Holiday Wishes

Holy crap, it’s already 4 days before Christmas. Where on Earth did this year go?!

The holidays are always a funny time of year. Some people cherish the time they get to spend with friends and family, others dread it. I’m lucky to say that I fall in the former category.

Since college I’ve always lived hours from my family, who, for the most part, all reside within an hour of each other in the mitten (Michigan, for those of you who are geographically challenged) – weather by car or plane, I’ve been a solid 4 hours away.

The holidays for me has always reflected the ability to head home and spend some QT with the fam. There’s not enough time spent together for burnout. Arguments over the holidays are rare with my family, though most of us tend to let a lot roll off our shoulders, so that helps.

But what am I saying, this isn’t about me.

I want to talk about holiday wishes. Everyone has things they wish for during the holidays, weather it’s the latest, greatest TV on the market to appear under the Christmas tree, getting the chance to kiss that someone special under the mistle toe, or simply that the holidays will be happy and stress-free, everyone has hopes of what this time with family will bring.

For me, aside from wanting a peaceful, wonderful experience with my family and my in-laws (as I wish the same for each and every one of you), my biggest wish is that the JDRF will receive more funding than they’ve ever seen this holiday season.

As most of you know, diabetes research is close to my heart. Jump for Diabetes was founded to help find a cure for this disease that touches just about everyone, in one way, shape, or form, and I want nothing more than to see the JDRF succeed!

This year, I’m asking friends and family, rather than giving presents that may or may not get used, to donate to the JDRF and help find a cure for diabetes. Every little bit helps, and I know most are strapped during the holidays, but giving doesn’t have to just happen now. Any time of the year, a few extra dollars can really help take research to the next level.

So, if you’re feeling extra generous head on over to http://jdrfillinois.org and click that Donate button. In the special instruction, be sure to mention Jump for Diabetes so we can keep a running tally of how much this wonderful community has supported the cause.

Wishing you and yours a very, merry holiday season.

Love and blue skies!

Ashley

Quite the mouth

No, that’s not a typo, the title of this post is “quite the mouth” as in, “he’s got quite the mouth on him.” Not quiet the mouth, as in “quiet that mouth of yours before I do it for you,” but the latter does tend to apply at times.

As skydivers, we live in this community where people love to talk about themselves. The seasoned jumpers love to talk about their latest badass swoops or the world record  they were a part of. Intermediate jumpers can’t wait to tell everyone about their first head down they [think they] stuck or the new friendship they’ve sparked with this or that load organizer. Even recently licensed jumpers can’t wait for fresh student meat to come in to force feed their own personal AFF stories.

It goes without saying (but, I’m going to say it anyhow) that sometimes it can be pretty irritating to hear other jumpers talk incessantly about how great they [think they] are.

But the truth of the matter is, sometimes, this is where we can learn the most as skydivers. How many of you out there – show of hands – were told at one time or another during your student training that often times you’re on the ground more than you’d like to be, and the best way to continue your education is to listen to what the other skydivers are talking about?

My hand is up on that one.

Especially here in the North where weather plays more of a factor than, say, in SoCal, it’s not uncommon for students to sit around picking their nose waiting for winds to cooperate. But while you’re fishing for that gewy one behind your eyeball, talk to some of the others on the ground (or, remove said finger from your nostril, wash your hands and approach the nearest seasoned skydiver for a chat).

Seek out those with ratings (instructors, S&TAs and the like) to give solid safety advice. Talk to those who are both seasoned (we’re talking 500, 1000+ jumps here kids) to hear their stories from years in the sport. But, let’s not forget the newbies in the sport either. After all, they (we) recently went through student progression and can tell you a thing or two about that weird, awkward period after getting your A license. The “now what the fuck?” phase, as I like to call it.

Of course, this doesn’t just go for what USPA considers “students.” Just because we have our A (or B or C or even D) licenses, doesn’t mean the learning stops. As I see it, we should be learning MORE. We’re [ideally] jumping more, traveling to new places, meeting new jumpers … shouldn’t we be getting educated along the way as well? Learning from each and every person we encounter (even if what we’re learning is how not to do something)?

It’s important to be able to adapt to new surroundings, to understand about the aircraft you’re hucking yourself from, to know DZ landing patterns, to know how to get out of an icky situation in a pinch. All this comes with experience, sure, but you can learn so much from those “annoying” mouths out there that, at first, might seem to be rather obsessed with themselves.

Learning to filter out the bullshit is an important skill in the skydiving industry – but that doesn’t mean you should stop listening altogether. So on those days where your local skygod is like fingernails on a chalkboard, maybe you should stop and ask yourself if maybe you should quiet your mouth and listen.

Blue ones!

