Nationals, T minus 2 days (Saturday, 10/10)
9:45 am: Good morning from Spaceland! Yesterday's rain has moved out, but it's left low clouds in its place. Loads have been manifesting since around 7 a.m., but no planes have gone up yet. We hear it will clear out later on today, and the cooler temperatures are a nice change--59 degrees F at the moment, with a forecasted high of 74. The good thing about the weather is that everyone's got plenty of time to catch up with friends, get checked in, unpack their gear, etc. We're up to 353 jumpers registered so far, with 79 checked in.
Keep checking this page for updates and photos throughout the day!
2:30 pm: This place is awfully busy for a drop zone on a weather hold! Preparations are still going on, the parking lot's almost full, judges are arriving, there's dirt diving and creeping, and there's plenty of barbecue to be had for lunch!
The judges will be test driving CamScore today and tomorrow (some of them have used the system, some haven't); we'll talk to them tomorrow afternoon and let you know the scoop on that. So far I don't know a lot of details about it, but everyone I've talked to who does seems to think it's the best thing to come along since modern parachutes. We'll find out more soon!
In the meantime, we've got a little more DZ touring to do... check out the spiffy new bunkhouse/showerhouse (16 bunks, bathrooms, and laundry):
2:45 pm: It's still cloudy, but brightening... get on the manifest if you want to jump, I heard a rumor they've manifested out 12 loads plus tandems...
3:25 pm: I see sunbeams! They're not jumping yet, but that layer is definitely breaking up. :-)
3:45 pm: Rats! Load 1 was on about a 10-minute call, then got another weather hold. Stay tuned...
4:00 pm: Just found out something pretty cool... We all know that guest competitors (individuals or teams with at least one member who is not a U.S. citizen or has competed as a citizen of another country in the last two years) are not eligible to receive medals. Right? Well, Skydive Spaceland decided that if they're good enough to place in the top three, they should get a medal. It won't be a USPA Nationals medal, and they won't be considered a medalist in the official standings... but they'll get a nice-looking Spaceland medal to show off anyway. Nice move!
By the way, if you want to get the very quickest updates from Skydive Spaceland, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/USPAnationals!
Lastly, another of Spaceland's Otters just came home from its travels, bringing the on-site Otter count to 5. We are so ready to go when this cloud layer breaks all the way up!
8:00 pm: Bummer of a day, no loads flew due to clouds. Bright side? The lack of jump operations let the staff focus on finalizing the remaining ground preps. We just got out of a staff meeting and everyone's really pumped about things, looking forward to kicking this thing off! Staff will be wearing red shirts with Nationals artwork front and back plus red staff badges, so if you need something while you're here, look for someone who fits that fabulously detailed description. :-)
Speaking of staff, here's a note for professional packers wanting to pack indoors OR any jumpers needing packers here... Please see our packing coordinator Tami Jo Gertz. She will be managing the professional packer spaces in the air-conditioned packing area, plus assigning jumpers to packers. The central hangar space with green carpet is a free-for-all in terms of packing space.
Lastly but not leastly, the hangar will be open tomorrow at 6 am. The first practice loads are scheduled to start flying at 7:15 am.
See you all tomorrow... here's hoping the weather will improve and this blogger will get to make a jump or two!!!
Keep checking this page for updates and photos throughout the day!
2:30 pm: This place is awfully busy for a drop zone on a weather hold! Preparations are still going on, the parking lot's almost full, judges are arriving, there's dirt diving and creeping, and there's plenty of barbecue to be had for lunch!
Bakers Ribs says they can feed 700 people barbecue with this setup... they might get to prove it!
The judges will be test driving CamScore today and tomorrow (some of them have used the system, some haven't); we'll talk to them tomorrow afternoon and let you know the scoop on that. So far I don't know a lot of details about it, but everyone I've talked to who does seems to think it's the best thing to come along since modern parachutes. We'll find out more soon!In the meantime, we've got a little more DZ touring to do... check out the spiffy new bunkhouse/showerhouse (16 bunks, bathrooms, and laundry):
Each of the two bunk rooms has eight beds. Some are still available for $15/night, call manifest at 281-369-3337 to reserve one.
The new showerhouse adds several toilets and two showers each for men and women in addition to the bathrooms and showers in the main hangar.
Plus there are two washers and dryers each for men and women.
2:45 pm: It's still cloudy, but brightening... get on the manifest if you want to jump, I heard a rumor they've manifested out 12 loads plus tandems...
3:25 pm: I see sunbeams! They're not jumping yet, but that layer is definitely breaking up. :-)
3:45 pm: Rats! Load 1 was on about a 10-minute call, then got another weather hold. Stay tuned...
4:00 pm: Just found out something pretty cool... We all know that guest competitors (individuals or teams with at least one member who is not a U.S. citizen or has competed as a citizen of another country in the last two years) are not eligible to receive medals. Right? Well, Skydive Spaceland decided that if they're good enough to place in the top three, they should get a medal. It won't be a USPA Nationals medal, and they won't be considered a medalist in the official standings... but they'll get a nice-looking Spaceland medal to show off anyway. Nice move!By the way, if you want to get the very quickest updates from Skydive Spaceland, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/USPAnationals!
Lastly, another of Spaceland's Otters just came home from its travels, bringing the on-site Otter count to 5. We are so ready to go when this cloud layer breaks all the way up!
8:00 pm: Bummer of a day, no loads flew due to clouds. Bright side? The lack of jump operations let the staff focus on finalizing the remaining ground preps. We just got out of a staff meeting and everyone's really pumped about things, looking forward to kicking this thing off! Staff will be wearing red shirts with Nationals artwork front and back plus red staff badges, so if you need something while you're here, look for someone who fits that fabulously detailed description. :-)
Tami Jo Gertz, probably saying "Stow your brakes!"
Lastly but not leastly, the hangar will be open tomorrow at 6 am. The first practice loads are scheduled to start flying at 7:15 am.
See you all tomorrow... here's hoping the weather will improve and this blogger will get to make a jump or two!!!
Labels: USPA Nationals
posted by Skydive Spaceland at
4:25 PM
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