bendywendy

Sebastian - we have the CrossKeys Invasion going on from Christmas through Jan 3rd. - lots of jumping, dinners, parties - you have to have a pair of PJ's for New Years. Well, I guess you don't have to but it is a PJ party.

The calls have been rolling in - I hope to have the registration form up on the site this weekend for everyone. Coconut Cay is going to be selling out I think so make sure you get your room but the Blackfin is happy to have us there as well. We will have the Otter, Skyvan, helicopter and KingAir for this event so if we want to go a little bigger and better we can keep everyone jumping!

Yes, it used to be a C license and 200 jumps but since a C is now 200 jumps... I have lots more information for everyone too... I'm organizing it and will get it out to everyone next week but it does look like the Coconut Cay will be the resort of choice this year.

Don't know - each year they've let us start a little earlier. It depends on how long it takes us into beating the fact that you can not cross the runway below 1,000 feet into everyone's head at the airport. Once we establish that we can do that - we can then take a team to the beach, clear a landing area and start re-training everyone to land in the clear area instead of the water or on top of the sunbather with three small children. Last year we could have started as early as 2 or 3 in the afternoon but we couldn't get free to go set up the flag & the area until closer to 4. I'd like to see beach loads starting at noon.

Are you in or not??? By the way, it's time for a new outfit this year - we've seen the black g-string too many times (way, way too many times - actually, once was too many). Maybe you could find yourself something with feathers or sequins.... maybe in red or white.

MOST DEFINITELY bendywendy BirdBabe1 bubbles4384 carbonezone freefalle mikeforsythe popsjumper sickwill The111 maybe.... sid Come on I know that there are already over 30 rooms booked at one of the hotels... so who are you?

In Florida if you live near a canal that might overflow its' banks you have to have flood insurance - who lets you build your home below sea level with a couple of levies the only thing between you and whole bunch of water and not have flood insurance? Oh wait, maybe that would be the same place that says time to evacuate but doesn't bother to make sure that most of it's inhabitants who don't even own vehicles have any way of actually evacuating. The whole thing is just sick! It's too bad that the media is wasting everyone's time trying to make sure someone takes the blame for it rather than push, push, push and keep the focus on helping everyone. I can't watch it anymore.

That's too damn cute. Maybe he could learn to push it with his head? No, stitch a pullup cord to it and he can drag it back to you.

People with ADD/ADHD can't write long posts - well, unless they take several days to do it inbetween chasing those shiny objects.

Yeah! I was hoping you'd come again - I was going to try to hunt you down soon to make sure. I'll let everyone know how the hotel situation pans out after I go visit them on Wednesday. Anytime anyone wants to start a list of who's in.... go right ahead.

Are you bringing your monkey??

It's official! The dates are approved. November 10 - 13, 2005. I will keep posting updates on what we have going on. I do have to wait on final approval of the registration fee but here are some highlights to start you off. Dano will be doing our video again this year. He did a fantastic job last year - if you didn't see the video you missed out! Save some money and pre-purchase the video when you register for the boogie. Norman Kent will be their taking excellent video and pictures of the event. Scary Perry will be doing some scary good wingsuit jumps - I'll bet Harry Parker will join in on some of those. Will Lajeunnesse will be disorganizing freefliers. Stay tuned for more info on other freefly organizers Roger Ponce will be organizing RW. Stay tuned for guest organizers in RW. We have rumor of an accuracy meet to take place there - what a good place for one!!! Keep you posted. There is also a possibility of a little CReW action. So at the very least mark your calendars. There is already a group of people with reservations at the Coconut Cay. The Coconut Cay and the Sombrero Resort both have discounts for us. "www.coconutcay.com"Coconut Cay "www.sombreroresort.com" Sombrero Resort Last year the people split where they were staying between those two resorts for the most part - however, this year we are looking at mostly the Coconut Cay probably a new resort - I am hoping to check it out on Monday. Give you the verdict then. People who can get the time off make sure you get there to skydive on Thursday. There are less people doing more skydives on Thursday and Friday before everyone gets there for the weekend and gets partied out. Speaking of which - parties!!!! Saturday night has a catered BBQ dinner. We are going to try to stick with the people we had last year. I didn't get any but everyone told me that it was delicious. Maybe this year I'll get a bite. There will be skydiving, there will be music, there will be feasting and much rejoicing! Remember every Keys could be the last Keys so make sure you go and enjoy it while we can! Check out Skydive Sebastian's website too - the registration page will be up very soon. www.skydiveseb.com

Come on Mark! You've got to come - I've still got tickets sitting here with your name on them. AND I will sit up all night Friday and make jello shots if that is what it takes.....

Since driving doesn't seem to be an issue for you why don't you sneak down to Sebastian. The view alone is worth the trip.

