Safety Day Recap
This year I attended Safety Day at two different dropzones. I’m lucky to live in an area where there are two high-quality establishments, each with their own unique community, but both having incredible staff and instructors.
Last weekend I headed down to Skydive Chicago after work on Friday. I made it in time for the break out sessions, learned about safety and emergency aircraft procedures, sat in on a canopy and emergency refresher and finished the evening with a discussion on planning a dive. The break out sessions were really nice in that it gave you a chance to ask more specific questions on particular subjects that you might not feel as comfortable asking in the larger group. It was also a way to be more hands on, practicing emergency canopy procedures and the like.
After the sessions it was time to hang out, eat, drink, and socialize, which took place right on site in the SDC lounge. They sure to have some nice facilities.
This weekend was Safety Day at Chicagoland Skydiving Center (CSC) at it’s new location in Rochelle, IL. Moving a dropzone is no easy task (not that I’m speaking from first-hand knowledge here, but from what I heard, it was a challenge) but plans for the new facilities are well underway and we have a temporary hangar in the meantime.
The day started with a refresher course led by Barry Williams, the head of Freefall University. Arriving in style (or rather, a couple hours late) I only caught two of the breakouts, but it was nice to see an arial of the new DZ and talk about outs, canopy control, etc.
The “official” safety day presentation was held lecture style, with presentations from a number of the staff talking about the new location, plans, aircraft, wingsuiting, fatalities, and more.
What I found interesting was a look at fatalities and the trends over time. We’re lucky to be at a place now where there are more USPA members than ever and less fatalities. This speaks volumes about the education and focus on safety in this sport. More than that, in the 70s and 80s there were a significant number of deaths due to low or no pull situations. These days, most fatalities have to do with canopy flight.
Looking at percentages from last year, 70% of the fatalities happened when equipment was completely fine. Scary huh. Between swooping and low turn accidents, to canopy collisions and unawareness, these types of issues could have been completely avoidable.
One thing that struck me between the two Safety Days was that there was a large focus on canopy skills. Emergency procedures were reviewed as always, but there just seemed to be this extra emphasis on ensuring safety from tracking away and deployment all the way back to being in the hangar. One of the instructors said it best, “the skydive isn’t over till you’re back in the hangar and packing up for that next jump.” Awareness and landing patterns where discussed and it was stressed more times than not to understand the canopy you’re flying and how to approach scary situations close to the ground.
Personally, a canopy course (or two) are at the top of my to-do list this season. Though I’m a small person, I’m flying a 120 square foot canopy – that’s high performance no matter which way you slice it – and I want to know everything I possibly can about the fabric that’s over my head and how to use it safely.
Having been in the sport for 2 full seasons, spending plenty of time on the ground (I am a wind pussy, after all) at dropzones and boogies around the country, I can’t recommend a solid canopy course enough. You never know when you’re going to need some last minute tips that could save your life, and the lives of your fellow jumpers.
:: off soapbox now ::
Hopefully everyone was able to attend Safety Day this year – or at least a refresher course with an instructor. This time of the year, nerves can get the best of you if you’re not prepared.
Hope to see everyone in the sky again soon.
Blue ones!
Ashley
Spring back into Skydiving
With the weather warming up a touch I can’t help but think about Safety Day that’s just around the corner and finally getting back in the air!
A few of my fellow jumpers in the Chicagoland area have asked me to talk about coming back to the sport after a long period off, like you know, the winter. Of course, I’m not the best person to ask since last winter I didn’t go more than 3 weeks without a skydive, so speaking from experience is going to be difficult.
Regardless, this is a great time to take a look at the challenges in coming back to the sport since so many of us will be doing so in the near future. So I’ve skimmed my resources to provide some thoughts for making your transition back to the skydiving world as smooth and painless (figuratively and literally) as possible.
