Until just before hitting publish, the title of this post was “Safety Day is on it’s way” but I didn’t want to be run out of town due to the cheese factor, so I thought better of it. You’re welcome!

Finally, the day we’ve all been waiting patiently (or not so patiently) for is here…well, at least those of us in the north have been waiting.

SAFETY DAY! What else?

This day marks the beginning of a brand new skydiving season – and let me tell you I’m beyond excited. We’ll be heading down to Skydive PA this year for some safety seminars and hopefully some skydiving if the weather cooperates!

More importantly, we’ll get to spend QT with all those skydiving friends we haven’t seen in months.

I feel pretty lucky to have, for the most part, kept in touch with most of my jumping buddies this winter. At the very least we’ve chatted on Facebook, and on occasion we’ve gotten together for some fun winter activities.

But there’s nothing quite like being back at the DZ, skydiving all day and chilling with a beer in hand after the sun goes down. This is going to be a good season indeed.

Though March 13th is the official Safety Day according to the USPA, there are a number of DZs that will be holding their festivities in the coming weeks – here’s a snapshot of what’s going on in the community:

• 3/13 – Safety Day at Aerohio. Another great DZ just South of Cleveland. Highly recommended if you’re in the area! Check out the Facebook event listing to find out more.
• 3/11-3/14 Skydive Expo – not to be forgotten or neglected, going on in Deland Florida now! Check out the Facebook Fan page here!
• 3/19 – 3/20 Safety Day the evening of the 19th, followed by Opening Day at Skydive Chicago. Learn more about their events on the web site.
• 3/27 – Safety Day at Skydive the Ranch. If the weather, and my wallet, cooperate, I might head up that way myself!

What are your plans for Safety Day?

Blue skies!


Ashley

Last week I had to call my auto insurance provider to update my address – seeing as I moved back in December I thought it was about time!

After making the necessary adjustments, my agent asks me if I’m interested in a life policy, and she starts telling me how I should do this being a non-smoker in good health and in my 20s..yadda yadda.

I let her finish and then inform her that I likely don’t qualify as I am a skydiver…here’s how the conversation panned out from that point:

Agent: Oh really….hmm…. that’s an interesting hobby.

SDC: Yeah, I really like it (because honestly, what else was I going to say?)

Agent: How often do you really do it? It can’t be a frequent thing, right?

SDC: I’ve jumped 100 times in less than a year.

Agent: Oh…well, wow. That’s a lot.

SDC: In the grand scheme of things, it’s really not. There are people out there who jump 3, 4, 10 times that amount.

Agent: So then technically, we can say you do it rarely, for a skydiver.

SDC: I dunno if I’d go that far…it’s rare in the winter, if that counts for anything.

Agent: Well, just for shits and giggles (yes, she really used those words) let’s send this in for a quote and see what they come back with. Given that this is really the only thing you have against you, it might go through…never know.

And to my surprise, it did! The cost difference really isn’t that much, either. I’m even covered if I die skydiving. Heck yeah!

So to all my fellow 20-something, non-smoking, in overall general good health skydiving friends out there, check with your insurance provider, you may be able to get a good option to cover you in the event of the unspeakable. Your loved ones will be thankful you did.

Blue ones!

-Ashley

Winter skydiving adventures this February have been slow – as in, non-existent. It’s either been too cold or cloudy or snowy/rainy to get out there, so I continue to reminisce on the adventures that were had during the Florida trip.

As I mentioned, once the weather turned sour on the Everglades boogie, we headed up to Orlando in hopes of getting some tunnel time. But lack of slots and, more appropriately, lack of funds, kept us from testing it out ourselves. On the positive side, we did have an opportunity to watch a couple freeflyers tackle sitfly issues that we’re currently trying to master: fall rate matching and relativity.

In the short amount of time we watched we were able to pick up some pointers from these two. It’s amazing what watching a couple of siflyers in the act can do to help improve your form in the sky.

(They have similar issues as she is significantly shorter and smaller than her partner)

Rick’s been tinkering with different leg positioning to catch more air and I’m working on staying as straight up and down as possible. It’s amazing what small adjustments can do. By putting my legs down just a little I help my fall rate (of course, the addition of a weight belt has helped too) – and with shoulders back and down the backsliding nearly disappears!

By the time we left Z-hills a couple days later we were feeling great about the improvement!

Now, if only we can get back in the sky soon to keep working on it. How’s the winter jumping been treating you this year?

Blue Skies!

Ashley

Last week the Jan/Feb issue of Blue Skies Magazine came out. This is an event I look forward to each month as it helps me keep up on what’s going on around the skydiving community.

