lurch 0 #26 February 10, 2009 Oof. I left myself wide open for that. I shouldn't have said it like that. You got me, Ed. I can't argue with any of that. On the way to my slot in any bigway I've got eyes for only what I'm dealing with...range, closing speed, other birds, my slot itself. If I was the type to go all "look at the pretty clouds" starstruck in the wrong place and time I'd have had no business in such an event. For what its worth, I did -not- intend to put down other disciplines- your pic would be why. Takes just as much or more dedication to excellence to achieve something like that formation as it does to do anything with a wingsuit. After all, they have much less time in which to do it. I guess maybe the point I was rather ineptly trying to make with that turn of phrase is that I was more interested in the flight and sense of flying than I was in turning points or further increasing my skills in the art, and continuing with RW felt like it was getting further away from what drew me skyward to begin with. With RW my possibilities felt kind of restricted to variations of the same thing everyone else was doing, when what I really wanted to do was fly off and go explore the sky by myself, see how long I could stay up here, chase clouds and stuff. Funny thing is, it goes in circles...After a couple years of that, the students started seeking me out. First in ones and twos, then in dozens, my ex-students went on to become wingsuit instructors themselves, and the scene exploded outward when they did. But the whole solitary exploring the unknown thing, the pioneering element seems to be gone. Although theres still plenty to learn, wingsuit isn't the unexplored territory it was when I started and I think thats what Zeemax was getting at. Now that it is established, we aren't a tiny community of rare pioneers off doing their own thing anymore. Theres quite a few of us now, enough to break up into groups and start squabbling. I try to stay out of it-being totally unsponsored so far (still haven't figured out how to do that whole "go get sponsored" thing) I've been staying out of the brand wars. I fly Birdman suits by default, because its what I started on and what I'm comfy flying and I don't need anything bigger. Breaking up into camps based on the selling points and subtle technical refinements is missing the point-I made a freakin leather jacket function as a wingsuit by the most crude methods imaginable-it ain't about the suits, guys. But its a necessary driving force in the development. If we weren't all comparing and trying to outdo each others best gear we wouldn't be developing anything. I think its the growing amount of bickering and cynicism in our ranks thats got Zeemax down. I think perhaps what I should have said is, its we who are starting to fossilize somewhat. I went from "the only hard wingsuit guy for 700 miles" to "one of many". What happened to me in the sport isn't going to happen to anyone else, at least not in this discipline. Its a developed art with known rules and established players. Anyone new getting into it won't be going it alone like I did, and they won't see the wide open vacuum, totally unknown territory and potential, and unexplored spaces that I saw. They'll see US. And they'll see the bickering and cliquishness that Zeemax sees. I wondered how to address that, hence this thread. I figured I'd call some attention to something we all can agree on where the sense of joy hasn't worn off yet. Normally this would be the part where some cynic such as myself pops in and mocks the thread by asking can we all hold hands and sing kumbaya or something, but cloud surfing is still a pure enough joy to be cynic-resistant. We all get excited again when we see this stuff out the door waiting for us on the way up. I look at the pics people have put up and think "THATs what I came for." If I ever figure out how to put enough effort into getting sponsored and promoting this to make a living at it, it'll be so I can spend all day every day, up there, helping others BE up there. But if I do, I'll be part of the competition for resources, and the bickering and brand wars that result and thats not the image of wingsuiting I'd like the new guys to see. I'd like them to see what I think we are, a whole bunch of birds flying for the love of it. The bickering and brand wars are just decoration, tribal colors. Part of the fun, where we develop stuff. We're here for the cloud porn. -BLive and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Springbock 0 #27 February 10, 2009 These are my Cloud Porn ;-) Take care up there! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
voodew1 0 #28 February 10, 2009 Quote I wish we had the clouds here in Cali as Texas and Florida have, they are fun to surf..... But just think about it Ed, in Cali you have movie star govenors - butt loads of queers - and legal marijuana - not to mention those thingys that protrude from the ground - I think they call them mountains or something like that. All we have in Texas is good clouds - and no Cali queers....................................I think I will stay where I am and you stay where you are!! The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #29 February 10, 2009 Quote But just think about it Ed, in Cali you have movie star govenors - butt loads of queers - and legal marijuana - not to mention those thingys that protrude from the ground - I think they call them mountains or something like that. All we have in Texas is good clouds - and no Cali queers....................................I think I will stay where I am and you stay where you are!! Thread drift: Amen to that Texas has Steers and Queers. So if you dont have any horns, that only leaves one other chioce.... I have no intent to visit the Texsexuals just for the clouds. Sorry Brian, did mean to fuck up you thread..... www.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #30 February 10, 2009 No problem Ed, although you guys' talk of steers and texsexuals and manjunk admiration and whatnot worries me a bit, it spreads from thread to thread like some sort of icky mindvirus. I'm scared I'm going to find myself wearing a football jersey and experiencing a compulsion to buy an old Ford pickup if I read too much of it. Now I know its a bit dry out west, but do you guys ever get any good surf? You've been at this far longer than I've been skydiving at all, you've got to have scored some uniquely memorable monsterpuffies a time or two. Elsinore was my first run out west for flying purposes so I have no idea how often you get clouds worth chasing in that area. -BLive and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fasted3 0 #31 February 10, 2009 I'm with you Lurch! And hey, the pioneer days aren't quite over dude; I'm that guy now at Gold Coast. It's always great to see a visting bird, and a few are taking it up now, but a lot of times it's just me and the puffies. We get great ones here but I'm not a photo or vidiot yet, so can't offer any of my own shots. I'd post some video links with me flying in some good ones, but speaking of bickering and cynicism, won't this time. Wheaties taste better without piss, I've found. So yeah, I know what Z is talking about, and appreciate your cloud break. I'm loving the pics, seeing myself zooming along the edges of them and dreaming of the next time I will be. This would be a better place with more of your writing; thanks, and keep it coming.But what do I know? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bdrake529 0 #32 February 10, 2009 Quotehow often you get clouds worth chasing in that area Unfortunately, not very often (at least Southern California). And when we do, often the DZs are frustratingly skittish about unloading jumpers in industrial haze. So while the Southern West coast may be a great spot for wave surfing, a really good cloud surf is a rare treat.Brian Drake Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
