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No doubt it is easy to dislike skydivers as a group, based on experiences at many of the turbine DZs, and I did have a strong dislike for skydivers for a long time.

Eventually, I concluded that blowing off all skydivers is not good because there are plenty of skydivers who are really awesome human beings and it is a shame to ignore them because some of the people they share the same hobby with are assholes.

The thing to remember, IMO, is that a person's hobby or sport does not automatically make them a good person nor does it automatically instill the same sense of brotherhood and sisterhood that you may feel.

I have been jerked around by skydivers and by BASE jumpers so I have learned to not automatically consider either to be fine human beings just because we share the same activity.

I think it is probably easier to get to know BASE jumpers at a deeper level, though, because BASE is much more dangerous and you quickly find how someone reacts in bad situations because things get really bad far more often in BASE jumping than they do in skydiving.

Bottom line: I wouldn't suggest completely giving up on skydivers just yet. There really are some standup people out there that happen to be skydivers.

Walt

I tapered off to almost no skydiving and now I'm back. When I was off, I managed to make a lot of base jumps, I rode my motorcycle most weekends and simply had a bunch of fun. I made a handful of jumps a year for several years.

The dropzone I skydive at has come back around to being a very fun place to be. The 2 people that created most of the drama show, moved on to a different state and apparently are doing quite well.

As in all group activities, there will be at least some drama, but even if I was the subject of it, I've never concerned myself with it. It's served me well for 19 years.

I'll probably never stop skydiving. It's fun. Fast parachutes are fun. Practicing true accuracy is fun. Freeflying is fun. Training 4 way VRW is fun. Teaching students to skydive is fun.... it's just fun. I can do stuff now I'd never dreamed of. The people at the DZ I jump at are great.

Skydiving itself is great. I've always thought the farting thing was lame if it's done on purpose but whatever, farts are funny.

Because I'm current, I may do a Demo this weekend. I'm pretty stoked. Paid to jump into an arena in front of a bunch of rednecks then go wine tasting? Good times.

I don't know where you jump, but I certainly understand why you might not want to be at the dz. Thing is, it's so much easier to base jump when you're current under a parachute. You don't have to deal with all the aspects of the dropzone. It's not yours so don't worry about it. Just find your people, go have some fun and don't bother involving yourself with that which does not concern you.

It's also true that some dropzones do have drinking problems. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is not really that great. That's a problem if you rely on others for your beer. Bring some of your own if necessary.

The beer at my DZ is Bush Light. Thats the only problem I have with it (not that I ever turn it down). Speedflying, BASE jumping, Paragliding, Freeflying, RW, CRW, it's all canopy sports in someway. And it is all super fun in my opinion. However, it's not the sports themselves that I'm drawn to, its the people. to the OP, I'd look for another DZ. A lot of the crew I BASE jump with I skyjump with. It's fun to see who's good at what.
I will say that BASE is the only thing that consumes my thoughts and keeps me awake at night.

I stopped skydiving for 3 years until I ordered my wingsuit, now I figure there is no reason not to play it safe and go fly above the clouds for a while with some much need training. Though I now really regret selling my skydiving rig.

Just passed my first year in BASE mark and I would have to agree. Before BASE I was skydiving almost every weekend and since.. I haven't made a sky jump since..ehh.. November maybe. The only reason that even happened was because I picked up a fellow base'er from the DZ early in the morning to go make a jump. We came back to the DZ to lay out our dew soaked canopies and partake in the ritual of a post jump 7am Whiskey and "smoke" break. DZO called for a free load..so we scrounged gear and went. I bailed immediately after the jump.

Went back out to the DZ a few weekends ago to pick up a GoPro mount with a friend.. We arrived while a load was up. As soon as they all touched down and people were like "Ahhh bro..WTF! you totally F'ed our 4 way round!!" "My sit fly was so F'ing rad! Ohh my god!" "I swoop so hard man!!" .... I was ready to punch a baby.

Like stated before not ALL skydivers are bad for sure.. there are always awesome people around, but the BASE community does seem to connect on a MUCH deeper level.

It's okay man.. a lot of people feel the same as you. I'm ruined...

CRW!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just go to a different DZ. Some of the funnest ones I've been to are tiny Cessna DZs. I had a blast at the last DZ I went to and I didn't even jump. I can't mention what happened online but it was legendary in the annals of dropzonedome.

exactly!

our CRW team (minus the camera guy) is composed of all BASE jumpers. we all love BASE, but also enjoy our time together at the DZ. it really really depends on the DZ too. so if you dislike skydiving... it's probably the DZ you're at. shop around. it's another great family for us.