Ashley

False alarm

The forecast didn’t look favorable for last weekend – not one bit. With a 60% chance of early afternoon thunderstorms, the crew pretty much assumed Saturday would be 1 and done as far as skydiving goes. Sunday looked even worse, with an 80% chance of storms all day.

Lucky for us, we were only weathered out for a short burst of cloudiness on Saturday and still got 15 loads up.

I was especially thankful as I had not been in the air since South Carolina – so I was jonesing BAD.

At sundown on Friday night, the 2nd annual Tom Watson party started. It included catering, gun shooting, couch burning, good friends, and a beer fire truck..seriously, look!

*Photo by Mary Margaret Briggs

Oh, and there were also lots of great skydives! Joe Lunardi was the load organizer for the day, and he put together some great group freeflying and a fun tracking dive.

Here’s some proof from the weekend

This was also the first weekend for me and my 10 pound weight belt. That’s a story for another day.

Sunday’s weather panned out as expected – with lots of rain. But it was still a fun time at the dropzone, hanging out with friends, watching videos and chatting the day away!

Hope y’all had a good weekend! Looking forward to doing it again soon!

Blue Skies!

Ashley

Winter vacation: skydiving

Last year, after taking a week-long trip to the Caribbean at the end of the winter, I made a decision that every year I’d take at least one vacation to warmer climates to rejuvinate. Trips of 5+ days are just plain good for the soul.

Naturally, this year my trip will revolve around skydiving – which is also highly beneficial to the soul, if I do say so myself.

(Do you think they skydive in Bora Bora?)

The dilemma that keeps rearing it’s ugly head is the where factor. Mid-season this year we had a number of friends who were planning a trip to Eloy for a week around Valentine’s Day. I was pumped! It was skydiving buddies from Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. But recent conversations prove that people are changing their minds at a quick clip.

Between boogies in Puerto Rico, Florida and Arizona throughout the winter, we skydivers are torn on where to end up.

Personally, I wouldn’t mind going to Florida and visiting a few DZs, including Skydive Miami where my career started at the end of my last vacation. But I also know that sticking to a single DZ and/or boogie will be a much more relaxing experience than chasing DZs for a week.

(With instructor Randy on the skydive that changed my life)

As of now, it’s me and my freefly partner making plans. Of course, we’re both pretty bad when it comes to making definititve decisions. It would be great to have other friends come along as well, though if it just ends up being us, I’m sure we’ll have no problem making new freefly friends at a week-long boogie.

So what are y’all planning for winter skydiving? Anyone going to an exciting boogie in warmer climates? We’re open to suggestions.

Blue skies!

Ashley

Trust among skydivers

*Photo by Lonnie Kirk

“You can trust a skydiver with your life, but not your money or your wife.”

This is one of many sayings that I’ve heard in the recent past – and not all of them are specific to the skydiving community. I’ve had ski and snowboard friends quote similar lines like, “you never lose your girlfriend, you only lose your turn.”

But that’s not the point. Believe it or not, this isn’t about relationship theft among athletes, it’s about trust.

Skydiving is a sport where you’re regularly trusting others with your safety. Whether it’s the pre-flight pin check, jumping with newbies on big-ways, or having someone pack your parachute, there’s some element of trust that needs to be involved.

You need to trust that these people are going to be thorough in their gear check, that they’re going to be safe on a dive, that they’ll double-check their work. And just like all other relationships, you have to trust that people care enough to take the proper precautions in the air and on the ground.

This is something I’ve come to learn with my regular jump buddies. I don’t think twice about asking any of my skydiving friends to give me a pin check or set my Cypress after donning my rig (what can I say, occasionally my mind slips and I’m too lazy or in too much of a rush to take off my rig before the next load). I’m always willing to try something new and exciting in the sky with my freefly partner. In fact, he’s the first person I turn to when I have any sort of doubt.

*Photo by Sandy Weltman

(Freefly partners in crime!)

Every skydiver needs a voice of reason. I’m extremely lucky to have someone so close to me who’s so supportive.

When I was going through student training, my instructor Tom was always there to provide insight. Having gone through ground school with him, I learned quickly that I could turn to him with any question, concern or issue that arose. In fact, I still can.

There aren’t many skydivers that I jump with regularly, or have jumped with in the past for that matter, that I don’t trust with just about any element of the sport. Of course, I do like to do my own packing – but that’s just one of those things.

The more time I spend in the sport, around other jumpers at different events and dropzones, the more I realize just how important trust is.

Doubts that creep up in your gut, the ones that make you stop and question, are there for a reason. If there’s someone you don’t trust in a certain situation, maybe you should avoid it if possible. Safety needs to come first, and sometimes listening to your gut – even if it means sitting out a load or not participating in a particular jump – is the safest option.

