DJL

Please think about this for a moment before responding. Over the last few years, what has made you go to a particular dropzone other than your own for a weekend (not team training). I've left the poll as a single option but I'd like responders to post their list of these in order. I theorize that 1st will be Event Weekend because most jumpers are home-bodies, but I'm curious about the rest. Now really think about where you went last year and why you went there. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

You're kidding, right? Science - Writer. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

This summarizes my thoughts completely. I'm working on the coach rating right now and I have over 700 jumps, fly well, and speak in clear language. I don't think the skills required for this rating are beyond someone with 100 jumps, but what everyone must understand is that the coach jumps must be under the supervision of an instructor rated jumper. Coaches earn their rating by being tested by rated jumpers, not the USPA, they are then allowed to jump with students by permission of the dropzone staff, not the USPA. A lot of what I'm hearing here is exactly what everyone rants about in other threads, that the USPA or FAA should get out of their hair because we can do it ourselves. So I say that if you don't think it's being done right then get rated and do it right yourself. Don't just sit there and criticize from the sideline. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

You know, we may be making a bit of an overkill on this. How about a more low tech solution (slightly nsfw). "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Then you're dating the wrong person! But anyway, the ones that most effectively zip together are the rectangular cheapos from Walmart. My Marmot Col EQ probably wouldn't zip together with someone very effectively. But it's rated to -20F so I don't need someone else...which is pathetically lonely... Edit: Gear Maintenance: Keep sleeping bags hanging, not in the stuff sacks. The same applies to sleeping pads. Doing this will help to keep their thermal properties. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

A trick to make almost ANY sleeping bag warm: Heat water and put it in a good/tight Nalgene bottle. I slept in a tent most nights this winter in temps down to 10 degrees with a 20 degree bag, a fleece liner and a hot nalgene bottle down at my feet. My sleeping pad varied between a thermarest dreamtime (top notch) and thermarest prolite4 (minimal). Also, choose your camp spot wisely. Stone is going to be cold, leaves and dirt don't transfer as much heat to you but make a mess. I slept on snow last week and spread twigs and brush across the ground to keep me off the snow. Also, you can get matching sleeping bags and zip them together. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Was THIS GUY with them? "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

This post just made me go out and buy tasty beer. Thank you for such an inspirational post, you've been a life-changing force in my life. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Been looking for one of THESE! "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

I occassionally see a boogie advertised for the current dz. I'm not sure if ever got that far south when I lived there. We were on the island of La Maddalena. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Has anyone been to the DZ on Sardenga? I used to live near there and definitely am planning a return trip. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Hey everyone, Anne has been too wrapped up with her return from the tunnel but she's doing the BEER NIGHT tonight (March 1st) at GG's. Head out there and enjoy the tasty stuff. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Nothing in particular, just making myself capable. I'd like to do an extended kayak trip at one of those great places on the Earth like Glacier Natl. or the Amazon. My knees are too f'd to depend on for a long hike. I work near Washington D.C., for an engineering group in Tyson's Corner and plan my overnighters for circuit hikes in the Shenandoah Natl. Forrest or Kayaking on the Potamac. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Poor engineer. Not gonna get laid so he made a toy. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Hey Zach, I live in a tent so I might be able to help you. And I'm not exaggerating either. In December I put my belongings into storage and I go hiking/kayaking and camping every night after work. One bit of advice, get a tent that is as small as possible for your use. You're talking about hiking a long way. There's no need to keep your pack and arrayed belongings inside the tent with you; a tent is for sleeping. If you want the Ewok village then bring a sherpa. You'll have extra trash bags anyway to protect your pack against the rain. You can't go wrong with most Mountain Hardwear or Marmot tents, browse Hudson trail for comparable quality. I have a Mountain Hardware HammerHead2. It's too heavy for long or fast hikes so I also have the Outdoor Research Advanced Bivy. Those are the two extremes. Tell us a bit more about what you're doing on the hike, the climate, the number of people actually sleeping in the tent...etc. I basically have two configurations, a light rig for fast and long and the full kitchen cabinet for when I'm hiking someplace and intend to stay there and relax. My light stuff is light enough to run/jog the entire way. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

The guy was running backwards? Dorbie, where's the video? Posted somewhere? "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

I've only ever bought gas where I've seen pickled eggs for sale so my opinion is a little skewed. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

That's manure - we're being green here. Yeah, I meant to say, "That's a load of Free Range Organic Fertilizer." Which actually means that it's a really good thing. But anyway, I put all of my belongings into storage and moved into the wilderness at the beginning of December. Yeah, I get docked for the SUV, but I can't exactly pack my gear into a fickin' Avia for my drive to work every morning. And we need 2.6 earths if everyone were like me. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Huh? He's Al Gore, the self described leader of the Green, not a FedEX deliveryman. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Big deal, my degree is in Architecture including some specialized study in "buildings, climate and energy", and I worked in a CAD bureau that specialized in energy conservation in design decades before it was fashionable. NOTHING is stopping Gore from practicing what he preaches, you cite examples everyone is guilty of, but not everyone jets around chiding the rest of us. You're only highlighting that there can be costs involved, and clearly Gore is unwilling to bear those costs even as he seeks to impose them on the rest of society. He's just one privileged hog telling the rest of us to consume less even as he increases his consumption. Actually, no. I'm saying that it's impossible to make a statement about his house without knowing the details. I am also pointing out that buildings are not made with energy in mind unless there is a very specific push to make it efficient. But indeed, if he's going to get on a soap box then I want to see what he's done in his own life. -Is he using ground source heating/cooling -Natural shade -Rainwater retention -Adequate insulation -Material whose production has low environmental impact -etc. I seriously doubt it. Not even going down the LEED list, which I actually think is a bunch of esoteric BS. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

That quiz is a load of shit. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Sorry, that's a bunch of BS considering who he is. And I'm a Conservative, a Conservationist, and a Mechanical Engineer and Project Manager in the field of designing buildings and homes. Al Gore's house isn't a place to park the car and unwind around the TV set, it's a base of operations for all that Al Gore does. Now that's ONLY saying that it's difficult to make a comparison. The term "luxury" home usually only means that it's in a great location, it's big, and it has the word "luxury" on the marketing material. Most of those places are still made by the cheapest possible means and the first thing you cut is insulation and a quality building envelope, next you go for cheap heating a cooling. I wouldn't doubt that his house is guilty of all of that. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Um...all of those. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Yeah, but we have a lot of psych degrees who assure me that I should be happy with myself and also lots of lawyers who will sue someone for not letting me feel happy with myself. I think this thread should be locked, you're off your rocker. Ooooh, that almost ryhmed...like a poem. I like poems. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

http://www.narsil.org/politics/carter/large_rabbit_image.html "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher