cyn

Thanks for the #. I'll try to make them beer-focals so I don't get myself into trouble. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

Never been, nope. Comfort Rage = cheap cheap cheap, whatever that gets me. Imma be staying in an RV in the middle of the desert without running water or electricity for a week so I don't think I'll care about sleeping in a bunkhouse as long as my va jj is safe. I'll contact lodi about the bunkhouses then I guess. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

Any suggestions for cheap places to stay & a way to get from either Sacramento to the dz or Lodi to the dz. I arrive at Sacramento airpot at 7:35pm on Saturday August 29th. I can take the greyhound from Sacramento to Lodi at 10:05pm but dont' know where I would stay when I get to the town. I'll figure it out on my own if I have to but guidance would be super awesome. :) "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

Gee thanks rob. Cyn doesn't share well with others and suffers from separation anxiety when parted from her new sabre2. I'm starting to hyperventilate just thinking about someone else jumping it. I might be inclined to lend it out in the interest of safety but if anything happens to it I"ll have to rip steve's face off and various other very unpleasant things. I hope Steve will be prepared to drive me home to hamilton too because i won't be able to see through the waterfall of tears and I may pass out due to shock. omg I think I just blacked out for a second. I know I grumble about hating her every time i pack her but it's only said in anger. She and I have an understanding. If I can find some sedatives you can jump my sabre 2 Steve. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

Hey there. Could you get them to ship it to Frontier Skydivers (right across the border) - near Lewiston? The people there are super super nice. If you need someone to vouch for you (as long as you're not getting something dumb) let me know. That's where I got my USPA licences. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

My confidence in the ability for a dz.com forum discussion to be constructive is, unfortunately, almost non-existant, but I think you're right. It does seem like a better and more positive way to handle it. I can certainly think of a few rediculous ideas to try but I don't think they're actually helpful. My canopy, for me, is still just a way for me to get to the ground though. I'm not at that - i need more thrill under my canopy stage - so I fear I won't be able to add much to that discussion. Although, maybe doing some CRW might be a good idea (obviously with a different canopy). "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

Zep, what you're doing kinda reminds me of what my daughter used to do when trying to convince me to buy sugary cereal. She'd look at the nutrition facts on the side of the box and ignore the sugar, carbs, calories, fat etc (all the bad stuff) and focus on the 3 grams of protien or 20% of her iron requirement. You're choosing to listen to the 1 or 2 people who are telling you what you want to hear and not the many many other people that know you & are telling you what you need to hear because they care about you. I, personally, can't stand some of the alarmist attitudes that people get on DZ.com or drama.com as some people call it. I've never been a big fan of people that don't know me telling me that they care about me & my safety & know what's best for me or flaming people for making simple comments or asking questions. I don't think I've made any secret of that. I mean we're all making our own choices in the end and not everyone has to agree with them i guess. But seriously, dude, listen to the people who actually know you. I know my jump numbers are much lower than yours & I'm not saying you should listen to me. I'm just saying you should listen to ALL the people around you who know you & are offering you good advice for your safety because they really do care, not just the couple that you want to listen to. I don't get what you're doing at all. What's the point? "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

Ok folks. There's a lot of usedfull information here & thank you so much to the people who were kind and wise enough to empart it. Happy thoughts - I like your banana lol. I think I've gathered all of the useful information I can from this thread & thanks for pointing me to others. This coversation is quickly spiralling downward and you're right I do feel very defensive about people making judgements about my character who I've never even met, much less jumped with. I know I can be a bit of a pit bull but the people I'm turning on usually deserve it. I mean if you're gonna poke a peaceful pitbull with a stick can you really blame them if they rip your face off? Probably not. Me thinks I'm not the only pitbull out here and this is turning into a dog fight. I just resent the direction the thread took right from the beginning. It's such a shame this happens too often to people with low jump numbers. Why my experience level has anything to do with the question I asked is beyond me. So anyways thanks to the folks who were helpful, shame on those who are so judgemental (even me) and in the immortal words of Mr. Dave Chapelle "aaannnnddd I'm out!" "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

ps. I never said I was going to rig an airmattress up with ropes & hand holds. hahahahhaa. this is unreal. sigh. such a shame. Can someone please tell me what a crappy aggresive, sarcastic attitude I have again? I find it very helpful to my raft jump research. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

amen. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

hmmm. I'm not sure if that last message was you thinking I didnt get what you were saying in your first message. I definitely do and was just re-itterating what others had said in posts like yours about the actual do's and dont's. In addition I think someone posted something or sent me a PM about following the raft down in deep breaks & having a friend with a pick up truck watch the load to see where you and the raft land. This person is way out in the country though and specified that landing safely is always #1. Landing with the raft or watching the raft are obviously #2 priority. Following the raft down won't work in every situation. Depends on a lot of things. So if you're lucky and everything goes according to plan it's apparently quite possible to re-use a raft several times before you lose it or it wears out. Besides, if everyone's chipping in on the cost of the raft it shouldn't be that big of a problem to pay for a decent one. If you manage to save it you can leave it at the DZ for other people. :) "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

wowsa. that sounds like a pretty crappy scenario that I don't think I'd care to have happen. that seems to be the general concensus from all who have actually done raft jumps. No cheapies, no ropes & no side door exits. Understood.

