I've Discovered "Tracking"

[dropdeded 0]

Jump # 43. Second and last jump yesterday. Two way, a little fall rate work, seperate high cause I wanna track. I turn and get into what I thought was a good track,put on the breaks, slow, plenty of altitude left so I track some more and then really concentrate on my legs, specifically my toes. Holy freeeeekin crap I could NOT believe the difference. I know what Im gonna be working on for awhile. I have discovered "tracking"Im definately gonna sit and talk about this with some instructors as far as burning up distance and safety. Im all excited all over again

dropdeded

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The Dude Abides.
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[Lee03 0]

Good for you. Hope you enjoy it.

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To put your life in danger from time to time ... breeds a saneness in dealing with day-to-day trivialities.

--Nevil Shute, Slide Rule

[EdC 0]

Do you have booties on your jump suit? I've got them but I haven't quite got it worked out yet.

Big Ed

[dropdeded 0]

Do you have booties on your jump suit? I've got them but I haven't quite got it worked out yet.
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Jeans and a t-shirt. I've got a LONG way to go

dropdeded

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The Dude Abides.
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[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

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Do you have booties on your jump suit? I've got them but I haven't quite got it worked out yet.

You may want to think about buying a used RW suit with booties that is your size, Ed. If you think that you can track now with jeans and a t-shirt, you are going to LOVE tracking with your booties...I promise.

Congrats on discovering "tracking", sweetie. Let me know when we can jump together.

[Blahr 0]

I second that. (The congrats part, not the "sweetie" part)
Got my new jumpsuit last week and have jumped it twice.
I was startled at how much of a difference the booties made in my track.

[peachsouthern 0]

I'm right there with you!!! Took me till jump 51. Down in zhills and was having such a problem with my tracking. For some reason, I kept going straight down and corking right. Well after talking with a bunch of people down there and practicing with jmpnkramer...I DID IT!!! So not to take away this moment from you, but I totally understand!!!!

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." - Albert Einstein

[ACMESkydiver 0]

I haven't really tracked for 'fun' yet...always to get towards or away from something or someone.

As for me, I've never worn a jumpsuit. Yeah, my jeans and sweatshirt aren't designed for speed. Ssssssllllloooooowwwwww horizontal movement unless I really hold chest high or low.

I'm hoping to order my suit within a week. I just have to decide which to get...decisions decisions! I can't wait to play around though when it comes in!

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

[gmanpilot 0]

Tracking is an important survival skill in RW. Booties help, but it's really about body position and effort. At the end of a proper track, you should be out of breath. During the 300 way attempts at SDC, my whacker left the formation at 6,000 feet, and tracked until pull time at 2,000 ft. I only landed on the airport twice in 25 jumps. Other jumpers always ask me how a big guy can track so far, and I tell them it's cause I'm scared. Horizontal separation = safety. Keep up the good work.

_________________________________________
-There's always free cheese in a mouse trap.

[flyangel2 2]

Tracking is a very good surviver skill to have on big ways

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

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Do you have booties on your jump suit? I've got them but I haven't quite got it worked out yet.
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Jeans and a t-shirt. I've got a LONG way to go

dropdeded

I was jumping in denim carpenter shorts and a tucked t-shirt until a week or two ago. Some of the guys around the DZ had sorta said, "Man, you gotta get yourself a suit!" and one guy, Rex from SoBe, actually brought out an old RW suit of his, with those grippy things and booties. Now, I jump barefoot, but the booties still worked with bare toes, and I had fun in the suit. I used it only twice, though, until someone else sold me a used polycotton freefly suit for only fifty bucks.

When I tried to work on my sit-flying in the RW suit, the result was funny. I ended up "freak-flying" -- sitting butt low, feet and hands high -- because the booties caught air and inflated around my feet. It was like having helium balloons around my feet. I couldn't get them down low for anything, so I just arched over backward and got to my belly again. It was fun, but since I want to freefly, I don't use that suit lately, though I still have it on loan.

On my last four jumps, I have gone from sitting, which is coming along nicely and I have been developing various control methods, to attempting to fly head-down. As soon as I can, I am going to do some coached jumps to make sure someone can tell me what I'm doing right or wrong, so I can pick up the proper habits. It's been fun to try, though. I get into a stable sit, drop an arm to my waist, cartwheel over, and extend again. I kinda wobble between a really steep track and a vertical, but I swear I am seeing the horizon upside down! It's a strange feeling indeed. Something not easy to get used to.

Have fun and be safe. And yes, get yourself a freefly suit if you're gonna want to do that kinda stuff. I don't miss jumping in shorts and t-shirt at all.

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-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"