- Attend Safety Day – the official USPA Safety Day is on March 12. Many dropzones choose to have theirs on different days to accommodate jumpers who might want to attend other, larger Safety Day events. Regardless, be sure to attend at least one. For those who may not realize it, Safety Day is more than just about getting back in the air / completing recurrency jumps (if the DZ you’re at is even flying that day). It’s about refreshing your memory on safety in the sky. You’ll have a chance to not only review the USPA BSRs and any changes to the SIM but also refresh on your home dropzone regulations. You’ll review landing patterns, pilot policies and have a chance to hear from the S&TA. I can’t stress the importance of this day enough. You might be surprised how much has fallen out of that brain of yours over the long winter months.
- Check your gear – if you weren’t due for a reserve repack or inspection, be sure to give your gear a good once over yourself. Make sure your 3 rings are in good shape, that your closing loop isn’t worn, that your pilot chute is cocked. If you doubt your last pack job on that final jump of the season, you may even want to shake out your canopy and give it a fresh pack.
- Review canopy skills – I’m a big believer in being a safe and competent canopy pilot; it could save your life. You never know when that rogue student might enter your landing pattern and necessitating a last minute adjustment. Parachutist Online has a great article on becoming a better canopy pilot. This is a start, but if you haven’t before, a canopy course is always a good idea. That’s high on my priority list this year for certain!
- SIM on the go – I mentioned this yesterday on Twitter but if you’re an iPhone user, be sure to download the USPA SIM app. What a better way to stay fresh on those BSRs than by having them in your pocket? You can download the app here or by searching USPA SIM in the app store.
- Watch and read to learn - as I mentioned a couple weeks ago in my currency post, I can’t recommend enough watching videos and reading indicent reports to help you learn what not to do. Get the butterflies out by watching a few cutaway videos, find out what went wrong in seemingly routine skydives that ended in injury or even death by scanning your Parachutists and Dropzone.com incidents. Learning from others mistakes can possibly save your life.
- Make that first jump a safe one - speaking of getting the butterflies out, you’re bound to have some on that first skydive back. I certainly did, even after I was only out for 3 weeks. I imagine it being a bit more intense this year. If you don’t need a recurrency jump with a coach/instructor, make sure that first jump back is with someone you trust and/or someone you’ve flown with a lot. A 16-way zoo dive likely isn’t the best way to get back in the air, just a thought.
I’m sure this isn’t all, so let’s hear it from those of you who’ve been around longer than little ole me….what are some of your suggestions on coming back after a long period off?
Blue skies!
Ashley
Currency in off season
As I sit here looking outside at what meteorologists across the Midwest are referring to as Snowpocalypse, I can’t help but dream about those sunny afternoons spent in free fall.
If you’re a skydiver living in a place that gets all four seasons like I do, then you understand the inherent challenge of staying on top of the sport throughout the long winter months.
Time off of this magnitude can not only be detrimental to your spirit, but to your ability to keep your body and mind in tune with the sport. Regardless of what the title says, this post is about more than just having enough jumps to not have to worry about recurrency skydives come spring.
But, that’s a great place to start. According to the United States Parachute Association, “skydivers returning after a long period of inactivity encounter greater risk that requires special consideration to properly manage.”
Lucky for us, they provide strict guidelines of this “period of time” so that it’s not left up to the individual skydiver to determine the meaning behind this subjective statement.
Students: Students who have not jumped within the preceding 30 days should make at least one jump under the direct supervision of an appropriately rated USPA Instructor.
A license: USPA A-license holders who have not made a freefall skydive within 60 days should make at least one jump under the supervision of a currently rated USPA instructional rating holder* until demonstrating altitude awareness, freefall control on all axes, tracking, and canopy skills sufficient for safely jumping in groups.
B license: USPA B-license holders who have not made a freefall skydive within the preceding 90 days should make at least one jump under the supervision of a USPA instructional rating holder until demonstrating the ability to safely exercise the privileges of that license.
C and D licenses: USPA C- and D-license holders who have not made a freefall skydive within the preceding six months should make at least one jump under the supervision of a USPA instructional rating holder until demonstrating the ability to safely exercise the privileges of that license.
*This could be a coach or an instructor.
You can get more details about recurrency requirements here under section 5.2 of the Skydiver Instruction Manual.