*Photo by Paul Iglin

(Recent balloon jump: this weekend I encountered a number of great jumpers that are extremely trustworthy. Great jumping with you, Neil!)

Finding other jumpers you can trust is critical to a happy, healthy skydiving career. As in life, positive relationships are built on trust, and what’s more fun than having lots of positive skydiving relationships to count on?

Blue Skies!

Ashley

Oh the memories

So I had every intention of speaking in greater detail today about some of the freefly jumps that were completed this weekend – with video and everything.

But, the video isn’t cooperating, which is a sign that it’s just not meant to be today.

Instead, I’d like to document some of my favorite memories from this season. There have been so many, and with the colder weather coming in (up here in the North, that is), what a better time to reflect on the season and document the best memories in permanent fashion – here on the interwebs.

Let’s go back in time, shall we, and dig up those events, photos, quotes, and times spent around the bonfire that made this season so great.

-Getting to be Bob’s last AFF student at Cleveland Parachute. What an amazing skydiver – and a great friend!

*Photo by Dan Mathie

-Working demos for Danger at Nelson Ledges.

*Photo by Ashley Mead

-Making the move to Canton Air Sports as my home DZ and meeting so many great people in such as short amount of time.

-Completing water training in a pond with 5 men on one of the coldest mornings of the summer.

-Using my on-the-ground photography skills to help out Lonnie during the busy times at Canton Air Sports.

*Photo by Lonnie Kirk (one of my first mentors and an incredible photographer)

-Howling with pure excitement under canopy when I finally got my track down.

-The nervousness and pure thrill of jumping my first pack job on my new rig.

(Not my first jump on the rig, but a recent photo of an approach)

-Passing my A-license check dive with Tom, my first instructor, and the ensuing hugs and celebrating with all my DZ friends.

-Getting a skydiving tattoo: closing pin on my right wrist.

-Jumping from a helicopter at the Work Stinks Boogie. Pure tranquility from 4,500 feet.

*Photo by Norman Kent

-Meeting and having photo/video taken by Norman Kent (see above).

-Sitting up on my first attempt at a sitfly, and realizing just how much I love freeflying.

-Getting invited to jump with Team Magnuson and work on my RW skills during the Jump for Diabetes.

-Notable quotes:

• Are those your legs, or are you riding a chicken?
• HIM. HIM. F#@& HIM.
• I like to chase my dad sometimes too!
• Don’t over-think it. Just jump.
• I’m calling that one the ‘reverse cowgirl!’
• BEANS!

-The day I completed a 15 minute pack job and thought to myself “you know, I really don’t dread packing anymore.” And I haven’t minded it since.

-Meeting my freefly partner and planning some of the most exciting jumps of the season.

We even match!

-Celebrating the life of Dan Mathie with fellow skydivers who loved him.

-Attending my first boogie: Work Stinks at Start Skydiving in Lebanon, OH, and mingling with some of the most incredible jumpers.

-Getting to spend quality time with Danger and soaking up all the knowledge I could. You’ll continue to be an inspiration, Dan.

*Photo by Ashley Mead

-Bonding over beers, bonfires and shared experiences with the people who have become my dearest friends.

Looking back, skydiving has completely changed my life – for the better. Honestly, I can say that skydiving has saved my life. This sport has helped me become more self-aware and self confident than I ever dreamed imaginable.

It’s hard to believe how much has been accomplished in a few short months. Finishing out the season as a B-licensed skydiver, with more than 60 skydives under my belt, and a passion like I’ve never experienced before, I’m more than thrilled with how this season unfolded.

I can’t wait to see what the upcoming seasons bring.

What are some of your favorite memories of this skydiving season?

Blue skies!

Ashley

Home Away from Home

Over the course of the summer, Canton Air Sports has quickly become my home away from home – as is the case for most skydivers and their home DZ.

It’s a place that you look forward to visiting after a long week. A place where you find peace, tranquility, and happiness. A place where you’re all family – an often crazy, dysfunctional family that likes to throw themselves out of airplanes at 13,000 feet and marvel at the video footage after – but a supportive one none the less.

I cherish my home dropzone just as much as my real home. Between the bonfires, stories and advice shared, and great memories built in freefall with like-minded people, who wouldn’t look forward to a weekend at the DZ?

The friends I’ve made this season alone are some of the most incredible people I’ve ever met – and this weekend, I was lucky enough to celebrate the 35th anniversary of our home DZ with most of them.

It was a 5-jump weekend for me, four on Saturday – starting with a dead sprint to make the first load – and one on Sunday. What can I say, it was a long night and a very cold day at altitude. So, I might just be a freeze baby. What of it?

