wildfan75

First...Happy Birthday!!! Second, if it makes you feel any better... I had one skydive (a tandem to check it off the list) when I turned 30 (that I did exactly 1 week before my 30th birthday). I celebrated my 30th birthday day by doing a 5K (which was a huge accomplishment considering I lost 60lbs in nine months prior to my birthday). I ran the whole way!! Fast forward three years, five months, two weeks and some days later... I would give up the previous 30 years to keep my last three years, five months, two weeks and some days, good and the very bad. Yes, its hard to think that I'm closer to 40 than 20, but 50 is the new 40, so we're still good! Enjoy your "youth" for 40 is just around the corner!!

Damn you! Now you want me to jump the Pulse even more than I wanted to already!!! Wildfan75

Mazz, If you do your AFF course and cleared for solo before May and can afford and could be available May 4-6 at Perris or Elsinore, let me know. I'll be in CA for the Big Way and 100 Way Camps and those days are non-camp days. I can afford to do a few fun jumps while I'm there. Maybe I could do a coach/instructor jump or two with you while I'm there. There's also some ground stuff we can go over after sunset or if there's crappy weather days. Let me know.

People who chew hard candy. If it was made to be chewed, they would have made it soft, not hard. People who drive with their parking lights on. They are PARKING lights, not driving lights. People who drive with their blinkers on. If you're so clueless that your blinkers are on, then you shouldn't be on the road. People who turn or switch lanes without using their blinkers. They come standard, not optinal, on cars for a reason!!!

1/5/9/+1 1 - US 5 - MN, WI, CA, IA, IL 9 - Skydive Wissota, Skydive Superior, Skydive Twin Cities, Joe's Heli Boogie, Skydive Chicago, East Troy, Couch Freaks, Skydive Iowa, Perris +1 - Denver Tunnel Hoping to add a few more dz's from CA during the three days in between the big way and 100 way camps in May.

May the skies be blue, the boobies be big, and the vaginas disease free! Happy Birthday, Cocheese!!

Are you doing the research? If so, there's no way that I would use those websites[;)! And, yeah, way to leave us straight females out of the "reward". You can just send Bob a check for credit on my jumpbill. Your welcome.

I stayed at the IHOP last September during the Big Way Camp. I was worried about staying at an "animal house" as I needed my rest at night. Everyone that was staying there was really considerate about being quiet when coming in late or after people had gone to bed (or taking a late-afternoon nap for that matter). It was weird going to bed with two empty beds next to me at night and waking up in the morning with people in both of them, but not hearing either of them come in to go to bed. Maybe it was just filled with mostly camp participants that were in the same boat as me. I tried to afford them the same courtesy when I got up at 6:30am every morning (I tried to stay on MN time when I was there and that was 2 hours later than I'd normally sleep). The tunnel running late was far more of a nuisance than any fellow bunk mates, and the tunnel hum was easily remedied with ear plugs. Skydive Iowa has some sweet bunk houses!!! Very cool that they were built (from frame to electrical to sheet rock) by donated time from skydivers.

Some people don't believe that you can get your A license (if you do it in 25 jumps) for $740 at my dz either, but it doesn't make it untrue. And no, its not a "personal coach" as in the same person on every single jump, but there is always an instructor to jump with. Don't get me wrong...I think this is great and I hope to see a more of it around the country/world!

This is GREAT, but I wouldn't call it unprecedented. There are many dz's that offer free coaching. My home dz has been doing it for over 40 years. I think (or maybe just hope) that we'll see more of this. Making it a little more affordable to get started can help new jumper retension.

Stupid Swede exactly...communtist because they dictate how you're suppose to feel, act and do! Definitely communist. But don't get this thrown into the Speaker's Corner, ok!?!

So, I'm boycotting V-day this year. Its just another day. February Frickin' 14th. Weather permitting, I'll be skydiving my little broken heart out, and then probably finishing the night drinking beer with the few hard core winter skydivers at Wissota. Anyone else want to boycott the stupid communist red* holiday with me? What's your boycotting plans? *I think I'll write Crayola and see if they will start making a crayong in "communist red".

Would have been nice to see some no wind landings in the video too. Both landings seemed to be in pretty good winds.

Are you counting tandem passenger incidents?

Brian--It was also great to see you at Joe's last weekend. And it was me who was the lucky one. Funny thing happened at Joe's Heli Boogie... Tony (Butters) wrote about the last heli boogie where Todd helped him out by packing his slippery so Tony could get another jump in. And Gary wrote about Todd's "Pay It Forward"ness. Last weekend at Joe's I helped pack two slippery's. One asked what he owed me. Truth is, I almost turned to him and asked what I owed him. I got to pay it forward in the exact event, the exact same place two years after that Todd did. That was a priceless feeling for me.

Doesn't look like anyone's started it yet... 6:6:1 6 months since Todd died. 6 jumps - a 4 way, a coach jump, a hnp, a 20 sec delay solo, a 7 way and an 8 way. Beer owed for doing my first final signature and stamp on a student's A license card.

Not enough options. Right now we're paying $15 from 10k (182 dz). I expect to have them go up a $1 per 1k' at the club meeting in March. Editted to add: I won't find a new hobby, but the higher the price, the fewer jumps I can make. But I'll beat my head against a wall 'til its bloody before I find a new hobby.

I'm kind of speechless tonight but... Damn it Todd, you missed February 8 ways!

