grannyinthesky

That sounds almost familiar. I did a bounce and sprawl. When my feet hit the ground, it startled me and I stiffened up instead of bending, etc. I've really got my fingers crossed it doesn't snow this weekend so I can go try again. "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

Yeah, I realized that later. But, I really would prefer to be able to do a PLF with a lot more competence and confidence. I am spending a fair amount of time jumping off furniture around the house. My dog was looking at me last night like I had really gone over the edge. Pat "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

I suspect the answer to my question is hiding somewhere in the threads already here, but I get side tracked pretty easy with the wealth of info here, so I thought I'd just ask----How/where do you go about getting good used gear when you live in rural Idaho? Thanks, Pat "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

So do more experienced jumpers get irritated when we babble about these first little steps that get us pretty excited? "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

I can attribute a lot of my problem to not having visualized the landing well. "They'll tell me when to flare" was about the limit of what I was thinking. I didn't think about getting my hands all the way down. They stopped about shoulder height from what I was told. I also hadn't visualized the PLF. Guess what I'm doing this week? Besides visualizing the landing in better detail, I practice the flaring motion pretty regularly. I'm sorta figuring that for a while at least, I'm just gonna plan on a PLF. I'll get around to going for a stand up landing when I have a lot more confidence in my ability to flare and PLF consistently. Bouncing sucks! "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

I hope I'm not quite elderly, but I got a digital frame for my birthday last year and I really love it. "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

My kids have decided I'm crazy, but the grandkids think it's pretty cool. The 8 year old wants to skydive now. "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

I'm not so sure about bungee jumping. There's no reserve bungee cord in case something goes wrong. "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

I like this idea too. Although I've gotten a lot of support and encouragement from lots of people, I have gotten the impression that some of the experienced jumpers aren't as excited as we get about our beginning adventures. I'd love a place to share my first jumps with others who are experiencing about the same things as I am. That way, those who want to cheer us on can and those who are interested wouldn't be bothered by our ramblings. Maybe the Intro and greeting forum could be expanded to include this kind of threads??? Thanks, Pat "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

It was sure a fantastic experience, even with the shock of seeing a small line twist on my first time. Oh well, my instructors taught me well. I'm on a weather lookout now since the next jump is scheduled for Sunday and there's a storm headed this way. Weekends are too far apart. Pat "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

The walk-in beer cooler at the local convenience store feels like a cozy place. "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

Now my grandkids can say grandma watches news, football and the weather channel. "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

I'm pretty thrilled with mine---did my first AFF jump and loved it. "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

Well, I didn't wait. I did my first AFF jump today, and except for a few little details like bouncing the landing, it was great. You're gonna love it. It's got tandem beat by a bunch

Yep, right back to the DZ next Sunday. Pat "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

7-up type soda, lime sherbet and vodka make a pretty decent punch. Pat "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

Wowwwwww!!!

High--I get to do my first AFF jump today

I about froze today, Under Armor, thermals, sweats, gloves, and I plan on adding at least one more layer tomorrow. The high is supposed to be about 40 degrees, but I just don't want to wait. Pat "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

I did my FJC today too, but we had to start later in the morning than originally planned (it was too damned cold inside and out), so my jump will be tomorrow. I had read and re-raad the SIM and I reallythink that helped with understanding a huge mass of important information. I've got to admit I'm more nervous than before my tandem last month, but I'm also more excited. If I can just get some sleep tonight! Any idea when you will make the jump? Pat "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

With my 2nd skydive coming up tomorrow, while I was swimming laps this morning, I thought I had come up with an interesting way to practice arching. I tried to arch in the water. Ther effect is sorta different than in the air. You roll very nicely into a backfloat and look a little like a jellyfish. Not to mention, you get some pretty concerned looks from the life guard. But ya' know, it does sort of reinforce the idea that when you arch correctly, it's gonna make you stabilize "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

Yep, Saturday the 24th and it's seeming like it's never going to get here. I'm having a hard time waiting, especially with descriptions of what's to come like yours. Yeah, mathematicians do need to get out more and out of planes seems like a good way to do it. I do think mathematics and the physics I am currently studying will help understanding the physical aspects of skydiving. As I read the SIM, much of the info about terminal velocity, freefall times and so on is second nature because of what I teach, but I know there's a tremendous amount to learn about getting my body to cooperate and respond the way I want it to. The DZ where I'll be jumping has two Cessna 182's and about once a month in the summer they bring in a Caravan for a weekend. That's what I jumped out of the first time. Unfortunately, later that evening, the plane went down and all on board were tragically lost. I am looking forward to all the learning ahead of me and the changes it has brought and will continue to bring to my life. Both of my kids (30 and 33 years old) have come around and no longer think I've lost my mind. In fact, if I'll pay, they have both said they'd try a tandem. But my 8 year old grandson is the most enthusiastic. He wants to jump now. I told him he's got to get a bit older. I guess that means I've got to keep jumping for a while cause I'd sure like to make a jump with that little live wire. But, I've got to wait for tomorrow for now. Pat "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

Oops. That's 6-7,000 steps. But, since I teach a lot of beginning algebra classes, sometimes it feels life I've walked that far by the end of a quarter. "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

Well, at least I know how to cook a turkey! "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490

Thanks for the ideas. I really enjoy the challenge of learning new things and this really comes under that heading. It's probably a good thing I didn't discover skydiving and photography when I was younger. It's a stretch now, but I couldn't have afforded it at all then. Pat "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490