HOW committed to skydiving are YOU?

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

I know there should be other poll options, but it is getting too long.

I am wondering how long it took your initial jump buzz to wear off, or if it never did.

Personally, when I started this it was all I wanted to do with my time & money. Now, although I still love to jump, i'd rather have a better balance in life. I *could* afford to jump much more, but I would rather not spend every dime I have doing it. Also, I have school, work, and more pressing matters, and I like to spend a day of my weekend relaxing a bit and doing weekend stuff instead of skydiving before I go back to a busy week.

I see posts from a lot of newer jumpers and I remember their enthusiasm, but it is just a memory now. Like I said, I love to jump, too, but I also love other aspects of life and I guess I eventually found a balance. It took me about 300 jumps.

So, where do you fall in?

-A

[Tink1717 2]

I'm on a mission. I want to get to 1000 jumps as fast as possible, and then finish getting my ratings. Until then, every other thing, like skiing, triathlon, marathon will be a distant second.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[bob.dino 1]

If I'm jumping, I tend to jump all weekend. If I'm not jumping, I'll do other things.

[skybytch 273]

I don't fit in any of the poll options.

I've worked in skydiving since the early 90's - instructing, packing, rigging, gear sales and now jumpsuit manufacturing. So I've spent many weekday hours on the dropzone... unfortunately often watching others jump instead of doing it myself. Perhaps because I can't afford to jump as often as I'd like the "buzz" has never really worn off.

But there are other things to do on a beautiful Saturday. If I could afford to jump hard I'd still spend at least one full weekend a month (or the equivalent) doing something other than skydiving.

[skybill 22]

Hi S-N-F,
Well, after 41 years (continuous) I'm still here! My bones creek a lot when I move but I can still reach my BOC pilot chute!! So I guess I'm comitted eh?

As for the initial "Jump Buzz" to wear off? Well, there was always the next "objective!!" Getting more altitude, doing RW, getting in on a 2-man, a 3-man and more (few women around back then who could do RW around ourDZ!!) there was always the next best "Hot Setup!!" ( the most advanced rig of the day) and there was always new people from far off lands who just "dropped in" for a few skydives, a couple of brews and tell some tall tales!!

It has been a great time and far from over yet!!!!!!!!!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[Viking 0]

well i havn't jumped since WFFC 04, i havn't been going through withdrawls.

I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver
My God has a bigger dick than your god -George Carlin

[nael 0]

I havent been jumping too often lately (injury) but will hopefully be getting back into it soon with a team. That means jumping every fortnight and I think that's enough for me, I like to spend time with my boyfriend on weekends doing other things sometimes.

www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

[livendive 8]

I had 50 jumps before the hook was set. I then lived to skydive for a couple years and got up to, I don't know, 800 jumps or so. Then I had 3 shoulder surgeries in a 4 year span and was forced to do other things. I've gotten back into it now, and made about 300 jumps last year, but it isn't an all-consuming thing like it used to be. If there's work jumps, interesting fun jumps, or fun people to jump with, and I don't have anything more better to do, I'm there. I don't take many weekends off (i.e. not a lot of things sound more fun), but I also don't regret it when I do. I'm coming up on 10 years now and I still expect its a hobby I'll have my whole life. The "buzz" is somewhat different now than it was 5 years ago, but it's still there. Many of the faces of the people I jump with have changed in that span, but they're still a pretty cool bunch too. That's probably a large part of why I kept coming back.
Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[MarkM 0]

No buzz really, I just enjoy it. Solo's or with other people. Freeflying, belly, hop and pops, HAHO's. Good weather or when the field is all muddy. When I land on the peas or hit the swamp smelling water ditch 30 feet in front of it and get all muddy. And when the whether sucks I like to lay down in the packing area, prop my head up on my container and just chill out. I like it all.

The sport just has so many aspects to it. The thrill of the jump, the peace of being under canopy, the antics at the DZ, the DZ parties, you can travel all over the US and jump anywhere you go(even though I don't, it's nice that it's an option) and on the slow days you just kick it back, lounge around and scope out the hot tandems.

But maybe it's just because I don't have anything better to do with my time.

[BillyVance 34]

Let's see...for me, jump numbers by year, best guess:

1993 - 6 (single and poor)
1994 - 10 (ditto)
1995 - 30 (big raise, new city)
1996 - 220 (hubba hubba)
1997 - 350 (as good as it got)
1998 - 150 (started dating)
1999 - 100 (got engaged)
2000 - 35 (bought house, got married)
2001 - 50 (wife going through grad school)
2002 - 50 (ditto)
2003 - 70 (getting better)
2004 - 80 (almost where I want to be)
2005 - Shooting for 100... every year on out...

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[diablopilot 2]

ey Remi?

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Hipwrddude 0]

I'm committed to skydiving from the perspective that I think I'll jump til they cart me off to Geezerville. In fact, they jump too, so I'll never leave. As to frequency, well, that's life balance for me since most of my friends don't jump. Five years ago I put skydiving in perspective in my life. I respect people who walk away from the sport. I respect people who see conditions and decide they're not jumping and I have a great admiration for the true believers in the sport, who live the dream. Without them, I might not have continued jumping. Should I retire one day, doing that might suit me just fine.

You're always the starter in your own life!

[ACMESkydiver 0]

I'm really committed to my family, not skydiving.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

Thanks for all of the replies and votes.

I do love to jump, (ok, mostly I love to swoop.) But when I get too busy (I'm taking an organic chemistry class that is condensed right now, and am planning on moving soon, getting loans for school... the list goes on) I don't find myself forcing it. I guess I eventually found that to me this was fun, not life. When I have time for fun, this is one of the things that I like to do (it is the most fun thing I do in fact!) When I don't, well, you gotta take care of business.

Skybill, your story is cool. The reason I put the team option up is I was wondering if a lot of the devotees competed, but that doesn't seem the case. I could definitely see spending a lot more time at the dz if I had more time (and money!) to spend... but, for now, my money is limited and my time even moreso.

Thanks for voting! Just seeing where everyone else fell in. Seems a wide range.
-A