travisjones 0 #33 February 10, 2009 I got this shot while sitting outside the other day. NSFW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BartRN 0 #34 February 10, 2009 QuoteI got this shot while sitting outside the other day. NSFW It was only a matter of time ....... Took me a sec... maybe 1/100 of a sec lolSome canopies can be fun to fly, but treat you like their bitch on opening. -- Jarno Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #35 February 11, 2009 Thanks, Ed. I'd post more often, but when you say what you mean its easy to accidentally insert your foot in your mouth- witness my opening post. I hope our local RW guys won't hold it against me if they find it. Anyway I try to think before I speak, even online. I ask myself can this discussion get by just fine without my input? If its something I feel needs to be said, maybe I'll say it, maybe I won't and then feel good about it later because I kept my trap shut when everyone was trash talking. It kills off 90% of the things I'd like to say. I still pop in from time to time just because if everyone did that, this place would be deserted. -BLive and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dploi 0 #36 February 13, 2009 Man, I wish I had photos from the last DeLand trip. 10,000'+ tall clouds, man. The tops were at exit altitude and the bottoms at pull altitude. Thick and fluffy. It was like terrain flying when you got near. Enough space between them for nice views, as well. Cloud coverage is lame. It's all about those sparse big ones that build up in Florida in the Spring. Aw, yeah. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccurley 1 #37 February 13, 2009 Looks like you're giving chase and about to engage in a dogfight Watch my video Fat Women http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #38 February 17, 2009 "That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fergs 0 #39 February 17, 2009 ...and a couple from me. Real Peter Pan / Pixie dust flights. fergs Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freestyle7457 0 #40 February 18, 2009 Quote awesome pic...what's the name for those circular rainbows though? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 74 #41 February 18, 2009 QuoteQuote awesome pic...what's the name for those circular rainbows though? I think 'Halo'?JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skwrl 56 #42 February 18, 2009 Where does the leprechaun go, then?Skwrl Productions - Wingsuit Photography Northeast Bird School - Chief Logistics Guy and Video Dork Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #43 February 18, 2009 It's called a Glory. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #44 February 19, 2009 The leprechaun doesn't actually go anywhere. With a normal rainbow theres an exit at both ends, and the leprechaun can arrive or depart at will and presumably does. But obviously when we generate those circular ones by throwing shadows on clouds, there is no exit. Now, I'm not sure what the bandwidth of a glory is, the speed of reality inside of one or just how fast the leprechaun is spinning, but I think every time we surf a cloud and cast a glory with our shadows theres a leprechaun temporarily trapped in it, spinning like hell, pukin' up his breakfast cereal and beer and cussing us out like nobody's business. Wingsuit flight is a somewhat unnatural act and has unforeseen consequences to the ecologies inhabited by small legendary quasi-mystical Irish creatures. Up until we came along, all rainbows were more or less linear and therefore of use to such critters. Most glories were either 747-sized, ( which are big enough to provide some living space and room to move) or bird-sized, which are too small to trap a 'chaun in. Imagine the chaos we caused to the poor bastards when we had our little 71-way (ahem) surf going on. Accidentally nauseating leprechauns on an industrial scale. They must have thought we figured out that whole elaborate event specifically to fuck up their world. So if you were a participant and found green piss in your cheerios, THATS why. I'm not even going to get into the horrible effects dustbusters had on Tinkerbell and other pixies when they were first released into circulation, if they're not extinct by now I assume they've figured out how to avoid such appliances, or taken up hitchhiking. This may in fact be the explanation of the origin of scabies. my .02$. -BLive and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhoenixRising 0 #45 February 19, 2009 maybe next time you can just give us .01your fucking crazy man, And I love it!!Justin Wingsuit organizing, first flight courses and coaching Flock University Tonysuits Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 74 #46 February 19, 2009 QuoteThe leprechaun doesn't actually go anywhere. With a normal rainbow theres an exit at both ends, and the leprechaun can arrive or depart at will and presumably does. So what you are really saying is that leprechauns need a glory-hole?JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #47 February 19, 2009 Quote Quote The leprechaun doesn't actually go anywhere. With a normal rainbow theres an exit at both ends, and the leprechaun can arrive or depart at will and presumably does. So what you are really saying is that leprechauns need a glory-hole? This one tried to use a glory-hole ..."That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #48 February 19, 2009 I suppose I should have seen that coming. -B Live and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottygofast 0 #49 February 19, 2009 QuoteThis is a pretty good one. We couldnt get to it, but it was sexy. Justin Hey guys, while I was waiting for the 55.76GB of stills to transfer between my computers, i saw this post, and went looking thru the library, here's just a few of my favorites.. This, Ladies and Gents, Is why we do this... BluesZ Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #50 February 19, 2009 Scotty B... I knew I could count on you. I've been expecting you to show up in here and waitin' to see what you've got cause if you were gonna put up anything, it was gonna be good. And all I gotta say about THOSE pics is... Right on.... Closest thing to temporary immortality a human being can experience. That golden colored one is just IT. Thanks bro. -B Live and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