For real.

Walt

+1 on the wingsuit

And I will be changing DZ by default this weekend... Moving !

i like farting in the plane!

I view skydivers (non base jumpers) probably the same as skydivers view wuffos...
as the pussies they are.

i do like crw, ws, and farting on the plane though.

Everyone decides their own level of involvement.

~Tyler Durden

I think Dwain Weston already set the bar, if you
do not cut yourself literally in half while pushing
the limits well then you are a pussy and should
get in the bus, sit down & shut the fuck up.

edited to correct a typo

I never really started skydiving, I was in it for one reason, BASE. Now at our dz there are a couple of guys who are getting into BASE quiet nicely and some of the top skydivers, who have never made a BASE jump, and never will, are giving advice to the new BASE jumpers. And, because I don't skydive, besides the occasional hop-n-pop, the top skydivers warn the new guys about me. I think its funny to listen to someone who is talking about something they know nothing about. Don't get me wrong, as far as skydiving goes, I have mega respect for these guys. It just gets old. Skydiving and BASE are two different animals. I don't give 'formal' advice to new skydivers because I'm not qualified and that gets to me. Yet they can give advice on BASE. Hum? Go figure. That's why I dislike the dz. Too many rules. I just like jumping off stuff better.

Hell yeah! The only thing I like more than farting on the plane is smelling other people's farts.

Farting on the subway, in elevators, and in taxis is fun too.

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYES!!!!

to all who enjoy farting in the plane.....you f'in rock!!!!!! that is always one of my highlights abt skyjumping, pissing people off in the plane with my rank ass smells. i'll never forget when i let out a good one at around 9K after a loooooong night of hard beer guzzling and this tandem student nearly threw up in her lap (and it def was not because she was nervous abt jumping).......oh the memories.

to the OP, I feel ya. I used to jump at a well know dz called lodi, and most of the "hot shit" skydivers were dickwads. not sure how the vibe is now. however, skydiving at cool dz's is and always will be good times.

Thanks for the douchers who identify yourself, without having to ask or make assumptions.

fuck skydiving. go base jump and speedfly. its a new revolution thats being invented. ive only got a couple speeflights but it is hands down the best experience ive ever tasted. i suggest you all try it. no DZ's, no bullshit, just pure fun.

Nothing to speedfly off of in the flat land :(

So only speed flying ill do is off a tower, building :)

no matter what anyone says i believe there is a rule that you should always follow:

1. Do things you enjoy.
2. Know WHY you enjoy the things you do.
3. Never be afraid to try something new.

A bartender friend gave me this bit of advise years ago, but it could translate to anything in your life. I have been plane jumping for 12 years (as of monday) and BASE jumping since 10/04. I enjoy both for their own merits. I enjoy the people for their personalities, in both sports, for them. In fact, in Northern California the air type sport enthusiasts actually get together and have mutual x-sport love. Paragliding, hang-gliding, BASE, Skydiving, speed flying, et al.

WE ARE A VERY DIVERSE GROUP, embrace what you want, but I choose to respect the other air sport types, who knows: YOU MIGHT HAVE FUN

You don't have to go to the DZ to fart, you can always crop dust your buddies at the exit point

don't forget cablecars! they really love you even more if you do team farts!

What's up 2007? Speedflying is sooo pase. Now trannylove, that's the best experience you'll ever taste.

Thanks guidance counselor. Can we do a group hug now?

Especially if you have a stinky Polack with you and you've eaten 3 kilos of spaezle the night before...

good times! the smell was pretty epic too!

edit: i also like group hugs.

BASE jumping and speedflying are AWESOME. I have done a shit ton of both. Though I still speedfly a lot (500+ flights in 3 years) I have only done 3 BASE jumps in the last year (~500 before that).

What is weird, is I have done nearly 100 skydives in the last 1.5 years. I use skydiving to test speed gliders, get some serious RW (not the SUPER lame freefall kind) but the kind with wingsuits and tiny parachutes, 2.5WL+ CRW, etc.

Skydiving has it's place. If you can make friends with the skydivers, the experienced ones that don't shun new things (yeah, hard to find) but if you can do that, it is pretty freaking awesome again.

Face humping and hot railing speed are MORE awesome.