Okay, so now that that’s out of the way, let’s take a look at some other fun tips to keep your head in the game in the off season:
1. Travel – this is the obvious one. There are so many winter boogies to attend, like Everglades in Clewiston FL and Puerto Rico and Skydive Arizona’s Easter Boogie. Not to mention all the tunnel boogies that are popping up. Of course, you don’t have to go to a boogie, even though they’re so much fun! You can always just take a quick weekend trip somewhere warm to get in a few skydives. The best way to stay current!
2. Snow jumps – of course, if you can’t afford to make a trip to warmer climates, there’s always the option to jump in the cold and snow. This, of course, assumes that there’s a dropzone within driving distance that’s flying year round to take you up. I promise you, altough it sounds bad, we did this a handful of times last year and it wasn’t that bad. Stay covered and you’ll be fine. It’s worth it to stay current and to get that free fall fix. Yes, the feeling does eventually come back to your fingers.
3. Google it - seek out every skydiving resource you can online. Use Dropzone.com to stay informed with articles you haven’t read yet, discussions on forums, incident report, even take a look at the latest used gear for sale in the classifieds to get you jazzed up for the season. Seek out articles on canopy piloting, wingsuiting and other disciplines you might be interested in tackling this season. Skim the SIM online (here) in preparation for Safety Day – officially March 12 this year. If you can’t stay current in the sky, at least keep your mind current with all the information that’s out there to consume.
4. Read, write, watch. You’re in the right place for this tip! Don’t feel like you have to spend all your time reading the hardcore articles and incident reports, you can learn from the fun stuff too. Pick up the latest issues of Blue Skies Magazine and Parachutist, see what they have to say. Find your favorite skydivers on YouTube and watch some videos to get you really jonesing.
There you have it, a few tips for staying sane and current in the off season. Of course, keeping in close contact with your adrenaline junkie friends around the world helps…misery loves company as they say.
Good news is Safety Day is just around the corner, though I do have to say it’s hard to believe with 6 foot snow drifts in the Chicagoland area right now. Here’s to a safe and quick winter.
Blue skies!
Ashley
Living for the future
For the past couple years I’ve been the girl who has preached living in the moment. As a skydiver it’s something you can’t help but do – after all our sport, and adrenaline sports in general, tend to be live-in-the-moment activities that often translate to other aspects of life.
This is definitely a positive. However, I’m also a believer in looking toward the future a bit. Planning every now and again.
Here’s a scenario to help paint this picture for you a bit better.
A couple conversations with fellow female skydivers last summer got us to discussing relationships in the skydiving community; specifically romantic relationships. I’m a huge advocate for finding the person you’re supposed to be with simply by taking part in activities you love. Having a shared interest that you both have a passion for, especially one as unique as skydiving, helps the relationship flourish. (It worked very well for me!) Naturally, this has lead me to advise my single lady skydiver friends to take a look at the men around them at the dropzone for companionship. But, from what some of these ladies have told me, their male skydiver counterparts live too much for the moment and they want someone with an ability to also look toward the future, as they don’t want to just be the lady of the moment.
Touche.
Sometimes, these activities that have us living in the moment and craving the here and now, can be a hindrance when it comes to thinking long-term.
One of the lessons that spending quality time at dropzones has taught me is that there’s a need for balance. It’s not infrequent to find adrenaline junkies who are unable to comprehend, let alone practice, a balanced life. But with my other passions like yoga, photography and writing, I find that balance helps me keep my sanity in the otherwise nutty world of skydiving (you know, the whole being surrounded by type A personalities where half of them are walking around on ego trips all day).
Thankfully, having a husband (oh did I forget to mention we got married…) who lives a life just as full of passion as I do helps to keep me motivated in all aspects of my life. Lately, I’ve been spending more time getting excited about the future. Maybe it’s got something to do with the fact that I haven’t had freefall in my life for a couple months so I’m jonesing for a jump, but I think it goes beyond that.