The weekend was filled with freefly jumps, lots of sit practice with my freefly partner and some excellent coaching opportunities with one of the most incredible freeflyers around. I feel more than fortunate to have been in the air with him and learned so much just from one-off conversations on the ground. Thanks, Joe!

Throughout the weekend we got to jump, eat, drink, and chat with those skydivers who share in the love of a great dropzone. The cookout was delicious, and after a long day of jumping, cracking open that first beer around the bonfire made for the perfect transition to a night of debauchery. I’ll spare you the details. What happens at the bonfire, stays at the bonfire.

(Diane and Rodger, Rick and myself hanging out with the rest of the crew at the bonfire.)

Though it’s all in good fun. Work hard, play hard. Right?

Come Sunday most of the experienced jumpers were moving a little slower than usual, but what’s a better hangover cure than a brisk 60 seconds in freefall?

This was one of the best jumps of the weekend for me. Two-man rolling train into a sit. I held a pretty decent sitfly – enough to participate in a two-man freefly with Joe as he went head down. This was also, by far, the best landing I’ve had with my canopy yet. Perfect braked approach into a landing where I wouldn’t have cracked an egg shell – and perfectly on target. Looks like I’m starting to get this 7-cell thing down. About time!

Due to the cold winds at altitude and the caravan having to leave earlier than expected, I called it a day after one jump. The rest of the afternoon was spent cleaning up from the night before and reminiscing over the hundreds of pictures that Sandy took over the weekend.

She was even nice enough to burn some onto a CD for me. Here’s a small blip of the events from the 35th anniversary celebration of Canton Air Sports. (Big thanks to Sandy and Lonnie Kirk for these amazing photos.)

(Dirt diving the 6-way hybrid. I was part of the 4-man base with Rick and Joe as hangers.)

(Sandy took lots of great shots of the sport jumpers under canopy!)

(Couple of freeflyers, always wanting to ‘hang’ around.)

(Now that’s what I call dirt dive concentration.)

Blue Skies!

Ashley

35th Anniversary of Canton Air Sports

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.

(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.

(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

A friend and mentor: Danger

As I’ve mentioned a number of times before, one of the best parts about being in the skydiving community is the people.

Since the community is rather small, when skydivers meet each other they find an instant bond. I’ve been extremely fortunate in my first season as a skydiver to have met some of the best friends and mentors a girl could ask for. Today, I’d like to remember one in particular.

My skydiving career started with a tandem jump, just for kicks, while on vacation. I knew after that first jump that I had to do it again. So I did. Another tandem. This time, at my home DZ, Cleveland Parachute Center in Garrettsville, Ohio.

My dear friend Christina and I headed down on a Sunday morning in April to meet our tandem instructors and learn a little bit more about the sport. Through 45 minutes of on-the-ground instruction by Dan, we were able to learn about circle of awareness and pull our own ripcords during the jump.

I was lucky enough to be paired with Dan on this jump and had a blast. This was the jump where I walked away knowing that this was the sport for me. Dan and I de-briefed and we talked about the next steps of the AFF program. Three weeks later I was back at the DZ, ready to become a skydiver.

When I walked in, Dan immediately recognized me as his former tandem student. He gave me a great deal on my video packages for my first two AFF jumps, and acted as my instructor for my third.

Throughout my time as a student, Dan was there to walk me through everything from landing patterns, to equipment checks, to my first attempts at freeflying. He became much more than an instructor and mentor, he became a friend.

Dan was the person who inspired me to reach the highest goals in skydiving. He recommended the freefall photography path that I so much desire to achieve. He taught me to relax. He encouraged me.

I was even lucky enough to be his ground crew on demos – even if it was only to take pictures on the ground.

Dan has not only been a positive skydiving influence, but he’s taught me so much about life, and living it to it’s fullest. For a man of little words, each one was filled with the passion that he had for life.

I am forever grateful to have met, worked with, and befriended such a wonderful person, and feel blessed to have had the opportunity to fly with him this season.

Danger, you will forever be loved and missed. You will continue to inspire freeflyers, belly flyers, and swoopers alike, as your stories live on. Thanks for all you taught me about skydiving, about passion, about life.

Blue skies.

Ashley

Dan ‘Danger’ Mathie: 1979-2009

Update: Today’s memorial for Dan was beautiful. His closest friends and family joined together to mourn the loss of this wonderful man, and to celebrate his life just as he’d want. There was even the appropriate toast with shots of Mountain Dew. Having been a part of Dan’s life means the world to me, as does being a part of the wonderful skydiving community that celebrated together this evening. Dan’s spirit will forever live on in the lives of those he’s touched. Blue skies, buddy.

Boogie weekend

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.

(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