Six months ago today I lost my fiance to a skydiving fatality. I started jumping before Todd and I were "Todd and I". I jumped the day after he died. It was one of the more difficult things I've ever had to do, but I knew that it was going to be hard, and it would get harder the longer I waited. I knew Todd would be pissed if I would have thrown the towel in. I did a lot of compromising with him the first month. "Ok Todd, I'll go on the 8 way formation load, but I'm going base". My first jump back was a solo. Todd died at a dz about 45 miles west of our home dz. After a few seconds in the door building up the nerve to actually let go and go through with it, I left, said to myself "I did it". I turned and faced west and cried the entire time. Its challenging reading an altimeter through tears. But I did it. Skydiving isn't for everyone, but its for me. It hurts like hell but being at the dz, skydiving and being with my skydiving family is the only time were there seems to be some sort of rhyme or reason to my life right now. Sorry for your loss. Deal with it whatever way is best for you and take every situation, thought, or whatever that helps you for granted.

So long for ever dating a skydiver again Aw c'mon, you ignored it last time... Yeah, and look at where it got me.

I guess I'm a Builder/Negociator. ABOUT YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE: You tend to be traditional. Home, family, job and community are all central to you. You like being firmly embedded in your social and business groups and you feel deeply responsible for just about everyone around you. You can be fiercely protective of those you love. You are skilled at managing people. You are sympathetic and cooperative; you are also hard working and display a good deal of caution and common sense. And you can be very patient. So you can complete detailed, painstaking jobs more easily than most people. You enjoy building social relationships. You have excellent verbal and people skills. You are talented at achieving solutions to complex problems so that all involved feel fulfilled. You have a hard headed too. You tend to respect rules, schedules and routines. You also see the big picture, have a fine imagination and can be remarkably intuitive. You like to play with ideas and examine the meaning of life. And because you have a genuine sense of community, you seek projects that enable you to contribute to a more stable world. IN LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS: You are relaxed and easy to be with, so you attract a range of friends and admirers. But you are picky. You are attracted to those who share your values; moral fiber in a partner is important to you. You also admire those who respect rules, schedules, and traditions. And you particularly admire those who have a sense of social responsibility--who spend their time and money on events that are charitable or strengthen family, business or the community ties. You see the big picture and see way down the road; so you like to prepare for the future. And although you enjoy people who play with ideas, your "true love" must complement you. You admire those who are direct, analytical, authentic and assertive and can enjoy your orderly and compassionate nature. RELATING TO OTHERS: You are somewhat stoical. You believe that difficulties are inevitable. With this practical attitude, coupled with your dependable, cooperative and "can-do" spirit, you often become a central and effective player in your social and business networks. You are generally calm and entertaining, too, and always dedicated and reliable. And with your imagination and people skills, just about everybody likes you. THINGS TO BE AWARE OF: You can be so modest and self effacing that some are likely to regard you as a door mat. Speak up and defend yourself. You can be overly critical of others. Your caution can jeopardize your curiosity. SPARK FACTOR: You tend to naturally gravitate to the BUILDER/directors. Anyone that knows me care to tell me how accurate that is? Hehehe...I just re-read it and this stuck out: So long for ever dating a skydiver again

Yep, we are! But it was a heli-good time! Thanks to Joe and Paula for the hospitality, and extra special thanks to Paula for cleaning up the mess on Sunday.

Re-post! http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3157406;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread No one seemed too eager to do it then. Maybe things will change with the new management.

The "4440" number listed on the website is for his "regular job". You should be able to get ahold of him during regular business hours there. That is the weight limit without gear. It wouldn't hurt to drop a few pounds though. You'll be more comfortable under canopy in the rig. And we do have the lie detector ("the scale") that we weigh anyone who appears that they may be even remotely close to that weight limit. See you in the spring!! Make sure to drop me a line when you know what weekend you'll be out and I'll be sure to watch for you. Editted to add: Don't be alarmed by Bob's enthusiasm (or lack there of). He's been doing this for thirty years and gets about 100 phone calls a week during the summer from people with a ton of questions. And if you stick around, you'll see that its just his personality. He doesn't get too outwardly excited about anything, but he's awesome!!

Hi Paul, I'm an instructor at the dz that Redwings speaks of, Skydive Wissota in Chippewa Falls. It is true that Bob is a Diet Pepsi drinker. If you're looking for a cost-efficient way to have a go at skydiving, Skydive Wissota is the way to go. We offer S/L progression with world class instruction (Bob and Mary are Wold Teamers with a ton to give and learn from. I do my best but its hard to compete with them), and rock bottom prices. We are a small non-profit club dz. No one makes their living at Chip (we all have "regular jobs") and do it for the love of the sport. There's plenty of room outdoors to camp or hook up an RV if you're lucky enough to own a manion on wheels, and plenty of room on the packing floor to throw down your sleeping bag and pillow. Feel free to stay a weekend, or two or 52! Don't worry about the beer rule. We look at the beer rule as a way to get newer jumpers to stay after sunset and hang out with us. There's just as much to learn when the planes are pushed in for the night as there is when they are turning loads. Although we are open for the winter (there are a few of us hard core crazy fuckers that jump during the winter), our S/L classes won't start up again until end of March/beginning of April. Watch our website at www.skydivewissota.org for dates to be released or bug me in a few months for specifics. Let me know if you have any questions! Blue Skies, Lynn