By nature I’m a planner and a list maker, whether or not I end up sticking to these is a different story. Recently I’ve found that these plans are highly flexible, something that tended to be rather rigid in the first 20ish years of my life. You’d think that in your 20s it’d become priority to “settle in” a bit, into a career, a location, a family, and grow some roots so to speak. But I think anyone with an addictive personally – espeically those who channel that in a productive way – can attest to the fact that there are endless possibilities for the future, even things you likely don’t see yet.
So maybe I’m not as ready to grow us as I thought I’d be in my mid 20s – but why does there have to be anything wrong with that?
Sports like skydiving keep you young at heart. We’re all a bunch of big kids out there and the sky is our playground. Growing up seems a bit overrated when you look at it – but that’s certainly not going to stop me from taking a look at what the future has to bring. There’s oh so much out there to explore, both in the sky and on the ground.
Love and Blue Skies!
-Ashley
Hear it from the Expert – Melanie Curtis
SDC: Alright Ms. Melanie, let’s start with the basics – when did you start skydiving and what’s your “story” on getting into this sport?
MC: My Dad actually owned a small drop zone in upstate New York for many years called The Verona Skydiving Center. I was lucky enough to be exposed to skydiving at a young age, could have done it when I was 16, but was scared, wasn’t ready.. when I was 18, something in my flipped and I was ready. Told my Dad I was going to do it the next day, I did, and so it happened that the entirety of my adult life was spent fully immersed in my love of this sport and community.
SDC: For those of us who have jumped with you, we all know that you do a little bit of everything, even swooping. So tell us, what is your favorite discipline?
MC: Currently, my favorite discipline is 4-way VFS, because it’s still quite a bit of a challenge for me, I don’t feel that good at it yet, and with the bigger gap open for improvement, so is the opening for feeling awesome when you rock it. Outside of that though, pretty much my only personal goal in skydiving now is to only surround myself with awesome, hilarious people I love. Seriously. I’m not kidding. That’s for team stuff– awesome, hilarious, teammates I love, only. Professionally, I love going to/working at/organizing major events– I love that I get to meet and jump with a million new people, ever expanding the connection with awesome hilarious people I love. Hahaa, but seriously! I’m so so so all about that. On top of the obvious fun of travel, experiencing the country/world, and enjoying the skies and views from so many beautiful places. Man, I’m grateful.
SDC: Is there anything you haven’t tried yet that you really want to (like, have you wingsuited or BASE jumped)?
MC: I have tried wingsuiting, did about 20 jumps, had a hard pull and a reserve ride, and then hung it up for good. I tried it because of the awesome organizers (Taya Weiss, Jeff Nebelkopf, Phil Peggs, etc) of the Wingsuit Records held at Elsinore.. but yeah, I don’t like having my limbs restricted like that, and honestly, overall, am a very risk-averse skydiver. As for BASE, I have no desire. Zip, zilch, nada. The videos totally turn my stomach. I get no enjoyment out of increased risk– I like to calculate my risk to a point of feeling as safe as one can feel inside the skydiving environment. I love my life, so I make choices to protect it, and for me, that boxes out certain things. Totally appreciate that others love it, that it’s incredible in it’s own right, and that maybe down that line I’ll change my mind.. yeah, all good.. as of now though, I’m happy pushing myself in the competitive arena, and in coaching, very simply, helping people have more fun.
SDC: Aside from Elsinore and the Chick’s Rock boogie (cuz we all know that’s the best one around), what are some of your favorite dropzones and Boogies?
MC: CarolinaFest is amazing!! James LaBarrie and DZO’s Danny and Annette Smith put on a fantastic show, awesome people, great night life, fun extras, awesome organizers (hehee), extra aircraft, all the vendors, Rodriguez Brothers initiations, any discipline of skydiving covered.. everything. Even though it’s a co-ed event, we’ve started calling it the Chicks Rock of the East.. cause the vibe is just so awesome, welcoming, loving, and fun. Hell yes. Other than that, in 2010, the Pimp My Fly Boogie in Hanko, Finland was INCREDIBLE!! What an amazing nearly week-long event these girls put on to inspire the lady freefliers of Finland. SO grateful to be a part of that one, and can’t wait for 2011!!