It’s thanks to Blue Skies that I found the Everglades Boogie in the first place – had it not been for their calendar we never would have had the fabulous experience in Florida a few weeks back.

Anyway, I’m getting away from my point here…

One of the columns I enjoy reading is Jump a Random Stranger which is always the back page of the magazine. They ask a number of fun questions to get you acquainted with the skydiver (or BASE jumper) of the month.

A question they always ask pertains to the jumpers’ favorite skydiving songs. This is something that’s close to my heart. When I started skydiving there were a few songs that I always listened to before jumping and as I’ve grown in the sport, I’ve added to this playlist. Yes, there is actually an iPod playlist called skydiving on my Nano.

So today I’m using Blue Skies Magazine as an inspiration to talk about my favorite skydiving songs. Below is my list, with explanations for the one’s that aren’t so obvious.

1. Pocket Full of Sunshine; Natasha Bedingfield – This song was on my brother’s tandem video. This was before I started skydiving and every time I heard it my blood started pumping a little harder.
2. Major Tom (Coming Home); Peter Schilling – The first song I heard after my tandem skydive in Miami. Sure, it’s about space travel, but the lyrics hit home and it stuck. Was always a song I listened to before AFF jumps.
3. Jai Ho; A. R. Rahman – No good reason, it was just on my iPod playlist during AFF training.
4. The Adventure; Angels & Airwaves
5. Untouched; The Veronica’s – AFF #2, I found myself singing this on the plane ride to altitude. It calmed my nerves. Over time, it pumped me up. Been on the playlist ever since.
6. Come Clarity; In Flames – this was one of the songs that came up on Danger’s playlist every weekend at Cleveland Parachute. Lots of memories in these lyrics.
7. Welcome to the World; Kevin Rudolf – it just fits.
8. Streetlight; Derby – I used this when editing a video and now I can’t listen to it without thinking of skydiving.
9. What I’ve Done; Linkin Park – another one that Danger used when editing videos.
10. Free Falling; Tom Petty – duh!

There are more, but so as to not lose your interest I’ll stick with a lit of 10. There’s a lot of hard rock that makes me think of skydiving, mainly from the music that was playing at the DZ when I was a student, but this is a good start.

Now it’s your turn – tell me, what are your favorite skydiving songs, and why?

Blue ones!

Ashley

With only two weeks left till the Everglades Boogie down at Skydive Air Adventures, I’m feeling the skydiving bug big time!

It’s been a couple weeks since my last jump at Skydive PA – you remember, the one where we landed off because of high winds and a bad spot?

But I said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s nothing quite like a sunset jump the day after Christmas!

After arriving at work this morning only to find out that the server was down, I took some time to reminisce over the many photos and videos from the past season. It gets me pumped up for the upcoming boogie and the new experiences I’m bound to have there.

Looking back on all the firsts, I wanted to share some of the most memorable one’s today. Oh the beer that was purchased for these…

*First jump on my new rig. This was also my first hoop dive and my friend’s 300th jump. I’m giving the exit count here. You can see my beautiful new Infinity strapped to my back.

(Video by Jon Morrison)

*First helicopter jump at my first boogie. Y’all have already seen this picture taken by Norman Kent at the Work Stinks Boogie on Labor Day weekend at Start Skydiving numerous times, but I thought I’d share again!

*First balloon jump. This was a long time coming as I initially tried to do one at the Work Stinks Boogie but couldn’t.

*First charity event (Jump for Diabetes) and first (and hopefully only) canopy collision. It’s not something I’m proud of, but this is a reminder image for all canopy pilots out there.

*First time chasing a tandem. Thanks to friend and tandem master Tod for letting this happen!

*First horny gorilla and the first time tacking someone out of a moving aircraft (I like to combine my first, if you haven’t noticed).

Of course, there are a whole host of other firsts that I’ve left off (like the first jump with my freefly partner, which was also my first freefly ever; first off landing, , but with these you get visuals .

Oh, but there is one more cool thing I’d like to announce. I’m officially on Facebook! Head on over to the Skydive Chick fan page and become a fan! I’ll post all my photos, videos, update y’all on the latest posts and other events that are happening – some of which may not make it here.

I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

Blue skies!

Ashley

When I first started jumping, online resources for skydivers were few and far between. Sure, there’s USPA.org when you’re in need of some SIM information or updates to the BSRs, and the Skydiver Network which was started on Ning with good intentions, however doesn’t get much traffic.

Dropzone.com is essentially the online Bible for skydivers and provides information on just about anything in the jumping world, but there really wasn’t anything social and interactive for skydivers aside from the forums – which in my opinion, can be cumbersome when you’re looking for something specific.

