I'm going to keep using this pic until SOMEONE takes a real one at the DZ!

	Name:         Bruce

	Nicknames:         Muskrat, Crypt2knight

	Jumps:         72  I’m still the Virgin.

	Most Memorable - AFP 3- Virgin Flies with Pan

	I walked into manifest and Nancy told me Rook would be going with me. Rook? "Yea, Rook!", she says. I couldn't help but smile . . . Great, Virgin gets to fly with Peter Pan. Pan kept it so calm & cool I finished-off the perfect flight standing-up for the first time . . . oops, case!!

	Worst Experience - AFP 4 – Guys Don’t Skip

	AFP 4 . . . Two in a row for standing-up the landing, but when I was walking (skipping ..^_^..) back to the hanger I stepped in a wheel rut and twisted my knee . . . Great ~ Idiot . . . there goes the rest of the weekend flights . . . anyone want to get something pierced?

	Funniest Jump - # 22- First True Funnel Jump

	My fir%$ . . .oops . . virgin ~ yea that's better . . . my virgin jump after Graduating from the AFP program. Rich volunteered to train me a little better in SW and tracking. It was supposed to be a simple float exit, link up, float up, down, link, accordion, accordion, 360, then track. First question . . . is it technically possible to funnel your own exit?? Because that's about what happened. Simple float exit turned into a helicopter spin that cost us at least 3,000 feet. By the time I got back over to Rich for the first link I could almost see him rolling his eyes thinking jeez - what the hell was that  ..^_^..   I couldn't help but laugh. Floats and dips went nice and came back in for the accordions but when I got a few inches from him I started backsliding . . . Nannette worked for 4 jumps to cure me of that bad habit and here I was doing it again. Needless to say, there wasn't time left to do squat so Rich pointed, basically saying track you little butt over there. The entire time I was laughing over the messed up exit and backsliding. Anyway, the first thing Rich asks me when we are back in the hanger was "Hey Muskrat . . . what happened with that exit?"  I couldn't help but smile.  Thanks Rich ..^_^..

	Priceless Jump - # 44- First Time Things Come Together

	The weekend started with Tequila Bill and I going over the jump I wanted to try – first time attempting to stand. Told Bill it would be a 3-point since we would exit in a sit, go straight to stand and then I wanted Bill to invert 180 to his head – 3 points. Bill tried to correct me by saying that’s not three points – hey, its my jump, if I want to call it a three point - it’s a three point!!!!  We were on our way up and asked the two head-downers in front of us when they would be pulling – 4500 and 4000. Cool – we would give them at least 7-8 seconds before leaving. The guys behind us said they were pulling at 3500 and we would be pulling at 3500.  Bill and I go out in our sit – OK he sits and I flounder to my back.  Bill goes to his back and patiently waits until I get into my sit – which never really comes because I get impatient and try to do and 180 to my head and catch up to Bill. Of course that does not work and I end up popping completely out and onto my belly.  Now I have to try to track Bill and catch back up – he is still sitting on his back waiting for me. I try to angle myself downward but can’t quite get head-down.  Now I’m getting frustrated – but begin to remember what Rook told me on my AFP 3 – picture it in your mind and just do it. I take a deep breath and pop up in a perfect controlled stand – wave bye-bye to Bill as I zip down past him.

	As I’m going past by Bill at about 5000 I look down and see the two head-downers coming our direction. Either we are backsliding to them or they are tracking directly toward us – either way it doesn’t really matter since in about 2 seconds all 4 of us will be in the same air space. I’m still in a stand and don’t want to flip to belly since Bill is above me – but these two are coming right at us. All of a sudden Rook comes back to me and I picture just stepping to the side to avoid them. One turn of the foot and I step right out of their path and right between the sheets. They said they would pull at 4500 and pull they did just as I slammed on the brakes and was flipping to my belly canopies explode open to my left and right with a loud crack (so that’s how those things look when they open). Priceless. I look up to Bill and he is about 100 ft above me and to my right tracking away – I slid down and followed him until he safely pulls. Priceless. What was truly priceless was that moment in time when all came together and I knew without any doubt that I would avoid the danger below if I just remained calm and trusted all that had be taught to me – all seem to come together.

	Bell Helicopter Jump - # 50 - First Time In a Chopper

	The first time I was ever in an airplane was the first time I did a tandem skydive.  So, what better way to celebrate my 50th jump then to take my first ride on a chopper and jump out of it ..^_^..

	Jumpships:         Twin Otter, DC3, Bell Helicopter

	Canopy:         Stiletto 135

	Reserve rides:     Don't care to find out.

	Naked jumps:     0 out an airplane . . . out a window ~~ well....

	Birthday:         April 27

	Age:             I thought we never aged in Never - Never Land.

	Why SkyDive Chicago: I'm sexually attracted to Steph, Rach, Krashtina, Cheryl, Jen, Lisa, Deb . . . just don't tell their boyfriends. ..^_^..  oh yea, because SkyDive Chicago truly is a beautiful family and I'm humbled by the way they embrace everyone.

Copyright © 2004 TeamFunnel. All rights reserved.
Revised: January 20, 2004