SDC: We just missed that event last year, having spent a long weekend in South Carolina only a couple weeks prior. But you’re so right about everyone there – definitely a place we plan to visit again soon…maybe for the boogie!
Any place/event you really want to attend but haven’t yet?
MC: I’ve never been to Empuriabrava.. not sure what’s there really, I guess the draw of the exotic foreign location is appealing to me…. taps into that bug of wanting to see the world. I guess Dubai is on the list now too!
SDC: Who were some of your mentors as you grew into the sport? Who do you look up to now?
MC: Lou Ascione was one of my earliest teammates, and has basically taught me everything I know about belly flying, 4-way, and teaching/coaching. He is a phenomenal teacher and teammate, totally fucking hilarious and awesome person all around. I definitely credit him for turning me into a great coach, teaching me how to teach mostly by just leading by that example. In freeflying, Amy Chmelecki has always been just the pinnacle of freefly badassness to me.. because she is!!! She is amazing, and now that we’re actually friends, I swear, still, and this is no joke, I sometimes have that thought of, “Seriously, I’m friends with Amy Chmelecki??” She’s even better than what you’re thinking, everyone. Trust me on this one.
SDC: You know, Mel, there are probably more people out there that think that way about you than you know…just sayin’. There are a lot of little skydiving chicklets (like, ehem, me) who look up to you, cuz you know, you’re badass and all. Tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are now. The road to Melsinore if you will.
MC: Hahaha, the road to Melsinore.. that’s funny.. well, I actually believe that my story is a perfect example of what happens when you choose to follow your gut, and take the leaps of faith to do what your heart really pulls you to do. I was completely and totally in love with skydiving and my involvement in it. Any opportunity I had come my way, I directed it to align with my skydiving goals… went to Australia in college cause it had weather for skydiving… moved to LA from New York to be in a more skydiving-friendly environment now that I was making adult money… drive to the DZ every single weekend for 3 years working full-time at an investment bank, spending too much of that office time working on skydiving skills camps and team building and voracious reading, etc…….. That kind of dedication, persistence, stamina, seems to me like it can only be fueled by love. I stuck with it, I stuck with it, I stuck with it. Literally nothing could stop me. I saw no obstacles to my doing this. It was just a fact. I was doing this. I spent all my money on skydiving, it wasn’t even a question. Truthfully, only after the fact was I able to see it as the “investment in my future” it actually was. Because at age 27, I was able to quit my job in corporate America, start full-time at Skydive Elsinore, and the rest is history.
SDC: Personally, I love how involved you are in this community – it’s more than a job to you, it’s a lifestyle. What is it that draws you into the skydiving community?
MC: It’s absolutely a lifestyle. I am happy to say that I am finally getting some balance in my life now from that feeling of over-saturation, having just left Elsinore full-time, going free-agent in my professional skydiving, pursuing life coaching more, and actually taking steps and making time for a for-real personal life! hahaa Skydiving is a huge family that cradles each of us in like-minded community.. where everyone is welcome, regardless of their age, skin color, or skill level. I LOVE that. Skydivers are a unique breed of people, so even in my seeking balance now, I still, and always will be, involved in our community and family… going to events, coaching people with heart, cheering on my man on Airspeed, etc. Skydiving will always be a part of who I am, and I will always be grateful for and take comfort in that.
SDC: You seem to be very pro-chick, it’s heartwarming, especially in a sport that’s pretty male dominated. Tell us a little about how the Chick’s Rock boogie evolved?
