SEPT [1996] JUMP REPORT

I started the month knowing I wouldn't go to Perris X-game competition and, knowing I finally had some moves in freefly and all this put me in a funk. On the first day of the month, sultry and calm, TK and I shredded GKC skys and I put it on video. Did some nice VRW with smooth docks and cartwheels and loops during xtreme closeups. I watched the video I shot later and I knew I had "caught on." Knowing I had these 'skills , it broke my heart to know I couldn't, wouldn't, make the games without a team.

The next weekend brought bad weather - stuff left over from the Baja hurricane and so I kept busy and caught up on my family life, worked on my car, cleaned the house and dubbed some tapes. I tried all weekend to get a handle on a new direction in my skydiving since the freefly team thing seemed impossible.

By the time the weather got straight I had decided Freestyle could work for me. I knew most of the moves and already had a basic free routine worked out. I could train alone with a DZ sponsorship and who knows. If I could get my crooked broken leg to strech out and look pretty for a moment, I might have a chance.... maybe at next year's Nationals. Plus, I had the secret weapon of Vertical freestyle sorta figured out and with a head-down video.....

So I worked on freestyle on a Friday after work near the middle of the month. The weather had finally got right so I told my boss I had a 'dentist appointment' and left an hour early. I got challenged right away trying do some loop/twist things coming off a head-down stable (inverted-stradle). I had a smile on my face from the dizzy speed. Yeah,...I can this do freestyle thing...

After 2 FS dives I went on a tasty DEMO team jump for opening ceremonies at a high school football game that evening. The crowd responded enthusiastically. The kids actually came up and talked to us and cheered from the stands. I have done these high school demos since back in the early 70's when hitting the field with your 7-tu meant something. This was the first time I had seen any sophistication in the crowd. I decided later it had something to do with all the "air time" skydiving has been getting in the movies, on ads, and in the x games..... Maybe we finally have a fan base for real out there with generation X.

After that one lone freestyle Friday the weather soured again until the end of the month. I made 13 in the 7 days. I started the streak fully intending to nail down some freestyle until TK, Wade, and M., Marion and Hubert started showing up. These people make up the GKC no-box crowd and I have videoed all of them frequently. So one thing leads to another and before long I'm back to VRW again. Wade worked with TK on a couple of drills. If they got in the tube I could match their fallrate easily and lock in some great vid, ...mostly I had the zoomies and TK would stick with Wade and the chase was on and I would produce only fly specks.

I made a dive with M. that blew my mind with zen face offs and easy docks with lots of smiling and when we got down M. just looked at me and said"...you're having thoughts." When I got back to the pack area we went over to Jamie's to check the vid. We were in the same room from exit to break off. The docks were funny because of the strange orientations. "We have to get a camerman and go back to the team" I told her after the viewing. I knew instantly all the training we had done for a year had finally jelled. That night, we proved it again doing easy "night totems" under a full moon and hazy skys at the monthly Full Moon madness at GKC. This dive puts me into the 100 jump at night group. I have made several good "first time" night dives this year which no one can call me on. These include night nude freestyle, night board docks, and, night VRW head-down/upright docks. If I owe anyone a 'case' just let me know your address... Kansas City lux rules.

The last weekend of the month, M. and I and TK played some more. I took a couple of humbling lessons with the camera. This time M. had the zoomies and I chased them. I learned I should use my head-down as soon as they start going down from me and can always come back to the chair when things slow down again. I seemed to learn in big chunks now after a long summer of skill diving....

I've rolled right on into Oct. with the good weather of Fall. Hubert has become a big player at the DZ for me. He has a hot intermediate board and I have done a bunch of vid of him. Mostly good stuff and he and I dig it. We have decided to try and do a team thing we call "Fun Surfers." We get together when we can and jump hot and heavy. I film him from the upright/headdown orientation wearing lots of claw.

M., Hubert, and I may all show up at Dallas for N.A.FF/SB 2. We hope someone at Dallas can give M. and me some good camera work. Gary said he didn't see any problems. I might film Hubert. We said we would practice alot but the weather and schedules make it tough. I'm a little angry with myself for deserting freestyle so easily for VRW. But, if it doesn't get windy in Texas, if M and I can find the tube for Gary....if Huby could do the helicopter.... blue skies jhs/dzp