Most airports don't even look twice at them anymore. Only time they even held it up for a second with me was when I did have it jammed in a bag and the way it was stuffed in it looked like there was a big piece of interesting metal in there. They even had me come look at the screen and asked what it was. It looked like a large foreign object in my reserve container. I looked and said well, since I packed it last and know I didn't leave any tools in it - I don't have a clue! We pulled it out of the lovely bag I had jammed it into and ran it through again - It was just the way all the hip rings, chest rings and everything lined up when it was crammed in the bag. I rarely stuff it in a bag anymore because of that and the bag is usually more uncomfortable than just tossing it on my back but I usually carry it through the airport with a jacket or something tossed over it. Most people don't have a clue what it is but I'm a snobby traveler - I don't want to talk to the nervous person next to me. I sleep or read. Keep in mind if you ever check it that most airlines don't cover more than 1,500.00 on lost luggage - so that is why they'd have to kick me off the plane - I'd never let them check it.

Thanks everyone - I'm really slacking on my dz.com time these days! Yes, come see us - we just did a shuttle load this morning!!! Unfortunately our timing was just a tiny, tiny bit off this time (it's been a few years and we are rusty). All we got was the plume in the background instead of the shuttle itself. Well, if this one comes back in one piece we can try again in September...

CrossKeys has been doing more than 200 tandems in a day for a couple of years now! Prior to that they were busting 180 on a weekend day. It's a very well oiled machine - most days the fun jumpers don't even have a clue that that many tandems have been taken out.

Well, since you are too much of a sissy for Florida summer - I'd say head to CrossKeys although you've already been there. Next time you are in Florida head to Sebastian - you'll never want to jump over cowfields again! Although, landing out when surrounded by cowfields is definitely less nerve-racking!

Are you going to come if it isn't St. Patty's??

Unfortunately, skydiving is not SAFE. We choose to make it as safe as possible and sometimes we screw up as in anything. People should know that it isn't a tame rollercoaster ride. I actually have had to turn away two customers who when they read the waiver didn't want to sign the part stating that they could die. We are becoming so mainstream and so relatively safe that sometimes people do forget that there is a risk involved. I was surprised not too long ago by a friend who it really didn't hit home that it we are involved in a dangerous sport until they finally had a malfunction. They were fine but the panic that they felt while solving the problem was unexpected. We all love the sport or we wouldn't be here but don't forget to respect it and while it is distasteful for us to read about our friends who die it shouldn't be swept under the table like it didn't happen. Learn from it (don't beat it to death and bicker over it like is done every single time in the Incidents forum). If people - articulate ones - not just the drunk guy sitting around the fire too screwed up to know what he's saying - speak to the newspeople when they are around and feed them just enough information (because no matter what you say they are going to screw it up a little bit sometimes even ridiculously get it wrong) but if you don't they are going to make it up and they are going to have a chip on their shoulder because all they got was hostility and anger. I was in CrossKeys sitting at the Alpine a few days after Sara and Ron died and the news came on. They were talking about the fatalities and Sara's family was interviewed. If you had to have publicity over a fatality, you couldn't have asked for a better report. Her family was on there with totally dry eyes, smiling and talking about how much she loved the sport, died what she loved doing, etc., etc. They commented on the current and past fatalities but except for the shot of the bodies covered by sheets in the begining it was like a promo for Freefall Adventures. I was amazed. Appalling when you are watching about people you know but step back and look at it from a complete outsiders shoes - someone who has never jumped. On one hand they are showing that it is dangerous but extolling the rewards on the other hand. Be happy anytime a reporter says anything positive about skydiving because it is rare that anything other than fatalities or accidents brings them out.

why? It stated facts for the most part and wasn't overly negative or positive. It could have been a scathing report just harping on the fatalities at least it offset it a bit. The accidents happened - better that they be reported like that rather than make it sound like skydivers are insane psychos.

There is no shortage of boogies in Florida all winter. Sebastian goes to the Keys in November (date should be the 10-13th). Last year weather killed out Holiday boogie from Christmas - New Year's - that couldn't happen two years in a row - I don't think! January has Uwe's Country Jam and February has a Pink Mafia event and this year they are adding a Casino Weekend but I'm not sure if that is March or April - I think it is March.

Nikki! How could you!! Come to Sebastian - we love when you show up at the dz all sloppy, falling out of cars and happy to see everyone. We are open to suggestions for our Holiday party this year. Last year had a big blow up moon walk house inside the hangar w/a bar, lights, music and it was a pj party - we love theme parties..... Whether it's pajama party, black tie, pirates, superhero - we don't care...we'll go for it!

Stay away from the golf cart, numbnutz!!! Your golf cart license has most definately been revoked.

I did before skydiving. Lived in Vermont with quite a few pretty tight and technical little caves around. It was a lot of fun. Now in Florida they'd all be underwater.