Archive for April, 2010
Jeff an JT take a dock on a beautiful day!
I have been skydiving for a while now. I have been to incredible places, I have been on incredible jumps. So its not very often that I can walk away from an event and truly say, “Wow!”
Its really hard to put into words just how special this weekend was for me. So many amazing things came together to produce this wonderful event. We had amazing jumpers, amazing scenery, and an amazing cause that could tie this event together and make it a success.
I’ll admit it, I still have heros in this sport. So imagine how special it is when I get to jump with two of them, all while doing something new and exciting for both disciplines. Its such a thrill to see Jonathan fly his small fast canopy. Its amazing to see how much range Jeff can have on his suit. Its amazing to see them both flying together, one in freefall and one under canopy.
In addition to the amazing jumpers, we also had amazing scenery. I have long read about Moab and its beautiful scenery, but I had never quite appreciated just what that could add to a skydive. I remember the 182 screaming down the Mineral Bottom Canyon, twisting and turning as we followed the river…It was incredible! I remember opening over Mineral Bottom, taking in the cliffs, and then following Jonathan down as we swooped one of the finger cliffs…amazing! Finally, I remember our last jump over Sorrel River Ranch, complete with cliffs and spires all lit up in the golden hour of sunset…breath taking! I had never considered coming to Skydive Moab before, but now I will never consider missing a Skydive Moab moment!
Lastly, we had an incredible event to which we wanted to support and raise awareness, Operation Freefall. Raise the Sky met SOAR and Operation Freefall, and an idea was born. Project XRW and Miss Nevada teamed up for a special weekend of jumping. We have some amazing video, some amazing photos, and an amazing story to tell. This all was thanks to many people. Special thanks to Skydive Moab, Sunpath, Tony Suits, Raise the Sky, and Operation Freefall. As always though, I want a very very special thank you to go out to our lead organizer, Taya Weiss. Taya dedicated (as she always does) countless hours of free work, all for good skydives and great causes. Thanks Taya!
Phil's Camera Angle of me and Tagle
Project XRW has been an absolute blast! I’ve learned so much about my flying and the dynamics of Canopy Wingsuit Relative Work. I have 17 jumps interacting with a canopy now, and I can only imagine where we will go with more experience. I’m definitely looking forward to the next phase of XRW!
I’m still amazed every time I look over to see a canopy flying next to me and still have range to fly around it. It was a funny visual to see Tagle with his hands free hanging out under canopy. I can only imagine what he was thinking. It’s been a pleasure to work with true professionals like Jonathan Tagle, Phil Peggs. Eli Bolotin, and Taya Weiss.
It was even better to be doing this project to promote awareness for a great cause, Operation Freefall and SOAR (Speak Out Against Rape).
Thanks to Raise The Sky: Taya, Eli and Phil for organizing such a great event, and Operation Freefall for all the great support.
This project would not have happened without our sponsors: Tonysuit, Sun Path, and Skydive Moab. Thank you! The pictures alone are worth it!
Skydive Moab is one of the most scenic dropzones in the country has been a great host. The jumps into Mineral bottom and the Sorrel River Ranch were epic to say the least. The visuals were overwhelming. I can’t wait to come back!
Jeff
My View of a Jump
It’s always fun and exciting when you get to experiment with new flight characteristics, so when I was asked to join Project XRW I literally jumped at the opportunity. You always learn so much when you’re able to push the envelop of skydiving in a controlled environment. And what better place to do it than Skydive Moab, in Utah.
Until we did the first few jumps, we were all kind of stuck in our own heads wondering if it was really going to work. It all looked good on paper, but was it really going to work? With just 2 jumps under our belts we started to feel the confidence boost. Then jump after jump it just got better and better. Admittedly, the initial visuals were a bit awkward to get over. Just watching Jeff fly his wingsuit right next to me, while I was under a perfectly good canopy, was strange at first.
The second day of the project was amazing. We had perfect weather and amazing scenery over Mineral Bottom and the Sorrel River Ranch. Jeff and I were really starting to loosen up, so we began to challenge ourselves with the interactions. On the last jump of the day Jeff maneuvered his wingsuit right up into slot for me to grab his harness. I was so excited, I yelled in his ear… “I gotcha!” Shortly after that, Phil Peggs came over and docked with Jeff completing a 3-way formation. We all had big smiles on our faces.
I want to thank Raise The Sky and Operation Freefall for organizing this event with the generous support of Sun Path, Tony Suits, and Skydive Moab. I feel great to be part of a project that raises awareness and supports programs to stop sexual violence in our communities. Special Thanks to Jeff Nebelkopf, Phil Peggs, Taya Weiss and Eli Bolotin for their expertise in making this project a success.
Looking forward to the next chapter in XRW.
-jt
