cashflow

Just remember Boston and LA missed the playoffs so it could always be worse.

Don't rush when you reach exit altitude and the adrenaline kicks in. Be slow and precise getting out on the skids.

Canadian Invasion in Eloy is from the 10th to 25th of Jan. Plenty of altitude and coaching for everyone

That's sort of the vibe I'm getting. Might just have to suck it up and drive to Perris. K-pow is great. I've done a few trips down there and it's always fun.

Does anyone know of any DZ's or private operators offering balloon jumps between these two cities? I'm headed down from Vancouver with a jumping buddy and I've been itching to try one. Anything south of San Francisco (i.e Perris) probably won't be feasible on this trip . Edit: Helicopter jumps are also on my to do list. Also any input or advice on DZ's to stop at is appreciated. The plan right now is Skydive Oregon and Lodi. Trip will be 10-12 Days. Cheers!

I jumped at Niagara Skydive. Can't beat the view up to altitude. Check them out if you don't mind the drive.

Ya i'm 66% of the way through the game and regretting my strategic decision to beat every mission as it comes up. Sounds like you can make a tonne of coin in the online market though, which is promising.

No love for the Leafs. This feels like home. My prediction - 2010 repeat Canada, Gold. Hawks, Cup.

Happened to me (even had a gopro mounted to my tank) last year, except it was a fawn and I wasn't speeding. I managed to swerve enough so that it only tagged my foot and back wheel though. I looked back and it scampered off into the brush so I just kept riding.

I'm still new to the sport but I've been to 4 DZ's so keep that in mind. I called ahead and made the trip down from Toronto on a Friday with two buddies. The DZ was pretty easy to find even if it is somewhat secluded. I was looking to do a student jump and my friends wanted to do tandems. We showed up and walked through the hanger by accident but we met Slade, Sky and Tim and everyone was super friendly. My friends went and did their paperwork and I talked with the coaches about my jump history etc. Cut to an hour later and my friends had already paid, watched the tandem video, and were suited up and manifested on the first load of the day (C.182). I went through some basics with my coach, did a dirt dive, familiarized myself with the landing area, looked over the gear and showed my EP's etc. Next thing I know my friends are taxiing out and I relaxed outside until the plane was headed back down. Everything went smooth for my friends and I had my best jump to date, except I ended up going way long on my landing but their was so much space it didn't really matter. One of the best parts of the whole experience though was the view on the way to altitude of Niagara falls - it blew my mind. I'm not from the area and that was my first time seeing it and it was incredible. Overall my friends and I had a great time. Everything went smooth, safety felt like a top priority, and the vibe was all about having a great time. It wasn't busy when we went (2 students and some tandems) which I think helped make it more personal. If I had to nitpick and complain about one thing it would be that my coach had to jump on another load before we could review my video and sign my log book (pretty trivial but we had other plans which made it the only blemish on our entire experience). I have no idea what camping is like but if I was from the area (or visiting) I definitely think making a trip once or twice a week would be well worth it. Also, they said the tunnel in Niagara is a joke so if you planned on doing that maybe put the cash towards more jumps or wait till your closer to a better tunnel.

Has that duc ever seen the track? Gorgeous bike. I ride a Triumph Street Triple. She's fun for around town but I hate taking it anywhere that requires open highway.

You make a lot of good points, so thanks for clarifying. I wish I could spend every weekend jumping at home but alas my schedule doesn't permit it, so you can't fault a guy for just wanting to jump . Since I am a infant in the sport though I was under the impression there was more uniformity across all DZ's , but as you and others have mentioned it's not necessarily the case (albeit for pretty good reasons). If I get some jumps in then that's great I'll be a step closer to my solo, and if not I have no quarrels with waiting till I am back home. It's going to continue being a fun journey either way.

-> http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af359/gbeezy09/Funny%20Uploads/Calm_down_bro-DWrvfmLVFfKK0S1yir7V.jpg Do you think the DZ only has one pig? No. So in this hypothetical I don't expect someone to slaughter 1 pig for 10 lbs of bacon if they have more suitable pre-cut portions available. If they didn't then everything I have said would be unfounded now wouldn't it?

Care to elaborate further? If you're right it means choosing one of two crappy choices: over paying, or not jumping at all. I'm optimistic about finding a DZ that can offer some middle ground.

No, what is slightly ridiculous is you're assumption with your 13 jumps in the sport that you know enough about the difference in training program, gear between the DZ's, instructional staff, and general acceptance of liability for you. It is their DZ, and it is their rules, and you by posting here are throwing a tantrum about things not going your way. Not the kind of attitude that is conducive to safety, or longevity in this sport. Where exactly in this thread did I throw the tantrum? Please dispatch an internet WAAMbulance to it's location. All kidding aside it sounds like you're under the impression I only care about money and not safety, which is wrong. I simply wanted to start a discussion so I could enlighten myself on other peoples opinions about the issue at hand (i'm new to the sport, how do I know what's fair and isn't?). I did so because in MY opinion this DZ in question is using safety as a mask for charging me the full cost of ground school. That is not to say that I would not benefit in any way from taking the class as I am sure I would. However I believe that with my (albeit limited) training and experience I can make a safe and successful jump at their DZ without needing to go through (and paying for) their entire ground school. Would you buy an entire pig if you only needed 10 lbs of bacon? I know it's a poor example but the principal is generally the same. Now as others in this thread have mentioned I am sure they have warranted reasons for their requirements, and whether I am right or wrong, I just don't agree to the them. Hopefully I have better luck when I talk to other DZ's but if not I can wait till I'm back home. Thanks for your input.