sabredave's mom

[hamsandwich]

I noticed something last night. I've come a long way from my first year of jumping. Thinking back, i wasn't ready to jump that first building we did. None of us had been on a building before (yea yea, you still think that smokestack was a building?? ) nor had we had very many cliff jumps or more importantly relevant canopy experience. For myself at least I know only now looking back that I didn't have skills to deal with a shitty situation had it occurred. I was counting on the statistics the favored my canopy opening with acceptable amount of deviation from on-heading and no malfunctions. Nonetheless we got in, got up, and got off cleanly. Lately I can see how fast I am on my toggles and and how aware I am of everything in freefall and under canopy in not so perfect situations. Last night I had the pleasure of jumping a building with some bros I havent made a jump with in a while. 200', lots of obstacles. The object is not old and so far there has been broken bones, hung canopys, a rooftop landing and some other events already at the site. I got the 90 right that nobody wanted and at the end of the flight after avoiding a moving car, street lamps, trees, and that rooftop landing I came in fast with a PLF and was glad I wasn't "too cool" not to put on my kneepads and spine protector. I even kept moving right out of the roll pulling my canopy from the street and hopping into a getaway. I think I did everything that could be done with the situation at hand and I came out on top. Well maybe not everything, because I know some of the ace pilots out there could of probably still found a way to stand it up but pretty damn close. 4 years ago I would have been hanging from a lightpole or hit by the car. I've never been a natural but I'm quite proud of how I've progressed.

I'm happier being the person that has the ability to deal with the shit than just jump hoping it doesn't happen. In fact, I'd rather have an issue every jump and have the skills to come out on top than never have a problem but be afraid of them arising all the time.

Has anybody else recently looked back and noticed how time, patience, and experience has paid off?


Mess up the mix, mix up the mess
nick rugai wears a pink dress


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[lifewithoutanet]

I won't say we had no business being on that B, but the fact that you were the "most experienced" on that load should have cued the alarms. And yeah, he still thinks that smokestack was a B. Frenchy wouldn't even have been on the load had you not blundered, but it was cool you made that mistake.
Mattson said something to me a short while after that jump when I was visiting that's stuck ever since. You get started and for the first X jumps you're so excited about jumping that the excitement has a disproportionate impact on your judgement. Not to say "bad judgement", but the excitement is a factor. The next X jumps you start measuring the experiences a little differently and you're on your way to a point where you realize just what you've gotten yourself into. For the next X jumps after that, you're not necessarily calming down, but you're thinking a bit more and assessing risk differently. And there are multiple phases after that, but I think the first three are kind of common. Of course, the X is a different value for everyone and some skip the first phase. I guess they go into it w/ more patience than we had (but we really weren't THAT bad) and the experience comes over time.
I miss that B. It's damn near impossible now.
-C.

[numbnutz]

"Has anybody else recently looked back and noticed how time, patience, and experience has paid off? "

yeah...........15 years ago I had too much sense to try a high five on landing...... especially jumping somewhere like Tombstone for the first time....in the dark...wearing a kilt.....But now I have all the experience necessary to get that high five and then spud it in, leaving a smear of arse cheek on the road for all to see....

Haggis
kilt BASE # ?

"tastes as good as it sounds..."

[hamsandwich]

Haggis!!

So what you're saying is you hadn't progressed one bit?!!? Sorry about your ass but that shit was hilarious to watch!

Originally Posted by numbnutz

"tastes as good as it sounds..."

Yeah, we'll find out soon. I ordered some highland beef haggis online along with some single malt whiskey cakes.

Great road trip brother. I swear I was awake the whole time making sure you were driving alright.

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[airdog07]

you notice lot more of the surrounding more under canopy or free fall as you get more experience, one thing abut building jump is not the jumping of building but, I have feare of getting hit by car or the car caching my canopy and dragging me, just a dream

[vid666]

with almost every new jump I look back and realize how much less I knew on a previous jump. Basically you are echoing my thoughts.