MC: Funny you say that, cause truthfully, I wouldn’t call myself pro-chick.. I’m pro-people. Chicks Rock Boogie was actually started two years before I got to Elsinore, and when I took the job working there full-time, that event was on the list of things I was in charge of. Because I’m so pro-positive vibes, I was so all about Chicks Rock because it always seemed like that event was just the awesomest vibes in skydiving! Totally grew on that, and went with the hook of it being a chick-themed thing, and I was a chick.. it worked out. I actually have always been one of those skydivers that does not support the women’s division in competition since this is a sport where we CAN compete at the highest level with men, and do. Eliana Rodriguez, Natasha Montgomery, Amy Chmelecki, just to name a few. So yeah, the whole chick thing actually annoyed me for a number of years. Then, in 2007, my teammate Meili Modini pestered and convinced me to attend the Women’s Vertical World Record. Because I was anti-segregation, I honestly wouldn’t have gone had it not been for Meili’s enthusiasm. Anyway, this experience ended up being one of the best skydiving experiences I had had to date in my entire career. There was no vibe of we’re-not-as-good-as-the-guys at all, in fact, it felt like a big version of my favorite thing in skydiving– a team. We all worked together, got the record, and for the first time I really GOT how inspiring it all is for all the women in the sport to have that type of experience to look forward to, that type of experience to motivate them, to include them, to lift them up in our male-dominated sport. Ever since then, I’ve been totally all about it. I get it. Finally! hahaa, and so glad that I can be a part of inspiring our latest surge in female participation… the latest record we just did was 41-women!!!! And there were nearly 60 of us in total between the record and the support team. That is truly incredible. So many lovely ladies found inspiration in this totally amazing possibility for us all, and you know what, we came together, and we fuckin did it. I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of it. LOVE YOU, LADIES!!!!!! (insert lots of smiles here)
SDC: So you recently made a pretty cool life decision when it comes to your work, want to fill everyone in on that, let people know how they can get some stellar life coaching?
MC: www.melaniecurtis.com!! Thanks for the plug, Ashley! hahaa.. yes, I actually just got 3 new clients this week, no joke!! Basically check out my website, and any questions or to set up a Sample Session, just email me at melaniejcurtis@gmail.com.
SDC: Any advice you’d like to give to the up and comers out there? Something you wish you’d known as a newbie skydiver?
MC: Jump, a lot.. be current… get coaching from someone good.. it’s soooooooooooooooooo worth it to get good coaching, guidance, and good habits from someone awesome straight out the gates. Undoing bad habits costs more in the end, and doing it up front saves us the frustration of sucking, makes us better sooner, and when we’re better, we have more fun. Just how it works. Same with life coaching! Wheee!
p.s. Mel practically vomited smiles all over this post, but my darn template is all wacky with emotocons these days, so be sure to reread the interview picturing her with this massive smile plastered on her face – as always!
Halloween at the Dropzone
Let’s see here: skydivers love to hang out after a day in the sky drinking it up on the ground – any reason for a party is a good one, right? And of course, what better reason that Halloween?
This is one day of the year where it’s totally acceptable to dress up in a funny costume and go out in public. It’s the one day of the year you legitimately get to be something that you’re not.
But for me, I dressed up as exactly what I am…let me explain.
We went out to the dropzone on Saturday, even with high winds. Gusts weren’t really in the equation, but the uppers were in the 40s. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a fan of the winds, so I grounded myself. That is, of course until the DZO and his wife wanted a second sunset load full of freeflyers and confirmed that the winds had calmed significantly.
All I have to say, is thanks Carolyn for making me go!
Then I packed up, or rather, trash packed up, and morphed back into the wind pussy that I am.
Yep, I went as a wind pussy for Halloween.
The party was small this year and people were a bit hesitant to get their costumes on, but once Andy came strolling in as one of the yip yip martians, the rest of us followed suit.
The food buffet was yummy and I even joined in on the party with a tequila sunrise or two, a rare occasion for me!
Thanks to Greg Drogaline for being the party photographer for the evening.
So what did y’all do for Halloween this year?
Blue skies!
Ashley
Winter Travel Time
Winter is fast approaching here in Chicagoland, and it’s about time to start thinking about a winter trip. Last year, as some of you might recall, Rick and I made a trip down to the Everglades boogie in Clewiston, FL. This is where I encountered lots of skydiving milestones like my first cutaway, my 100th skydive, my first shot from a closing pin ice luge, my first skyvan jump…the list goes on.