This lack of online interaction among skydivers is precisely why I started this blog – for those of us who are stuck behind a computer during the week and not jumping (like we all know we’d rather be doing), blogs and other social networks are great resources for sharing and connecting with other skydivers.

Over the course of the season, I noticed more and more sites and online resources for skydivers popping up. From the launch of DZsocial – where I have been a featured blogger, and some of you may have discovered this site – to the site tied to the new Blue Skies Magazine, to other skydiving bloggers like myself, and even new Facebook groups and pages targeted toward the skydiving community, the information online seems to be overflowing these days.

Here are the few of the resources I have found to be helpful, and a little bit about their functionality:

Social Networks

• DZsocial – still in it’s infancy, this social network has great potential to become what Skydiver Network had intentions of becoming. Head on over there and start a profile today!
• Jumperr – another fairly new online resource, acts as a social network that tracks your jumps. A fun online jump log where you can post photos and detailed memories that just won’t fit in the little space in your log book.

Web sites – Aside from USPA.org and Dropzone.com, here are a few sites where I like to get my skydiving information.

• Swoop Girls – a site for female canopy pilots, those interested in swooping or not. There’s also a great mission: to educate female skydivers on proper canopy piloting.
• Blue Skies Magazine – fun updates, videos and pictures. HIGHLY recommend subscribing to the magazine, though. The information is more comprehensive and, honestly, it’s a fun read! You can follow them on Twitter* as well, for frequent updates on happenings in the skydiving community.
• TraventureMan – a new online adventure and travel series, where episodes will feature interviews with adrenaline junkies, travel aficionados, and much more. As one of the interviewees at Bridge Day this year, and being the girl who coaxed host John into doing his first skydive at my home DZ, I’m a huge advocate. Be sure to check him out on Twitter too!
• BLiNC Magazine – a great resource for BASE jumpers and wingsuiters. They also have a Twitter handle where frequent updates provide all kinds of information on the sport!
• Skydivergirls.tv – another online video series – this time one that focuses on women jumpers. Sponsored by Aerodyne, this is a great resource for all women who skydive or aspire to one day.

Twitter - this online network has drawn a number of skydivers to chronicling their jumping experiences on the Web. As a marketer, I’m a big fan of Twitter. You can follow my Tweets here. I also recommend the following handles:

• @skydiveforums – they actually do have a forums site, too. But as someone who’s not a fan of the cumbersome forum structure, I prefer the Tweets that provide me with important updates.
• @TwittSkydiver – for those skydivers searching for other skydivers to follow.
• @peterdierx – one of my favorite skydivers from The Netherlands. He’s always got great skydiving videos to share
• @skydive4ever
• @skydiver – marketer, PR guru and skydiver. Those of us who were a little late to the Twitter game all envy his handle.

Blogs – because this isn’t the only blog you should be reading!

• Infiniteskydiving’s Weblog. A fairly new find for me, thanks to a link on Blue Skies Mag. Frequent updates during the peak of the skydiving season.
• CSC Blog. Chicagoland Skydiving has their own blog. It’s really more of an “updates” section that isn’t updated as frequently as a blog, but it’s information on the DZ, nonetheless. We definitely need to see more of this on dropzone web sites. As an experienced jumper, reading the experiences at the DZ firsthand would certainly help me make a decision to visit.
• Skydivedudes. As the Skydive Chick, naturally I’m drawn to the skydive dudes!
• Skydiving (the blog): skydiver.wordpress.com. This was the site that ultimately inspired me to become a blogging skydiver. It was nice to read about the experiences of someone as they progressed in the skydiving world.
• SkydiveBlog. By author and skydiver Jeromy Alexander, who is a regular and coach at Skydive Tecumseh in Michigan. He’s also on Twitter if that interests you.

What are some of the sites and resources that you utilize online? What about outside of the skydiving world – any networks that have helped you find your niche?

Blue skies!

Ashley

They say the older you get, the harder it is to pick up on things the way you could as a kid. And for the most part, I’ve found this to be true. Living in Texas, I couldn’t learn anything beyond the basic Spanish I was taught in high school – even when I was surrounded by my Spanish-speaking co-workers.

There has been an exception to this rule for me – in skydiving.

Every time I jump I learn more about the sport. I’m catching on to freefly, grasping the elements of body control, and finding new ways to manipulate the air to my liking. Not to mention all the skills I’ve gained under canopy in less than 100 jumps.

The problem with this is, the days I have when I just don’t seem to be getting it.

Sure, we all have those days where we know what we should be doing, and how we should be doing it, but we’re struggling with the execution. And yes, it’s frustrating. It’s even more frustrating when, for the past couple months, these skills have seemed to come almost naturally.

