Well friends, I was supposed to take my girlfriend and best friend skydiving today. I had to do some pretty intense wheelin'-and-dealin' to get him to go, and my girlfriend was a nightmare to convince. After months of trying and leaving subtle hints (and the not-so-subtle ones), they finally agreed. I called the nearest skydive school, 2 hours away, to enroll us all in the static line class and three jumps. I did this three weeks in advance. Awesome, yes?
God-Damn-stupid-freakin-Texas-panhandle-weather!! Clouds aren't supposed to be more than 20ft off the deck. Now I know what the brave sould destined for Normandy with the 101st and 82nd felt like as their jumps were repeatedly cancelled.
I just felt like ranting, since most of you know what it's like and watch a day be WASTED by not being able to jump.

Ha! thats cool your going to do that.

I could only could fit two jumps in the day I went to skydiving school in Omro, WI.

It took the whole morning and part of the afternoon to get through ground school and then in the afternoon there was the last min saftey stuff, rigging up and waiting on a plane. There are only so many they can take up at once.

First jump is where I got the rush, second jump it was pretty routine and by the numbers because the fear is gone.

You'll never experience anything like this in your life it's so quiet up there and there is no sensation of falling. It's like your floating in a hot air balloon.....well until the last 100 or so feet.

I always carried a new, unread, paperback with me when we went to jump. I many spent long hours sitting beside the airfield waiting for the Air Force to show up with the planes or the weather to clear. We waited three days one time, couldn't leave because we were waiting to jump imto a big joint service operation. We ended up hitting the ground four hours after the Weather Service gave an all clear.

Amen, a good paperback & some good cigars made waiting on wx and the Air Farce almost tolerable!

Paperback, cigars and sharpening steel to tune up the KaBar a little.

Aaaaaand, I've jumped!
Went back yesterday and took the Static Line class and completed my first jump. Because of the high jump volume yesterday, the girlfriend and I only got in one jump. Found another place for next week where we are guaranteed four jumps per day, weather permitting.
I found it hilarious that my girlfriend and I got 10 minutes (and three practices) at PLFs from a lawn chair. I laughed and told her she just learned what the Army takes the first week of jump school to teach.
My jump was beautiful- static line out of a cessna, 3500 ft. I was in the air for about 5 minutes, and had a great West Texas view. I was taking instructions by radio, and came in on the DZ perfectly. I received the flair order a little early, so I flaired 20-30 ft off the ground. Just as I was taking my dip off the flair, I caught a gust sending me into a pretty harsh right-side PLF. Perfectly executed!
I guess being a Leg in an ABN unit for 6 years paid off. I can't wait to get back out there.
For you hard'n'crusties out there, YES, I have an ABN slot now for next year after IOBC. Until then, I can say I've jumped.
The girlfriend, bless her heart, weighs next to nothing. She floated for almost 10 minutes and landed on some nice sticky bushes. She can't wait to do it again either.
Thanks for listening, folks. It's about time I got it done.