TiaDanger

Sticks and stones may break your bones, but Chuck Norris's glare will liquify your kidneys. Outerspace exists because it's afraid to be on the same planet as Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris doesn't breathe. He holds air hostage. And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

Why not? You never really said why YOU didn't choose to jump? I'm just curious, thats all, on why you decided not to jump at my home DZ, based on what you saw or heard when you stopped by that one day. Many, many, many people jump at Lodi. Many. The unfortunate thing is that people at many DZ's don't take care of their logbook/signatures as they should. People at Lodi, people on other west coast dropzones, people on east coast dropzones. I can assure you that I am a Lodi native and all my paperwork is in order, as is most of the people I jump with so I think you are making a huge generalization that isn't really substantiated. Like I said before...to each their own opinion, but AFF in Lodi has been nothing but a positive, safe experience for me and everybody I jump with. If you don't want to jump at Lodi, Hey! Thats great! But I don't feel like you have the authority to badmouth Lodi's AFF program when you don't know much about it. And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

I live in a good neighborhood and entered my address into familywatchdog.com...I groaned when I saw how many registered sex offenders live in my area I know they're everwhere, but its different when they are in YOUR neighborhood! (virtually swatting them with my broom) Get out, all of you!! Out, Out, Out! And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

Supportskydivers.org

I'm also curious...why do you feel this way? I mean, your profile says you work at Skydive Sac (hence the big plug for them), but have you ever actually jumped there? Lodi also has outs and huge student fields, and they also focus on students 'big time'. Gear is new and exceptionally well maintained, so I'm having a hard time swallowing your notion of a questionable AFF program. And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

Really? I'm sorry to hear you feel that way. I did AFF in Lodi and in no way do I feel like I made the wrong choice. Lodi has some pretty badass instructors if you ask me... And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

Thanks for all the suggestions..I actually met up with Chris_K at the DZ last weekend and we spoke about solutions. Unfortunately it rained all week, so no jumping . However, I did get some tunnel in last week. Since it was my first tunnel session, I didn't get to work much on 'getting small', but my next tunnel date is at the end of March and that will be my main priority. I'm also in the market for a weight belt...anybody gained a few pounds that doesn't need theirs anymore? And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

Yes, finally! And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

I do amphibian research...pure research, not evil research

Have you thought about losing weight before starting AFF? Somebody on here would have been bound to ask you that question sooner or later. I've read of many instances where the motivation to jump drove many big guys to lose weight. And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

My mom is awesome. She and I did a tandem the day before I started AFF. She likes to come to the DZ on jump days, sit on the couches, read her book and watch the parachutes land

From this post, I actually have a better view of weights. I wanted to make sure I was helping myself as much as possible by doing what I could do to fall faster. Im not having a horrible problem if the formation stays together the entire jump, because other heavier people are also trying to slow up to keep it level. When an exit funnels, and people race to rejoin the low man, it seems like they fall so fast after that I cannot get down to them. Granted, my experience has much to do with the problem--I simply don't know enough to kick on the burners to get down to them. I fight to increase my fall rate to rejoin but end up hovering above. During this time I actively try to decrease surface area, arch and try different positions of mantis, but never rejoin the group....and that pisses me off! And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

NO!!! Thats why I skydive, or in other words, thats why I eat rice and ramen and am poor...so I can go to 13,000! And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

Updated, dude! And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

Thanks guys...I have a tunnel session on Monday, and then I will look into starting out with light weights. I'll also try to do some of the arm positions some of you recommened next week! And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

I just got ordained! Can I be Dude #88.8? And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

Ya, thats exactly the point! More jumps=more money! I wish I could do 8-10 a week Hooray for not making a lot of money, its awesome!! And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

Thanks guys, for all the input. Tunnel time is scheduled for next Monday night, so I can get instruction then, woo hoo!

I wanted to post here because there seem to be more responders here than in just the RW forum. And, I've done the searches, and am still looking for more input. And I do understand to take internet advice with a grain of salt. I'm a 115 lb newbie (50 jumps), and...I find myself floating above the formation many times. I feel like I live in a mantis position and am arching the crap out of my hips, but many times I cant get down. I find this happens a lot if the exit is funneled and we go to reform the group with the low man, I cant seem to keep up with the group thats heading down to the low man. I don't want to resort to weight yet, as I don't yet want to load any higher than 1:1. For you small jumpers or slow flyers, what helped YOU increase your fall rate to keep up with big jumpers? Do you tuck your hands below your chin? Do you just bring your arms in, but keep them right next to your body? Is there some body position that works good to get a floater down that I'm just not getting? My jumpsuit is nice and tight already. And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

I guess you're right...I guess Im still in the afterglow of buying my rig, helmet, yadda, yadda, so it feels like I was just financially raped this last year! However, depending on where you jump, making say, just 8-10 jumps a month could cost you upwards of ~ $200, and many jump or want to jump more than that. Which, for some people on a budget is a lot of money. Just sayin....its not cheap. Running is cheap...skydiving is not. And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

Yes, it really IS as expensive as everybody says it is...say hello to top ramen and rice...just kidding, but all joking aside, this is an expensive sport. Gear is expensive, jumps are expensive, coaching can be expensive. However, if it is something you love to do, you end up making it work. I skimp on many areas of my life to afford to skydive. Don't buy gear now, wait until you are done with AFF, and perhaps your A license. What you need in AFF is different than what you will end up buying for yourself. Good luck in March! And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

I have a new sabre2 that with about 45 jumps on it. I bought it when it had 15 jumps, and it was a complete bitch to pack! It may not be accurate, but I heard sabre2's are one of slickest brand new canopies on the market. Its a little easier to pack than when I first got it, but its still no walk in the park. On most jumps, I have end cell closure and about half of my jumps are off heading. End cell closure is not a big deal, just pump your breaks and they fill up. I had bad line twists on one jump, but I was flying strait and was still directly under the canopy, so it wasn't a big deal. The line twists and off heading openings may or may not be a canopy characteristic, as my stability on deployment and packing techniques might contribute as well. There are many sabre2 owners who never have either of those problems. With that said, I LOVE my sabre2. I love the way it flies and I love the powerful flare. Im loading at 1:1 and I have fun experimenting up high with different inputs. Overall, I love my canopy and if I ever downsize, I'll most likely stay with the sabre2

My only criticism is with the last question. I think 100% of people would prefer to have a new anything over a used one. Not a useful predictor of what will happen. Quote Actually, I wouldn't. I would want everything else new, but not a canopy. I have a brand new one right now, and its a bitch to pack. I'd rather buy one with a few jumps on it, so I'm making the next load with everybody, not re-doing my pack job! And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

I'm sorry, maybe you didn't see that my reply was not to your post, but to Skittles. I was replying TO Skittles about the context of the multiple replies back to his original post. And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8

If I'm right (and I might not be), it seems as if people are failing to recognize the satire in your post. They think you are actually being serious, where I think its a smallish joke to the joke that was Shah's last post. But I may be wrong. And for the record: the appropriate ranking of cool modes of transportation is jet pack, hover board, transporter, Batmobile, and THEN giant ant. D.S. #8.8