Posts Tagged ‘Drop Zones’

 

35th Anniversary of Canton Air Sports – 9. October, 2009

This weekend is the official celebration of the 35th anniversary of my home DZ, Canton Airsports in Alliance, OH.


As a dropzone that has become, literally, a weekend home to us NE Ohio jumpers, we’re excited to gather together and celebrate as a family.

DZ Family(A coincidental find by my good friend Christa in a local parking lot. Makes me smile!)



The caravan will once again be on loan from the ever generous John Hart of Start Skydiving. We’ve been lucky to have a bigger plane for certain weekends this year, including the inaugural, and highly successful, Jump for Diabetes that was held in August.


The weather is supposed to be beautiful in our neck of the woods this weekend too!


So hopefully, you’ll see us all in our glory, jumping and packing and dirt diving away, and spending some quality time together around the bon fire in celebration of 35 great years as a premier Ohio dropzone.

DZ group(Yep, we’re a crazy group, but we love each other! Photo courtesy of Lonnie Kirk)




If you’re in the area, stop on by for a load or two, or even an after-hours beer. All are welcome at Canton Airsports.


Where ever you end up this weekend…


Blue skies!


Ashley

2 Comments
Posted in Drop Zones, Jump buddies, Skydiving Community, Uncategorized

Two Boogie Weekend – 8. September, 2009

As I sit here and drown myself in coffee’s caffeinated goodness, I can’t help but think back to the incredible Labor Day weekend.

 

On Friday I was lucky enough to get out of work at 3 p.m. so I could head down to Cleveland Parachute to get in a couple jumps. It’d been forever since I was there and it was about time I got into the sky with some of my long-lost friends. 

 

Well it turned out to be a bust, with no pilot to be found. So I made a last minute decision to head to Skydive Tecumseh for the Hellfish Boogie – knowing full well that I wouldn’t be staying for the toga party Saturday night. But the 5 jumps of the day made it worth while.

 

It was a day of 2-ways, 3-ways, 6-ways, and even a 10-way to end the day. Every jump had points, too. Even if it was only one! :-)

 

After the 10-way I packed up and made the two and 1/2 hour drive back home, cleaned up and drove out to meet Rick for our trip down to Start Skydiving for the Work Stinks Boogie.

work stinks

 

 

A sleepless night and a four hour drive later we made it just in time for the sunrise load – can’t beat a $14 lift ticket!

 

There were three 2-way groups on the caravan – Rick and I were out last with a head down attempt. I really shouldn’t say attempt- it was a success. We were head down and stable almost immediately out the door. The speed of this freefly is incredible!

 

We broke off a little high and I decided to pull early so I could play around under canopy and be sure to find the dropzone. Of course, with me, that doesn’t mean I’m going to land on it. What can I say, the soy beans and I are becoming great friends.

 

The second jump of the day was our helicopter jump. A quick briefing on where not to grab and how not to fall, we were off and ready. Just as we got loaded, Norman Kent came over to us to film our ride up. I’m honored to have been filmed by him.

 

Heli3

Here’s one of the stills he sent to us!

 

Helicopter jumps are amazing. The pilot took us up to 4,500 ft and hovered while we literally fell off the aircraft. My exit was incredible. I stood, facing away from the helicopter, put my arms out and just fell. Into dead air. It was the most peaceful thing I’ve ever experienced. It took only 500 ft to make one full body rotation and get back belly to Earth. I pulled by 3 grand and made a beautiful slide-in landing, on the dropzone.

 

After packing back up it was time to relax. We met up with a group of former Cleveland Parachute jumpers and chatted for a while. Always great to meet skydivers who grew up where I did.

 

30+ hours of no sleep was setting in, so a couple hours in the afternoon was spent curled up in the corner of the hangar, napping. We woke up refreshed and ready to jump.

 

We manifested on an Otter load – Rick’s first time jumping an Otter (BEER!) and we did another freefly. Train exit to a sit. Rick let me go after about 1,500 feet and I held my first solo sit for about 20 seconds before flipping back belly to Earth and tracking away. Another fun slide in.

 

Clouds started rolling in and we called it quits for the day. It was by far the best day of skydiving I’ve ever had, with two incredible freeflys and a helicopter jump.

 

Labor Day was rained out. We cashed out at manifest and mingled with some regulars, Norman and the DZO for a bit. The dropzone is incredible. Located at the Warren County airport, the facilities are new and modern, with a hangar just for sport jumper packing. The crew there is incredibly down-to-Earth. I’ll certainly be headed back in the near future.