I was recently asked by a reader, “what is the best dropzone to travel to in the winter?” That’s a tough question to answer…I guess, it depends on what you’re looking for.
Let me elaborate.
Last winter, aside from the Clewiston boogie, we visited a few other dropzones in Florida and fell in love with Zhills (aka, Skydive City). The vibe is great, they have an Otter and a PAC, and they have everything you need right at the DZ. Everyone is so friendly, and it definitely lives up to it’s reputation as the friendliest dropzone in Florida. Though we didn’t attend, I hear the annual Christmas Boogie is pretty lovely.
I’ve also been lucky enough to visit other warm-weather dropzones like Skydive Carolina that have an incredible vibe. Everyone there was so willing to jump with you! Southern hospitality at it’s finest.
If you’re looking to head West, I do have to admit that I don’t have a whole lot of experience in this area, but I can tell you that Elsinore is pretty incredible. We were there for Chicks Rock at the beginning of October, and the otters were turning (as was the skyvan, for that weekend). For a Midwesterner, skydiving between the mountains was a pretty incredible site. I was also amazed with how friendly every was there (notice the trend here…if the staff and jumpers are friendly and welcoming, there’s a much greater chance that I’ll love jumping there. It adds to the experience more than you might think). Of course, I might be a bit bias as I was able to do a little bonding with Ms. Melsinore outside of the DZ before heading home…you may recall the Carls Jr. run in.
Anywhoosits, those are my recommendations for sure. Though I’ve yet to travel there, I’ve heard nothing but great things about Skydive Arizona as well. We’ve tossed around the idea of the Puerto Rico boogie, though it just might not be in the budget this time around.
I’d love to hear any other recommendations all you other jumpers have for winter travel. After all, though I’ve traveled at lot the last couple years, my experience is still pretty limited.
On another note, there are lots of end-of-season / Halloween parties going on this weekend at dropzones around the country. Very excited for my first Halloween at CSC, with a costume contest and $20 jumps for those who decide to jump in costume. I will be taking advantage of that!
If you’re not in the area, here are some other events you might consider checking out:
- Halloween Carnivale – Skydive Arizona: 10/29-10/31. Skydive Arizona goes huge for their Halloween event! Good jumps, good party and a FREE MIRAGE RIG to the best costume! They’ve got Otters, Skyvans, a DC3 and a balloon. They’ll have some kick ass load organizers too…one of my favorite chicks will be there (enjoy your trip Mel).
- “One Dirty Halloween” on the Farm – Skydive the Farm (Georgia): 10/29-10/31. 2 Otters, costume contest, charity raffle, load organizers and more!
- Skydive KY grand opening: 10/30. Skydive KY was asked by the airport to start the skydiving business again. Awesomeness!
Happy Halloween everyone!
Blue ones!
Ashley
I’d rather be skydiving — moving edition
I wish I had something skydiving related to share…truly I do. Unfortunately, in the last week I’ve only been able to get in one skydive (and it was a solo head down / stand practice — still need much more head down work, that’s for sure), what with the move from Cleveland to Chicago and all.
But I must say, it’s been instant happiness coming here. I love our new place out in the burbs, I love my office and finally being in the same location with people on my team, and I honestly kind of enjoy my commute — it gives me a chance to wind up and wind down from work and I get to do a little walking every day from Union Station to my office (well, I will once our office moves…lots of transitions going on at the moment).
I also love the fact that our new home dropzone (can you believe it, I’m actually calling a dropzone home for once! *gasp*) — Chicagoland Skydiving Center — is less than an hour away. No more 1:45 commute to skyjump. Yay!
The one piece of exciting news is that my new system is almost complete, with the upcoming delivery of my customer Sabre2. It’s going to be so pretty when it’s all done. I’ll be sure to post pics for you!!
Until then, it’s back to work and getting settled.
Blue Skies!
Ashley
Chicks Rock 2010
Five days in Southern California, delayed flights coming home, early morning for catching up at the office….needless to say I’m a little drained today.
