SKIandSKY

I guess it just depends on the person. I'm hardcore for note taking and keeping records. I'll likely log every jump I make even if I get over 10,000. I met a guy last weekend who no longer logs his, since he's an instructor I can understand why. I might change, who knows? I doubt it though since I am a ski instructor having taught over 1000 students yet I still log how many I have each lesson and then calculate how effective my lessons were based on the numbers of students who learned how to turn. How's that for OCD? LOL S&S

I often ask myself this same question...although strangely nobody ever asks me. My dad and brother did it but didn't stick with it. I waited for friends to do it with me but they never did. I had a high school student (I was a teacher) who said she wanted to do it. I thought about that and then did a tandem one month later. Skydivers just look so cool. It's so extreme. It's awe inspiring. I stand out from all the overweight boring people around me. I like being different in crazy ways. It IS beautiful on the ride up. I really do smile for a week afterwards. Everyone who does it is super friendly. It's the most challenging thing I've ever done. I think it will keep me young. I know I am addicted. Because I have to do it to look cool. I have to do it to BASE jump later. I have more going on now at age 35 than I did when I was 21. I don't want to end up like a former coworker: 22 years old and ALL he talks about is when he played football in high school. He has no dreams, only memories. WE LIVE OUR DREAMS! S&S

I only have 16 jumps so far and have been addicted since jump number one. I notice that I think about skydiving at least 50 times a day and have a hard time not talking about it to everyone I meet. I am a skiing instructor and am addicted to that too....skydiving is going to be like skiing: always a new challenge to master. I'm already trying to figure out how to land in my parents' backyard and in my school's football field...I'm planning ahead on keeping it real! LOL If I didn't have this HUGE and ANNOYING online assignment due tomorrow I'd be at the DZ jumping a PAK 750!!! Hopefully Saturday. SKIandSKY

Hey there, I'm glad to read about this because now I know I'm not alone! I have a 3 hour ONE WAY trip to the nearest DZ and therefore have only jumped 16 times in one year. (It was closed over winter). I did 4 jumps last month but darnit, was all unstable on my last two 10 second delays, busting my altitude and flunking that jump but redoing it well enough last Sunday to pass. I am still unstable and didn't stop rotating around on this last jump but had to pull anyway since I didn't want to bust the altitude again. The others are giving great advice, just do your best to jump as much as you can each month and keep your head up. Even if it takes forever, just think about this. Even makeup jumps are super awesome and this is such an incredible thing to do: we are skydivers! We do what EVERYONE wishes they could (fly) so take heart, keep your spirits up, and we'll all get there eventually. I WAS going to jump tomorrow but have a huge and confusing online assignment due....hopefully I can jump this weekend. SKIandSKY

Insurance? Who needs insurance? That Pastrana guy jumps without a parachute and nothing happens to him! Thanks for posting insurance links....I don't have it by choice, just circumstance! I'll definately give those two a look. Have a great day!

Well guys, I jumped again two weekends in a row, twice each visit day. Had to go back and do another PTO (saw that one coming) then another clear and pull. Guess what! No more pseudo acid trips! I also didn't work myself up like I did that first time but even that experience was pretty neat and definately new to me. Makes for a hell of a story too! LOL Last two jumps were from 5,500 feet and I'm all pumped up for my next couple maybe next week. Packerboy (AKA "hateful guy"---couldn't resist ) is right in many ways, but I just can't manage a trip to KY each weekend. I am planning on getting a motel and jumping two days in a row, shooting for 5 jumps total (and have been planning that for some time since I too understand the impact of jumps close together). Have a great week everyone! Ski season is here....hit the slopes!

I can understand that to a point: it would be great to get people to commit to getting it done timely and on a regular basis, but at the same time I feel having to pay so much cash up front would keep many people away (class discrimination) and likely hurt business for the drop zone. I do notice some slight differences in technique style instructor-to-instructor, but since they are all successful, each way must work. I do have people I prefer over others, but that's not a biggie. If I had the money, I would get a motel (hate air mattresses) and do at least two jumps a day for a week or two. I do have some cash saved up (lots of bartending this summer) and may be able to camp out (ugh) or get that motel to get in a few jumps at once at the DZ. I've been thinking about just that for some time. As it is now, going for a jump is an all-day event, sometimes I leave the house before dawn and return near midnight. Greg

"Breathe?" People breathe when they jump??? I totally forgot to breathe....that was a bit embarrassing...and me a pilot! Argh! Next jump won't be for at least a couple of weeks, thanks for the encouragement. GREG

Thanks guys, I didn't pay any attention to those negative guys, I hardly think I "freaked out" as I did it perfectly (according to the instructors) and am here today! (To those guys, I flew my first plane at age 16 and was a licensed pilot at age 18, before I left high school). I'm also a ski instructor and would never tell a student something like that. I started at Carolina Sky Sports in NC. I think they wanted everyone to go tandem first then AFF. When in 2008 I decided to jump again (no health insurance be damned) I went back to CSS for the second jump and started their progression program. Then the place closed down 2 weeks later. The place I jump now wants everyone to progress via IAD and that place is a 3 hours one-way drive for me. There are NO dropzones in all of my state (WV). I also am making minimum wage, so funds are tight. Now you know. I think I'll email one of my old psychology professors with the same question, get some professional input. I look at it as just an extreme adrenaline rush and it just added to the fun. Think how many dope heads had to drop acid to have the same experience! Greg

Hello everyone, New to the forum but not exactly new to skydiving. Did a tandem in 2003, two tandems in 2008, and started IAD progression last May. Saturday I did my last PTO and first clear and pull. When I let go of the strut, it was like I had a close up of my hand grabbing the pilot and beginning to pull it out. Then I was instantly "back in me again" and looking upwards as I should have been. How common is that? What happened anyway? Thanks! Greg