I don't think I've missed the message behind your posts. You, think this is a safe sport, although you'll contrarily say that the people in it are the ones that make it unsafe. If there are piranhas in the water is the water safe? I don't even know why I'm allowing myself to get sucked into this argument. It's so rediculous. It doesn't matter. I get the message. You are inacapable of focusing on a question and giving an answer to it. While instead you'd chose to focus on the fact that I didn't appreciate people (including you), like many on dropzone.com, taking away from the original message at the beginning of the thread. A raft jump. At what point have you contributed anything useful about a raft jump? Not once accept to be safe which should be a consistant message about every jump and we all already know that. Be safe & think. Don't shoot the messenger if they give you an unsolicited piece of advice. That's your message? Ok. Enough said. Thanks. I get it. Regarding your most recent post. My agressive attitute, if you'd read ALL of my posts, which you obviously have not, is only directed at people who are not contributing anything useful to the discussion at hand and instead have decided to jump in with their pious little nuggets about my attitude and me not thinking about killer pyjamas. If you started your own thread about my aggressive nature and unsafe attitude that you really know nothing about that would actually be more appropriate. Unfortunately THIS thread was about raft jumps and not my bad attitude toward pompous, self righteous, soap box ranters. FWIW, Nova, I did apologize for my use of the words idiot and retarded at the beginning of this thread, but I guess you missed that. In my circle of friends we use these words all the time jokingly without batting an eyelash. It doesn't mean anything. I didn't consider that someone else might take offense to it and apologized when I found that they had, publicly and privately. Not that you would know that since it was none of your business and you instead decided to choose the pieces of my posts you wanted to pick apart without included the full sentence or message as it was intended. In the end we are all responsible for our own actions and everyone is aware of the risks of what they are doing. We all seek out the advice of the more experienced helpful jumpers because we see it's value. That is why they have forums. For advice on topics we ask about. Not to be berated or made to feel inadequate for asking them. It's a shame that people like you are so concerned about people's experience levels and less concerned about the questions being asked. I'm sure it would be much more helpful to tell people how to make the jumps they are going to make anyways safer instead of berating them for trying to make them. It might save a life one day. Your message of safety will never be received well if it's coated with pompous self righteousness and a pious attitude. There's a little lesson from me to you based on MY experience as a human being. Happy jumping. Be safe :) "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

You know something Nova? This conversation with you, like many on dropzone.com, has turned into yet another rediculous lecture session on safety and everything I'm thinking and doing wrong without actually focusing on the question at hand and given constructive helpful answers to it. I'm not interested in continuing this pointless debate with you. We shall have to just agree to disagree. Bottom line is we all are responsible for our own actions. If I do something stupid and it gets me killed I guess I'm the one that suffers, although I'm not that person. I wouldn't expect you to know that. I resent the fact that you've conveniently snipped bits and pieces of my post to fabricate something that looks totally irresponsible and unreasonable. You've twisted my words so that they don't even read the way they were intended to, but the way you want them to so that you can prove your invalid points in a debate you've also created in your mind. Guess what the good news is - you will probably never have to jump with my unsafe butt int he sky with your obviously very safe one and you will never have to go on a raft jump with me. That's the beauty of the world we live in. So many different points of view and so many differnt actions that will follow those different points of view. I believe this sport involves an element of risk that we are all very aware of and IN MY OPINION is inherently unsafe. We take precautions to make it less unsafe, but that does not make it a safe sport. Once again I'll use the words "acceptable risk". I'm afraid we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. I'm not really interested in addressing the rest of the things you've said. It will go nowhere. I knew that yesterday when I deleted the post I made last yesterday afternoon. Unfortunately someone had quoted it and I can't delete that. I guess I'll just find the helpful information in this thread and leave it at that. Happy jumping. Stay safe "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

I have been told that before when I first came off student status & didnt' have to wear the smelly jumpsuits anymore with the baggy bums. We've also discussed the approval of each person's clothing choices based on safety. No ribbons flying around etc etc. For my part it's a toss up between a onesee (like footy pj's without the feet) or a tiny pair of pj shorts and a tank top. Will depend on the weather I guess. btw thank you for your other post. That's some good info. All we have is a side door (caravan) to exit it out of so based on your advice & the advice of others I don't think this plan will fly this time. No biggie. We'll get it done under better circumstances. Thanks so much for your help. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