 

Soon after we made the drive back home and back to reality.Thankfully, it’s a short week and Patriot will be back at Canton Air Sports this weekend. Y’all know where to find me!

 

Blue skies!

 

Ashley

4 Comments
Posted in Drop Zones, Freefly, Jump buddies, RW, Skydiving Community

Boogie weekend – 3. September, 2009

This weekend is Labor Day, and for skydivers, that likely means attending a boogie, or three.

 

All around the country you’ll find some of the biggest boogies of the season. 

 

Let me take a step back here. Boogies, for those who may not be aware, are basically big skydiving parties. Dropzones host a boogie, usually bringing in different types of aircraft, sometimes balloons and helicopters, and skydivers travel hundreds of miles with their friends to camp out for the weekend to jump and party with (after hours of course) other like-minded skydivers.

 

richmond 2007(Photo from “The Boogie” 2007 at Skydive Richmond. The official boogie has been cancelled this year, however they’re still flying an Otter if you’re planning to head that way.)


Some of these boogies have world-record attempts too! This is the case for the Labor Day boogie I’ll be attending this year.

 

My friend Rick, you remember, the one who hosted the amazing Jump for Diabetes a few weeks back, and I will be heading down to Start Skydiving in Lebanon, Ohio for the Work Stinks Boogie.

 

They will have a Super Skyvan, two Caravans, a PAC 750XL, two Enstrom Helicopters, a 206 for hop-n-pops and their own Hot Air Balloon. 

Organizers include; 40 ways with Guy Wright. Other ways with John Woody and Niklas Hemlin. Swooping with Team Fastrax Swoop. CRW with John Hart and Travis Donley. Freeflying with Melanie Johnson and Brad Hunt.

 

There also will be some world record attempts going on. Follow me on Twitter to keep up on how that’s progressing.

 

It’s only $35 if you pre-register. Last I heard they had over 200 skydivers already registered. Should be an amazing time. Visit the Work Stinks Boogie page to register or find out more information.

 

Of course, if you’re not in the Midwest, or don’t feel like driving to Lebanon – but after all I just told you, there’s no excuse not to make that drive – here are some of the other Labor Day boogies that are happening.

 

  • Deadman Boogie III. Skydive Temple. Salado, Texas. 9/4-9/7. They’ll have an Otter and a helicopter, and a can’t miss toga party on Sunday. Specials for tandems including a $180 jump special with an $80 video package. See Dropzone.com for more info.

 

  • Tiki Bar Weekend. Skydive New England. Lebanon, Maine (not to be confused with Lebanon, OH). 9/4-9/7. With a Casa, Super Otter, and Helicopter, this boogie is not to be missed. PD and Sun Path will be there on tour this weekend for demos. Be sure to get out there and take advantage.

 

  • 4-day Otter Weekend. Skydive Gananoque. Ontario, Canada. “Feel the Breeze” lingerie jumps, freefly, wingsuit, hoop jumps and more. Click here for more information.

 

  • Labor Day Hellfish Boogie. Skydive Tecumseh. Tecumseh, Michigan. Between the Super Skyvan, Super Twin Otter, and C-182, there will be plenty of Freefly, RW and wingsuit organizing. Swoop competition. Come prepared for the infamous Hellfish Toga Party which is sure to please.

 

  • Fun after Competition Boogie. Dropzone Prostejov. Czech Republic. 9/7-9/13. World class freefly coaching and load organizing for freefly and RW. Check out Dropzone.com for more information.

 

What boogies are you planning to attend this year?

 

Where ever you end up this Labor Day weekend….

 

Blue Skies!

 

Ashley

1 Comment
Posted in Drop Zones, Jump buddies, Skydiving Community

Beer tab – 2. September, 2009

beer

 

It seems that my beer tab is increasing exponentially every time I set foot on the dropzone.

 

I owe for two firsts on Sunday alone! Gotta love being a newbie.

 

For those who are not familiar with dropzone beer rules, let me explain.

 

In skydiving, it is an unwritten law that after a milestone in the sport, you are to purchase a case of beer to celebrate said milestone. This beer is typically consumed around the after-hours bonfire where skydivers reminisce about the day’s jumps and bond over the beer purchased by other skydivers.