But, that won’t stop me from giving a recap of the Chicks Rock boogie! Though I ask you to give me a little compassion on my writing skills as they aren’t up to par with only half a sleepy brain at work.
Anyhow, the 5 days we spent in LA were a blast! We showed up to the boogie on day 1 (Thursday) with high hopes to get in a handful of jumps while my aunt, uncle and cousins (the reason we were in LA to begin with) were all at work. Well, though we could see the blue skies, this nasty system sat over Skydive Elsinore and kept us on the ground.
So, we tried again on Friday. One jump and weather rolled in…so we headed out a little early.
Saturday the weather played much nicer and we were able to do some more skydiving. I was even able to get onto the sunset all-girls tracking dive with Melanie Curtis (aka, Melsinore). Which, can I just stop for a moment and say, what a cool freakin’ chick! Not just because she’s a totally badass skydiver and swooper, but because she has every reason to be arrogant and full of herself and she’s about as far from that as you can get! She did her best to include so many different girls on the all-chick jumps throughout the weekend (must say, I felt pretty great having her ask me to join the sunset tracking dive) and I’m amazed at how many names she was able to learn in such a short event. On top of that, when we ran into her randomly at the Carl’s Jr. by LAX, she didn’t hesitate to stop and bullshit with us for 10 minutes or so. And that girl knows how to throw a pretty great event!
Throughout the weekend we ran into people we’d met elsewhere, lots of badass skydiving chicks, mingled with the ladies at Blue Skies Mag and some of my favorites (read: Kelly and Gail) over at Infinity. The vibe was very chill and everyone was so friendly. I even heard a story on the packing mats that if you’re going to have a cutaway, Elsinore is the place to do it — apparently they’re quick to retrieve your main, freebag, and even you if you land off. That’s always comforting to hear! Definitely a place I’d like to visit again soon.
Needless to say we had a great weekend (aside from the intense heat that I wasn’t used to, but that’s an entirely different story altogether). Wish I had more than the one video to share, but my pictures from the nigh swoops didn’t come out, so you’ll have to live with that.
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
Love and Blue Skies!
Ashley
Transition Time
Apparently I’m back on this title alliteration thing…I probably like it less than you. I’ll work on it.
Anyhow, life has been busy lately since Work Stinks! There are a lot of things in the works and lots of exciting new changes coming up quick. All things that have kept me busy enough and poor enough to hinder my skydiving funds. But let me tell you, it’s worth every extra second I’ve had to spend on the ground.
Aside from the obvious upcoming wedding, we’ve got a trip to the West Coast in our near future for Chicks Rock at Skydive Elsinore. Okay, so not just for that! Actually, the original plan was to head to LA for an extended weekend to visit my uncle, aunt and cousins who I get to see once every 10 years. Well, it just so happens that it falls on the weekend of this incredible boogie and I’m beyond pumped to get to not only jump at a new dropzone but to meet up with some incredible people in the industry (I’m looking at you Gail). It’ll also give us a chance to start letting people in the industry know about the 3rd annual Jump for Diabetes!
Once we’re back from Chicks Rock and what will hopefully be a (much needed) relaxing vacation, it’s time to pack up and head out…for good. That’s right, we’re moving! A couple opportunities have come our way that just couldn’t be passed up, so we’ll be finishing out this season at our new home dropzone – Chicagoland Skydiving Center. As you’ve heard me say before, this is an incredible dropzone and one that we’re proud to call home…well, as much as us jet setters can call any place home I suppose.
(Check out those Blue Skies!)
As you can imagine, my spoiled ass is thrilled to have a full time Otter and PAC less than an hour from my door. Wee! Can’t wait to see everyone in October…it’s coming up fast!
So I guess all this is a lead up to a note that I might be a little absent for the next couple weeks. At the very least there will be an update after Chick Rock…cuz that’s pretty damn important, but don’t hold you breath for much else until we’re able to make our way over to Chicago and get internet access.
Hope y’all have some fun skydiving plans for the weekend. Live it up a little for me!
Love and Blue Skies!
Ashley