Nova. I asked a simple question and expected a simple answer, which I received from several people who were very helpful. While I appreciate knowing the risks involved specifically - a comment like "it's not safe" isn't exactly helpful. I'm prefectly within my rights to chastise someone who's chastising me and offering no helpful advice what so ever. For them to assume I'm jumping in some rediculous get-up that will KILL me is totally uncalled for. They don't even know me. Help was what I was looking for. Not a finger wagging. It's not neccessary. I'm sure that we can agree skydiving is not a safe sport. We're not playing golf, Nova, although I'm sure people have been injured doing that too. We have all decided that with the right precautions it is within our own individual realms of acceptable risk based on our own set of circumstances. Furthermore I can outline several million posts where people are chastised for saying skydiving IS safe with words in response to that statment like KILL and DIE and FATALITY, CRIPPLED, INJURED, DEAD. I also don't think I've ever had to sign a waiver with those words in it for golfing. Some people just like to take an opposite point of view regardless of the circumstances don't they? Absolutely I has looking for help and advice from a more experienced skydiver. Why do you think I'm here to begin with? I've received it from others. Please don't presume to know me, Nova. I could sit here and justify why I'm safe but you don't even know me so what does it matter? And it will result in further brow beating from others like you. I didn't ask for a safety lesson. All I asked for was "what happens to the raft" That's it. Although I will say that the constructive and detailed advice of other posts has been very helpfull and I'm glad to have read it and I did read it btw. Please don't presume that I haven't. I think the point of this thread was achieved. Raft jumps are not safe and not a good idea much like many of the other things we do anyway. There are a lot of things that can go wrong. I'm glad to know that and really glad to know what those things are. I'm super glad for those pictures skymama posted. A picture is worth a thousand words. Also learned - the descent of the raft is not controlled and depends entirely on it drifing to a safe place on it's own. Someone had told me it would be fine to hang on to it like you'd hold onto a hoola hoop after a hoola hoop jump and that just sounded wrong to me. I'm glad I asked this question for those 2 things I've learned. I just don't like the finger wagging. It's totally unneccessary. I'm not a child. I'm asking for advice because I'm being smart about it. I wish that could be seen instead of this mess that's developed. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

The Otter jump went bad immediately, i shant elaborate, Enough said. I had heard that a side door exit would be incredibly difficult to pull off. The more I think about it the more I can see it going bad on the hill and difficult if not impossible to recover from. The more people on the jump trying to hang on to a raft = the more bodies fumbling through the air at the same object. I get it. As I said - if the right opportunity presents itself in the right set of circumstances it's something i'd very strongly consider doing. The occasion I was thinking of is obviously not it - a side door exit being one of the very compelling reasons why. The highway being another. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

Ok folks. I will say this. Obviously there is some opinion that a raft dive is very dangerous. As it stands I don't feel as though the location I was thinking of doing it would be a good one, purely for its close proximity to a highway and me not being able to be in control of the object during its decent. I understand all of your concerns regarding the safety of this type of jump and while I will still probably do it I will wait for the right opportunity to present itself. I do appreciate all of the advice on this subject though. Thank you. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

hahahah. That's jokes. I can see what you mean by bad things happening. I'm glad you all came out of it ok though. There are a lot of ideas I've had that seem fun when I first think of them and then when I think about them further realize how incredibly stupid they are. Sigh. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

I would call a SIMPLE answer someone SIMPLY answering the question that I asked and not going on and on about safety, which I did not ask about once. I realize it's not safe. Neither is skydiving. That's hardly the point. I'm trying to determine for myself whether or not it is within the acceptable realm of risk for myself, just like I did when I decide to persue this sport. Also have posted back regarding my pyjama's. I'm pretty sure my one piece yellow ducky pj's aren't going to kill me. If you have some useful advice regarding the question at hand I'd love to hear it. That's why I'm here. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

Now that, sir, is good advice. I didnt' see that at first. I had heard the whole - don't fill it up all the way because the pressure outside is diff. from the pressur inside. Like people's lungs when they're scuba diving. What is the fall rate of a half inflated raft I wonder. Difficult to calculate the drift of it. The DZ I'd be at is kind of near a highway. That's what I was most worried about. Perhaps something like this would be better suited to a place that's out in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to harm but the trees. I would hate to be the one respoinsible for f-ing something up & causing the DZ to be shut down or sued. Further thought & discussion are obviously required. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

ahhahaa. Obviously you have not seen my pyjamas. They are no different than my free fly suit as a matter of fact. Perhaps YOU assume to much. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

Reg - thanks for the advice. I have contacted. I apologize if I implied you called me an idiot. I am aware raft jumps are dangerous, was just looking for some advice to make it less dangerous. Thanks. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

holy christ people. I'm not an idiot. a simple answer would suffice. obviously the dz isn't going to allow me to do something retarded anyways. I have to have a viable plan first. That's why i'm here. "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"

I have been mulling over the idea of a pyjama load for my 100th jump and a pajama party afterward. I just got a brain wave and thought how cool it would be if we could get a blow up air mattress out the door on that jump. Yes I know it would be hard to hang on to. I think I can find something or rig something up that would make it easier. It would be just like a raft jump (kind of). I'm just wondering... what happens to the raft after everyone bails out? It sure would suck for that to come plummetting out of the sky on someone or on someone's car... I swear to god officer - I was just driving down the highway and this blow up air mattress came out of nowhere. Any advice here? "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body"