 

Milestones are often the “first” experiences: first solo jump, first 4-way, first 8-way, first off-landing, first cut away (in which case you also owe a bottle of liquor to your rigger for a successful reserve ride), first time jumping a new rig, etc. The list goes on.

 

Some DZs take these rules more seriously than others. I’ve been to places where, if you have more than one first on a single jump, you only owe one case.

 

I wish that were true at Skydive Tecumseh, where I participated in my first hoop dive while jumping my brand new rig for the first time. This also was Jeromy’s 300th jump for which he owes beer, if you follow the rules outlined here.

 

I make it a point not to draw attention to my firsts – not that it helps much. There’s always someone paying attention somewhere.

 

Here’s one of the videos that was captured of the hoop dive, courtesy of Jon Morrison. There were 9 of us that participated. It’s a bit of a zoo, as you’ll notice.

 

I’m the one giving the exit count. See my new rig? Isn’t it pretty!

 

And yes, that’s a barrel roll out the door. Not quite intentional. Oops. I initially flew around to the back side of the hoop with the intent of meeting people as they came through, then flew back around and held back as an observer. It was fun to watch from afar!

 

It was nice that Jeromy was able to get through the hoop first, as this jump was for him. I also enjoy when he tries to make it through again, and Jon turns the hoop and denies him!

 

Fun weekend, with lots of firsts. Oh, and I forgot to mention water training. Not much to tell there other than being submerged in a pond with five men in 50 degree weather. I may still be hypothermic, but it was surprisingly entertaining. 

 

So tell me, what do you still owe beer for?

 

Blue Skies!

 

Ashley

4 Comments
Posted in Around the bonfire, Drop Zones, Skydiving Community, Trends

Weekend happenings – 21. August, 2009

This weekend is panning out to be just as exciting as the last. As one that originally started out fairly laid-back in terms of jumping, I’ve managed to quickly load up my skydiving agenda.

 

Of course, I’m not complaining.

 

Saturday, Aerodyne will be at Skydive Tecumseh for a demo tour. This is a great chance for anyone who is thinking about getting a Pilot or Triathlon (read: me) to head on out and test their canopies and complete rigs at no cost. 

 

You better believe I jumped at this opportunity! (cheesy pun not intended)

 

Sunday I’ll be headed back to Canton Air Sports to jump with my friend Rick on his 200th and maybe even dabble with some free fly. I’ve been dreaming of giving my free fly skills a test for a while and now seems like an ideal time.

 

If you’re not near Tecumseh or Canton, below are a few other events around the world I recommend checking out. Oh, and if you are in the area, why don’t you come out and jump with me!

 

  • 8/22 – Target Skysports, UK. 50-way formation skydiving and Skyvan weekend event. Click here for more details.
  • 8/22 – 8/23 – Skydive City, Zephyrhills. PD demo weekend. Performance Designs will be setting up camp in Z-hills this weekend. Demo canopies and PD swag as expected. Check out Dropzone.com for more information.
  • 8/25 - Cross Keys & Freefall Adventures. Swoop club for all canopy pilots. More details at Dropzone.com.

 

Where ever you end up this weekend…

 

Blue Skies!

 

Ashley

6 Comments
Posted in Drop Zones, Skydiving Community, Skydiving Gear

Jump for Diabetes – 13. August, 2009

ada
 

As many of you who follow me on Twitter are probably aware – more like irritated, as I’ve crammed this announcement into your TweetDecks everyday – this weekend is the inaugural Jump for Diabetes at Canton Air Sports.

 

Organized by skydiver, and good friend, Richard Simenc, this event supports a great cause. With a goal of raising $20,000, all proceeds will benefit the American Diabetes Association to promote awareness and find a cure.

 

This event is more than just jumping from airplanes. We’ll be having bands, raffles, auctions and giveaways including a free skydive or airplane ride every three hours from 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15 through 10 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 16.

 

If you have interest in helping support the ADA by pledging jumps or buying raffle tickets (you don’t need to be present to win the grand prizes that include a free A-license package, jump credit, and cold hard cash to name a few) e-mail me: theskydivechick {at} gmail {dot} com.

 

For more details on the event, visit http://www.jumpfordiabetes.com. 

 

Better yet, come on our to Canton Air Sports this weekend and support this great cause in person, meet some amazing skydivers, and jump with me!

 

Blue Skies!

 

Ashley

1 Comment
Posted in Drop Zones, Jump for a Cause, Skydiving Community

I'd Rather be Skydiving – 10. August, 2009

The last five days, which were spent in Southern California with my old college crew, was the first of my non-skydiving weekends since I began my adventures in the sky.