I don’t consider myself a natural when it comes to skydiving (or anything, for that matter), because really, what’s natural about the human body flying through the air at speeds of 120+ mph. Not much, if you ask me.

Lately though, it seems like the learning curve has leveled out a little. Rick and I are spending our practice jumps working on perfecting specific freefly skills, trying to get certain docks and formations down, and it’s going a little slower than I’m comfortable.

It seems that when I first started in freefly I was picking up on the skills quickly – sitting came easy to me, and after a couple jumps with some highly-skilled freeflyers I learned how to go head down. But it’s the little things that are tripping me up – docking, transitions, you get the idea.

(*Photo courtesy of Skydive Fargo)

So the jumps as of late have the same dive plan, as we work to perfect the skills needed to be good freeflyers. I just wish I could be more patient with myself and realize that not everything is going to be learned in one skydive.

What skills have you found yourself struggling with – whether in skydiving or not – and how have you handled the frustrations that come along with this learning curve?

Blue skies!

Ashley

We’ve all been there. Walking into a dropzone, practically shaking with nerves, knowing you’ll shortly be jumping out of an airplane for the first time.

On top of that, you’re entering a new world. A place that experienced jumpers call home, where the people are a community of their own. It’s completely new territory. And can be rather intimidating.

But from what I’ve seen this season, it’s all what you make of the experience.

As a girl who’s visited and jumped at seven different dropzones this year, I’ve become accustom to beng the DZ newbie Luckily, almost every experience has been beyond positive.

(Dirt diving a hybrid with friends I’ve met in and around my home DZ)

Skydivers are some of the most welcoming and encouraging people around. We love having visitors at our home DZ and we welcome new jumpers and students with open arms. It’s not uncommon for experienced skydivers to recruit  new students, either. After all, expanding our niche community with cool new jumpers can only be a good thing, right?

This was highly apparent last weekend when my buddy John from Traventure Man came down to my home DZ to do his first tandem. John’s enthusiasm and excitement for the sport helped him fit right in to the culture of our fast-paced DZ – he wasn’t just another passive tandem student.

Hopefully, John will be back on the skydiving scene soon.

Sure, it can be nerve racking to be a newbie in the sport, but with time, determination and involvement, every DZ newbie can become a valued member of the community.

I’m so thankful that this community is such a welcoming one. Can’t wait to get back out there and play in the sky with everyone this weekend.

Blue Skies!

Ashley

With the weather we had this weekend, it’s hard to believe we are already into the month of November.

Of course, I’m not complaining – that is, aside from the 20+ mph winds that kept us from flying on Saturday.

Sunday, on the other hand, was a different story. A number of my jumping buddies were turbine chasing that day, but Rick and I headed down to Canton Airsports to spend what could be one of the last good jumping days of the season at our home DZ.

With two C-182s running, we were able to knock out three great jumps during the day.

The first was a standard train exit into a sit. Rick and I did the train with Paul hanging out on the strut. It was fun to get to sitfly with Paul for a change.

*Photo by Ken Daidone

On the ride up Paul mentioned that he had a ProDytter for sale and asked if I would be interested. As a freeflyer who’s been skydiving without an audible, I jumped at his offer (no pun intended). After the jump he handed me the Dytter and it went straight into my helmet for immediate use!

The next jump was a very fun freefly! For our exit I attempted to tackle Rick off the strut. In the video it appears that I do so quite successfully, however if he wouldn’t have grabbed me I’m not so sure we would have pulled it off.

From there we went straight into a horny gorilla, and Randy and Joe chased us down. You’ll notice Randy came in a little hot…at this point we broke off and I sat until it was time to deploy. The Dytter worked it’s magic and was screaming, as it should have been, when I dumped. I can tell this device is going to change my freefly experience!

*Video by Richard Simenc

The last jump of the day was a tandem chase. John from over at Traventure Man came to CAS to do his first skydive and we paired him up with our buddy Tod.

After exit I sat to get level with the tandem and watched them from a distance. It was cool to see them deploy, at which point I began tracking toward the DZ as the spot was a little long. During my track I missed one of the most exciting parts of the skydive: Tod’s cutaway.

*Photo by Sandy Weltman  (Tod and John under the crispy white reserve.)

With a line over, Tod asked John if he was ready to do it again, and with a “hell yeah!” Tod cut away and gave John a 2 for 1 deal.

*Photo by Sandy Weltman (Load 9 safely back on the ground.)

Hope everyone got out and enjoyed this beautiful fall weather. Fingers crossed for some more weekends just like this.

Blue Skies!

-Ashley