A Letter From Rook Nelson…
I want to start a movement.
Before you deflect, I want to preface this by saying that this call to action has nothing to do with tense political issues and is not intended to inspire pointless, petty arguments; after all, Skydive Chicago is a place people come for some relief from all of that.
That being said, this movement has everything to do with environmentally preserving our little piece of paradise, especially given the fact the sport of skydiving itself is not the most ecologically conscious.
Two years ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Burning Man Festival. It was an incredible, life-changing experience, and if you ever get the chance to go, you should. One of the most prevalent requirements of festival goers was the principle of, “Leave no trace”—meaning, of course, that what you bring it in, you must bring it out. One of the most effective ways to adhere to this practice of minimal waste was to bring a cup or plate with you while out and about. You never knew when a camp had some cold beverages or food they wished to share with you, and if you were caught without these basics, you missed out. The urgency of remembering these essentials was obviously crucial at a desert festival, but I would like to inspire the same sense of accountability from all of our jumpers here, especially given the environmental impact our sport inevitably leaves.
I would like to encourage everyone to purchase a small kit that includes a cup, plate, and cutlery. Here’s a link to the one I have, and for $12, it’s fantastic: https://gsioutdoors.com/cascadian-1-person-table-set.html. Bring it with you to cookouts, the bar, or anywhere you are going to use ‘single use’ items. It will take some getting used to, and certainly, no one is going to ‘shame’ you if you don’t… but it would be a great way to help keep waste at a minimum and to adapt more environmentally conscious habits. As our community thrives on the principle of helping each other, it seems only appropriate to exercise similar consideration for the world in which we live, too.
Thanks, everyone.
~Rook
Stop Hauling The Goods…
You just got off the longest flight in the world. You’ve been lugging your gear and your suitcase of essential DZ clothes, jumpsuits, cameras, and your toiletries. It’s been a long journey but you’re finally here. Now it’s time to check into Manifest!
Wait, you’re still lugging all that gear around. Baaahhh!
Even after you’ve settled in at your trailer, campsite, or cabin, you’ve gotta keep hauling that rig, helmet, and what not all around. Or do you?
Manifest has your solution ready and waiting. LOCKERS! We still have lockers available to secure your valuables and gear each and every day after jumping. It’s as simple as stopping into Manifest and signing up for one. The team of Manifest men and women will happily help you find a home for everything you need while jumping at the hangar. Think about it. Now you only have to haul yourself down to the Tiki after jumping and square up to the bar while Lisa pours you a well deserved and refreshing beverage.
Whether you’re an Unlimited Jumper only here for a month or you’re the seasoned veteran here every day, Manifest has your storage solutions in mind. Stop on in today and grab your locker now!
Anthony’s Words Of Wisdom…
Ever the past couple of weeks, we have had a few close calls (a.k.a. low turns) due to people trying to avoid landing in the 1000 plus jump area. To start off, I want to define what the 1000 jump area is. It is a landing area designated for people with over 1000 jumps at the north end of the landing area. A great deal of high performance turns occur in this area. I want to encourage everyone to please use caution while landing such as so.
On South landing days, please make your base leg is south of the 1000 jump line. With that said, it is a landing area. It is not hot lava! If landing there is your safest option, by all means, please land there. Nobody of any importance will be mad if you land in the 1000 jump area because it was your safest option at the time.
Landing in a designated area is NOT a priority. Landing safe is your ONLY priority. This is the same when doing a left-hand pattern. If for whatever reason, you are not able to do this safely, a right-handed pattern is acceptable. Please use extra vigilance as you will be going against the grain of other canopies. A 90 degree right turn is better than a low 270 left turn. Skydive Chicago would rather people safely land in the 1000 jump area by accident than to perform an unsafe canopy flight to avoid landing in that area.
Be safe out there and Blue Skies.
~Anthony
Grounds Crew Is Back In Action…
The weather over the last two months has been quite difficult to deal with as we’ve had to endure the rain. Oh, then there was the rain. Almost forgot… There was still more rain.
There was so much rain that even mowing the lawn was incredibly difficult. It grew to look like the jungle in certain spots around the dropzone. The grounds staff had to simply take a step back for a moment but the moment is gone. It’s time to start mowing again!
Why are we telling you about the lawn? Who cares, right? Actually, we thought we would let you know that over 200 acres of lawn to mow takes a long time to accomplish. On average, it takes four people two full days of work to accomplish the task. Then, almost as soon as it’s done, those crew members have to start mowing again.
One of the setbacks to successfully mowing is junk. Junk, junk, junk and more junk… In the campground. We would greatly appreciate the help of each trailer slot owner when it comes to lawn care. It’s a simple task. Just clean up your yard so that the grass grinders can slip in there and make your slot look amazing. If you have things in the way, the crew is just going to have to toss them away for you. Please, everyone, help the hard-working grounds team make your spot at the DZ look amazing by picking up debris and old items from your slots. We sincerely thank you for it and look forward to making your yards look incredible.