 

As much fun as I had with hiking, beaching and trying to drink like we did in college without ruining my liver, I couldn’t help but look up at the perfect blue skies on occasion, wishing I was playing in them.

 

The sky is my playground.

 

Coincidentally, two of my weekend warrior friends happened to be in the area too. However, they were lucky enough to hit up Skydive Elsinore for a fun jump on Sunday – mere hours after my flight departed. Next time guys!

 

But the five days off were a much needed break from reality and a great reunion with my favorites from college. Luckily, the time off didn’t last long and I was back in the air today with a quick couple jumps at Skydive Tecumseh. More on that later. 

 

Blue Skies!

Ashley

0 Comments
Posted in Drop Zones, I'd Rather Be Skydiving

DZ Friends – 15. June, 2009

skydive-friends

The importance of drop zone friends is highly underrated.

These last couple months at my home drop zone I have had the pleasure of meeting not only some great skydivers, but some wonderful friends as well.

It’s a great feeling when you head out to the DZ on a busy weekend and are welcomed by all the regulars. It’s like a little skydiving family out there. Everyone is cheering on everyone else, excited to see the reactions from the first timers, enjoying the crazy parachuting tricks of the veterans. 

It’s comforting to know that, for me at least, everyone is looking out for me. It is not uncommon to be headed out to the plane and get stopped two or three times by different jump masters who want to look over my equipment one more time. This, of course, is welcomed. You can never be too careful.

I’m still meeting new faces every weekend, but the more regulars I meet, the more I feel like Cleveland Parachute is a home.

Do y’all feel this way about your home DZ too?

Blue Skies!

Ashley

1 Comment
Posted in Drop Zones

The First Five – 1. June, 2009

Well, this newbie skydiver has successfully completed her first five jumps! Here’s what they looked like, in a nutshell.

#1 – Tandem at Skydive Miami.

After a Caribbean vacation we decided to go out with a bang and skydive. Going in for a one time thrill I never imagined that I would fall so madly in love with the sport.

tandem-1

#2 – Tandem Progression at Cleveland Parachute Center (now my home DZ).

This time around I knew I was headed down the path of becoming a skydiver. At this point, I wasn’t quite comfortable going it on my own. So with 30 minutes of on-the-ground training, learning hand signals and the importance of altimeter checks, I was strapped to Dan for a free fall from 10,500 and deployed my own ‘chute. At that moment I was hooked!

(Unfortunately, no photos of this jump.)

#3 – AFF #1 at Cleveland Parachute Center.

After 5 hours of one-on-one training on the ground I went up with my own parachute. My nerves got the best of me and the free fall didn’t go as smoothly as we’d all hoped. An instructor was lost along the way but I still managed to pull at 5,500 and steer the canopy in for a soft landing. This was a big learning jump for me, and I figure, what a better time to make mistakes to learn from? After all, I’ve got two instructors right there to help me with the necessary corrections.

picture-7

#4 – AFF #2 at Cleveland Parachute Center.

I was determined to have a near perfect skydive this time. So I came back to the drop zone the next morning and was the first jump of the day. Success! My nerves were calmed as I knew what to expect this time around and overall the skydive felt great.

picture-14

#5 – AFF #3 at Cleveland Parachute Center.

This weekend I headed out for another early morning skydive. It was cold in the sky, very cold. So I donned gloves and a hooded sweatshirt under my jumpsuit. This time we performed team turns. I felt much more aware of my leg positioning and even got a couple thumbs up in free fall. Tried to squeeze in another jump later in the day but life got in the way and time ran short. 

thumbs-up

I’ll be back though, next weekend. You can count on that.

Blue Skies!

Ashley

0 Comments
Posted in Free Fall, Lessons Learned

Weekend happenings – 29. May, 2009

Here are some of the events taking place this weekend in the skydiving community.

Blue skies!

Ashley

0 Comments
Posted in Skydiving Community

RSS Feed

SkydiveChick RSS Feed

Pages

Become a fan!

Skydive Chick on Facebook

Flickr Account

www.flickr.com
ashleymead's items Go to ashleymead's photostream

20-Something Blogger


Visit 20 Something Bloggers

Archives

Tags

What’s going on at Skydive PA

Skydive Pennsylvania on Facebook

Blogroll

Categories

 

March 2010
M T W T F S S
« Feb    
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031