smokers-- May experience early symptoms of hypoxia at lower altitudes. Altitude and blood-oxygen saturation Sea level--about 95 to 98 percent. 10,000 feet--About 90 percent; you could begin to experience some of the symptoms of blood-oxygen starvation. 14,000 feet--About 84 percent; thought, memory. and judgment processes are substantially impaired. Peripheral vision may be affected, and hands could begin to shake. 16,000 feet--About 77 percent; you may not be capable of controlling the aircraft and could even lose consciousness. 18,000 feet--loss of consciousness could occur in 15 to 30 minutes. Above 18,000 feet--Effects of hypoxia are described in terms of time of useful consciousness, which ranges from 10 minutes at 20,000 feet to 15 seconds at 40,000 feet (see the accompanying chart). Tlme of useful consciousness Altitude (ft) without oxygen 40,000 15 seconds 35.000 20 seconds 30,000 30 seconds 28,000 1 minute 26,000 2 minutes 24,000 3 minutes 22,000 6 minutes 20,000 10 minutes 15.000 Indefinite Source: "Physiologically Tolerable Decompression Profiles for Supersonic Transport Type Certification," Office of Aviation Medicine Report AM' 70-12, S. R. Mohler, M.D., Washington, D.C.; Federal Aviation Administration, July 1970. Blue skies, Jim

55:50 Blue skies, Jim

Tami: Glad you got back in the air.

As you can tell from some of the pics, Josh was still shooting as we tracked away. On one of the jumps, I started my track looked down and flew over Josh who was in a sit looking up at me! We had plenty of clearance, but it was still a surprise! Great shots Josh. Thanks again for all the hard work. Josh is the only guy I know who can get muddy while in the Otter.... ;) Blue skies, Jim

Ummhh, just a little windy and some rain...but I think it might be jumpable in a few minutes... Blue skies, Jim

#1 Student: I didn't know our parachute was blue! Instructor: It wasn't! #2 Instructor: Did you like that freefall? Student: Yes! Instructor: Well get ready because here it comes again! [Chink] Blue skies, Jim

Trent and Gemini will be there. Trent on the 1st and me on the 3rd. Jim Blue skies, Jim

Zen where the heck you been? Thought we had lost you entirely to base. Look forward to seeing you again. Blue skies, Jim

Spaceland's BA Otter will be there with a load of jumpers. Looks like it will be a lot of fun. Hope to see all the jumpers from central TX there. Blue skies, Jim

Early Sunday afternoon we completed a 16 way with an 8 way base and 8 hangers. For the sunset load, we made a 10 way base with 10 hangers, but could only hold it for a few seconds. DZO of Skydive Spaceland told us afterwards that if we could build a a 32 or 40 way, the jump would be on him! Looks like a challenge we will have to accept! Josh Hill will have photos on line at http://www.aerialfusion.com by Wednesday the 9th. Blue skies, Jim

Congrats Rhino. See you at WFFC again this year. Jim Blue skies, Jim

Sorry to hear your arm was broken and not just bruised. There sure was a lot of pushing and shoving on your plane. Both Bytch and Cindy from Lexington were also shoved into the bulkhead on exit and got bruised pretty good. Heal quickly and exercise that elbow as soon as the splint comes off. Key to mobility is aggressive use of the arm as soon as possible. It was fun jumping with you... Jim Blue skies, Jim

Had a similar experience last week when flying out of Ontario, CA after the Big Way camp. I was "selected" for extra screening from the curbside checkin. My checked bag containing my rig went through with only a momentary second look. However my carryon was emptied and the TSA agent held my weight belt up to eye level and asked what it was. When I said "a weight belt", she said "we can't let you take it on the plane." I asked for a supervisor who immediately came over, looked at the belt and shook her head no. Before anyone could say anything, an older woman who was apparently the main supervisor came over, picked the belt up and said "It's a weight belt, let him go" and dropped the belt back into my carry on. At least the agent helped me stuff everything back into the bag since I only had about 7 minutes to get to the gate. Blue skies, Jim

Not this Friday, but two of us from Spaceland will be there next Wed-Sun for the big way camp. Blue skies, Jim