Freedomfest 2019 Is Here Again…
Yep! It’s almost time! Skydive Chicago’s Annual Freedomfest is here and is sure to be one to remember.
Come on out to Skydive Chicago for the extended holiday weekend and jump with your favorite friends and make some new ones along the way. We will have a full staff of load organizers in all disciplines that weekend to get as many people jumping as we can.
Doug Barron’s All-American Invitational is the largest it’s ever been this year as it is boasting three-plane shots from 18,000 feet. 60-ways over the DZ are super cool to watch and even cooler when you get to be a part of them. Come check it out and ask Doug how you can be a part of this annual and amazing event.
On July 6th and 7th, we will also be hosting the 1st annual SDC 500 Pylon Races! Registration is $75, $35 covers camera slots and $40 goes into the prize pool. Competitors must also cover their slots for the 5 rounds of competition, and any re-jumps, if necessary. Competitors must register by 8 am on Saturday, July 6th. In the event of weather, the money meet will take place on Sunday, July 7th. Contact SDC Core to sign up for the event.
Finally, Saturday, July 6th, we will have our famous firework show. Bring the family out, grab your blanket, and meet us on the lawn at dusk. The night will be dazzling with UFO jumpers and fireworks. After the show, join us at the Tiki Bar as we enjoy the night and celebrate the holiday weekend!
Summmmmmafesssssst!
Summerfest 2019 is only a month away and we’re getting ready for you!
Norge is currently updating the stage lighting, Full-On Foosball, the Summerfest sign, new debrief stations, and he’s even building a new chug game. (You’ll just have to show up to see that one…) We’ve got the Red Bull Firetruck showing up with a hefty supply of Red Bull for you and the Eat Up Crew is making sure to have the Food Truck outside every day to solve the hunger pains of jumpers who don’t want to wait in a line for the nutritious goodness that they provide.
The LO’s have all bought flights and are ready to get here to fly with you and take you on the best jumps of your life. There will be all-new hats and shirts stocked up in the store so you can sport the Summerfest goods with style. The vendors are fueling up their RV’s and packing their trailers with all their goods for demo and sale. Extra staff has been compiled to make sure the nights are a beautiful playground of both relaxation and mayhem. Guitars are being re-strung. Violins are being tuned up. DJ’s are making mixes as we speak.
Basically, we are pulling out all the stops to make sure we give you the best boogie experience that we possibly can! We’ve got the room for you. We’ve got the jumps for you. We’ve got the nightlife for you. We’ve got it all… Just For You!
Register now right here http://bit.ly/summerfest-rego and get ready for Summerfest 2019!
Time To Set Some More Records…
The Head-Up World Record attempts are making their way to Skydive Chicago this July. Sara Curtis and Amy Chmelecki are bringing their world-class skydiving and organization skills to Ottawa, Il this year so that they, and 98 other seasoned skydivers, can show the world that nothing is impossible!
The warm-up weekend for the world record is scheduled for July 20th-21st. Those who got the invite will start going for the gold on Monday the 22nd. Each day will bring new challenges and new jumpers to meet those challenges as there is a very deep bench on this attempt. There will be no retreat. There will be no surrender. They will push all week long until the world hears the echos of 100 canopies opening in the sky like thunder as they celebrate the victory!
Come on out and watch all the exciting attempts at glory at Skydive Chicago next month! For more on the record, click here: https://www.facebook.com/Upright-World-Record-Attempts-598727816914202
Rock Sky Market Keeps Bringing The Goods…
You’ve been waiting and it’s time. The Cookie G4 is now available for pre-order!!
Pre-orders for the Cookie G4 have begun. Orders that happen now will be shipping by the end of July 2019. With limited availability still, initial G4 helmet orders will be limited to the following matte color choices: Black – White – Dark Blue – Red- Charcoal – Tactical Green – Royal Blue – Lime Green. We anticipate the other five color options will be available for purchase in late July and ship late August. Stop in now and pre-order your G-4 today!
G-Force Wingsuit Rentals are now available for daily, weekly, and monthly rates. Starting at only $100/day. We have them in stock and available for immediate use. Our staff will help you find just the right size and fit so you can head on out there and shred some sky while visiting SDC.
Need some flair? Decal stickers have arrived again and you deck out your gear with the latest SDC schwag. A new Jersey design has been selected as well and will include smaller women’s sizes. For orders and estimated delivery times, give the store a call.
Finally, we’ve received more consignment suits, rigs, and accessories. Need something on a budget, chat with us! Keep an
eye on the message board outside the store for quick updates and remember that Rock Sky Market is not your average Gear store! If you need it, we’ll help you find the product at a price that’s fair with an unsurpassed quality check! Even if we don’t have the item in-store, our Gear Counselors will help you avoid the everyday worries of buying secondhand. Have faith in Rock Sky Market, we’ve got your back!